OS X 10.1 won't install on iMac G3 600 MHz

Welcome to the Apple Discussions.

That iMac should be able to use Mac OS X 10.1, according to:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/stats/imac600graphite.html

What color are the disks you are trying to use? If grey, they are machine-specific disks and will only install on the machine, or an identical machine, they were supplied with. If black with a large X then they should be the full retail version.

Hi Mtneer59,

I'm not sure but I think that the O code that you received is an "exit" code number and most likely applies to the fact that the disk just was not applicable to the install.

As far as I remember, 10.1.x disks were given out to users of 10.0.x as free upgrade disks. The disk you have, if it is one of those, probably would not work if the machine does not have 10.0 Cheetah already installed. This might account for why the disk is grey. The packaging for Puma 10.1.x had a blue X on it but I am not sure if any retail version for 10.1.x would have similar.

You might want to have a read of versions and serial numbers on a site like Wikipedia to find out exactly what you have. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOSX

littleshoulders 🙂

Hi LS,

The everymac site lists the OS versions for that iMac as 9.1, 10.0.4...so if this one came with 9.1 only, then the disks should not work...if it had 10.0.4, then they may if they were truly for that particular machine. If not we are back to the grey machine-specific issue again.

Isn't this fun sorting out machines/OSs/disks 🙂

Heh Ralph,

I saw your post above but didn't realize it was you until you posted back!

Those disks are some of the most difficult to figure out due to Apple having giving the upgrade away to users that had 10.0.x originally. I'm not sure what the OP has installed on the iMac Snow 600MHz (summer 2001) at this point. If the machine had been upgraded previously this might be a problem or if there is no valid system on the machine when he attempted to install 10.1.x.

The upgrade 10.1.x disks, I don't believe, would not install like a full retail version of OS X as far as I know. 10.0.x and 10.1.x were so buggy I'm not surprised there are problems.

To complicate matters further, I believe that the OP would have to update the firmware before upgrading also (wouldn't he?) to be able to install 10.4. He shouldn't have to just to install 10.1.x but will when he upgrades to 10.4.

If there is anything that I think I can add I'll post back.

Confusing to say the least,

littleshoulders 🙂

Message was edited by: littleshoulders

I pretty much have the same machine as you. I enjoy using the machine. Doesn't do Internet video too well:-( Oh, well.

firmware version 4.1.9

My machine:

Machine Name: iMac
Machine Model: PowerMac4,1
CPU Type: PowerPC 750 (33.11)
Number Of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 600 MHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 256 KB
Memory: 768 MB
Bus Speed: 100 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.1.9f1

The only difference is the firmware level. Please verify. Maybe you didn't type the letters.


my restore disks:
version 10.1.3 9.2.2
cd version 1.0
691-3634-a
They had a big iMac lettering lower center.

Also, I get 10.2 disks with upgraded firmware.

Here is my standard tiger write up.

----------------------

Which iMac Is It? OK here are some more comparison charts:
http://lowendmac.com/macdan/05/0202.html
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58669

Bringing G3 iMacs and Other G3 Macs into the Tiger Age
http://lowendmac.com/macdan/md07/1207.html

There are some CD versions of tiger.
http://store.fastmac.com/productinfo.php?productsid=111

Texas Mac Man tells how to find a Tiger disc:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=11117872#11117872

You could buy an external DVD drive. It needs to be firewire and bootable by Mac OS. If you have another PPC with firewire, you could try target Disk mode and installed tiger that way.

You need to figure out the level of your firmware before installing 10.2 or greater. ( The PC name for firmware is BIOS. ) Installing 10.2 with a down level firmware will most likely make your iMac unusable and difficult to fix.

What is firmware?
The firmware software receives control when you poweron your machine. It does some hardware testing and some hardware configuration then passes control to your version of Mac OS. It reside on a PROM ( program read only memory ) chip on the logic board.

Figuring out what level of firmware you have?
1) Mac OS 9.x or 8.x, you need to use the Apple System Profiler.
Apple -> Apple System Profiler

2) Mac OS X, use the System Profiler.
Apple -> About This Mac
click on the More Info... tab
click on Hardware
read the Boot ROM Version

3) Open Firmware, boot into Open Firmware.
Power on your iMac while holding down command option+of
The first output line contains the firmware level. Mine reads:
Apple PowerMac4,1 4.1.9f1 BootRom built on 09/14/01 at 13.18.04
Copyright 1994-2001 Apple Computer Inc.

On my machine, I have 4.1.9f1.

What firmware do you need?
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86117

For a slot loading iMac, this article indicates that you need to be running 9.1 or later version of Mac OS Classic.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75130
"The iMac Firmware Update 4.1.9 will only run on iMac computers with lot-loading CD or DVD drives running Mac OS 9.1 or later from a local drive. If you are using Mac OS X you must boot from a local Mac OS 9.1 or later writeable partition (not a CD, or network disk) prior to following the update instructions."

You can download the Mac OS 9 updates from the Apple site.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1387?viewlocale=en_US

For tiger, you need 256meg of memory.

Mac OS X 10.4: System requirements
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1514


There is no need to partition. You can save hard drive space by doing a custom install. Leave out the print drivers you do not need and the languages you do not need. Doing so you will need about three gigabytes of space.


outoforderorder explains how...
By the way, here it is how you find the terminal application.
Macintosh-HD -> Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal

From: san francisco,ca
Registered: Apr 27, 2007

Re: Do the widgets drain system resources and power?
Posted: Apr 28, 2007 2:51 PM

I tend to think dashboard is neat, but not neccesary for my everyday workflow.

it is possible to enable and disable it as needed,
by entering the following commands into the terminal:

#To turn Dashboard off:
defaults write com.apple.dashboard mcx-disabled -boolean YES

#To turn Dashboard on:
defaults write com.apple.dashboard mcx-disabled -boolean NO

#*You have to restart the Dock after making either change for it to take effect:
killall Dock

Bye Bye Dashbaord
http://www.kainjow.com/kermitsoft/downloads.html

Disable Spotlight, Bonjour and Dashboard:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=8749558#8749558

According to the specs you posted for your iMac G3 600 it appears to
have the Firmware (4.1.9) update already installed; so that should not
be an issue in proceeding to an OS X version past 10.1.5.

Did the computer ship with OS 9.2 installed and in its original software kit?
If so, then the OS X version it shipped with was 10.1+ and the install disc
you were trying may be incorrect for that computer, if not the original disc.

Did you try and see if the computer would boot from the OS X disc? I was
unable to tell from what I read in your post, if that was how you ran the
Installer to see if it would work in that computer. If the disc can boot the
computer, it may work. Or, if it is marginal, it may be a mistake.

Some OS X discs need the computer to be booted from them, to get the
installer to work. Also, there may be an issue with however much free
space may be available in one large block, for the Installer to work OK.

According to MacTracker, there was some changes in the Summer 2001
iMac G3 build series, and at some point, the as-shipped systems were
upgraded from OS 9.1 with OS X 10.0, to an OS 9.2 with OS X 10.1+.

{The last iMac G3 600MHz models shipped with Jaguar 10.2 & OS 9.2.
This, according to MacTracker's database, a downloadable resource.}

Since this series essentially ran from July 2001 to March 2003, at one
point, the first model G4 iMac with LCD flat panel was introduced; as
this production of iMac G3 CRT computer was drawing to a close. A
variety of OS X system discs, over this span of production, included in
the respective iMac G3 restore-install system software packet, are part
of the reason why one has to actually know or research the build model
of a computer when matching up original discs with the hardware.

You may be able to search the part number of that installer disc to see
what appears online; however that may be a long-shot, you may find a
listing of one like it for sale somewhere or another, with model info.

Perhaps you could do an 'Identify by Serial number' search on the iMac?
Everymac.com has its own page for that; and there are others, online.

+(If you do 10.3/10.4, it would appreciate two 512MB RAM chips.)+

PS: I notice another history of your same topic of discussion, here:
http://forums.macnn.com/58/imac-emac-and-mac-mini/431204/imac-g3-upgrade-to-tige r/

You may be able to use Tiger 10.4 DVD retail install media, if your
iBook has a Combo optical drive; and run it in Target Disk mode.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

+{ edited 2x }+