Faking Physical RAM with OpenFirmware on G4 Digital Audio

[ingenious]

I've been running Leopard on my PowerMac G4 (Digital Audio). When I originally installed it, I used Firewire Target Disk Mode to do the install. Now I need to do a re-install to fix some errors from the 10.5.6 update, but since my MacBook Pro only has FW800, and my cable is 6pin-6pin FW400, I'm trying to use OpenFirmware hacks to install it directly.

I used the hack used by LeopardAssist to set my processor speed (at least as reported to the system by OF) to 867MHz, and the system booted and I was able to launch the set-up application.

Unfortunately, this system does not have the required amount of RAM, and I don't have any PC100 just lying around. Is there any way to use OF to fake the amount of physical RAM I have installed? Or would that assign memory addresses to RAM that does not exist?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Consultant]

Pick up some ram locally from craigslist?

 

[ingenious]

Pick up some ram locally from craigslist?

I actually just found some old PC100 (2 128MB sticks and 1 64MB) in an old HP... so far I haven't gotten a true boot on it, but we'll see.

I may check craigslist later... that's a great idea.

thanks.

edit: second stick of 128 i found didn't work, but i raided an old Dell and found one that works. The PowerMac doesn't know what hit it! it doubled its RAM and is getting a fresh Leopard install... working like a dream!