failing to install tiger on pismo

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failing to install tiger on pismo

I am trying to install Tiger on my 500Mhz/768Ram Pismo with a 80Gig harddrive.
I have got a bootable copy of a installer cd, in read me it says its working on all computers with G3,G4 with firewire port.
When I am trying to install and press restart a sign comes up showing a circle with a diagonal line. When I start with C pressed it starts from the cd. It seemed to proceed with the installation but at the end it said there was a failure.
Also when I chose the drive it did not ask archive or delete or anything.
I tried once more, this time I tried to initialize the drive with disk utility, but it did it unusually fast. This time the installer said installation is not possible.
I am running OS 9.2.2.

Pismo, Mac OS 9.2.x, Pismo 500/768/80

Posted on Jan 23, 2010 8:47 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 23, 2010 9:49 AM in response to desperada

Are there any reasons you need to run OS9.xx? Can you completely wipe the drive clean, zero all the data, and start from scratch with the Tiger CD? Is the disk in good shape, no scratches?

Tony

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Answer 2

Jan 23, 2010 1:19 PM in response to desperada

I have got a bootable copy of a installer cd

If it is a copy of a gray disk, those are machine-specific. ReadMe may say installs on any G3, G4, but the extensions needed to actually install from this particular CD onto ANY G3, G4 may not be included.

To have success, you should have a pressed CD/DVD that is Black with a large Silver-White X on the face. It should not say "Drop In" or "Upgrade" or "Not for Sale" or similar phrases -- these may not be Full Installers.

Unlike Windows, Mac OS X is released without the need for a serial number or other annoying copy protection. I urge you to support this policy by owning a more legitimate Disc. Even a Disc you buy used is better than a copy, and is more reliable (and more easily read) as well.

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Answer 3

desperada Author

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Jan 25, 2010 9:35 AM in response to Tony Giordano

I put the Pismo in firewire target mode and partitioned it via my iMacs disk utiliy. I then zapped the pram and tried to install Tiger again. Same as before, it almost finishes the installation, then says that it cannot finish it.
I guess it might not be a copy of a full retail disk, but model specific.

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Answer 4

desperada Author

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Jan 25, 2010 9:50 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Its possible that it is the wrong disk, but possibly there is something else wrong. It does not see cds , thats why when I wanted to install Panther instead of Tiger the OS 9 did not recognize the cd, only dvds. So i put it into firewire target mode and used disk utility to repartition the drive and then made a full restore of my current panther system onto it. when I restarted the holding down option there was no starting system visible. I then connected my external firewire drive( where I have a bootable copy of my current system ) to it and tried booting from it, this time it froze sayin login window starting.I zapped the pram and tried it again , this time it got a kernel panic. I am so scared I did something stupid, it worked allright with OS 9, I just had no use for 9.

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Answer 5

Jan 25, 2010 11:22 AM in response to desperada

When combination CD/DVD readers fail, sometimes one head or the other will conk out, but the rest of the drive keeps working. So what you have described is a common failure mode of the CD/DVD drive itself.

It is impossible to tell what might be wrong with your install without knowing what Disc it come from.

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Answer 6

desperada Author

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Jan 25, 2010 1:29 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Can all dvd drives read cds? I used disk utility on my iMac ( Panther) to repartition and restore from to the Pismo , that is the one currently on it and also an other attempt of installing Tiger. Both do not show up as bootable. On the ext harddrive is the same copy that I tried to boot from. I can boot my ibook from it. Maybe I should once more repartition , but with what utility?

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Answer 7

Jan 25, 2010 1:41 PM in response to desperada

Most DVD readers that are installed in Macs can also read and write CDs (when working properly).
If it can only Read DVDs, it is called a combo or combination drive. If it can also Write DVDs Apple calls it a SuperDrive.

Disk Utility from 10.3 Panther works fine to partition a Hard drive for 10.4 Tiger, except when creating a RAID array.

I think you should try to find a "Full Retail" Disc.

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Answer 8

desperada Author

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Jan 25, 2010 2:01 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Sure I will get one at ebay. Before that I would like to install Panther on a different partition , the drive has got 75 Gb to see whether the Pismo still works.So you think the reason why the Panther Cd ( full retail) does not work is because of a faulty Dvd drive?
But why does the copy of Panther made with disk utility not work? And why can I not boot via my fire wire ext harddrive? As I said with my ibook all these things work.

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