# Installing OS X Tiger with G3 iMac



## speXedy (Jul 31, 2007)

Hey there. I bought a used iMac for a basic 2nd Computer next to my bed so I can use AIM and what not at night when I am laying down. I have a brand new Intel G5 iMac. My iMac has Firewire inputs, but no DVD Player. I know there are ways to install Tiger onto the old iMac. It's actaully running 10.3.9 right now. How would I go about installing Tiger onto it? I can't find it and I looked for a lil bit. I read somewhere you can use a 6 to 6 Pin Firewire cable, but I can't find a tutorial to actually do this.

Can someone help?

Thanks!


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## fryke (Jul 31, 2007)

First, you'll need a license to run Tiger on that iMac, i.e. you'll buy a retail version of Tiger. Then you can send that to Apple and have it replaced as the CD version. You might be able to directly order the CD version as well, I haven't looked.

However: It might be simpler to just run 10.3.9 on that computer. It's fine, isn't it? Tiger, on low RAM conditions (640 MB and less) is definitely slower than Panther.


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## speXedy (Jul 31, 2007)

I already got a copy of Tiger for my birthday actually, and haven't used it. I really don't feel like waiting to send it in, it's a big pain in the tush... but I actually have an extra 512mb of ram I am going to add to the older iMac. I would just keep Panther but there are a bunch of profiles saved on there, and I want a fresh start. I would just delete them but the admin accounts have passwords and I can't delete them, and I don't know the passwords.

Plus it would be fun to learn a bit about fire-wires and networking the two computers together.


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## speXedy (Jul 31, 2007)

ugh I think I messed up big time... I am trying to install Tiger on my iMac like I said above. I bought the Firewire cable, and found a tut online

http://lowendmac.com/misc/06/0710.html

Everything was going great, until I reformated the hard drive of the G3 with Disk Utility and then tried to install Tiger. However it says I have to have a hard drive 15gbs or more. I only have a 9.5gb hard drive. Is there a work around to this?


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## fryke (Jul 31, 2007)

If you customise the install, it should be no problem, really... But I haven't ever tried to install on such a small harddrive.


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## speXedy (Jul 31, 2007)

How does one go about customiszing the install?


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## jbarley (Jul 31, 2007)

speXedy said:


> How does one go about customiszing the install?



Try the "Customize" button at the bottom of the window that comes up when you select your installation drive.
Deselect most of the crap, you'll get an updated install total size at the bottom of the window.

jb.


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## speXedy (Jul 31, 2007)

I'm not really seeing a Customize button, but I am kinda in a rush for work... so when I get back tonight ill look around. I could also just buy a new hard drive off eBay right? If anyone knows any other work arounds for a 9.5 hard drive let me know. ill keep you guys posted. any & all info is welcome.


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## jbarley (Jul 31, 2007)

speXedy said:


> I'm not really seeing a Customize button, but I am kinda in a rush for work... so when I get back tonight ill look around. I could also just buy a new hard drive off eBay right? If anyone knows any other work arounds for a 9.5 hard drive let me know. ill keep you guys posted. any & all info is welcome.



Maybe because it's called "Options"

jb.


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## fryke (Jul 31, 2007)

I definitely thought there's a button called "Customize", not "Options", after choosing the harddrive. However, I guess that kinda eliminates installing on a harddrive too small, if Apple doesn't let you choose that harddisk in the first place... :/

I'd just go through the installation dialogue and look at everything that looks like an "advanced", "options", "customize" button.


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## speXedy (Aug 1, 2007)

It is called options but it won't let me pick it when I click on my g3 hard drive it goes to unclickable mode, I  can click it on my Windows XP Partion and my Apple partion, but not on the g3. I also have an external hard drive, can that help me at all?


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## Giaguara (Aug 1, 2007)

When you first select the destination HD, then 'Options' for clean install, erase and install, upgrade, or archive and install, after that selection on the next screen there is the customize. [that excludes e.g. iLife applications]

Default install of Mac OS X 10.4 on PPC should not take more than 4.6 GB even if you have all languages and default printer drivers installed. Are you selecting Upgrade install? Can you back up all your data to an external hd so you could go with clean install and save space (you can still use migration assistant if your hd is cleanly cloned to an external fw drive).

You could meanwhile reset the admin account passwords on the 10.3 part -- use the 10.3 install disc 1 and boot to it, then select from the install menus the Reset Password option, in which select your admin account/s.
After reseting them, boot normally, and open Keychain Assistant (Applications > Utilities) and run Repair Keychain option in that, so that you can get your keychain password synced.
That would make your 10.3 usable again.


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## Giaguara (Aug 1, 2007)

What does you install disc look like by the way? Is it black or gray?
What does it say?


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## speXedy (Aug 1, 2007)

eh i still can't get it to work... it won't let me select the options button at all when I click that hard drive. Is there anyway I can make my external hard drive my default? I can't reset the admin passwords on Panther anymore cuz I reformated the hard drive and I bought it at a yard sale so I don't have the panther discs.

If I could use my external hard drive as my main hard drive thats like 150gbs and would be great. Any ideas on how to do that?


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## Giaguara (Aug 1, 2007)

When you select your hard drive, do you get a green arrow for it, or something else?


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## ex2bot (Aug 1, 2007)

SpeXedy, does your external hard drive show up on the list when it's plugged in? What interface are you using, USB 2 or Firewire?

Doug


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## speXedy (Aug 1, 2007)

nope it doesn't show up its usb ..... i think im going to just buy Panther on eBay via CDs and try that. The only problem is i have a CD stuck in the iMac .... i dunno what im gunna do. if anyone else has any sugestions as to how ot get tiger to work let me know.

thx


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## jbarley (Aug 2, 2007)

speXedy said:


> I only have a 9.5gb hard drive. Is there a work around to this?



You might look into this app, claims to allow OS X installs to older macs, including old iMacs.

http://eshop.macsales.com/OSXCenter/XPostFacto/

jb.


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## speXedy (Aug 3, 2007)

I am thinking about bidding on this

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mac-OS-X-10-3-5...ryZ80258QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

is that what I need?


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