iBook G4 downgrade from 10.5 to 10.3 trouble

jhomayne · Jan 28, 2013, 05:38 AM

Hi.

I'm trying to revive a sluggish iBook G4 (12" 1.2GHz 1.25GB ram)

However, although the HD boots fine into 10.5.8, when I insert my 10.3.7 install discs and attempt a clean install, the HD does not appear in the destination section.

I've searched around, but cannot seem to find someone with the same problem.

The partition map scheme is Apple Partition Map.
S.M.A.R.T status is verified.
Write status: read/write

Does anyone have any suggestions? Many thanks.

G4TheWin · Jan 28, 2013, 06:39 AM

What I want to know is why you want to run such an ancient version of OSX. My iBook has the same specs as you, and with a few tweaks it actually can run about as fast as tiger. Here is a link to those tweaks:http://mymacintoshcollection.com/opt...commendations/ Why do you want Panther anyway? The software update servers for it are offline, and the only web browsing options for it are old versions of Camino and iCab. I hope this was helpful, not nagging.

g4 powerbookboy · Jan 28, 2013, 10:21 AM

i have a ibook g4 with a 1.2 processor and 768 mb of ram and it runs leopard nicely. why would you want to use something even older?

skateny · Jan 28, 2013, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by g4 powerbookboy

i have a ibook g4 with a 1.2 processor and 768 mb of ram and it runs leopard nicely. why would you want to use something even older?

Same situation, and same question.

Leopard is much better and works just fine for me.

jhomayne · Jan 28, 2013, 11:37 AM

Valid points!

Reason being that I want to start afresh with the iBook as it is really dragging in 10.5.8.

My only install discs are the 10.3.7 discs that came with the iBook when new and a Tiger upgrade disc.

I figured that I'd go back to Panther, then upgrade to Tiger and then see how things ran from there.

I have a Windows laptop that is much newer that I use for most things, but I just wanted to get the iBook running snappily again.

If anyone has any tips for a different route to that scenario, please let me know.

eyoungren · 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhomayne

Valid points!

Reason being that I want to start afresh with the iBook as it is really dragging in 10.5.8.

My only install discs are the 10.3.7 discs that came with the iBook when new and a Tiger upgrade disc.

I figured that I'd go back to Panther, then upgrade to Tiger and then see how things ran from there.

I have a Windows laptop that is much newer that I use for most things, but I just wanted to get the iBook running snappily again.

If anyone has any tips for a different route to that scenario, please let me know.

Save yourself a lot of trouble and run some system maintenance. Download Onyx and use all the maintenance/cleaning functions in it you can. If Safari is bugging you, reset it. You can use Onyx to clean out all your browser caches as well.

Boot from the Tiger install disk (if you have one) and repair the disk, then repair permissions. Use DiskWarrior as well, if you can get a hold of a copy.

Then optimize. Strip out extra languages using Monolingual and strip out extra code using XSlimmer. If problems still persist, use Activity Monitor and Console to get an idea of what's causing the problem.

All Macs ever really need is some routine maintenance, particularly when things get slow (but if you are doing maintentence regularly this happens rarely). It's only with the big problems that we should consider reinstalling the OS. And we have DiskWarrior for that most of the time.

Nermal · Jan 28, 2013, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhomayne

My only install discs are the 10.3.7 discs that came with the iBook when new and a Tiger upgrade disc.

I figured that I'd go back to Panther, then upgrade to Tiger and then see how things ran from there.

Have you tried installing Tiger directly? Although "upgrade-only" copies do exist, the vast majority of Tiger DVDs can be installed regardless of the current OS.

G4TheWin · Jan 28, 2013, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyoungren

Save yourself a lot of trouble and run some system maintenance. Download Onyx and use all the maintenance/cleaning functions in it you can. If Safari is bugging you, reset it. You can use Onyx to clean out all your browser caches as well.

Boot from the Tiger install disk (if you have one) and repair the disk, then repair permissions. Use DiskWarrior as well, if you can get a hold of a copy.

Then optimize. Strip out extra languages using Monolingual and strip out extra code using XSlimmer. If problems still persist, use Activity Monitor and Console to get an idea of what's causing the problem.

All Macs ever really need is some routine maintenance, particularly when things get slow (but if you are doing maintentence regularly this happens rarely). It's only with the big problems that we should consider reinstalling the OS. And we have DiskWarrior for that most of the time.

My point exactly! That's pretty much what the link I posted earlier in this thread said, however.

eyoungren · Jan 28, 2013, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G4TheWin

My point exactly! That's pretty much what the link I posted earlier in this thread said, however.

I saw that. Good link.

jhomayne · Jan 28, 2013, 05:14 PM

Thanks for all the tips.

I'll give them a go and see what happens.

However, does anyone have any idea for why the HD doesn't show in startup disk?

G4TheWin · Jan 28, 2013, 08:47 PM

I see from your signature that you kinda sorta already did the upgrade. Dunno why, as Leopard Webkit is great on these older machines, and blows Tenfourfox out of the water.

jhomayne · Jan 29, 2013, 02:41 AM

Ah the signature is a little out-of-date. Apologies.

I tried all the optimisation stuff, but it's still pretty sluggish. I guess my main option would be to try to source some leopard install discs and do a clean install from them?

tom vilsack · 05:29 AM

Why not try linux for ppc.

California · Jan 29, 2013, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhomayne

Ah the signature is a little out-of-date. Apologies.

I tried all the optimisation stuff, but it's still pretty sluggish. I guess my main option would be to try to source some leopard install discs and do a clean install from them?

It sounds like your hard drive is failing. If you are using the original HD, please upgrade. Those OEM 30gig 4200RPM drives were absolute crap.

I have a 80 gig 5400 with Leopard installed if you need a better PATA drive.

Ariii · Jan 29, 2013, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom vilsack

Why not try linux for ppc.

Or dual-boot

!

G4TheWin · Feb 2, 2013, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ariii

Or dual-boot

!

On a 30 GB drive, I don't think that dual booting is an option. On my computer, just the stock apps, iLife '06, and Office 2004, I have about 10 GB remaining, or not enough to run Linux with a good-sized sharing partition. Plus, no hardware video acceleration.

Ariii · Feb 2, 2013, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G4TheWin

On a 30 GB drive, I don't think that dual booting is an option. On my computer, just the stock apps, iLife '06, and Office 2004, I have about 10 GB remaining, or not enough to run Linux with a good-sized sharing partition. Plus, no hardware video acceleration.

It depends on what the OP needs. Personally, I never needed any more than 5GB for Debian.

Also, there would be plenty of HDD space if the OP did end up switching to Panther.

Jan 28, 2013, 05:38 AM	#1
jhomayne macrumors regular Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: England	iBook G4 downgrade from 10.5 to 10.3 trouble Hi. I'm trying to revive a sluggish iBook G4 (12" 1.2GHz 1.25GB ram) However, although the HD boots fine into 10.5.8, when I insert my 10.3.7 install discs and attempt a clean install, the HD does not appear in the destination section. I've searched around, but cannot seem to find someone with the same problem. The partition map scheme is Apple Partition Map. S.M.A.R.T status is verified. Write status: read/write Does anyone have any suggestions? Many thanks.
	0

Jan 28, 2013, 06:39 AM	#2
G4TheWin macrumors member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: A ditch somewhere	Whaa? What I want to know is why you want to run such an ancient version of OSX. My iBook has the same specs as you, and with a few tweaks it actually can run about as fast as tiger. Here is a link to those tweaks:http://mymacintoshcollection.com/opt...commendations/ Why do you want Panther anyway? The software update servers for it are offline, and the only web browsing options for it are old versions of Camino and iCab. I hope this was helpful, not nagging. __________________ I have an iBook G4. Get it? G4TheWin? It's a portmanteau of G4 and For The Win.
	0

Jan 28, 2013, 08:47 PM	#11
G4TheWin macrumors member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: A ditch somewhere	I see from your signature that you kinda sorta already did the upgrade. Dunno why, as Leopard Webkit is great on these older machines, and blows Tenfourfox out of the water. __________________ I have an iBook G4. Get it? G4TheWin? It's a portmanteau of G4 and For The Win.
	0

Jan 29, 2013, 04:36 AM	#13
tom vilsack macrumors 65816 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: ladner cdn	Why not try linux for ppc. Last edited by tom vilsack; Jan 29, 2013 at 05:29 AM. Reason: might be more then user could handle
	0

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Jan 28, 2013, 10:21 AM	#3
g4 powerbookboy macrumors regular Join Date: Aug 2010	i have a ibook g4 with a 1.2 processor and 768 mb of ram and it runs leopard nicely. why would you want to use something even older?
	0

Jan 28, 2013, 11:37 AM	#5
jhomayne Thread Starter macrumors regular Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: England	Valid points! Reason being that I want to start afresh with the iBook as it is really dragging in 10.5.8. My only install discs are the 10.3.7 discs that came with the iBook when new and a Tiger upgrade disc. I figured that I'd go back to Panther, then upgrade to Tiger and then see how things ran from there. I have a Windows laptop that is much newer that I use for most things, but I just wanted to get the iBook running snappily again. If anyone has any tips for a different route to that scenario, please let me know.
	0

Jan 28, 2013, 05:14 PM	#10
jhomayne Thread Starter macrumors regular Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: England	Thanks for all the tips. I'll give them a go and see what happens. However, does anyone have any idea for why the HD doesn't show in startup disk?
	0

Jan 29, 2013, 02:41 AM	#12
jhomayne Thread Starter macrumors regular Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: England	Ah the signature is a little out-of-date. Apologies. I tried all the optimisation stuff, but it's still pretty sluggish. I guess my main option would be to try to source some leopard install discs and do a clean install from them?
	0