I have a 500 MHz Pismo PowerBook G3. I use a PC Card in it to transfer photos from my camera's Compact Flash cards.
Is it possible to install OS X 10.4.11 on a Compact Flash card and startup the Pismo from that card inserted into the PC Card reader?
QuickSilver G4 DP800, Mac OS X (10.4.11), iMac Slot loading, G3 Pismo powerbook, WildBlue
Who knows? While I'd bet the answer is no, you could simply try it by booting to the installer disc and see if the CF card could be a target. It may also depend on the CF PC card as well.
How are you going to connect the Compact Flash card to your PB?
The only way I know is USB and the PPC Mac are not able to boot from USB. For that reason I think this plan is doomed.
Allan
Allan Eckert wrote:
How are you going to connect the Compact Flash card to your PB?
The only way I know is USB and the PPC Mac are not able to boot from USB. For that reason I think this plan is doomed.
Allan
There are several PC cards that will allow read/write to a CF card, some better than others. (I have one of the "others" and haven't used it do anything for years.) If the PC card actually has a 32-bit path, it is usable and not slower than the speed of smell, though I have my doubts one could boot from a flash card even in the better PC card.
As I noted above, one can easily find out by booting to the installer with the PC card in place with a suitable CF card and see if it appears as a target for system install.
OK, here's why I doubt that it would work:
/System/Library/Extensions/IOPCCardFamily.kext
The fact that there is a kext suggests that it's not necessarily in the firmware of the machine. Just a guess, but probably correct.
Though, I wonder what a flash card in a Firewire reader might do. (Sounds like a science fair experiment in the offing.)
Allan Eckert wrote:
How are you going to connect the Compact Flash card to your PB? The only way I know is USB and the PPC Mac are not able to boot from USB.
A USB card reader is one possibility but as you note that won't work because Macs are not able to boot from USB.
Another option is to use a Firewire Card Reader. Macs can boot via Firewire.
But I was hoping to use a PCMCIA (PC) card that reads/write to Compact Flash cards.
old comm guy wrote:
There are several PC cards that will allow read/write to a CF card, some better than others. (I have one of the "others" and haven't used it do anything for years.) If the PC card actually has a 32-bit path, it is usable and not slower than the speed of smell, though I have my doubts one could boot from a flash card even in the better PC card.
As I noted above, one can easily find out by booting to the installer with the PC card in place with a suitable CF card and see if it appears as a target for system install.
OK, here's why I doubt that it would work:
/System/Library/Extensions/IOPCCardFamily.kext
The fact that there is a kext suggests that it's not necessarily in the firmware of the machine. Just a guess, but probably correct.
Though, I wonder what a flash card in a Firewire reader might do. (Sounds like a science fair experiment in the offing.)
Using the install disk to see if it "sees" the Compact Flash card in either a PC card reader or a Firewire card reader is a good idea. I'll give those a try and see what happens.
Ralph9430 wrote:
Using the install disk to see if it "sees" the Compact Flash card in either a PC card reader or a Firewire card reader is a good idea. I'll give those a try and see what happens.
That is certainly the easiest way to get an answer. It at least tells you what Apple thinks via their SW.
Ralph:
I concur with Allan. The USB route is a dead end. You can install the OS on an external firewire drive and boot from it.
😉 cornelius
Startup Pismo from Compact Flash Card?
