How to install leopard on G5 with Broken DVD drive?

Hi Steven Johnson10;

Sounds like a plan to me.

Allan

Hi Steve just wondering did this work? I to have a G5 with a broken Superdirve but i do have a good macbook pro. Can you or anyone explain how to install leopard on the g5 via the macbook pros super drive. cheers.

DVD drives are 20 bucks and easy to install. Why not just get one and have a 100% functional computer?

Target Disk Mode between PowerPC and Intel Macs for installation doesn't always work well. I'd try to find an internal DVD drive or a Firewire one that is compatible. I would also fix the drive, as the fact it is broken indicates to me there might be other things wrong. Often what causes a broken DVD drive is simply the need to replace a $15 clock battery.

Most Macs equipped with Firewire 400 or 800 are capable of booting into Target Disk Mode (toggle under Sys Prefs-> Startup disk OR hold T when starting the computer).

When plugging a target disk mode running mac into another mac via firewire, the mac's drives (all hard drives and all optical drives - if media is inserted) will show up on the recipient mac. Therefore, use the good computer with good optical drive to put the disc media in, then start it in target disk mode. Finally plug it into the G5 with firewire cable (prefer 800 if your MBP has that). You will then see the drives and DVD, you can even restart the G5 holding down 'C' and it will boot from the CD drive of the other mac (it will try its own first - if available).

I don't think it will work. Both machines should be of the same type, AFAIK.
I seem to recall this during the early days of Leopard - that you need a PPC for the source computer.
I would get an external DVD drive.

He has a G5 tower. Internal drive $20 external maybe $50. 10 minutes work to install a fresh drive is worth the $30.