10.3 Install Disc not recognized on old iBook.

A

Asterax

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I have this iBook (http://apple-history.com/body.php?page=gallery&model=ibookfirewire&performa=off&sort=date&order=ASC).

I am trying to install 10.3 onto this iBook, but hitting 'c' on bootup takes the iBook to a firmware terminal. I can only type "mac-boot" or "shut-down." When I type mac-boot, the iBook merely boots into 10.2, not the 10.3 Install CD. Moreover, on the desktop, the 10.3 Install Mac OS X application is shown as a folder, not an app.

Could this issue involve outdated firmware software?
 
I guess I have a retail copy then, as I do not totally understand the difference. The discs have worked perfectly in the past.
 
Asterax said:
I guess I have a retail copy then, as I do not totally understand the difference. The discs have worked perfectly in the past.
Click to expand...

IF the disc is solid gray or another solid color, then it's not a retail version. That's an OEM version that will only work with the Mac that it came with. For example, if the disc originally shipped with a Power Macintosh G4, then you can't use it on any other machine that isn't a Power Macintosh G4. Of course, you could install it on an infinite number of Power Macintosh G4s (assuming they're of the same revision), but that would also be illegal as the license is only for that Macintosh.

The retail version of OS X will have the same artwork from the box emblazoned on the disc itself. These versions will install on any Macintosh, unless the version of OS X is older than the minimum supported version that can install on a particular Macintosh (Ex: You can't install 10.1 on a G5 which only supports 10.2 or greater).

However, if the retail disc has the word "Upgrade" anywhere on it, then it's an upgrade version that will only work if you have an older version already installed on the Mac. It won't perform fresh installs (aka, formatting and reinstalling from scratch) unless it's a full version disc. You would then need to install the old version that shipped with that Mac and then install the upgrade from the upgrade disc. The upgrade disc will also upgrade any previous installations that were done with older retail discs.

Hope this clarifies things a bit more.
 
Actually, installing the OEM-discs on thousands of same revision PowerMacs as they originally came with, would be perfectly legal, since those PowerMacs *come* with a license for said discs.

But of course in this case it depends what the _iBook_ originally came with. You can install _its_ original discs (or a friend's who has the same revision iBook) or any _newer_ version of Mac OS X, albeit only if it's the retail version then. That iBook originally came with Mac OS 9.0.4 - it didn't ship with _any_ version of Mac OS X - or maybe 10.0. You therefore definitely need a retail version.
 
fryke said:
Actually, installing the OEM-discs on thousands of same revision PowerMacs as they originally came with, would be perfectly legal, since those PowerMacs *come* with a license for said discs.
Click to expand...

Interesting.....I hadn't thought about that. Good to know. :)
 
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