iMac G4 refuses to install original grey Mac OS X Install Disc

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Level 1

4 points

iMac G4 refuses to install original grey Mac OS X Install Disc

Hi everyone,

This is my first entry and I really do need your help with an iMac G4 (800 Mhz, 17").

So, a buddy of mine brought me this machine to upgrade and restore it. It is almost in mint condition and was used till 2015. The iMac ran a copy of 10.5 Leopard (which is obviously not suitable for it), so I wiped the HDD with Disk Utility and try to get 10.4 Tiger on it.

Since I don't have a copy of 10.4 around, I just wanted to check out the Mac OS X install disc which came in the box (the original grey colored Apple Disc). But here is my issue:

It just won't run the installer.pkg. Sometimes the iMac just idles with a blue background and the installer's menu bar on top, an other time I try to run Disk Utility (which, on occasion, barely starts)

But most of the time, I get this error message: "The Installer package "Mac OS X" cannot be opened. Missing or old Bill Of Materials" (I took a screenshot of the meesage, which I will attache down below)

The other installer discs like Mac OS 9.2.2 and Jaguar run just fine (until I get an error, that the Jaguar copy it came with is just the upgrade version and not full retail)

What should I do?

Just get a retail copy of 10.4 Tiger and just ignore the grey orginal copy of the Mac OS X install disc?

Is there anything I'm doing wrong? (Do I have to reset something or install specific 9.2.2 Software beforehand?)

I would be very thankful, if you have a solution to this problem and if so, please, answer as detailed as possible, since my Mac journey began with Intel-Macs and 10.4. Tiger, so I'm an absolute PPC-era rookie :-)

With best regards,

rock_27_04

Posted on Mar 26, 2021 2:47 PM

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Answer 1

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rock_27_04 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 21, 2021 10:02 AM in response to rock_27_04

Since nothing seemed to work and my iMac refuses it's grey Mac OS X installation to this day, here are the the steps that finally led to my success:

replace the PRAM battery
use a genuine retail disc of Mac OS X Tiger (not sure if totally necessary)
clean the board with compressed air
check all slots and connectors
use a lens-cleaner dvd for the superdrive (this might have been a major factor)

I'm really glad it worked out in the end. Thank you all for your advice

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Answer 2

K Shaffer

Level 7

34,984 points

Mar 28, 2021 4:36 PM in response to rock_27_04

There were two iMac 17-inch 800GHz models, one could dual boot into 9.2.2 or before

and could run early OS X 10.1.x through 10.4.11; I had complete kit, in perfect condition.

Gave that one to neighbor, eight miles south; a kit with extras, speakers, UPS, etc.

There'd been 'patch to unofficially run Leopard' 10.5.8; didn't use, slows these down.

Lowendmac: https://lowendmac.com/2002/17-inch-imac-g4-mid-2002/

According to Mactracker.ca database app, (incomplete history from here) Specs follow:

• iMac (17-inch Flat Panel) G4 (800 MHz)

Introduced July 2002

Discontinued February 2003

Model Identifier PowerMac4,5

Model Number M6498

EMC 1936

Order Number M8812LL/A

Maximum Memory 2.0 GB (Actual) or 1.0 GB (Apple)

Memory Slots 1 - PC-2100 200-pin SO-DIMM (user accessible),

1 - PC-2100 184-pin SDRAM (factory installed)

Original OS Mac OS 9.2.2 (Mac OS ROM 9.5.1) and Mac OS X 10.1.5

Later OS Mac OS X 10.2 (6C115)

Maximum OS Mac OS X 10.4.11

Hardware Test AHT (iMac/eMac) 1.2.2

(these 'grey discs' have hardware-matching part numbers)

..This model may have a fringe build 800MHz, like I had..

[Later 1.0GHz was USB2.0 hardware, didn't dual-boot; similar to iMac G4 1.25GHz 17,/20-inch.]

You may match the hardware model and serial number on this unit

against everymac's ultimate lookup database online to learn more.

[Those SN are rather useless to re-post here; ASC hosts remove them.]

Other databases, or lookups, are online; this includes specs & parts lookup

http://www.powerbookmedic.com/identify-mac-serial.php

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Answer 3

K Shaffer

Level 7

34,984 points

Mar 28, 2021 7:46 PM in response to K Shaffer

PS: Early iMacG4 700+800MHz 15-in & 17-in : both 'dual-boot' primary Mac OS 9.2.2; then, to Mac OS X 10.1.x

• Memory Slots: 1] - PC-133 144-pin SO-DIMM (user accessible), 1] - PC-133 168-pin SDRAM (factory installed)

[Support for Tiger 10.4.11; early models utilize older P133 RAM, & slower graphic card. And 1024MB RAM total. ]

There were several build model details, found in production examples, in transition. I've had some.

And these are reasons why failed hardware is difficult to replace with known good examples now.

Just spent 'more hours' in research; decided not to add all I found here. Harder now to find references.

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Answer 4

HWTech

Level 9

55,838 points

Mar 27, 2021 5:07 PM in response to rock_27_04

The gray OSX restore discs are only meant for very specific models as they are factory restore discs. Check to see that the exact model iMac is written on the gray DVD somewhere (usually the lower left area IIRC). I think the iMac G4 shipped with an older version of macOS so if you want to install 10.4 Tiger, then you will need to use the retail version of the OSX 10.4 DVD.

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Answer 5

rock_27_04 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 28, 2021 4:38 AM in response to HWTech

Thank you for replying,

Yeah, getting a retail copy of Tiger will be the last option.

I'm pretty sure that this grey Mac OS X 1.0.2 install disc is the one the iMac was shipped with.

It was bundled with all the other grey discs (Software Recover and Hardware Test Discs, as well as the already mentioned Mac OS 9.2.2) - the iMac even came in its original retail box. Unless someone before me (accidentally) swapped the discs, these have to be the right ones.

I was just curious to find out, what causes this problem, or if this is even a common issue. My guess is that the disk does not get loaded into the RAM correctly (can't tell why though)

But what are these files exactly the iMac is looking for? Should they already be located on HDD or on the install disc itself?

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iMac G4 refuses to install original grey Mac OS X Install Disc

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