Help Installing OSX 10.5 After Erasing a HDD

[SIRmisterD]

Hello,

This question is probably very dumb, but can anyone help me through the process of installing OSX 10.5 on a Powerbook G4 after erasing all data on the HDD? I have the OSX 10.5 Install Disk 1 & 2, with the Optical Drive working. I wouldn't normally ask this, however the process was so much different back when 10.5 came out than it is today.

Thanks for any help!

 

[jenzjen]

Have you already erased the HD? Normally, you'd insert the DVD into the drive, turn the machine off and turn back on while holding the option key to select the DVD.

Are you able to turn the machine on and insert the DVD into the drive?

 

[SIRmisterD]

Yes, I have erased the HD by using the way you mentioned. Now I would need to re-install the software, correct? If so, what is the best way of doing so?

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Yes, I have erased the HD by using the way you mentioned. Now I would need to re-install the software, correct? If so, what is the best way of doing so?

Just follow the wizard. That's really all there is to it! Since 10.7 there is no wizard, though - it just does it.

 

[SIRmisterD]

When I load the disk as the startup to install, it says it can't be installed. I've erased the partition, erased the HD many times and it still won't allow me to install. When I do load it from a restart, it gives me the languages, then prepares, then the message saying it cannot be installed.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

When I load the disk as the startup to install, it says it can't be installed. I've erased the partition, erased the HD many times and it still won't allow me to install. When I do load it from a restart, it gives me the languages, then prepares, then the message saying it cannot be installed.

Are you getting a more specific error message? If not, check the install log ( +L ) to see what's going on - make sure to change to "All Logs" view. Report back what you find.

 

[SIRmisterD]

I attached a picture of all the logs that I saw.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I attached a picture of all the logs that I saw.

Right, thanks. How unhelpful. It doesn't tell me much.

The next thing to check is the disc you're using. Back when OS X discs were still a thing, there were 3 kinds in existence: Machine-specific (gray), retail (black and purple mostly), and drop-in upgrade only (don't know what color these are - I never got the chance to see one). Of the three kinds, upgrade-only discs will ALWAYS produce this error if you erase the drive; machine-specific discs will produce this error if used on the wrong Mac type / model / year, and retail discs should never produce it given the conditions you're installing under.

 

[NOTNlCE]

Not to ask a stupid question, but I've gotten this error when trying to "unofficially" install Leopard on PowerPCs. You need at least an 867 megahertz processor to install it the proper way. If the specs are lower than that, you need to use LeopardAssist or go into Open Firmware to hack the installer into thinking your computer is compatible.

 

[SIRmisterD]

Right, thanks. How unhelpful. It doesn't tell me much.

The next thing to check is the disc you're using. Back when OS X discs were still a thing, there were 3 kinds in existence: Machine-specific (gray), retail (black and purple mostly), and drop-in upgrade only (don't know what color these are - I never got the chance to see one). Of the three kinds, upgrade-only discs will ALWAYS produce this error if you erase the drive; machine-specific discs will produce this error if used on the wrong Mac type / model / year, and retail discs should never produce it given the conditions you're installing under.

The disk I am using seems to be the Machine-Specific. The color of the disc is Grey, with a thin white boarder. I think this might be it, Where I found the disc in my house was in a folder made by apple and has 24" iMac that my family has. Do you think that this disk is specific for the iMac, then?

 

[SIRmisterD]

I found another disk that was also Grey, but had the words 17-inch macbook pro. I know that this is a powerbook, but I thought I'd give it a try and see what happens. If it didn't work, then I could eliminate the possibility of using it. This is what happened, this never did this with the first grey disk. I also did try to restart like it says, and it gave a beep when it was turning on and gave this screen a second time.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

The disk I am using seems to be the Machine-Specific. The color of the disc is Grey, with a thin white boarder. I think this might be it, Where I found the disc in my house was in a folder made by apple and has 24" iMac that my family has. Do you think that this disk is specific for the iMac, then?

Yes. It will NOT work with the Mac you are trying to install Leopard on.

 

[Dark Dragoon]

I found another disk that was also Grey, but had the words 17-inch macbook pro. I know that this is a powerbook, but I thought I'd give it a try and see what happens. If it didn't work, then I could eliminate the possibility of using it. This is what happened, this never did this with the first grey disk. I also did try to restart like it says, and it gave a beep when it was turning on and gave this screen a second time.

The MacBook Pro disk definitely won't work as its for an Intel Mac.

You need either:-

A) The specific grey install disk that came with the Mac, ones from other Macs will not work.
For example the one in the bottom left of my photo only works with a Mac mini G4.

B) A retail OS X disk. In my photo thats the one at the top of the image which is a retail 10.5 Leopard disk.

drop-in upgrade only (don't know what color these are - I never got the chance to see one).

They look the same as the retail disks as far as I know, they just have CPU Drop in DVD written on them instead of Install DVD.
The disk in the bottom right of my photo is the drop-in DVD for Tiger that came with my Mac mini G4.

 

[SIRmisterD]

Hold on guys, I just thought of this. Before I erased the HD, I put in the same disk and it worked, it gave the installation menu, the drag and drop, etc. I forgot that this worked the first time, but after my erase, it didn't work. Any thoughts on this?