SOLVED: Trying to install 10.4 on an iMac G4

[ruutiveijari]

I'm a proud new owner an 17" iMac G4 800MHz. I succesfully installed OS X Jaguar on it and it works great. But for some odd reason it won't boot from my 10.4 install disks. When I insert the first 10.4 installation disk (CD-version) it show's up ok on the desktop and I'm able to start the install. Meaning it says it's going to boot now to 10.4 installer and asks for my password.

But when it boots it simply goes back to Jaguar. Even if I hold C while booting it won't boot from my Tiger install CD. I have to back ups of it and have tested both, so the CD's are fine. From my Jaguar install CD it boots just fine.

So... Help? Please?

 

[spinnerlys]

What kind of installation CD are you using? The grey restore ones or the retail version? If it is the former, did it came with that Mac or some other Mac?

As you might not know, the grey restore CD/DVDs are machine specific, so you can't use CDs that came with a 800MHz iMac with a 1GHz iMac and vice versa.

 

[ruutiveijari]

What kind of installation CD are you using? The grey restore ones or the retail version? If it is the former, did it came with that Mac or some other Mac?

I have a full retail version of Tiger.

For some odd reason the machine won't boot from the original grey restore disks at all. Though that's not a problem really, since those contain 10.1.2.

 

[mkrishnan]

Have you tried inserting the disc while Jaguar is up, opening system preferences, going to the startup disk pane, and then selecting the Tiger DVD as the startup disc? In that same pane, after you select the disc, you should also see a button to restart your Mac. Just reboot it directly from there.

(For some reason, I had a lot of trouble getting my iBook G4 to boot from Panther into the Tiger disc, and this is the method IIRC that finally worked for me.)

 

[666sheep]

I have a full retail version of Tiger.

Excuse me this question, but it could be important: original or "torrent" version?

 

[MacinDan]

Another question, is the Tiger installer PowerPC or Intel only? I know mine is PowerPC. I don't know if Apple made Universal Binary install CD's, but you might want to check.

 

[ruutiveijari]

Have you tried inserting the disc while Jaguar is up, opening system preferences, going to the startup disk pane, and then selecting the Tiger DVD as the startup disc? In that same pane, after you select the disc, you should also see a button to restart your Mac. Just reboot it directly from there

Well this solved it, thank you! That was an odd little problem.

Excuse me this question, but it could be important: original or "torrent" version?

Original version. I have every version of OS X from 10.0 to 10.6 in their original packages. But now I'm curious - is there a virus circulating in the torrent versions or something?

 

[spinnerlys]

Original version. I have every version of OS X from 10.0 to 10.6 in their original packages. But now I'm curious - is there a virus circulating in the torrent versions or something?

No, as there are no viruses for Mac OS X currently in public circulation.

Mac Virus/Malware Info

Maybe the poster alluded to non-working Mac OS X torrents due to other issues (not being bootable for example).

 

[ruutiveijari]

Ok, thanks. If anybody knows why my iMac wouldn't boot in any other way than the one described above, I'd be interested in knowing. I can't figure it out.

As a sidenote, Tiger works like a dream!

 

[mkrishnan]

Ok, thanks. If anybody knows why my iMac wouldn't boot in any other way than the one described above, I'd be interested in knowing. I can't figure it out.

I never figured it out when I had this problem back when Tiger initially released... I wonder if it's some funny firmware setting or something? In any event, glad it worked.

 

[666sheep]

Maybe the poster alluded to non-working Mac OS X torrents due to other issues (not being bootable for example).

Exactly. Improper burning method could also make good working .dmg unbootable.

Curious thing is, that i had few iMacs G4 800 and every single one was able to boot with DVD Retail version of Tiger with C pressed. One or two of them didn't want to recognize Tiger disc, when i've put it when tray was opened by LMB pressing after power on. But when were restarted with C or alt on kbd, disc was properly recognized and installation was possible.

OP, is your iMac "wants" to boot from your Tiger CD now, after succesful installation? If not, try PRAM reset and test C key or use Open Firmware command:

boot cd:,\\tbxi

I'm curious about it as much as you.

Happy Tigering