OS X on an iMac

gollum84

gollum84

goonies never say die
I have a G3 iMac DV/SE 400Mhz running OS 9.2.2, with 640 megabyte of RAM. I was wondering if I could install Jaguar on it using the software Install and Restore CD that came with my G4 that I bought last year? Is it even possible to do this? Can my iMac handle OS X? Or do I have to buy an upgrade version and use that separate CD? :confused:
 
What exactly do you mean?

Personally, i have an iMac revision a as well as a later edition snow iMac both running OS X and purring along fine. Actually, the fact that the OS wont crash puts it at an advantage over OS 9 in the first place. The install and restore CDs wouldnt work, i dont think, but the diagnostic disc will.
 
I want to install OS X on my iMac straight from the PowerMac G4 CD that I have. So if I follow what you are saying, it will eventually end up with me having to buy Jaguar or Panther separately and upgrading the operating system in that way, rather than using the software install cd that came with my G4.
 
Now i see exactly what you're saying. I wouldn't think the discs would work, but i see no harm in trying. Other than that, the upgrade will make your iMac system faster, esp with 10.3, but unless the OS 9 is causing you any freezes or consistent problems, the $129 upgrade might not be worth it to you. Just do what seems right for your budget.
 
It all depends. With the G4 CD that has OS X, I think the CD will only install on that model Mac. But it doesn't hurt to try. ;)

Mac OS X will install on at least a G3 processor. If you are installing Panther, the lowest G3 machine it will install on are the B&W Power Macs and the G3 iMacs and iBooks, since they are NewWorld Macs (use OpenFirmware). OldWorld Macs (those that had an actual ROM chip), which include up to the beige G3, will not run Panther according to Apple.

Good luck! :)
 
Would there be a better chance of getting OS X to run on the iMac, if I totally erase the hardrive and then just do a clean install with the G4 software install cd? But how would I go about doing that and still have the computer recognize that there is a CD in the drive?
 
your mac will start on the CD is you hold the C key during boot.
is your HD big enough ?
 
The drive on the iMac is between 12 and 14 GB's. So if I totally erase the hardrive and restart the iMac with the "C" key pressed down using the Software Install and Restore CD, I might be able to get OS X installed?
 
The CDs that came with your G4 is specifically made for that model. You need to buy the full install disks. No way around it.
 
Cheryl said:
The CDs that came with your G4 is specifically made for that model. You need to buy the full install disks. No way around it.
Click to expand...

Are you absolutely sure? My memory may be failing, I am 23 now, but when I was at university and worked in the IT area, I may have come across a copy of some G4 tower system restore discs. I didn't use the software restore discs, just the system restores to install X.1 on my clamshell iBook as well as my G4 tower. More recently, in a pinch, I used somebody else's iBook dual USB system restore discs on my clamshell, granted same chip type. I've done similar things with OS 9 as well, of course, that's just my experience and memory, which may have been clouded by unseemly activities one typically associates with college kids.

Cheers
 
You managed to install X11 (I presume) because you weren't installing the entire OS.

Let me spell it out clearly: if you want OS X on your iMac, buy Panther. It runs a little laggier than OS 9 on my iMac, but it's definitely more stable. I actually switch between the two regularly.
 
Arden said:
You managed to install X11 (I presume) because you weren't installing the entire OS.
Click to expand...

I'm not going to debate the greatness of Panther, it is amazing, but it was not the X11 window manager (although I installed that via fink), it was MacOS 10.1 (aka X.1)
 
You may have been lucky or the restore CDs you used were not for a particular model. When schools get a shipment of many Macs, they get the IT package which includes CDs that can work on a general array of specific models. But you could not have used a G4 restore on your clamshell iBook. Memory just might be failing you.

It could very well be you used an educational OS X install.

When the CD is stamped with Model name Restore, you can NOT use it for any other model. A Powerbook restore will not work in a tower. An iMac restore will not work on the Cube. A G4 restore will not work on a G5 or a G3. There are specific components on those CDs that look for specific hardware. You might be able to boot with those CDs but not install. You will get a dialog box stating it can not install on this computer.

A full install CD is your best investment - even if it is just for those emergencies. :)
 
Umm, do they not come with both Restore AND Mac OS discs? *opens up system CDs*

My G4 iBook has the "Restore CD - iBook G4" discs and ALSO "Mac OS X 10.3"

The Mac OS installer discs worked on my old iMac. I tried them, before reformatting the iMac anway (OS 9 again.. nice n legal eheh)
 
Most reports from the field indicate to me that Panther is still working out some major bugs. One business owner I know is having a known issue with Panther deleting all her incoming emails! (She called AppleCare and had this confirmed.)

I used the Install Disks that came with my iMac G4/17" and installed OS X 10.2.8 on my Powerbook Pismo Laptop (see specs below.)

I do know some software is made for certain computers and have run into that problem myself, but I was sucessful in installing X on my laptop. Of course I removed it once I bought an install CD with OS X 10.2.8 on it …
 
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