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Q: How to Format HDD and Install newest OS on a Powerbook G4 Titanium (1Ghz, 512mb Ram)

I have just recently acquired an old Tibook from a friend. The thing is slow and just needs alot of internal work done. Not to mention it's running OS X 10.2 which doesn't allow me to do much.

 

I have never owned a Macintosh (Apple) in my life so I'm a serious layman when it comes to this albiet I am very litterate with PCs (don't hate).

 

I would simply like to format the HDD and install a fresh OS because the computer has multiple problems that I have been troubleshooting for hours without any luck. Let me know if and how I can just do an installation over the current OS while wiping all of the old data. I just want a fresh install.

 

So how do I go about doing this? And whats the newest version of OS X that I can run on this computer? I think this computer is from 2002. If you need more information just let me know!

 

I'm really excited to learn the other spectrum of computing!

PowerBook, Mac OS X (10.2.x)

Posted on Sep 22, 2011 8:56 PM

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Q: How to Format HDD and Install newest OS on a Powerbook G4 Titanium (1Ghz, 512mb Ram)

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  • Helpful answers

  • by John Hammer1,Helpful

    John Hammer1 John Hammer1 Sep 22, 2011 9:07 PM in response to waaQQ
    Level 4 (2,805 points)
    Sep 22, 2011 9:07 PM in response to waaQQ

    The newest version of Mac OS X that machine can run is Mac OS X 10.5.8 Leopard. However, with only 512mb of RAM, that OS will run very, very slowly. Even if you install 1gb, which is probably the max for that model (can't tell for sure because I am guessing at the exact model), it will be only marginally usable. My own old G4 PowerBook has 2gb of RAM and it runs Leopard pretty well, but I wouldn't want to use Leopard with less than the 2gb with the 1.25ghz processor in my PowerBook.

     

    I'd recommend installing 10.3 Panther instead of 10.5 Leopard. Panther will run fine with 512mb of RAM and will be very comfortable and speedy if you give it the 1gb upgrade. RAM is very inexpensive right now. Panther also requires less hard drive space, which is a good thing since the hard drive in your machine is probably pretty small. There are lots of good email clients and web browsers to use with Panther in place of Mail and Safari; check out Low End Mac for suggestions and discussions.

     

    Neither Panther nor Leopard are sold by Apple anymore. You can find both at retailers sometimes and frequently on eBay. Leopard tends to be ridiculously expensive, but Panther can often be found for under $40.

     

    http://www.lowendmac.com/

  • by waaQQ,

    waaQQ waaQQ Sep 22, 2011 9:35 PM in response to John Hammer1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 22, 2011 9:35 PM in response to John Hammer1

    Thanks for the quick and helpful response! I will install Panther. But my next question is how do I get a clean install? I want none of the old software/files.

     

    Is it as easy as installing the new OS? Is their an option to do a clean install or keep old files? Or do I need to format and create a boot disk?

  • by waaQQ,

    waaQQ waaQQ Sep 22, 2011 9:50 PM in response to waaQQ
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 22, 2011 9:50 PM in response to waaQQ

    Also, am I going to need to update my firmware?

  • by ATILANO,Solvedanswer

    ATILANO ATILANO Sep 22, 2011 10:12 PM in response to waaQQ
    Level 2 (300 points)
    Sep 22, 2011 10:12 PM in response to waaQQ

    Once you get a copy of Panther, boot from the panther CD by restarting your computer and holding down the "C" key.  Your Mac will boot from the CD.  You will then given several options, one them is to "Erase, and Install" which will wipe the hard drive and install a fresh copy of the new OS.  Once installed, you will create your user account.  Then run Software Update (click on the Apple logo in the upper left hand corner).  Keep running software update until all updates have been installed. 

     

    Enjoy your new (old) Mac!

  • by waaQQ,

    waaQQ waaQQ Sep 22, 2011 10:17 PM in response to waaQQ
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 22, 2011 10:17 PM in response to waaQQ

    I have no idea how to look up my firmware version. But when I attempt to update I can't find any new updates although I have a feeling that that doesn't include the firmware.

  • by waaQQ,

    waaQQ waaQQ Sep 22, 2011 10:22 PM in response to ATILANO
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 22, 2011 10:22 PM in response to ATILANO

    Sweet, thanks. I will just attempt to install it and if it doesn't work I will do a firmware update.

     

    All questions have been answered. Case closed

  • by old comm guy,

    old comm guy old comm guy Sep 22, 2011 11:52 PM in response to waaQQ
    Level 4 (2,244 points)
    Sep 22, 2011 11:52 PM in response to waaQQ

    waaQQ wrote:

     

    Also, am I going to need to update my firmware?

     

    No.

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1395

  • by eww,

    eww eww Sep 23, 2011 10:39 AM in response to waaQQ
    Level 9 (52,994 points)
    Sep 23, 2011 10:39 AM in response to waaQQ

    Sweet, thanks. I will just attempt to install it and if it doesn't work I will do a firmware update.

     

    No firmware update is available for that model, so that's one thing you can cross off your list.