maqsood81
Level 1 (8 points)
Old Hardware

Q: MAC G4 - booting from different OS

Hi I need some help. I am completely new to MAC. I have two Power MAC G4, one assembled in Ireland = Y and one from Singapore = Z but inside , the components are differents.  I have two Hard Drive,HDD-A = OS X 10.3.1 (7C107) and the other one HDD-B = OS Z1 -9.2.2. Both hard drive HDD- A / B boots in computer Y but only hard drive HDD-B actually boots in computer Z. When I placed HDD-B in computer Z, is says MAC OS ROM 10.2.1.

I would be grateful if someone could explain to me how can I make both computers boots with HDD-A which is the one I really need. HDD-A has a software on it that control a CNC machine.

PowerMac, Mac OS X (10.2.x)

Posted on May 13, 2016 1:56 AM

Close
maqsood81

Q: MAC G4 - booting from different OS

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by a brody,

    a brody a brody May 15, 2016 7:24 PM in response to maqsood81
    Level 9 (66,776 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    May 15, 2016 7:24 PM in response to maqsood81

    The internal hard drives of PowerMac G4s are usually Parallel ATA IDE drives, with a particular jumper (a two pin plastic prong that latches onto the two pins next to the interface port in the diagram shown on the sticky of the hard drive exterior.     If these hard drives are internal hard drives of both PowerMac G4, you have to verify that the two PowerMac G4s are in fact identical in terms of vintage before making one boot off another.   Target Disk Mode is a tool that lets any  PowerMac G4 except the first model turn into a very expensive external Firewire hard drive with the internal drive basically designed to boot whichever Mac installed the operating system on it.

     

    So say you wanted to have a drive that could boot Mac B, but weren't sure it could boot Mac A, you could still insert in Mac A's internal drive slot as a Master drive, and it would be visible in Target Disk Mode.  Target Disk Mode is described here:

     

    How to use and troubleshoot FireWire target disk mode - Apple Support

     

    Use this tip to identify your Mac:

    http://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6413

     

    And use this tip to find out what operating system came with your Mac, and which newer retail Mac operating systems can boot it:

    Mac OS: Versions, builds included with PowerPC Macs (since 1998) - Apple Support

     

    Generally speaking no Mac can boot an older Mac OS X or older Mac OS 9 than shipped with it.

    Retail editions of the later are identified further on this tip by the label on the CD:

     

    Can I download my Mac OS upgrade?

     

    And they can't say update, dropin, or OEM.