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Installing Leopard on Powerbook G4 17 inch

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petervero

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 19, 2010
2
0
I have tried to install leopard on my powerbook G4 17 inch which is 1.5 Ghz 512 MB RAM
I have come across someone able to convert Leopard Upgrade DVD to Retail version by modifying the Cloned DVD. Anyone has clue/help on modifying OSX 10.5 install DVD which I have already cloned? - to try installing on my Powerbook G4 17 inch
 
M

max¥¥

macrumors 6502a
Aug 7, 2008
640
29
Over there....
you could try putting the powerbook in target disc mode, mounting the upgrade disc on another mac, then click on the go menu > go to folder > type /Volumes/Mac OS X Install DVD/System/Installation/Packages > find osinstall.mpkg >select powerbook hdd as install destination, if it installs reboot your powerbook and it should be like you jut installed the system
 
P

petervero

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 19, 2010
2
0
petervero said:
I have tried to install leopard on my powerbook G4 17 inch which is 1.5 Ghz 512 MB RAM
I have come across someone able to convert Leopard Upgrade DVD to Retail version by modifying the Cloned DVD. Anyone has clue/help on modifying OSX 10.5 install DVD which I have already cloned? - to try installing on my Powerbook G4 17 inch
Click to expand...

I think I need to rephrase my query. Install DVD is meant for MAc Pro and not upgrade ... and so when I try installing on powerbook.. says it cant install this software / version... something like that.

I tried installing from my Intel Mac pro using powerbook as target disk but it asks me to make GUID partition for the target disk .. and when I did and installed successfully on the powerbook as target disk mode, the powerbook failed to load or startup..

So here what I want is idea to modify/hack whatever the install DVD meant for the Mac Pro so that It will install on the G4PB 17 inch 1.5 GHz 512 MB ram..... hoping that makes things more simple.
 
M

max¥¥

macrumors 6502a
Aug 7, 2008
640
29
Over there....
petervero said:
I think I need to rephrase my query. Install DVD is meant for MAc Pro and not upgrade ... and so when I try installing on powerbook.. says it cant install this software / version... something like that.

I tried installing from my Intel Mac pro using powerbook as target disk but it asks me to make GUID partition for the target disk .. and when I did and installed successfully on the powerbook as target disk mode, the powerbook failed to load or startup..

So here what I want is idea to modify/hack whatever the install DVD meant for the Mac Pro so that It will install on the G4PB 17 inch 1.5 GHz 512 MB ram..... hoping that makes things more simple.
Click to expand...

i think if you replace the osinstall.mpkg with one from the a original install disk it will work as a normal install disk, i would post the file but i.m not sure if it would be against forum rules, if you pm me your email i will send it to you

your are trying to install 10.5?
 
Sun Baked

Sun Baked

macrumors G5
May 19, 2002
14,937
157
The G4 won't boot from a GUID partition, which on the Mac is a Wintel partition with the Apple File System bolted on top.

The G4 needs a the old fashioned HFS+ partition.
 
spinnerlys

spinnerlys

Guest
Sep 7, 2008
14,328
7
forlod bygningen
Sun Baked said:
The G4 won't boot from a GUID partition, which on the Mac is a Wintel partition with the Apple File System bolted on top.

The G4 needs a the old fashioned HFS+ partition.
Click to expand...

HFS - Hierarchical File System
GUID - Globally Unique Identifier
GUID Partition Table - is a standard for the layout of a partition table for EFI based PCs (and some BIOS based ones)
Apple Partition Map - standard layout for a partition table on PPC based Macintosh computers

So, HFS+ can be used with GUID and Apple Partition Map, as HFS+ and GUID are not the same like HFS+ and NTFS or GUID and APM.

PartitionScheme.png
 
D

dwdillard

macrumors newbie
May 4, 2010
11
1
Universal install or not...?

petervero said:
I think I need to rephrase my query. Install DVD is meant for MAc Pro and not upgrade ... and so when I try installing on powerbook.. says it cant install this software / version... something like that.

I tried installing from my Intel Mac pro using powerbook as target disk but it asks me to make GUID partition for the target disk .. and when I did and installed successfully on the powerbook as target disk mode, the powerbook failed to load or startup..

So here what I want is idea to modify/hack whatever the install DVD meant for the Mac Pro so that It will install on the G4PB 17 inch 1.5 GHz 512 MB ram..... hoping that makes things more simple.
Click to expand...

I think the problem is more simple than previously realized- The RETAIL Leopard Install disk is a UNIVERSAL install - meaning that it would work on either a Power PC (PPC) mac OR an INTEL mac.

Unfortunately, it seems that Apple does not send UNIVERSAL installs on their GREY system install/restore disks.

So the Grey Mac Pro disks only have the Intel version of the Leopard install on them.

This is my suspicion, based on some very similar work to what you are trying to do- can anyone confirm this?
 
D

dwdillard

macrumors newbie
May 4, 2010
11
1
a solution

If you can get your hands on a retail (UNIVERSAL) Leopard install disk, there is a really great guide posted here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/371302/

It worked for me- I installed Leopard onto a Sawtooth PowerMac G4 with a 400mHz processor and 400mb(ish)ram. it ran REALLY slow, but it ran. I am actually trying to find a copy of Tiger to put on that machine now in the interest of having it run a bit faster.
 
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