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Power Mac G4 MDD won't install Leopard

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Panzerfaust101

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 17, 2011
21
0
I'm trying to install OS X Leopard onto an empty hard drive with my G4 but it doesn't install. I put the disc into a DVD-R drive on my G4 and restarted the system while holding down C on the keyboard, but instead of going into the installation screen, it goes to a grey screen with nothing on it before going black then going to the standard Mac empty hard drive screen (grey screen with flashing finder and ? in the middle of the screen). Anyone know what causes this irregularity? Thanks
EDIT: The installation disc was from a friend who made a copy of his retail OS X Leopard disc with a Windows 7 PC. Would that cause this or is it another issue?
 
Panzerfaust101 said:
The installation disc was from a friend who made a copy of his retail OS X Leopard disc with a Windows 7 PC. Would that cause this or is it another issue?
Click to expand...
That would probably be it. I'm not sure which software he used, but it's likely that it didn't retain the HFS filesystem from the DMG. It should be possible if you use an app to burn it which supports HFS images properly.
 
So if it was done from a Mac, would it retain the filesystem?
EDIT: Also, would a HFS+ file system work for the G4 or does it require the HFS file system?
 
Last edited:
My friend's old Mirror Drive Door G4 did the same thing. It wouldn't recognize the DVD at all. He ended up putting a dual layer DVD burner in it out of a PC he had and it finally booted.
 
PowerPC80 said:
My friend's old Mirror Drive Door G4 did the same thing. It wouldn't recognize the DVD at all. He ended up putting a dual layer DVD burner in it out of a PC he had and it finally booted.
Click to expand...
This is most likely an issue with the disk, not the drive itself.
 
could try this....bit of long way around

-boot tiger or panther and make two partitions (make second at least 10-12 gigs give or take) then continue with install of tiger or panther to first partition

-once done place your leopard dvd disk and try and make a .dmg image of it....then try and restore .dmg image to second partition

-reboot holding down option key and pick second partition (which if all went well) will be install of leopard...which you can then erase first partition and install leopard to that
 
PowerPC80 said:
Nothing wrong with the disk at all. It was only the second time it was used, and worked the first time in his 1.67 PowerBook and afterwards.
Click to expand...
I was referring to the OP's issue (saying that he shouldn't replace his drive as your issue is not the same.)
 
Fixed the issue by getting another DVD drive (the stock Apple one probably didn't recognise the dual layer disc) so it works well now, but I've got issues when installing OS X. You can read about them in my new thread, but essentially, what's happening most frequently now is that it gets into the installing screen without a problem, but a window keeps popping up telling me to restart the computer (in 4 languages with a black background with a power on/off image in the background). Anyone know the cause and/or fix for this problem?
 
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