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how to update OSX on Powerbook g4

A

andykeilo

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 8, 2010
6
0
Hello,

I hope you can help me.

I have an old powerbook G4, running 10.3.9 that i would like to update the os to leopard.

my problem is that my dvd drive on the G4 does not work, so Im unable to restart and boot from the install disks.

Although I do have an external dvd drive, but when trying to restart holding C, I can't boot into the cd through the external drive.

What is the best way for me to get leopard up and running on my g4?
 
Last edited:
Because the Powerbook has a PPC processor, not an Intell one, you can only go up to Leopard/10.5.8.
 
ok thanks for the reply, so how can I install leopard without a dvd drive?
 
andykeilo said:
ok thanks for the reply, so how can I install leopard without a dvd drive?
Click to expand...

You'll have to image the retail DVD to a USB or FireWire drive and install it from there. Or it you have another PPC Mac, put the Powerbook into Target Disk Mode and use the other PPC Mac to install Leopard onto the Powerbook's hard drive.

May I ask which model Powerbook this is and how much ram it has?
 
Intell said:
You'll have to image the retail DVD to a USB or FireWire drive and install it from there. Or it you have another PPC Mac, put the Powerbook into Target Disk Mode and use the other PPC Mac to install Leopard onto the Powerbook's hard drive.

May I ask which model Powerbook this is and how much ram it has?
Click to expand...

I don't think PPC macs can boot off USB. only FireWire.
 
I am having a similar problem. Intell, could you tell or direct me toward how to do the correct formatting so that I can put Leopard on my iBook G4 through a USB?
 
LukeSlade said:
I am having a similar problem. Intell, could you tell or direct me toward how to do the correct formatting so that I can put Leopard on my iBook G4 through a USB?
Click to expand...

You need to format the USB drive to have the APM partition type (Google how) then clone the contents of the DVD onto the HFS+ partition of the USB drive. Turn off the iBook and plug in the USB drive. Hold down the option key and start the iBook. Select your USB drive. If your USB drive does not show up in the option menu at boot, start your iBook as normal and select the USB drive in the Startup pref pane and reboot.
 
With regards to what the last guy said, I don't think you can boot a PowerBook G4 from USB, and you wouldn't want to anyway as its USB 1.1 and would therefore take forever to boot and install. I know some PPC Mac's can boot from USB, but I think its only devices such as the eMac with USB 2.0 and the G4 Mac mini's.

Do you have another Mac, preferably PPC that you can use for any prep work that might be needed?

pac
 
pacmania1982 said:
With regards to what the last guy said, I don't think you can boot a PowerBook G4 from USB, and you wouldn't want to anyway as its USB 1.1 and would therefore take forever to boot and install. I know some PPC Mac's can boot from USB, but I think its only devices such as the eMac with USB 2.0 and the G4 Mac mini's.

Do you have another Mac, preferably PPC that you can use for any prep work that might be needed?

pac
Click to expand...

I've booted my own 550Mhz Powerbook G4, iMac G4, Cube, Sawtooth, iMac G3, and eMac all from USB. While its very slow over USB 1.1, it does work.
 
Thanks for the help guys, running leopard now by following the steps from the link.
I did this from a USB hard drive, yes It took a good few hours, but all done and running smooth now. thanks again!
 
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