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ChrisHrobak

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 24, 2011
8
0
Just got a PowerMac G4 from a friend without hard drive which os and how do i install i have a microsoft usb and mouse connected to tower

Chris
 

ThunderSnake

macrumors 6502
Jul 23, 2010
310
1
Just got a PowerMac G4 from a friend without hard drive which os and how do i install i have a microsoft usb and mouse connected to tower

Chris

What are the specs of the machine? What does it say on the back? Did your friend indicate that there are any upgrades? A PowerMac G4 tower can range from a single 350MHz to a dual 1.42GHz CPUs (and beyond with upgrades).

Tell us what model, what CPU (original or upgrade), what video card (original or upgrade), and how much ram.
 

ThunderSnake

macrumors 6502
Jul 23, 2010
310
1
PowerMac G4 M8493 1gz 1593MB RAM

Yes, you should be able to install Leopard 10.5.8. You'll need a retail install disk. This is a dual CPU unit (unless it's an aftermarket module, but that's unlikely). This will make a decent Leopard or Tiger machine. It's a pretty nice gift from your friend.

Edit to clarify: Any retail Leopard install disk for PowerPC (the black ones, not the machine specific gray ones) will work. You can then update to 10.5.8 from Apple's server.
 
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ChrisHrobak

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 24, 2011
8
0
I cant use a torrentd copy? i tried os 9.2 and OS X Lion dmg and neither worked all i get is the flashing folder
 

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
I don't get how torrenting a discounted OS is pirating. I mean, Apple doesn't sell it anymore, so why would they care if people torrent it?

It is copyrighted code that is not available to the public for free download, unlike Mac OS 7.5.3. When an end user obtains copyrighted code that is controlled as such, for free, it is called pirating. It is no different that pirating the latest Xbox 360 game or Windows 7 Ultimate.
 

ChrisHrobak

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 24, 2011
8
0
I just wanted to try it out....im not a mac guy....just wanted to see if i liked it better than a windows PC thats all

----------

plus probably wont get it to work anyway i dont have a apple keyboard
 

ThunderSnake

macrumors 6502
Jul 23, 2010
310
1
Although it's not really the point, Apples does still sell Leopard (at least they did as recently as three months ago, the last time I checked). It's not listed on their website. You have to call and ask for it.

It's nice that well-known forums like this one for PowerPC enthusiasts still exist. Crossing lines that could cause legal trouble for the host is, to put it mildly, rude.
 

ThunderSnake

macrumors 6502
Jul 23, 2010
310
1
wasent trying to be rude.....

My comment was directed more at those who downrated Intell's comment. Sorry, I should have been more clear. I didn't think your question was rude.

You just joined. You asked the question, but didn't push it when people told you no. No big deal. I doubt that you'll even hear from a moderator about it.

Let us know when you get your copy of Leopard if you have any more questions. I've been seeing them go on Craig's List for about $40 lately.
 

ChrisHrobak

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 24, 2011
8
0
ok will keep looking but i may have to end up buying a apple keyboard not having too much luck with this MS Keyboard
 

ThunderSnake

macrumors 6502
Jul 23, 2010
310
1
Any standard USB keyboard should work. Are you sure that this MS keyboard is good? For your purpose, just to get your feet wet with OSX, I wouldn't spend more than $10 on a keyboard.

If you decide that Mac isn't your cup of tea (doubtful if you're comparing it to your windows experience), you should easily be able to recover what you spend on Leopard. I think you'll like Leopard, though. It's a joy to use and doesn't take very long to get used to.

Although you should be able to get a good feeling for the way Macs work with this machine, keep in mind that it is dated and new Macs are 10 times more powerful. Even a lot of the people who post in this PowerPC forum also have new Macs--Especially those who need to encode video on a regular basis. That said, there is still a lot that you can do with these old machines.
 

ThunderSnake

macrumors 6502
Jul 23, 2010
310
1
If you do decide to get a machine specific keyboard, look for one like this. It'll give you an eject button that works with your computer. You can probably find a better deal than that particular auction, though.
 

ChrisHrobak

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 24, 2011
8
0
may consider making the switch but still unsure....btw found a friend who has a retail copy of leopard. Do i need to do anything special to instal it? besides putting in cd drive?
 

ThunderSnake

macrumors 6502
Jul 23, 2010
310
1
may consider making the switch but still unsure....btw found a friend who has a retail copy of leopard. Do i need to do anything special to instal it? besides putting in cd drive?

Not really. Boot while holding "c". Installation is pretty straightforward following onscreen instructions.

Once installed and you've booted your new system, you can choose "Software Update" from the Apple menu in the upper left corner to bring it to the most recent 10.5.8.
 
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