I received a iMac G5 with no OS

[OutThere]

I want to put and OS on the iMac G5, how would I go about this?

 

[pigoo3]

The macOS versions that can be installed on an Apple iMac G5 computer all came on a disk originally.

Newest macOS version that can be installed on an iMac G5 computer is macOS 10.5 "Leopard". You could either purchase these via eBay...or there may possibly be some legal sites with a digital download of macOS 10.5.

A warning regarding disks on eBay. When these computers were brand new...they shipped with a set of Gray-colored disks. These are model specific...and will only work on the computer model they shipped with. Thus I would advise not purchasing these. If you did purchase a Retail version macOS 10.5 install disk...they are black with a large "X" on them.

Be aware. macOS 10.5 "Leopard" was first released in 2007 (16 years ago)...and last updated in 2009. Thus this is an old version of the macOS...and once installed...if you wanted to take this computer onto the internet...performance will very likely not be all that great.

This is because the performance of the computer itself is not all that great by 2023 standards...and because macOS 10.5 is an old OS...and the internet of 2023 has evolved well beyond what macOS 10.5 was written to do.

Good luck,

Nick

 

[pm-r]

I want to put and OS on the iMac G5, how would I go about this?

Adding to Nick's excellent reply and warnings, you can find a lot of information about those models here:

Apple iMac Specs (All iMac Tech Specs): EveryMac.com

Tech specs for all Apple iMac models from the original to the current. Dates sold, processor type, memory info, hard drive details, prices and more.

everymac.com

And the last G5 model here:

iMac G5/2.1 20" (iSight) Specs (iSight, MA064LL/A, PowerMac12,1, A1145, 2082): EveryMac.com

Technical specifications for the iMac G5/2.1 20" (iSight). Dates sold, processor type, memory info, hard drive details, price and more.

everymac.com

The site also includes links to Software, various upgrades etc. and related information regarding those Mac models.

As mentioned, the most recent Mac Operating System those models can run is OS X 10.5.8, also known as OS X 10.5 Leopard.



- Patrick
=======

 

[Rod]

I have to ask, was this what you were expecting? What you have is an "ancient" Mac only capable, due to firmware and hardware of running legacy software.

 

[newbutter]

Congrats on your new (well, new to you) iMac G5! As the others have mentioned, the most recent OS you can install is macOS 10.5 "Leopard". While it's true that this is an older version of the OS, don't let that dissuade you. There's still a lot of fun to be had with these machines, and they're great for learning about the history of Macs.

Nick and Patrick have already given some solid advice on how to get your hands on the OS, but just to reiterate, be sure to steer clear of the gray disks on eBay. You're looking for a black disk with a large "X" on it.

As for Rod's point about the machine being "ancient", I'd rather think of it as "vintage".

 

[OutThere]

As for Rod's point about the machine being "ancient", I'd rather think of it as "vintage".

well ...yeah. I still have every PC I ever bought. Started out in Mainframes in the 80's, even have some mainframe hardware. when I was in HS no calculators, we had slide rules, had a sheath on my belt for my slide rule. Looked like i had a sword. I was taking analog electronics and the day our instructor came in and gathered the class and said there is a company called Intell that made something called a Microprocessor he went on to explain how digital electronics worked. I leaned over to the gut next to me and said ...that will never catch on. probably the biggest understatement of the century.

so does the hard drive have to be in any specific state? what I have done was i went to a site called Mac repository and downloaded panther 10.3. it was a toast file and i read where i can just rename the extension from toast to iso. i burnt the image to a cd, put the cd in the G5 and powered it up.
if i hold down the "C" key at boot it goes to the Apple logo and just stays there. If I just turn on the
G5 i get the folder/ question mark then it goes to another screen where it shows a clockwise arrow , an arrow pointing right that looks like it is highlighted with a frame around it then something that says Mac install media...or something close to that. then after a while I get the Apple logo. I have a PC keyboard and mouse connected. No mouse function throughout the whole process. there is a good possibility too that the G5 is broken.

 

[ferrarr]

Just to mention, it may also run Mac OS X Tiger (10.4). The earlier models came with Panther (10.3).

 

[krs]

so does the hard drive have to be in any specific state?

Is there an internal drive in the G5?
That drive needs to be formatted as "Mac OS Extended (Journaled"
You can do that using the install disk

what I have done was i went to a site called Mac repository and downloaded panther 10.3. it was a toast file and i read where i can just rename the extension from toast to iso. i burnt the image to a cd, put the cd in the G5 and powered it up.

AFAIK, macOS 10.3 will not fit size-wise on a CD, the install disk was on a DVD or as a special order, one could get the installer on several CD's.
So I don't know what you actually have.
But even with a complete macOS downloaded, a "burned" CD or DVD will not work on all CD or DVD drives, I think you need to get an original "pressed" DVD.
And as Nick mentioned, make sure you gtet either the black one or the specific one for the iMac G5.
I would suggest you post here before you buy

if i hold down the "C" key at boot it goes to the Apple logo and just stays there. If I just turn on the
G5 i get the folder/ question mark then it goes to another screen where it shows a clockwise arrow , an arrow pointing right that looks like it is highlighted with a frame around it then something that says Mac install media...or something close to that. then after a while I get the Apple logo. I have a PC keyboard and mouse connected. No mouse function throughout the whole process. there is a good possibility too that the G5 is broken.

With that coming up on the screen, I think the iMac G5 is fine, it just needs an operating system.
PC keyboard and mouse will work when proper macOS DVD is detected.

 

[Rod]

So, it's clear then that you are an enthusiast rather than someone who accidentally bought a "vintage" mac online thinking it would be a functional device for todays technology. I just wanted to ensure you were aware of that.

 

[newbutter]

so does the hard drive have to be in any specific state?

The hard drive doesn't need to be in a specific state. But if you're seeing the folder with a question mark, it suggests that the Mac can't find a bootable OS. Holding down the "C" key should boot from CD, but it seems like it's not reading the disc correctly.

Make sure the .iso you burned is bootable. Also, it might be worth trying to boot in Target Disk Mode (hold "T" at startup). This way, you can check the hard drive's health from another Mac.

 

[krs]

Can we just get one thing straight to start with

what I have done was i went to a site called Mac repository and downloaded panther 10.3. it was a toast file and i read where i can just rename the extension from toast to iso. i burnt the image to a cd, put the cd in the G5 and powered it up.

If the Panther software from that site fits on a single CD (which is the way I read in the quoted post), then it's not the complete 10.3 software or the macOS software at all.
macOS 10.3 macOS was normally shipped on a single DVD or on four CDs. three install CD;s and an X-Code CD.
A single CD just doesn't have the capacity for the 10.3 installer.