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Q: PowerBook G3 Lombard 400MHz 128MB RAM freezes during Mac OS X install

With the above setup up, I tried to install Mac OS X 10.2 and 10.3 and during the install, the Mac just freezes.

I've heard problems with this particular Mac and Mac OS X installs.

I've installed Mac OS 9 just fine and it runs great.

I just have 128MB at the bottom RAM slot (I've been told to leave the top slot empty to try to get past this problem, but it still freezes at various points during the install)...

Any other ideas or am I stuck to run with Mac OS 9 only on this Mac? Oh, and it's got the faulty Copper G3 chip.

Mac mini Core Solo 1.5GHz stock, iMac DV 400MHz, Beige G3, Power Mac G4/350 AGP, Mac OS X (10.5), Mini has 512MB RAM, 60GB HD

Posted on May 31, 2010 12:48 AM

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Q: PowerBook G3 Lombard 400MHz 128MB RAM freezes during Mac OS X install

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  • by Texas Mac Man,

    Texas Mac Man Texas Mac Man May 31, 2010 6:05 AM in response to be236
    Level 8 (46,611 points)
    May 31, 2010 6:05 AM in response to be236
    Are you using retail OS X install CDs (black) or gray installers from another model Mac? Gray installers won't work.

     Cheers, Tom

  • by be236,

    be236 be236 May 31, 2010 9:45 AM in response to Texas Mac Man
    Level 1 (55 points)
    Desktops
    May 31, 2010 9:45 AM in response to Texas Mac Man
    Retail, of course.
  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder May 31, 2010 4:32 PM in response to be236
    Level 9 (60,692 points)
    Desktops
    May 31, 2010 4:32 PM in response to be236
    Installing 10.2 (and 10.3 with XPostFacto) on slow Beige G3 I almost always had the machine fail to complete the install the first time, and fail to complete a group of updates if they collectively took too long. \[My own personal theory is that they set the timers on Admin privileges too short and towards the end of the install, you lose your Admin privileges and things go badly. I base this on: Wild-@ss guessing.]

    So my recommendation would be: try it again. Having some of the files in place may shorten the elapsed time and yield better results.
  • by be236,

    be236 be236 May 31, 2010 4:53 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 1 (55 points)
    Desktops
    May 31, 2010 4:53 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    I think my problem is due to this particular Mac, ie, PowerBook G3 Lombard with its RAM slot issue and the G3 Copper CPU that I've read on the 'net.

    Also, my problem is "freezing" during various points in the install (meaning I have to hard reboot).. not your typical "install failed, you need to restart."

    Basically, I think I'm stuck to leave this PowerBook at Mac OS 9.2.2... oh well...

    (and yes, I've tried to install Mac OS X 10.2 and 10.3 about 5 times each, and it freezes at various random points during the install).
  • by sopranojam851,

    sopranojam851 sopranojam851 Jun 24, 2010 4:37 AM in response to be236
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jun 24, 2010 4:37 AM in response to be236
    I wouldn't give up on OS X yet. Open Disk Utility and do a zero-all-data on the entire hard disk (assuming you've not got anything else on the drive and are willing to wipe it clean) and then try again.

    Also, try swapping the ram with different ram. PC66 ram is super cheap these days on the used market. Pick up 2 128 sticks, or 2 256 sticks and put them in. Remember the bottom slot can be hard to get to - you'll need to remove the heat sink and CPU daughter card to access it.

    Good luck!
  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Jun 24, 2010 11:12 AM in response to be236
    Level 9 (60,692 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 24, 2010 11:12 AM in response to be236
    Ryan Rempel, the author of XPostFacto, reported that Mac OS X could be installed (but would not necessarily run) in as little as 96MB of main memory. You are perilously close to that lower limit. A larger memory in the lower slot may be needed.