Trouble Upgrading PowerBook G4 to Tiger

Rocketman205 · Nov 19, 2009, 09:08 PM

I have a PowerBook G4 (12", 1 Ghz PowerPC G4, 1.25 GB DDR SDRAM) running OS X version 10.3.9. A friend had his PowerBook destroyed (it fell off of his deck into the swimming pool) and has since purchased a new MacBook Pro. He gave me his OS X 10.4.10 disk to update my PowerBook to Tiger. When I try to install it my PowerBook locks up and displays several lines of messages. One of them is "unable to find driver for this platform: PowerBook6,2" Does this mean these disks were made for my friends powerbook and will not run on any other mac? Is there anyway to get this to install on my PowerBook?

MisterMe · Nov 19, 2009, 09:19 PM

My guess is that you are trying to use a gray System Restore disc to install the OS. Not gonna happen. System Restore discs are model-specific. You need a black retail disc to install the OS.

Rocketman205 · Nov 19, 2009, 09:32 PM

Thanks for the reply. Yes they are the gray disks. Oh well, it was worth a try.

MacTech68 · 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterMe

My guess is that you are trying to use a gray System Restore disc to install the OS. Not gonna happen. System Restore discs are model-specific. You need a black retail disc to install the OS.

This is indeed true. Many late Tiger installs that shipped with Macs also have a script that checks the model of the machine and informs you that you cannot use the disks to install on anything other than the model they shipped with.

In your case, however, the build of MacOS on the install disc pre-dates your model of machine and cannot even boot it. EDIT - not quite correct. See edit below:

You can see what the minimum build is for PPC Macs here.

EDIT: Actually, if the disk he gave you is 10.4.10, then it's an Intel Only build and won't boot a PPC Mac.

10.4.10 shipped with MacBook (13-inch Mid 2007) and MacBook Pro (2.4/2.2 GHz)

Rocketman205 · Nov 19, 2009, 09:51 PM

Thanks. I bought my PowerBook about six years ago. I wanted something small that I could download digital pictures from my camera while away from home. It would be nice to upgrade the OS because many websites now will not load using my version of Safari. I have to upgrade to 10.4 in order to upgrade Safari or download Firefox.

MisterMe · Nov 20, 2009, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocketman205

... I have to upgrade to 10.4 in order to upgrade Safari or download Firefox.

You may upgrade your OS to MacOS X 10.4 all you want. You have to use a retail distribution to do it is all.

Nov 19, 2009, 09:08 PM	#1
Rocketman205 macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2009	Trouble Upgrading PowerBook G4 to Tiger I have a PowerBook G4 (12", 1 Ghz PowerPC G4, 1.25 GB DDR SDRAM) running OS X version 10.3.9. A friend had his PowerBook destroyed (it fell off of his deck into the swimming pool) and has since purchased a new MacBook Pro. He gave me his OS X 10.4.10 disk to update my PowerBook to Tiger. When I try to install it my PowerBook locks up and displays several lines of messages. One of them is "unable to find driver for this platform: PowerBook6,2" Does this mean these disks were made for my friends powerbook and will not run on any other mac? Is there anyway to get this to install on my PowerBook?

Nov 19, 2009, 09:19 PM	#2
MisterMe macrumors 601 Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: USA	My guess is that you are trying to use a gray System Restore disc to install the OS. Not gonna happen. System Restore discs are model-specific. You need a black retail disc to install the OS. __________________ Neither a borrower nor a lender be For loan oft loses both itself and friend William Shakespeare from Hamlet

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Nov 19, 2009, 09:32 PM	#3
Rocketman205 Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2009	Thanks for the reply. Yes they are the gray disks. Oh well, it was worth a try.

Nov 19, 2009, 09:51 PM	#5
Rocketman205 Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2009	Thanks. I bought my PowerBook about six years ago. I wanted something small that I could download digital pictures from my camera while away from home. It would be nice to upgrade the OS because many websites now will not load using my version of Safari. I have to upgrade to 10.4 in order to upgrade Safari or download Firefox.