iMac G4 won't upgrade past 10.4.3, iTunes won't run without 10.4.7!

[ab2650]

Hey Folks,

I'm having a bit of trouble with an older iMac (700Mhz G4, 1GB memory, Superdrive). It was originally shipped with OS 10.1 I believe, but it has since been upgraded to Tiger. Since having it in storage for nearly a year, I brought it back out figuring it would make a nice conversation piece, or at the least heat up the house a bit this winter.

Everything still runs fine, as I put it away with a pretty clean install of 10.4. I decided to hit up the Software Update and get anything new that was available; The only thing was the latest version of iTunes. I'm all over it...

So I launch iTunes and I'm greeted with a message that iTunes will only run on version 10.4.7 or later, and I'm on 10.4.3. And there was nothing else in Software Update... Grrrrr.

I head over to apple.com and find a 10.4.7 (and 10.4.10) combo updater for PPC. Download the big files and give that a go. I'm informed in the installer that the system doesn't meet the requirements for the upgrade.... Grrrrr!!!

So now I'm stuck w/out a working iTunes; It appears my only options are to somehow revert the version of iTunes or do a fresh install from my retail copy of Tiger, and thus take whatever iTunes it gives me there. The problem is using my iPod which has been updated on my fast and current machines.

Optimally, I'd like to upgrade the iMac G4 to 10.4.10 (or 10.4.7 at the least) if it is even possible, but I'll take what I can get (i.e., simply a working iTunes.) I'm still a little shocked that Software Update would push a version of iTunes that refuses to even launch because the OS is out of date. I mean, seriously! SU knows what version I'm running, right??

Any help would be appreciated! I'm about ready to reinstall and do no upgrades, but it would mean a few hours of lost setup work I did.

 

[gr8tfly]

It should run the latest version, 10.4.10. I have that version running fine on a PB G4 667MHz.

Do you have any 3rd party system mods/hacks?

Can't think of other reasons off hand, but I'm looking around.

 

[ab2650]

Do you have any 3rd party system mods/hacks?

(sheepish grin)

Yeah, I've replaced the non-replaceable memory to a 512MB stick, so combined with the user-serviceable memory it comes to 1GB... The Combo drive in it went bad (wouldn't read any discs) so I replaced it with a superdrive; A Pioneer 106-D, which is what was OEM for the iMac G4 drives.

Everything gets reported as "apple shipped/supported" in system profiler, so I wouldn't think the upgrades were the issue.

Right now I'm trying to run the incremental upgrades (that is, 10.4.4 from .3, then .5 from .4, and so on...) I'll see how that goes and report back.

 

[gr8tfly]

Those things should be OK. I meant something more along the lines of system "enhancements". Some of those modify system files and can affect updates.

Sounds like you found the correct PPC combo updater (to 10.4.10). Theoretically, it should work on any previous 10.4 version.

The incremental plan sounds good. Just have to weigh the time to do that, vs. a clean 10.4 install.

Hope that works.

 

[ab2650]

Right now I'm trying to run the incremental upgrades (that is, 10.4.4 from .3, then .5 from .4, and so on...) I'll see how that goes and report back.

Grrrrrr!!! I get the same requirements message when trying to apply 10.4.4. 😕

Sounds like you found the correct PPC combo updater (to 10.4.10). Theoretically, it should work on any previous 10.4 version.

Yeah, I pulled up Apple's support page for the iMac G4 and the left side recommended 10.4.7 (plus, that's what iTunes said it wanted). So I went for that - and no dice. I tried 10.4.10 and the same thing... Then 10.4.4 and same thing! I'm beginning to wonder if I should just try and revert the iTunes version instead...

 

[gr8tfly]

You might just have to bite the bullet and do a clean 10.4 install. 🙁

10.4.10 should be fine on that model.

MacTracker has pretty reliable info on every Apple product, and it's showing your iMac as capable of the latest version. Between that, and what I've seen running on other G4's, it doesn't seem like a hardware issue.

Hope you can get it going - it's always nice to have the latest and greatest running.

 

[ab2650]

You might just have to bite the bullet and do a clean 10.4 install. 🙁

10.4.10 should be fine on that model.

Hey, thanks for the lead on MacTracker... Certainly something I'll keep handy when someone asks about such-and-such model and detailed specs.

So the final resolution was reinstalling from the retail disc. I chose to archive the system folder rather than do a full reinstall. As expected, it reverted the system back to 10.4 (no minor). Before doing any software update, I applied the 10.4.10 PPC Combo update still on my desktop... and it worked like a charm!

I can't figure out what went wrong before, but my only assumption would be that it had been boxed up so long that I missed a few updates.. It doesn't explain the absent minded-ness of letting iTunes be installed on a system version that it won't run on, but whatever; It works now. Yay!

 

[HLdan]

It should run the latest version, 10.4.10. I have that version running fine on a PB G4 667GHz.

Do you have any 3rd party system mods/hacks?

Can't think of other reasons off hand, but I'm looking around.

667GHZ?? Wow, you must have about 40 fans keeping that baby cool. 😀

 

[gr8tfly]

667GHZ?? Wow, you must have about 40 fans keeping that baby cool. 😀

🙂
I don't do much heavy duty stuff on it anymore. My wife uses it mostly for basic stuff. But, when it's stressed, the fan does kick in pretty good. MUCH louder than my 17" MBP C2D. But, I have to cut it some slack, since it only has one fan.

I used it the other day, and was still amazed at how responsive the Finder still is. Sadly, Tiger is the last cat it'll see... I have a feeling she'll see the goodies in Leopard and we'll be buying a MacBook.

edit: oops - did I do a typo? LOL. That WOULD be something.

 

[gr8tfly]

Hey, thanks for the lead on MacTracker... Certainly something I'll keep handy when someone asks about such-and-such model and detailed specs.

So the final resolution was reinstalling from the retail disc. I chose to archive the system folder rather than do a full reinstall. As expected, it reverted the system back to 10.4 (no minor). Before doing any software update, I applied the 10.4.10 PPC Combo update still on my desktop... and it worked like a charm!

I can't figure out what went wrong before, but my only assumption would be that it had been boxed up so long that I missed a few updates.. It doesn't explain the absent minded-ness of letting iTunes be installed on a system version that it won't run on, but whatever; It works now. Yay!

Glad you got it running. Too bad Software Update threw a monkey wrench into the process.

 

[California]

I have 10.4.7 running on a G4 500mhz Cube (with 1.5 ram/128gb hd)...


Also on a 400mhz iMac G3

 

[Nermal]

🙂
I don't do much heavy duty stuff on it anymore. My wife uses it mostly for basic stuff. But, when it's stressed, the fan does kick in pretty good. MUCH louder than my 17" MBP C2D. But, I have to cut it some slack, since it only has one fan.

It seems that you misinterpreted that; you said GHz instead of MHz 🙂

 

[gr8tfly]

It seems that you misinterpreted that; you said GHz instead of MHz 🙂

OOPS.

Shows how old the machine is getting. I'm used to typing "G" for machines these days. I fixed my post.

Yep. 667 gigahertz WOULD be something.