How to Perform a Clean Install of Panther 10.3

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Level 1

9 points

How to Perform a Clean Install of Panther 10.3

I am currently running Jaguar 10.2.8 (no OS9) on an iMac G3/400, 320 megs ram, dsl internet. I want to perform a clean install of Panther 10.3 (not the upgrade or archive + install). After placing the first Panther disc in the slot, I get a screen on which I click the install icon, I then click the restart, the machine reboots, gives me an installation screen asking me to choose the language, I choose English, then click "continue", I then get a screen telling me I cannot install OSX because the "firmware" is not up to date. I then have to click on the "close" button, then use a pin to get the cd out of the machine. I thought the only firmware update necessary was when you want to install Jaguar over OS9. How can I fix this situation so I can install Panther? I am not much of a techie, fairly new to Mac so please make your reply easy to follow. Thanks.

iMac G3/400, Mac OS X (10.2.x), 320 megs of ram, 2 meg, dsl internet

Posted on May 4, 2009 7:40 AM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

May 4, 2009 12:32 PM in response to Pixturesk

The firmware update for your model is required for running OS X regardless of which version you install. You will need to install OS 9.1 or later in order to install the firmware update if the computer has not been updated.

OS 9 should have been included with the computer as part of the original software that came with it. You can install OS 9 on the same volume on which OS X is currently installed or you can erase the drive before installing OS 9. After you perform the firmware update you can do an Erase and Install of Panther.

You should avoid using a pin to forcibly remove a disc from the optical drive. Just restart the computer and hold down the mouse button to have the disc ejected. See the following:

Five ways to eject a stuck CD or DVD from the optical drive

Ejecting the stuck disc can usually be done in one of the following ways:

1. Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the left mouse button until the disc ejects.

2. Press the Eject button on your keyboard.

3. Click on the Eject button in the menubar.

4. Press COMMAND-E.

5. If none of the above work try this:

Open the Terminal application in your Utilities folder. At the prompt enter or paste the following:

/usr/bin/drutil eject.

If this fails then try this:

Boot the computer into single-user mode. At the prompt enter the same command as used above. To restart the computer enter "reboot" at the prompt without quotes.

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Answer 2

Pixturesk Author

Level 1

9 points

May 4, 2009 1:54 PM in response to Kappy

Thanks Kappy. This is quite unsettling to have to go through this just to install Panther. After I install OS 9.1, I also have all the updates to 9.2.2. Shall I install them before installing the firmware update or just install OS 9 then the firmware update?

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Answer 3

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

May 4, 2009 2:00 PM in response to Pixturesk

No, you only need 9.1 to install the firmware update. There's not need to install OS 9 updates beyond 9.1. After installing the firmware update you will just erase the drive and install Panther using the Erase and Install option (will be the default if the drive has been erased.)

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Answer 4

Pixturesk Author

Level 1

9 points

May 4, 2009 2:53 PM in response to Kappy

Thanks Kappy. My OS 9 is 9.0.4 so I will update to 9.1 then install the firmware, then Panther.

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Answer 5

Pixturesk Author

Level 1

9 points

May 4, 2009 3:59 PM in response to Pixturesk

Kappy. I am having big problems. There was a problem with the OS 9.0.4 install although everything seems to be working right. However, when I try to install the OS 9.1 update, I get a message that there is no folder to install it to, then I click on "preferences", a window opens with a list of folders including the folder I installed OS 9.0.4 into but all the choices are greyed out so I can't click on that folder for the install of the OS 9.1 update. I really am not much of a techie, a Mac newbie so this is freaking me out. I took the OS 9.0.4 cd out so the computer boots up into Jaguar, that's how I am writing to you with my Firefox browser. Can you please give me a set of steps to get out of this, I am stuck. Thanks, Ken.

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Answer 6

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

May 4, 2009 4:16 PM in response to Pixturesk

If the OS 9 installation went OK you should see some new folders at the root of the drive:

1. System Folder
2. Applications (Mac OS 9)
3. Documentation (Mac OS 9)

I think that's all. Now, you need to boot into OS 9 to install the 9.1 updater. To do that open Startup Disk preferences, select the OS 9 system folder from the icon list then click on the Restart button. The computer should now restart into OS 9. You can now run the 9.1 updater. After the computer restarts into OS 9.1 post update do your firmware update.

To return to OS X after the firmware update locate the Startup Disk control panel in OS 9's list of control panels, select the OS X system folder and click on the Restart button.

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Answer 7

Pixturesk Author

Level 1

9 points

May 4, 2009 4:40 PM in response to Kappy

Kappy. There is nothing in the Applications folder or the System folder so I guess the OS 9.0.4 install was unsuccessful. Is there anyway I can just start from scratch? The Disk Utility program will not even let me erase everything. Thanks, Ken.

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Answer 8

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

May 4, 2009 5:04 PM in response to Pixturesk

The OS 9 installation is not in any OS X folder. It should be at the root of the hard drive. If you open a Finder window of your hard drive you should see some folders for OS X. They are:

1. Applications
2. Library
3. System
4. Users

Then the OS 9 folders are:

1. System Folder
2. Applications (Mac OS)
3. Documentation (Mac OS)

All seven folders are located at this location of your hard drive. Note that "System Folder" is not the same as "System".

You do know that you must boot from the 9.0.4 installer disc?

You can start from scratch if you boot from the 9.0.4 installer disc, then use the OS 9 disk formatter to erase the hard drive before you install OS 9 or choose to do a Clean install which should automatically erase the drive.

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Answer 9

Pixturesk Author

Level 1

9 points

May 4, 2009 5:31 PM in response to Kappy

Kappy. I found a folder with a log file that confirm that OS 9.0.4 was not installed because "system software" cannot be found. I like your suggestion about booting from the OS 9.0.4 disc, then accomplish the erase/install of OS 9.0.4, then install the 9.1 update, the the 4.1.9 firmware update, then Panther. I am busy for the next while but will get to it when I can. I will also look for someone locally to help me. I am not going to pay a local Mac store for this. My interest is exploring Mac with a view to possibly converting to it in the future. Until then I will continue to use my highly stable, reliable Windows 98SE computer. Thanks again for your help, Ken.

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Answer 10

cornelius

Level 6

17,826 points

May 4, 2009 5:33 PM in response to Kappy

Kappy:

If the OP is currently running Jaguar, will not the firmware update already been applied?

😉 cornelius

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Answer 11

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

May 4, 2009 9:36 PM in response to cornelius

He claims not, but I don't think he knows.

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Answer 12

Pixturesk Author

Level 1

9 points

May 5, 2009 5:53 AM in response to Kappy

As I recall, when I got the machine it came with Jaguar as the OS, I also got the OS 9 discs as well. Since I wanted a clean Jaguar install, with trial + error, with no Mac expertise, I installed OS 9 again as an erase/install, which just left me with OS 9, then I re-installed Jaguar again as an erase/install which left only Jaguar, I just wanted OSX not OS 9. Now I just want Panther. This is obviously a great negative to using a Mac. Its like saying that you have to install Windows 3.1 first, then firmware, before installing either Windows 2000 or XP, to a non-techie, Mac newbie like me this is a negative to getting me into the Mac universe. In this current scenario, I can't even perform an upgrade or an archive/install to Panther, but I won't give up, even though I could make a nice profit selling the machine.

PS. After I install OS 9.0.4, what is the exact procedure to update to 9.1, then install the 4.1.9 firmware, can I get both online then install them. Thanks, Ken.

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Answer 13

cornelius

Level 6

17,826 points

May 5, 2009 7:24 AM in response to Pixturesk

Pixturesk:

Forgive my jumping in here. If the computer has/had OS X installed, the firmware should have been updated. If you are able to boot from it go to Apple Menu > About this Mac > More Info > Hardware Overview. Look for the BootROM version and compare it with the firmware update number.

If you decide to use the OS 9 disk to completely reformat the drive and install OS 9, follow these steps:

Format and Install OS 9
This process will completely erase everything on your Hard Disk Drive. Be sure to Backup your User Folder and all third party apps you can't afford to lose

• Boot from your OS 9 install CD holding down C key.
• Go to Drive Setup and reformat your drive as Mac OS Extended (HFS+)
• Reinstall OS 9
• Update to 9.2.2: Mac OS 9: Available Updates
• Update your firmware

😉 cornelius

Message was edited by: cornelius

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Answer 14

ali brown

Level 7

26,493 points

May 5, 2009 10:59 AM in response to Pixturesk

Hi Again Ken!

Are you sure you have the Full Retail Version, of the Panther Install CDs?

Scrutinize them very carefully. The discs should look exactly like the images in the above links, and not say Upgrade, CPU Drop-in DVD, or "This software is part of a hardware bundle purchase - not to be sold seperately." on them.

ali b

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Answer 15

Pixturesk Author

Level 1

9 points

May 5, 2009 3:38 PM in response to cornelius

Cornelius. This is the way I will install OS 9, what a pain!!, but I won't give up, just might take awhile. Thanks, Ken.

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