Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Is it possible to install OS X 10.4 from upgrade disc without 10.3 already installed?

S

shortstop20

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 7, 2009
3
0
First off let me say I am basically a Mac newb so be as clear as possible. :D

I am doing some contract work for a company who is buying some new Mac's with OS X 10.5, and I'm messing around with a G3 Imac(tower), just trying to get used to Mac's so I'm not scratching my head while I'm setting up the new Mac's.

This G3 used to have OS X 10.3 on it. Originally the plan was just to format and re-install 10.3. Well I formatted the HDD and then the supposed "10.3 install discs" would not work, just gave me some error that said, "bundled software could not be installed". Never even gave me an option to install OS X 10.3. I don't think they're even 10.3 install discs, seems like it's just additional software. So I now have a 10.4 disc, but it's an upgrade disc and it won't let me install 10.4 on the system because 10.3 is not on the system(because I formatted the HDD). So for the time being I'm screwed.

Is there any way to install Mac OS X 10.4 WITHOUT already having OS X 10.3 on the system? I've looked online a little bit but the methods I have tried have not worked.

Any help is much appreciated. Remember, I'm a Mac newb, I know the Windows world really well but Mac's are like aliens to me. :D
 
shortstop20 said:
First off let me say I am basically a Mac newb so be as clear as possible. :D

I am doing some contract work for a company who is buying some new Mac's with OS X 10.5, and I'm messing around with a G3 Imac(tower), just trying to get used to Mac's so I'm not scratching my head while I'm setting up the new Mac's.

This G3 used to have OS X 10.3 on it. Originally the plan was just to format and re-install 10.3. Well I formatted the HDD and then the supposed "10.3 install discs" would not work, just gave me some error that said, "bundled software could not be installed". Never even gave me an option to install OS X 10.3. I don't think they're even 10.3 install discs, seems like it's just additional software. So I now have a 10.4 disc, but it's an upgrade disc and it won't let me install 10.4 on the system because 10.3 is not on the system(because I formatted the HDD). So for the time being I'm screwed.

Is there any way to install Mac OS X 10.4 WITHOUT already having OS X 10.3 on the system? I've looked online a little bit but the methods I have tried have not worked.

Any help is much appreciated. Remember, I'm a Mac newb, I know the Windows world really well but Mac's are like aliens to me. :D
Click to expand...

First: Welcome to the World of Mac :) question: What color is the computer. If It is a tower there is no possible way that the computer is a iMac. iMac's always have been and always will be an all in one. If It is a tower G3 that is beige it will not run tiger. If it is a blue and white G3 it will run it(I think). You should be able to install tiger without 10.3 because in 05' when tiger came out people were still running OS 9.2. I don't know if you need 9.2 to run tiger. But first I would check and make sure the computer will even run tiger. It all depends on the color. Also I would check on ebay for the old restore disks that match your computer. That would give you the shipping OS from which you could almost certainly run the upgrade disks.
 
Sorry, it's a G3 tower, blueish green/white, just like this one.

G3l.jpg


I guess I just figured it would run Tiger fine since it never gave me a message that said it wouldn't upon booting to the CD.

It meets the minimum system specs.
 
hmmm. I don't know. That system has the new world rom so it will run leopard. Is the hard drive completely clean. Are you sure your installing correctly. everything I know says that the upgrade disk is only that in name and contains the full system.
 
In case of total failure. you can usually find a copy of tiger online they can be a little expensive though. some where in the range of $100 to $200. also maybe someone you know might just so happen to have a copy of leopard laying around.
 
redking31591 said:
hmmm. I don't know. That system has the new world rom so it will run leopard. Is the hard drive completely clean. Are you sure your installing correctly. everything I know says that the upgrade disk is only that in name and contains the full system.
Click to expand...

I don't mean to sound condescending but when I boot to the CD and it says, "You must have OS X 10.3 installed on this system in order to upgrade to OS X 10.4. Please install OS X 10.3 first". So yes, I'm sure I'm doing it right. The hard drive is formatted and completely blank.
 
shortstop20 said:
I don't mean to sound condescending but when I boot to the CD and it says, "You must have OS X 10.3 installed on this system in order to upgrade to OS X 10.4. Please install OS X 10.3 first". So yes, I'm sure I'm doing it right. The hard drive is formatted and completely blank.
Click to expand...

How are you trying to update to Tiger? Are these retail discs or Up-to-date discs? Up-To-Date discs may indeed require a prior OS installed as a proof of purchase.

Are your 10.3 discs restore discs and if so, are they the one of your tower (restore discs tend to be machine specific)? Do you still have the original restore discs?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back