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Well, yes and no, no because I believe that the CD that ship with the computer are tied down to the TYPE of computer they are shipped with, but it probably wont hurt to try.

If you bought a version of OS X in a box from a store, then that pretty much will load onto anything compatible.
 
If the mini is intel based it will not work due to the difference in the PPC and Intel versions of 10.4
 
related question: I have an iMac G5 OSX Tiger install disc. Can I use it to install Tiger on my father's Power Mac G4?
 
Legally? No

Theoretically yes i think it should be fine.

It won't be fine, since install discs that shipped with the computer only install on that specific type of computer. You can use iMac G5 install discs on any iMac G5 in the world, but they won't work on anything else.

--Eric
 
It won't be fine, since install discs that shipped with the computer only install on that specific type of computer. You can use iMac G5 install discs on any iMac G5 in the world, but they won't work on anything else.

--Eric

Really? I always thought you can move a OS X install from system to system with no problems. unless its the actual install disk not allowing install on different hardware.
 
What you'd need to do is boot the G4's hard drive through the power mac G5 with a firewire cable and install it that way. Either that or swap the hard drives, as in put the G4 HD in the G5 to install it and then throw it back into the G4. I don't think this is legal however... :rolleyes:

Cheers :)
 
It won't be fine, since install discs that shipped with the computer only install on that specific type of computer. You can use iMac G5 install discs on any iMac G5 in the world, but they won't work on anything else.

I've heard this before, that an install disc for, say, a MB won't install the OS on another mac, but i have no idea if it is true or not.
 
I've heard this before, that an install disc for, say, a MB won't install the OS on another mac, but i have no idea if it is true or not.

It's true. I've tried it. The way around it is to boot the hard drive of the destination machine from the machine with the appropriate hardware. i.e. If I wanted to install Tiger onto a powerbook with my iBook install disk, (yes, it won't work just by putting the disk into the powerbook) I have to boot his powerbook into target disk mode and plug it into my iBook so the volume shows up. I can then install it with my iBook right onto his hard drive. The installations are identical, so nothing goes wrong, it's just that apple puts up this barrier to make it difficult, obviously because you're not supposed to do it. :)

Cheers
 
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