Need to do clean install of OS but optical drive doesn't recognize disks

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Level 1

25 points

Need to do clean install of OS but optical drive doesn't recognize disks

I have sold my PowerMac G4 MDD 867 Dual, so I want to erase all data and do clean install of the OS software, but it won't read/mount CDs anymore. Am assuming that the optical drive is dead...the buyer is going to buy & install a new Superdrive.

Is there any other way to connect my G4 to another computer and re-install software that way? I have the original install disks, the Jaguar software disks, and the original restore disks.

My other computers are an iMac G5 and and iBook G4, both of them are running Tiger.
Thanks for your help.

PowerMac G4, Mac OS X (10.3.x)

Posted on Jan 19, 2009 11:07 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Allan Jones

Level 9

68,690 points

Jan 19, 2009 1:51 PM in response to blwyer

You can use one of the other Macs to remotely control the G4's hard drive via FireWire Target Disk Mode. You can put the installer in the other Mac and have it write to the G4's hard drive. It will require a proper 6-pin to 6-pin cable. Info here:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661

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