Problem with installing OS X on new hard drive

[Betula]

Apologies first - I was given my first mac today, for free, and I don't have much history on it. It's a PowerMac G4 and the woman who gave it to me told me it needed a new hard drive. So I put in a new hard drive a coworker had, erased/formatted it, and am using the restore disc I received with it. One of two things keeps happening: 1. the computer shuts down randomly or 2. I get an installation error.

I've been doing a lot of searching and the only thing I can seem to come up with is maybe something with the RAM. Or maybe I skipped some crucial step before installation?

Any help is appreciated!

 

[G-Com]

Insert the CD and restart. Hold down the C key until you get to a screen asking which to boot up -- the hard drive or the disc -- choose the disc.

 

[Betula]

When I hold down the C key, it just takes me to the Select Language screen of the installer - it doesn't ask me which to boot up.

 

[Betula]

After about the twentieth time trying to install, it finally finished! Thanks for the tip!

 

[xUKHCx]

Insert the CD and restart. Hold down the C key until you get to a screen asking which to boot up -- the hard drive or the disc -- choose the disc.

When I hold down the C key, it just takes me to the Select Language screen of the installer - it doesn't ask me which to boot up.

just for future reference holding down C is the shortcut for booting off the disc so it won't give the user the option.

The "option" key is the one that allows the user to select which disc to boot from.

After about the twentieth time trying to install, it finally finished! Thanks for the tip!

Glad you got it working, have fun with your mac and don't be shy about asking questions.

 

[Betula]

Thanks! I'm looking forward to getting off work and going home and exploring!