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Cannot install Leopard on an iBook! Why?

N

nicnic77

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 18, 2007
134
10
Hi all. I've bought a iBook from eBay for my mum and grabbed a copy of Leopard, but every time I try and install it I get the following message:

"Install Failed - The installer could not validate the contents of the 'BaseSystem' package. Contact the software manufacturer for assistance."

I know the disc itself is fine as I previously used it to install Leopard on my Macbook. I've also just bought a brand new 1Gb stick of memory from Crucial as I read in a few places that "this message is due to faulty RAM in 99.9% of cases".

I'm obviously not very happy about this..

Its a white iBook 1.33Ghz 12". Model Number: A1133. Any help (before xmas) would be gratefully received!
 
I can help you with this.

First remove the crucial RAM and put it aside. Since your iBook has 512mb in it, you should be able to install leopard.

If you install leopard successfully, put the ram back in the computer and run techtool deluxe or apple hardware test. The hardware test is in the restore cd. Run that and it will test the ram. If the ram is bad, return it.
 
Ok. I tried to install Leopard with stock RAM, or at least the RAM it came with from eBay and got the Error Message. Therefore, after Googling I found reference to the fact that the RAM is probably at fault, so I brought brand new RAM. Same thing on both sticks of RAM. The Crucial RAM is what they suggested with the wizard thing on their site. Tiger installs perfectly, but why not Leopard? I was hoping to not have to ring Apple..

Also, as a side note I've noticed that when I turn on the iBook the chime sounds, but the screen stays black for a good 5-10 seconds before the grey Apple boot screen appears. On my iMac/Macbook the chime and the boot screen happen at near enough the same time. Is this normal on an iBook?
 
nicnic77 said:
Tiger installs perfectly, but why not Leopard? I was hoping to not have to ring Apple..
Click to expand...

If one OS works, and the other doesn't, I'm not so sure it's a question of memory. Bad ram tends to show no matter what you try to do with it. I think the problem lies elsewhere.
 
nicnic77 said:
Ok. I tried to install Leopard with stock RAM, or at least the RAM it came with from eBay and got the Error Message. Therefore, after Googling I found reference to the fact that the RAM is probably at fault, so I brought brand new RAM. Same thing on both sticks of RAM. The Crucial RAM is what they suggested with the wizard thing on their site. Tiger installs perfectly, but why not Leopard? I was hoping to not have to ring Apple..

Also, as a side note I've noticed that when I turn on the iBook the chime sounds, but the screen stays black for a good 5-10 seconds before the grey Apple boot screen appears. On my iMac/Macbook the chime and the boot screen happen at near enough the same time. Is this normal on an iBook?
Click to expand...

You have to remember the iBook is a older machine, so I would imagine the screen may appear to take time to light up.

nicnic77 said:
Hmm. What else could it be? Machine FUBAR?
Click to expand...


Hmm..
It might be a long-shot
but have you tired resetting the PRAM?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you start up your Mac, Press and hole the following keys... Apple+Alt+P+R and wait for the 2nd chime before letting go.
 
Just a thought, since you've already played musical RAM: That error sure sounds like an install disc error.

You said it'd worked on a MB, but it's at least theoretically possible that the disc is somewhat funky and the MB's newer optical drive was able to compensate for the error. Either that, or maybe the MB's drive is somehow funky (though I'd expect it not to boot from the install disc at all in that case).

Not quite sure how you'd go about testing this... maybe burn a copy from the MB and try that?

You might also try installing it from a different computer onto the iBook connected via Target Disk Mode, though I don't know if that's even possible (and if it is, I'd think you wouldn't be able to do it from a MB--you'd need to have another PPC Mac).
 
Just to clarify, when you say grabbed a copy of leopard, you mean you bought a new copy? or just grabbed your leopard install disks from your macbook?
 
Just tried the PRAM and NVRAM thing, but same error.. I don't have a Firewire cable either so can't do anymore right now :(
 
Well I bought a FW - FW cable and tried to install from a MB partition, but the iBook couldn't see it. I gave up. Pretty disappointed, but I managed to get Tiger back on there so it isn't the end of the word. Thanks for the advice folks.
 
Wireless Buddy said:
Ah, OK. I have a 900 MHZ G3 iBook, but I don't care for Leopard anyway. I love Panther.
Click to expand...
It won't run a on a G3.

nicnic77 said:
Well I bought a FW - FW cable and tried to install from a MB partition, but the iBook couldn't see it. I gave up. Pretty disappointed, but I managed to get Tiger back on there so it isn't the end of the word. Thanks for the advice folks.
Click to expand...
PowerPC Macs can't see GPT Intel Mac partitions.

You're going to need another PowerPC Mac in order to install Leopard on the iBook.
 
Eidorian said:
It won't run a on a G3.

PowerPC Macs can't see GPT Intel Mac partitions.

You're going to need another PowerPC Mac in order to install Leopard on the iBook.
Click to expand...

Ahhhh. That'll be why then!! Cheers ears. I did ask in my local non-official Apple store, but they're completely clueless it would appear and more interested in a sale.
 
I'm surprised no one has said his yet but because you already installed Leopard on one machine, and you can't on the other, you must have bought a single user license. In order to install Leopard on more than one machine, you need a 5 user license so you can install it on up to 5 machines. Looks like you'll have to go buy another copy of Leopard.

Edit: Didn't see previous post, what I said is true but you do need at least a 867 MHz G4 or faster.
 
iDAG said:
I'm surprised no one has said his yet but because you already installed Leopard on one machine, and you can't on the other, you must have bought a single user license. In order to install Leopard on more than one machine, you need a 5 user license so you can install it on up to 5 machines. Looks like you'll have to go buy another copy of Leopard.

Edit: Didn't see previous post, what I said is true but you do need at least a 867 MHz G4 or faster.
Click to expand...

That's not true. Even though you can legally only install Leopard on one machine, the disc/software itself does not have an activation feature like Microsoft Windows. This makes it possible for Leopard to be (illegally) installed on multiple machine even if it is licensed for only one computer. Many people have gone this relatively evil but harmless path to save money.
 
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