Resolved Power Mac Server G4 - can't upgrade

[Meldar]

Perhaps the title is a bit of an exaggeration - I probably can upgrade, just can't figure out how!

Here's the rundown. I picked up a G4 server and am finally getting around to setting it up. It's got an Ultra160 SCSI controller with a 10k RPM drive in and has (from what I can tell) two boot partitions - 9.0.1 and 9.2.1. Neither is particularly useful to me because of all the old junk on there, and plus, the applications for which I will use the machine are for OS X.

Because the primary drive is SCSI I can't do Target Disk. I have a few IDE drives in there but don't know how to make them masters, or even if I want to.

I put in the Tiger Server DVD. It opens, sometimes, if the machine is booted, but only wants to restart the machine, which just leads back to booting into 9.x.

I got lost in Open Firmware as it's so foreign to me. But I CAN get into OF.

Holding CMD+alt+shift+delete at startup does not forego the startup disk and boot from DVD, as it should (I'm told).

Basically - I am stuck with a useless old machine simply because there seems to be no way for me to install Tiger. Not even Leopard (it's too slow, yeah yeah I know I can dupe it, but I won't, yet). I am well aware it's a PPC Tiger disk, as it mounts and launches installer sometimes, but that's it.

Any ideas?

 

[archtopshop]

Shortcuts for starting up.

Start up from a CD: Hold down the "C" key while starting the computer. (Place the OSX Install disc in the optical drive first.)

Start up using Mac OS X rather than Mac OS 9 (if both are on the same volume): Hold down "⌘-X" while starting the computer. No dash, just the command and X keys at the same time.

Select a startup disk (on some computers): Hold down the "Option" key while starting the computer. (To open the optical drive when choosing a startup disk, press Command-period.)

Try these and report back if anything helps.

 

[Meldar]

I've tried holding C. It does nothing. Odd, must be only a newer Mac thing.

There is no OS X volume from which I could start up! That's the whole idea! If I could boot OS X on this machine, there would be no problem. The problem is I can only seem to boot to OS 9 and that's kinda useless this day and age.

Unless you mean holding CMD X will force it to find Mac OS X and boot to it...? That'd be convenient.

Forgot about holding option. Oops. I will do that. Will let you know what works. Thanks for the pointers!

 

[archtopshop]

Holding down the option key will only show drives which can be started up from. If you don't have OSX on any of the IDE drives, then they won't appear.

Disconnect the SCSI drive. Just pull the ribbon connector from the drive or the SCSI card. Then hold down the "T" key and start the computer in target disk mode.

BTW, which G4 is this?

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Unless you mean holding CMD X will force it to find Mac OS X and boot to it...? That'd be convenient.

That's exactly what I mean. If there is a valid OSX system on one of the attached drives, then holding down the CMD X will force the computer to boot from it.

 

[lgwells1]

You can hold down Option to boot from a cd/dvd in osx.

Holding down the option key will only show drives which can be started up from. If you don't have OSX on any of the IDE drives, then they won't appear.

Disconnect the SCSI drive. Just pull the ribbon connector from the drive or the SCSI card. Then hold down the "T" key and start the computer in target disk mode.

BTW, which G4 is this?

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That's exactly what I mean. If there is a valid OSX system on one of the attached drives, then holding down the CMD X will force the computer to boot from it.

 

[archtopshop]

You can hold down Option to boot from a cd/dvd in osx.

I got these straight from the Apple Help Menu in the Finder while running Tiger 10.4.11

Use these shortcuts when you start up your computer.

Start up from a CD: C

Start up from the default NetBoot disk image: N

Start up in Target Disk Mode: T

Select a startup disk (on some computers): Option (To open the optical drive when choosing a startup disk, press Command-period.)

Start up using Mac OS X rather than Mac OS 9 (if both are on the same volume) : ⌘-X

Eject removable disks: Hold down the mouse button.

Reset Parameter RAM: ⌘-Option-P-R

Show detailed status messages (verbose mode): ⌘-V

Start up in single user mode: ⌘-S

Start up in Safe Mode (Only essential Mac OS X items are started. Some features and applications might not work correctly.) : Hold down the Shift key immediately after the startup tone, and release when you see the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).

 

[Meldar]

Okay, here's what's happened.

I tried holding option at startup. Server HD popped up. OS X Tiger Server Install DVD did not. I then inserted my other OS X Tiger Install CD - the one that worked fine on my iMac G4 - and that popped up almost instantly.

However, this happened:

which leads me to believe that it is a) a PowerMac 3,3 and b) does not like Tiger for whatever reason.

So now I may try with Target disk mode - but doesn't that require some modification in OF to make the IDE disks a master? Other issue is that I'd like to use the SCSI drive as a master, if at all possible (it is a server after all).

I don't understand why this is so complicated. Technically this could even run Leopard, yet I can't seem to make even Tiger work properly. I have tried every Tiger disk I own...

 

[SimonUK5]

Rip out all the hard drives, and the SCSI controller, Put in a random IDE drive, move the jumpers to master.

Clear the PRAM, Then Boot again with your Tiger Server DVD in, Holding C (This DOES work with Powermac G4's, i did it about 15 minutes ago on both of mine...)

Get a Base OS X Install running. Then start to add the older hardwear in, if you don't want the data on the drives, Format them in Disk Utility.

Try that..

 

[Meldar]

Rip out all the hard drives, and the SCSI controller, Put in a random IDE drive, move the jumpers to master.

Clear the PRAM, Then Boot again with your Tiger Server DVD in, Holding C (This DOES work with Powermac G4's, i did it about 15 minutes ago on both of mine...)

Get a Base OS X Install running. Then start to add the older hardwear in, if you don't want the data on the drives, Format them in Disk Utility.

Try that..

Actually that's brilliant, I'll do that. Guess I was trying to make it a bit too complicated.

Still, it panicked - says there's no driver for that CPU! Now, I'm inclined to not believe that...so I'll do what you suggest, but using the disks that worked for the other G4.

Thanks.

 

[SimonUK5]

Actually that's brilliant, I'll do that. Guess I was trying to make it a bit too complicated.

Still, it panicked - says there's no driver for that CPU! Now, I'm inclined to not believe that...so I'll do what you suggest, but using the disks that worked for the other G4.

Thanks.

best way to get machines running is to take as much as you can out, make it as simple as possible then slowly put hardwear back in

Simon

 

[Meldar]

Well what do you know, turns out the computer may not mind Tiger after all. It's just that Tiger didn't really like the SCSI drive.

Also the disk I was using was...meant for a MacBook. My mom's 2006 black MacBook 1,1. Dunno what I was doing with that disk, but certainly not something it was meant to do.

Going through a very slow installation process now. Was able to use the Disk Utility off the installation CD to format one IDE drive as HFS+, so that's good sign!

 

[Meldar]

Resolved. It's running Tiger now with no problems.

I have yet to plug in the SCSI drive again but it recognizes the card, so I doubt there will be any issues.

Thanks for the advice all.