Startup disc

[X.IV]

I have the original instal discs for OS10.4 that came with my iMac G5. I know that Superdrives can fail so want to make a backup copy to external hard drive. I created a disc image in Disc Utility. However, when cpoying to the external drive image I get a message that one ore or more files have special privileges and cannot be copied. My new copy on the external drive looks similar, but has smaller total file size. So is this useless as a startup disc? What are these 'special priviledges'

BTW, I have read posts (not here) instructing to make a backup install disc by burning a CD-R. My Tiger install disc 1 is approx 5.7GB which is well beyond any CD. Or is it possible to make a boot CD by just copying certain files? (I am guessing that Safari & itunes etc would not be needed). What makes a disc bootable or not?

 

[repairedCheese]

I can't speak to the missing files, but if you can't burn the disk, the whole point is moot. And there are easier ways to get a copy of Tiger than that, especially if all you have is a cd burner.

https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/mac-osx-mac-os-10-ppc

Mac OS X Tiger 10.4 - (Download #25 - #29)

It's a set of 4 cds, along with updates to get you to the last version. I can't speak for others, but I personally haven't had any luck from Tiger's update servers.

 

[X.IV]

Hi, I'm not too concerned about burning a disc copy. I want to make a backup to alternative media in case the superdrive fails. I copied it to an external hard drive with usb2 connection (took a few hours). But the copy totals 5.56GB. The original dvd is 5.60GB. I note that the original alias folders, etc, tmp & var on the dvd are showing as blank alias files on the copy. Clicking on the files brings up a message saying original files not available. Yes - they are on the original dvd. So is this an anti-copy lock? What are those missing files?

 

[repairedCheese]

Well, off the top of my head, the only way you end up with missing files like that is if you just copied the files off the dvd in finder, with hidden files off. Really, your safest best would be to make a disk image using Disk Utility, and restore that to whatever media you're using. Personally I've gone for a firewire compact flash reader, it's about as close universal as you're going to get, and the speed is great.

Usb booting is a unique and different challenge depending on the machine involved, usually one that needs wading through Open Firmware, and unless your Mac has usb 2, will be very, very slow. And I have no idea if you can just copy an install dvd's contents in finder to something else and it'll just work. I know you'd absolutely have to get the partitioning right, if you were going to do it yourself. You'd have to use set it up to use Apple Partition Map (APM), where as most things want to use, or be set up to use, MBR or GUID by default, and neither will boot on a PowerPC Mac. I've made that mistake myself, and I was lucky I didn't need the recovery drive at the time when I caught it.

 

[X.IV]

The copy was made in Disc Utility as per your suggestion. I made a disc image of the original dvd, opened it and dropped the folders into the external hard drive image. The tmp, etc & var alias folders did not transfer. I haven't tried to use the incomplete copy to boot from as I fear this may screw up something.

 

[Amethyst1]

I made a disc image of the original dvd, opened it and dropped the folders into the external hard drive image.

That's not the right way to do it. Use Disk Utility's Restore tab with the opened disk image ("mac os x install dvd") as source and the hard drive (partition) as destination.

 

[X.IV]

Thanks - that worked ok. I had never used the Restore function before. All the files copied to the external hard drive with the correct total file size. So I now have a backup copy. However, as mentioned by RC , I cannot boot from this copy as the ext HD has USB interface. It doesn't show as a possible boot volume under an Option startup. So it looks like I will have to rely on the dvd after all.

 

[repairedCheese]

Install OS9/OSX from USB?

There are plenty of resources on here for getting OSX to boot from USB. Try following some of the tips and tricks in these threads; https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/powerpc-g5-install-os-x-assist.2147494/?post=26654986#post-26654986...

forums.macrumors.com

It can be done and there are resources to make it happen, but if you want to avoid messing around with Open Firmware, you need some kind of firewire drive. Those will boot from any PowerPC Mac with firewire, as far as I know.

 

[Project Alice]

but I personally haven't had any luck from Tiger's update servers.

The Tiger and Leopard update servers work fine.

 

[X.IV]

Agreed - open firmware is not my thing.
My external hard drive enclosure has usb and firewire, but I now find that both firewire ports on the computer are not working, so I can only use it on usb2. The drive shows up as 'unknown device 400mb/s' in system profiler, but does not mount in Disc Utility, Desktop or Finder. I have tried new cable, various resets of PRAM and PMU but nothing. I understand that the ports are easily damaged on G5. So basically given up on the firewire boot option. I may get another superdrive to keep as a spare. It is easy to fit in a G5.
Thanks for all your helpful advice and suggestions.

 

[Macbookprodude]

I can't speak to the missing files, but if you can't burn the disk, the whole point is moot. And there are easier ways to get a copy of Tiger than that, especially if all you have is a cd burner.

https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/mac-osx-mac-os-10-ppc

Mac OS X Tiger 10.4 - (Download #25 - #29)

It's a set of 4 cds, along with updates to get you to the last version. I can't speak for others, but I personally haven't had any luck from Tiger's update servers.

The last time I installed Tiger, the Apple software updates worked. They are still working.
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The Tiger and Leopard update servers work fine.

What about for 10.3/10.2/10.1 ?