Cant boot from CD/R or or DVD/R

[roadrash-uk]

I few years ago I picked up a iMac G4 1ghz 256mb model 15" Lamp style that I picked up a few years ago but never got round to doing anything with it. I notice the system is still in the original owners name and I cant deleted or add another user without a password I obviously dont know. So I downloaded a set of recovery/install ISO images but cannot get the mac to recognise them in the (option key) boot menu. Ive also tried burning the images to a CD/RW and both a DVD & DVD/RW but it refuses to recognise any of them yet I can boot into the OS and read them all fine from the desktop but it just doesn't find them in the (option key) boot menu. I do have a original install CD here from a IMac of some type that I also tried and it finds it in the boot menu and even boots to a install option. None of this makes any sense. Sadly the original install disc says its incompatible with my model of G4 so can someone help me get this G4 to boot media of some type? Maybe boot a ISO image on a usb key or maybe I can boot from a external USB CD drive??? I am a linux user but know nothing much about macs although they have similarities both coming from Unix I believe so any help greatly appreciated.

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

Depends on what model G4. It has a CD/DVD reader/writer and is it working?? If so a set of the original media should be available on eBay etc. Original media is extremely model specific. Depending on the model it can run up to Tiger OS X.4 or Leopard OS X.5.

Remember it is approaching its 20th birthday so don't expect too much.

Can I use USB external DVD Drive to boot … - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

 

[frumpsnake]

IIRC if the discs are readable in MacOS but not the Option menu you can try:

- Boot into OpenFirmware (Command+Option+O+F)
- Type boot cd:9,\\:tbxi

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"I notice the system is still in the original owners name and I cant deleted or add another user without a password I obviously dont know."

I think that you might be able to do it anyway.
First, PRINT OUT THIS POST. You're going to need the printout (although what you're going to do isn't difficult).

You didn't tell us which version of the OS is running. I'm not sure if the file placement is (in earlier versions of the OS) where it is today.

If you can boot and get to the finder, even into the old user's account, then try this:
1. Hold down the shift and command keys, and while holding them down, hit "." (the period key).
This makes "normally invisible" files VISIBLE.

2. Now, double-click your hard drive icon to open it. You should be able to see the invisible files.

3. Navigate into the folder
/private/var/db

4. You are looking for a file named ".applesetupdone".
Is it there?

5. If the file IS there (it will be "slightly dimmed" because it is normally invisible), move it to the trash, and then empty the trash.

6. Finally, type the "command-shift-period" key combo again to hide invisible files.

7. Now, POWER OFF THE MAC, all the way off.

8. Wait a moment and press the power on button. What do you see?

9. You SHOULD see the initial screen as you would have seen when you first booted this Mac -- "choose your language" or something like that.
Just like it was "brand new" all over again.
Is this what happens?

10. If so, start "clicking through the setup". You want to create a NEW account with a NEW username and a NEW password.

11. Are you able to do this?
Can you complete setup and get to the finder?
If so, you're done.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE:
When you first buy a Mac, there is the OS, but there's no account on it.
The initial setup assistant app runs to help you create a new account, etc.
Once this has been done, the setup assistant creates an invisible file named ".applesetupdone".
The presence of this file PREVENTS THE OPENING SETUP APP from ever running again.
BUT... we deleted the ".applesetupdone" file, so now the Mac doesn't know enough to "not run setup", so it runs again, just like when it was new.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW:
You should be able to go into the "users and groups" preference pane (not sure what they called it back then), and DELETE the other accounts you don't need any more.
Or... just leave them alone -- because you have YOUR OWN account now.

Final thought:
It's possible that in the time since that iMac was made and today, that Apple moved the ".applesetupdone" file.
I'm giving you the instructions I know to work today, in the hope that they haven't changed the procedure or file name.

Good luck!

 

[DeltaMac]

Step 1 will fail, as the keyboard shortcut to toggle visibility does not work before OS X 10.12 (Sierra)
You will need to use the terminal command to control visibility, or one of the third party utilities that provides that function.
terminal command to show invisible files -
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool YES
and to re-hide files -
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool NO

The name in older OS X systems for the preference pane will be "Accounts". The rest of the Fishrrman's post will do the trick to help you make a new account, and remove unneeded user accounts if you decide to do that.

 

[Fishrrman]

Thanks to Deltamac for the corrections.

Another way to access the invisible ".applesetupdone" file:
Download the free little app called "EasyFind":

DEVONtechnologies | Needful Things

A little collection of free utilities for the Mac to make your life easier.

www.devontechnologies.com

It has a preference selection to search for invisible files.
Once it shows up in Easyfind's window, just delete it from there.

 

[roadrash-uk]

Thank you everyone for all that great info. Ive collected some more info on this Imac G4 as follows.

Model: PowerMac 6.1
processor: PowerPC G4 (3.3)
512mb Ram
167mhz bus
os X 10.5.8, Darwin 9.8.0

DVD drive does read Ok but not tried writing to it yet.

Can someone tell me exactly what set of install CD's compatable with this machine I should be looking for or point me to a set on ebay etc.

====================================================================

Hardware Overview:

Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: PowerMac6,1
Processor Name: PowerPC G4 (3.3)
Processor Speed: 1 GHz
Number Of CPUs: 1
L2 Cache (per CPU): 256 KB
Memory: 512 MB
Bus Speed: 167 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.6.8f4
Serial Number (system): W83360HGPVK
Hardware UUID: 00000000-0000-1000-8000-000A958EE0E6

ATA Bus

ATA Bus:

HL-DT-ST RW/DVD GCC-4480B:

Capacity: 7.79 GB
Model: HL-DT-ST RW/DVD GCC-4480B
Revision: 1.03
Serial Number:
Removable Media: Yes
Detachable Drive: No
BSD Name: disk1
Protocol: ATAPI
Unit Number: 0
Socket Type: Internal
Low Power Polling: No
Power Off: No
Mac OS 9 Drivers: Yes
Partition Map Type: APM (Apple Partition Map)
S.M.A.R.T. status: Not Supported
Volumes:
Mac OS X Install Disc 1:
Capacity: 7.4 GB
Available: 48.6 MB
Media Type: DVD-ROM
Writable: No
File System: HFS+
BSD Name: disk1s3
Mount Point: /Volumes/Mac OS X Install Disc 1

ST380011A

Capacity: 74.53 GB
Model: ST380011A
Revision: 3.06
Serial Number: 3JV416LE
Removable Media: No
Detachable Drive: No
BSD Name: disk0
Protocol: ATA
Unit Number: 0
Socket Type: Internal
Low Power Polling: No
Mac OS 9 Drivers: Yes
Partition Map Type: APM (Apple Partition Map)
S.M.A.R.T. status: Verified
Volumes:
Wayne's OSX Mac:
Capacity: 74.4 GB
Available: 60.67 GB
Writable: Yes
File System: Journaled HFS+
BSD Name: disk0s10
Mount Point: /

Built-in Sound Card:

CODEC: Texas Instruments TAS3004
Sample Rate: 44.1 KHz
Number of Inputs: 2
Number of Outputs: 3
Devices:
Input:
Type: Line Level Input
Input:
Type: Internal Microphone
Output:
Type: Headphones
Output:
Type: Internal Speaker
Output:
Type: External Speaker

Power On Self-Test:

Last Run: 26/09/2021 19:38
Result: Passed

HL-DT-ST RW/DVD GCC-4480B:

Firmware Revision: 1.03
Interconnect: ATAPI
Burn Support: Yes (Apple Shipping Drive)
Cache: 2048 KB
Reads DVD: Yes
CD-Write: -R, -RW
Write Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, CD-Raw
Media:
Type: DVD-ROM
Blank: No
Erasable: No
Overwritable: No
Appendable: No

FireWire Bus:

Maximum Speed: Up to 400 Mb/sec

NVIDIA GeForce4 MX:

Chipset Model: GeForce4 MX
Type: Display
Bus: AGP
VRAM (Total): 32 MB
Vendor: NVIDIA (0x10de)
Device ID: 0x0189
Revision ID: 0x00a3
ROM Revision: 2068
Displays:
iMac:
Resolution: 1024 x 768
Depth: 32-Bit Color
Core Image: Software
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported
Built-In: Yes
Display Connector:
Status: No Display Connected

DIMM0/J22:

Size: 256 MB
Type: DDR SDRAM
Speed: PC2700U-25330
Status: OK
Manufacturer: Unknown
Part Number: Unknown
Serial Number: Unknown

System Power Settings:

AC Power:
System Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10
Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10
Display Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10
Sleep On Power Button: Yes
Automatic Restart On Power Loss: No
Wake On AC Change: No
Wake On Clamshell Open: Yes
Wake On LAN: Yes
Wake On Modem Ring: Yes
Display Sleep Uses Dim: Yes

Hardware Configuration:

UPS Installed: No

USB Bus:

Host Controller Location: Built In USB
Host Controller Driver: AppleUSBOHCI
PCI Device ID: 0x0035
PCI Revision ID: 0x0043
PCI Vendor ID: 0x1033
Bus Number: 0x3b

Hub in Apple Pro Keyboard:

Product ID: 0x1003
Vendor ID: 0x05ac (Apple Inc.)
Version: 4.10
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Mitsumi Electric
Location ID: 0x3b100000
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 50

Apple Optical USB Mouse:

Product ID: 0x0307
Vendor ID: 0x05ac (Apple Inc.)
Version: 3.40
Speed: Up to 1.5 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Logitech
Location ID: 0x3b110000
Current Available (mA): 100
Current Required (mA): 100

Apple Pro Keyboard:

Product ID: 0x020c
Vendor ID: 0x05ac (Apple Inc.)
Version: 4.10
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Mitsumi Electric
Location ID: 0x3b130000
Current Available (mA): 250
Current Required (mA): 50
Ethernet:

Type: Ethernet
Hardware: Ethernet
BSD Device Name: en0
IPv4 Addresses: 192.168.1.8
IPv4:
Addresses: 192.168.1.8
Configuration Method: DHCP
Interface Name: en0
NetworkSignature: IPv4.Router=192.168.1.1;IPv4.RouterHardwareAddress=00:24:b2:a0:37:8e
Router: 192.168.1.1
Subnet Masks: 255.255.255.0
IPv6:
Configuration Method: Automatic
DNS:
Server Addresses: 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server Responses:
Domain Name Servers: 192.168.1.1
Lease Duration (seconds): 0
DHCP Message Type: 0x05
Routers: 192.168.1.1
Server Identifier: 192.168.1.1
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Proxies:
Exceptions List: *.local, 169.254/16
FTP Passive Mode: Yes
Ethernet:
MAC Address: 00:0a:95:8e:e0:e6
Media Options: Full Duplex, flow-control
Media Subtype: 100baseTX
Hardware Type: Broadcom 5221

FireWire:

Type: FireWire
Hardware: FireWire
BSD Device Name: fw0
IPv4:
Configuration Method: DHCP
IPv6:
Configuration Method: Automatic
Proxies:
Exceptions List: *.local, 169.254/16
FTP Passive Mode: Yes
Ethernet:
MAC Address: 00:0a:95:ff:fe:8e:e0:e6
Media Options: Full Duplex
Media Subtype: Auto Select

Internal Modem:

Type: PPP (PPPSerial)
Hardware: Modem
BSD Device Name: modem
IPv4:
Configuration Method: PPP
IPv6:
Configuration Method: Automatic
Proxies:
FTP Passive Mode: Yes

Firewall Settings:

Mode: Allow all incoming connections

Automatic:

Active Location: Yes
Services:
Internal Modem:
Type: PPP
IPv4:
Configuration Method: PPP
IPv6:
Configuration Method: Automatic
Proxies:
FTP Passive Mode: Yes
PPP:
ACSP Enabled: No
Display Terminal Window: No
Redial Count: 1
Redial Enabled: Yes
Redial Interval: 5
Use Terminal Script: No
Dial On Demand: No
Disconnect On Fast User Switch: Yes
Disconnect On Idle: Yes
Disconnect On Idle Time: 600
Disconnect On Logout: Yes
Disconnect On Sleep: Yes
Idle Reminder: No
Idle Reminder Time: 1800
IPCP Compression VJ: Yes
LCP Echo Enabled: Yes
LCP Echo Failure: 4
LCP Echo Interval: 10
Log File: /var/log/ppp.log
Verbose Logging: No
Ethernet:
Type: Ethernet
BSD Device Name: en0
Hardware (MAC) Address: 00:0a:95:8e:e0:e6
IPv4:
Configuration Method: DHCP
IPv6:
Configuration Method: Automatic
AppleTalk:
Configuration Method: Node
Proxies:
Exceptions List: *.local, 169.254/16
FTP Passive Mode: Yes
FireWire:
Type: FireWire
BSD Device Name: fw0
Hardware (MAC) Address: 00:0a:95:ff:fe:8e:e0:e6
IPv4:
Configuration Method: DHCP
IPv6:
Configuration Method: Automatic
Proxies:
Exceptions List: *.local, 169.254/16
FTP Passive Mode: Yes

Modem Information:

Modem Model: Dash2
Interface Type: USB
Modulation: V.92
SKU Name: Euro
Hardware Version: 1.0F
Firmware Version: APPLE VERSION 2.6.7
Driver: InternalUSBModem.kext (v2.6.7)
Country: United Kingdom

home:

Type: autofs
Mount Point: /home
Mounted From: map auto_home
Automounted: Yes

System Software Overview:

System Version: Mac OS X 10.5.8 (9L31a)
Kernel Version: Darwin 9.8.0
Boot Volume: Wayne's OSX Mac
Boot Mode: Normal
Computer Name: Wayne Williamson’s iMac
User Name: Wayne Williamson (waynewilliamson)
Time since boot: 21 minutes

Startup items
HP IO:

Description: HP IO Monitor
Location: /Library/StartupItems/HP IO
Provides: HP IO
Enabled: Yes
Order Preference: Early

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

Don't worry about re-installing the OS yet.
If you can get the thing booted to the finder, try the trick I posted above.
You could be amazed at the results.

 

[DeltaMac]

You should also note that your optical drive is a COMBO drive, which reads both CDS and DVDs, but only writes to CDs. You can't burn DVDs. So, if you decide that you need a Leopard installer, you will need to burn that on some other DVD burner. Your internal drive can't do it.
(The 15-inch USB 2.0 G4 iMacs never shipped with a superdrive/DVD burner)

If you want that iMac to work nicely with Leopard, you should consider adding memory. Your iMac can be upgraded to 2GB. Lots of fun to do that, as the two memory slots take different forms of RAM (one is desktop RAM (SDRAM), the other is a laptop SO-DIMM. Both would be PC-2700. PC-3200 will be fine, and probably easier to find.

 

[roadrash-uk]

OP:

Don't worry about re-installing the OS yet.
If you can get the thing booted to the finder, try the trick I posted above.
You could be amazed at the results.

Yes ok Fishrrman thanks I can boot to the desktop and access the finder and will try what you said before anything else.
Just wanted to get a install set I can use should I need rof possible

​

OP wrote:
"I notice the system is still in the original owners name and I cant deleted or add another user without a password I obviously dont know."

I think that you might be able to do it anyway.
First, PRINT OUT THIS POST. You're going to need the printout (although what you're going to do isn't difficult).

You didn't tell us which version of the OS is running. I'm not sure if the file placement is (in earlier versions of the OS) where it is today.

If you can boot and get to the finder, even into the old user's account, then try this:
1. Hold down the shift and command keys, and while holding them down, hit "." (the period key).
This makes "normally invisible" files VISIBLE.

2. Now, double-click your hard drive icon to open it. You should be able to see the invisible files.

3. Navigate into the folder
/private/var/db

4. You are looking for a file named ".applesetupdone".
Is it there?

5. If the file IS there (it will be "slightly dimmed" because it is normally invisible), move it to the trash, and then empty the trash.

6. Finally, type the "command-shift-period" key combo again to hide invisible files.

7. Now, POWER OFF THE MAC, all the way off.

8. Wait a moment and press the power on button. What do you see?

9. You SHOULD see the initial screen as you would have seen when you first booted this Mac -- "choose your language" or something like that.
Just like it was "brand new" all over again.
Is this what happens?

10. If so, start "clicking through the setup". You want to create a NEW account with a NEW username and a NEW password.

11. Are you able to do this?
Can you complete setup and get to the finder?
If so, you're done.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE:
When you first buy a Mac, there is the OS, but there's no account on it.
The initial setup assistant app runs to help you create a new account, etc.
Once this has been done, the setup assistant creates an invisible file named ".applesetupdone".
The presence of this file PREVENTS THE OPENING SETUP APP from ever running again.
BUT... we deleted the ".applesetupdone" file, so now the Mac doesn't know enough to "not run setup", so it runs again, just like when it was new.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW:
You should be able to go into the "users and groups" preference pane (not sure what they called it back then), and DELETE the other accounts you don't need any more.
Or... just leave them alone -- because you have YOUR OWN account now.

Final thought:
It's possible that in the time since that iMac was made and today, that Apple moved the ".applesetupdone" file.
I'm giving you the instructions I know to work today, in the hope that they haven't changed the procedure or file name.

Good luck!

Cant move ".applesetupdone" to trash as its asking for password that I don't know. Is there any other way to delete this file. If not I could remove the hard drive and plug it into my Linux computer and delete it that way but thats a lot of hassle.

 

[DeltaMac]

Follow the steps to remove that .AppleSetupDone file

How to Re-Run the OS X Setup Assistant - The Instructional

When you first start using a brand-new Mac or performed a clean install of OS X, you are presented with Setup Assistant , allowing you to create the first user account and specify some initial information, such as keyboard layout and locale. Under certain circumstances, it can be advantageous to r

www.theinstructional.com

 

[roadrash-uk]

Follow the steps to remove that .AppleSetupDone file

How to Re-Run the OS X Setup Assistant - The Instructional

When you first start using a brand-new Mac or performed a clean install of OS X, you are presented with Setup Assistant , allowing you to create the first user account and specify some initial information, such as keyboard layout and locale. Under certain circumstances, it can be advantageous to r

www.theinstructional.com

Thanks DeltaMac thats superb and my god its dead like linux terminal commands much the same so used to this command line use. I prefer the command line for many things that's being a old school computer user from the days of CP/M and cobol and Dos. (wow I'm gettin old lol..)

 

[roadrash-uk]

Thanks to all I have now got it booting into a new system. Only thing I notice the name of the hard drive is still in the original users name and his account is still on there too. Dont know if there is anything I can do about that without a fresh install from a blank hard drive. During install it asked for Apple account details but said it could be set up later but not been prompted any more for this. Is a apple ID/account needed to use some of the apps like itunes etc?
One last problem Is web browsers and internet access. Ive installed the newest version of firefox and Opera browsers but I get these errors when trying to access some sites like Ebay or Wikipedia and even macrumors website. (see attached photos).
Are there extra security add ons I need to install or update to cure this?

 

[DeltaMac]

I suggest that you download and install the OS X 10.5.8 combined updater. That updater will re-check and reinstall all updates for your older system, and can sometimes fix issues, particularly if you don't really know the history of the system, and perhaps you have challenges when a full erase/install might not be a simple process. The updater will clean up your system install. Get it here: https://support.apple.com/kb/DL866
The updater will restart your Mac a couple of times. Then, run software update again, until your system is fully up-to-date. (That updater is conveniently in your Apple menu!) The combined updater will take quite a long time, when your installed memory is pretty low. It can take 45 minutes or longer to complete. Find something else to do for a while

Just curious, your Mac on Leopard can't run the latest version of Firefox. What version did you actually get? (Probably not newer than about version 31.x)

Unfortunately, you will continue to find sites that you can't connect to. The various frameworks for securely loading sites, such as SSL, just doesn't support as many sites now. It's one of the main challenges with using an older operating system (and older browsers)

I have a slightly newer Mac, an eMac, running 10.5.8, and I can connect to that site, macintoshrepository.org
That site actually reported that I was on an old Mac, with an old system, and showed that the site had disabled SSL just for me.
I was using Safari for that, so be sure to try that. I think Safari works best when you have loaded the latest version of Safari Webkit PPC, which you can still get on sourceforge.net BUT, you can't use the G4 Mac to get that, as sourceforge.net no longer allows old Mac systems. You have to use a newer Mac for that. (It's part of the challenge to continue using an old Mac, and part of the fun, too!)

 

[roadrash-uk]

I suggest that you download and install the OS X 10.5.8 combined updater. That updater will re-check and reinstall all updates for your older system, and can sometimes fix issues, particularly if you don't really know the history of the system, and perhaps you have challenges when a full erase/install might not be a simple process. The updater will clean up your system install. Get it here: https://support.apple.com/kb/DL866
The updater will restart your Mac a couple of times. Then, run software update again, until your system is fully up-to-date. (That updater is conveniently in your Apple menu!) The combined updater will take quite a long time, when your installed memory is pretty low. It can take 45 minutes or longer to complete. Find something else to do for a while

Just curious, your Mac on Leopard can't run the latest version of Firefox. What version did you actually get? (Probably not newer than about version 31.x)

Unfortunately, you will continue to find sites that you can't connect to. The various frameworks for securely loading sites, such as SSL, just doesn't support as many sites now. It's one of the main challenges with using an older operating system (and older browsers)

I have a slightly newer Mac, an eMac, running 10.5.8, and I can connect to that site, macintoshrepository.org
That site actually reported that I was on an old Mac, with an old system, and showed that the site had disabled SSL just for me.
I was using Safari for that, so be sure to try that. I think Safari works best when you have loaded the latest version of Safari Webkit PPC, which you can still get on sourceforge.net BUT, you can't use the G4 Mac to get that, as sourceforge.net no longer allows old Mac systems. You have to use a newer Mac for that. (It's part of the challenge to continue using an old Mac, and part of the fun, too!)

Thank you DeltaMac thats a great help. I had to pick old versions of Firefox(3.6.28) and Opera (9.5.2) and Safari is currently (5.06). these were the newest versions I could get to work on this IMac. I was unable to find a version of Google chromium browser that would work. Will have to see what newer versions it will let me rum after running the the combined updater. This is my only apple mac system I have left now out of a large collection of vintage computers I had but had to sell off this year due to serious disability. My macs were a 512k mac Plus, All models & colours of Imac G3 & G4, a Imaculate EMac, A whole collection of Towers again G3 & G4 MDD & all the Powermac Desktops, Performa 5200 and a old Powerbook 180C I had to repair and get working (that was a little problematic) but was fantastic when finished. Sold most all peripherals like external hard drives and 3.5" floppy drives.
I still have a old multiscan 15AV Dispaly in great condition and a little StyleWriter printer and a old macbook G4 laptop, a few Zip drives & Superdisk and tons of software on floppy and Cd/dvd.
Shame after all the work I put into them all.
Still have loads of old other home systems like Amigas etc to sell yet but all must go now sadly
Just keeping this Imac G4 if I can make it usable even just for a odd games and browsing online.

 

[roadrash-uk]

IIRC if the discs are readable in MacOS but not the Option menu you can try:

- Boot into OpenFirmware (Command+Option+O+F)
- Type boot cd:9,\\:tbxi

Thanks for that frumpsnake. nice bit of info there and a useful command. It tries and then gives the following output:

Parsing <CHRP-BOOT>
booting is not compatable.

Is there anything else I can try to boot from these burnt discs? They do read perfect from the desktop and I can browse through all the contents its just booting the first install disc in the sets thats the problem.

just as a guess I used command eject cd:9 and it ejected the disk. I gather the 9 is a device number??
Must download a command reference for open firmware it would be very handy and notice very similar commands to Linux.

 

[DeltaMac]

How did you burn the installer ISO to CD? Did you use a Mac, or did you use Linux, or maybe Windows? Your results may not be what you want (a bootable installer) using a non-Apple solution - just doesn't work for some.
You may end up needing to find an actual original OS X installer DVD, where you won't need to worry about how to burn an ISO to DVD successfully, that actually will boot and install on your iMac.
Do you possibly have a Firewire external drive?

 

[roadrash-uk]

How did you burn the installer ISO to CD? Did you use a Mac, or did you use Linux, or maybe Windows? Your results may not be what you want (a bootable installer) using a non-Apple solution - just doesn't work for some.
You may end up needing to find an actual original OS X installer DVD, where you won't need to worry about how to burn an ISO to DVD successfully, that actually will boot and install on your iMac.
Do you possibly have a Firewire external drive?

I must admit I did burn the iso's on my linux laptop I will try doing it on the Imac to see if its better.
.
I dont have a firewire drive.