Cannot boot from USB or DVD on Powermac G5

[r34per]

Hey guys! Picked up a powermac G5 with 2 1.8GHZ ppc cpus this weekend and have been having some issues with trying to load up tiger on it. I've been wracking my brain over what's going on with it! When i try going into the boot menu by holding the option key, nothing shows up at all except for the OS hard drive. If i boot into the current os (leopard) both the dvd and USB are found no problem. Issue is that the HDD got borked somehow and I can no longer boot from it and it's no longer appearing on the boot menu.

I tried swapping the dvd drives with a known good one, which i still was unable to find the dvd with it, and the dvd is found on my powerbook just fine. Next thing i tried was booting via open firmware CLI, but it couldn't find the dvd or the usb this way either. I've just no idea what else to try. I did reset the nvram with the command + option + P + R key combo and pulled the onboard battery and left it out for a second then put it back in.

Do you think there's something up with this mac, or am i missing something?

 

[iluvmacs99]

Hey guys! Picked up a powermac G5 with 2 1.8GHZ ppc cpus this weekend and have been having some issues with trying to load up tiger on it. I've been wracking my brain over what's going on with it! When i try going into the boot menu by holding the option key, nothing shows up at all except for the OS hard drive. If i boot into the current os (leopard) both the dvd and USB are found no problem. Issue is that the HDD got borked somehow and I can no longer boot from it and it's no longer appearing on the boot menu.

I tried swapping the dvd drives with a known good one, which i still was unable to find the dvd with it, and the dvd is found on my powerbook just fine. Next thing i tried was booting via open firmware CLI, but it couldn't find the dvd or the usb this way either. I've just no idea what else to try. I did reset the nvram with the command + option + P + R key combo and pulled the onboard battery and left it out for a second then put it back in.

Do you think there's something up with this mac, or am i missing something?

Are you using a 4 disc version of TigerX or the retail DVD version?

 

[eyoungren]

Try Target Disk Mode.

Put the install DVD in the PowerBook and then turn it off. Connect a Firewire cable from the PowerBook to the G5 (with the G5 off).

Turn the PowerBook on, but hold down the 'T' key. Turn the G5 on and hold down the OPTION key. Select the DVD from your PowerBook to boot the G5 from and install from there.

Note that with PowerPC Macs, booting from USB is typically done via Open Firmware. It's not a process where you can just select a USB bootable device from the boot selector.

 

[r34per]

Are you using a 4 disc version of TigerX or the retail DVD version?

I think it's the retail DVD, it's a single ~2.4 dmg image. Is that the wrong one to use?

Try Target Disk Mode.

Put the install DVD in the PowerBook and then turn it off. Connect a Firewire cable from the PowerBook to the G5 (with the G5 off).

Turn the PowerBook on, but hold down the 'T' key. Turn the G5 on and hold down the OPTION key. Select the DVD from your PowerBook to boot the G5 from and install from there.

Note that with PowerPC Macs, booting from USB is typically done via Open Firmware. It's not a process where you can just select a USB bootable device from the boot selector.

I'll give that a shot, thanks! And i figured usb booting would work since i was able to do it with my powerbook g3 and g4 that way, but I have read that usb booting can be tempermental on some

 

[iluvmacs99]

I think it's the retail DVD, it's a single ~2.4 dmg image. Is that the wrong one to use?



I'll give that a shot, thanks! And i figured usb booting would work since i was able to do it with my powerbook g3 and g4 that way, but I have read that usb booting can be tempermental on some

Nope, the retail DVD won't work. Only the 4 single CD versions will. On the other hand, the target disk mode method will work if you have a PPC Mac that can read a DVD retail version.

 

[Amethyst1]

Nope, the retail DVD won't work. Only the 4 single CD versions will.

Why? All G5s have a drive capable of reading DVDs, so what am I missing?

 

[r34per]

Nope, the retail DVD won't work. Only the 4 single CD versions will. On the other hand, the target disk mode method will work if you have a PPC Mac that can read a DVD retail version.

That did it! I burned the 4 cd version and it found it instantly. Installed disc 1, and was able to install cd 2 from usb. Knock on wood, but so far so good! Why can the dvd not be used, out of curiosity?

 

[iluvmacs99]

Why? All G5s have a drive capable of reading DVDs, so what am I missing?

The retail DVD should be at least 10.4.2 and up in order to work and boot on the older G5. The black Tiger DVD version won't work, but there are plenty of DMG files based on that. The 4 CD set that I have is 10.4.2 so I know it works and the later retail DVD version which is 10.4.6 will boot.

 

[iluvmacs99]

That did it! I burned the 4 cd version and it found it instantly. Installed disc 1, and was able to install cd 2 from usb. Knock on wood, but so far so good! Why can the dvd not be used, out of curiosity?

Because what you had was probably Tiger 10.4.0 which won't work. You need at least 10.4.2 which the 4CD version is, but there is another official 10.4.6 version which is boxed in a big TIGER X collector box which is a collector item too and which I have. That will boot any G5 and is a DVD version.

 

[r34per]

Because what you had was probably Tiger 10.4.0 which won't work. You need at least 10.4.2 which the 4CD version is, but there is another official 10.4.6 version which is boxed in a big TIGER X collector box which is a collector item too and which I have. That will boot any G5 and is a DVD version.

Odd, I think that's that one i have. Don't remember where I got it but it is a DMG of tiger 10.4.6. Worked on all my other ppc macs up until now. Guess it doesn't matter now, I was able to get tiger installed and updated to 4.11! Look to be all set, thanks y'all!

 

[iluvmacs99]

Odd, I think that's that one i have. Don't remember where I got it but it is a DMG of tiger 10.4.6. Worked on all my other ppc macs up until now. Guess it doesn't matter now, I was able to get tiger installed and updated to 4.11! Look to be all set, thanks y'all!

Only the special retail Tiger X 10.4.6 version will work with the older G5, not the DMG version of Tiger 10.4.6 which are more machine specific I think, which was why I recommended that you get the 4 CD version. I haven't seen any DMG DVD that will work with the older G5 yet. I know it's quirky, but that was what I had to contend with when I was working at the non-profit tech recycling organization where I had to install different PPCs machines with Tiger and get them working. The 4CD version works pretty much with every machine, but also have the correct DVD version from Apple so I don't have to swap CDs. Anyhow, glad that you made it to work!

 

[r34per]

Only the special retail Tiger X 10.4.6 version will work with the older G5, not the DMG version of Tiger 10.4.6, which was why I recommended that you get the 4 CD version. I haven't seen any DMG DVD that will work with the older G5 yet. I know it's quirky, but that was what I had to contend with when I was working at the non-profit tech recycling organization where I had to install different PPCs machines with Tiger and get them working. The 4CD version works pretty much with every machine, but also have the correct DVD version from Apple so I don't have to swap CDs. Anyhow, glad that you made it to work!

Ahh, gotcha. Guess my mindset was a bit too "modern" with these old ppc macs, lol! I'll keep that in mind moving forward. On a side note, this g5 is blazing fast compared to my tibook! the os is snappy and tenfourfox is quite fast.

 

[iluvmacs99]

Ahh, gotcha. Guess my mindset was a bit too "modern" with these old ppc macs, lol! I'll keep that in mind moving forward. On a side note, this g5 is blazing fast compared to my tibook! the os is snappy and tenfourfox is quite fast.

Yeap, I still use my G5 from time to time. It's definitely faster than my PowerBook G4 DSLD 1.67Ghz and run the same identical OSX and do carbon copy cloner to clone and sync in between them. Photoshop CS2 and Sound Studio I use run heck a lot faster on the G5 for sure and TTF is faster too on the G5. Glad you found a use for it!

 

[r34per]

Yeap, I still use my G5 from time to time. It's definitely faster than my PowerBook G4 DSLD 1.67Ghz and run the same identical OSX and do carbon copy cloner to clone and sync in between them. Photoshop CS2 and Sound Studio I use run heck a lot faster on the G5 for sure and TTF is faster too on the G5. Glad you found a use for it!

Oh man, i need to find my copy of photoshop, i think i've got one for mac somewhere! Oh btw, is there any easy way to have dual monitors on the mac g5 without breaking the bank? ADC to vga adapters are pricey these days and dual dvi gpu's for macs are too :/

 

[iluvmacs99]

Oh man, i need to find my copy of photoshop, i think i've got one for mac somewhere! Oh btw, is there any easy way to have dual monitors on the mac g5 without breaking the bank? ADC to vga adapters are pricey these days and dual dvi gpu's for macs are too :/

You should be able to buy a ADC version of the Apple Cinema Display (the crystal clear enclosure ones) are cheap and plentiful if you have a local tech recycling shop.

 

[r6mile]

Oh man, i need to find my copy of photoshop, i think i've got one for mac somewhere! Oh btw, is there any easy way to have dual monitors on the mac g5 without breaking the bank? ADC to vga adapters are pricey these days and dual dvi gpu's for macs are too :/

If neither getting a dual-DVI card (Radeon 9600 and 9650 are usually reasonable priced, I have the latter) nor an old ADC monitor are cheap options where you are, you could always get a PC card and flash it. A Radeon 9500, 9700, or 9800 will usually have DVI and VGA ports, a Firegl x3 (best card but more expensive) will dual DVI. If you going the flashing route, read the Macelite guide carefully as not all cards are flash able.

 

[r6mile]

Oh man, i need to find my copy of photoshop, i think i've got one for mac somewhere! Oh btw, is there any easy way to have dual monitors on the mac g5 without breaking the bank? ADC to vga adapters are pricey these days and dual dvi gpu's for macs are too :/

Where are you based? If you are in Europe, I may have come across some suitable GPUs that I could sell to you.