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Can't install original Mac OSX

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Wiseman

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 20, 2011
10
0
Hey, I'm trying to do a complete reinstall of OS X and the applications that came with my Mac mini G4, but the installer says it can't be installed on that machine, which makes no sense.

Any ideas on what's causing the problem and how to solve it?
 
TEG

TEG

macrumors 604
Jan 21, 2002
6,621
169
Langley, Washington
Which version are you trying to install? I believe the Mini required at least 10.3 but more likely 10.4, and you have to make sure it is the right extra revision, because if the device came out under 10.4.5, you would not be able to install 10.4.0. If you are using the grey discs, you may need to make sure they are the right discs for that model.

TEG
 
C

chrismacguy

macrumors 68000
Feb 13, 2009
1,979
2
United Kingdom
TEG said:
Which version are you trying to install? I believe the Mini required at least 10.3 but more likely 10.4, and you have to make sure it is the right extra revision, because if the device came out under 10.4.5, you would not be able to install 10.4.0. If you are using the grey discs, you may need to make sure they are the right discs for that model.

TEG
Click to expand...

If its an early 2005 Mini (1.25/1.42Ghz), it Shipped with 10.3.7 (Grey disks only), and then later 10.4.0 (Mine shipped with 10.3.7 in Feb '05) and if its a later 2005 Mini (1.33/1.5Ghz) it shipped with 10.4.2.
 
W

Wiseman

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 20, 2011
10
0
This is a 2005 Mac mini, and it came with 10.4.2 as the restore discs, but those are the ones where the installer says it can't be installed, and the drive has been erased, so nothing is there to stop it.
 
TEG

TEG

macrumors 604
Jan 21, 2002
6,621
169
Langley, Washington
Wiseman said:
This is a 2005 Mac mini, and it came with 10.4.2 as the restore discs, but those are the ones where the installer says it can't be installed, and the drive has been erased, so nothing is there to stop it.
Click to expand...

Did you use Disk Utility on the disc to format and partition the Drive as Mac OS Extended using the Apple Partition Map?

TEG
 
W

Wiseman

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 20, 2011
10
0
TEG said:
Did you use Disk Utility on the disc to format and partition the Drive as Mac OS Extended using the Apple Partition Map?
Click to expand...

Yes, it's formatted as Mac OS X Extended (Journaled)
 
W

Wiseman

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 20, 2011
10
0
TEG said:
With the Apple Boot Map? Not Master Boot Record or GUID?

If yes, it may actually be that the disc has found an error on the disk.
Click to expand...

Yes. I doubt there's a disk error, since I only zeroed out the data already on it, and there were no errors at that time.
 
Last edited:
W

Wiseman

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 20, 2011
10
0
adcx64 said:
Is there an option to do a custom install in the installer? Try that.
Click to expand...

Nope, no such option. I can only get to the point where I select the language, and after I do that, the error message pops up that says it can't be installed on this Mac.
 
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