Need to reinstall Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger

Question

Level 1

8 points

Need to reinstall Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger

Hello,

I recently received an old iBook G4 from a friend who no longer needs it. I decided to wipe it clean and try out this mac. Unfortunately he doesn't have any of the original discs or remembers the password, which is why I want to wipe it.

I looked up the model online and it seems that this model of a mac should run Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, so I looked up the discs online and found a 4 part set of images to be burned. (Since each image is under 650MB, there are 4 images, to create 4 CD's to reinstall the OS)

They are .dmg format files and I have burned them using my Windows computer to a CD, but when I try to boot directly from the CD or by the boot selector, I get errors regarding the CD cannot be accessed. Yet, when I check the disc via my Windows computer, it all seems fine.

I've read around that apparently Tiger comes on a DVD, yet I can only find CD copies online.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to everyone's help.

(P.S: Please note that since this product had been created/designed in 2005 and that this product is no longer sold by the manufacturer, it is legally classified as "Abandonware" and OS copies for this product are allowed to be downloaded)

iBook, Mac OS X (10.4), iBook G4 - OS X version 10.4 Tiger

Posted on Aug 20, 2011 2:51 PM

Reply

Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

239,009 points

Aug 20, 2011 3:44 PM in response to mutank

Tiger was available for a short time on 4 or 5 CDs for macs that didn't have a DVD reader.

On the PC, do the CDs show the DMG file, if so that won't work.

You must restore the dmgs to the CD like you would an ISO, (ikit might even work renaming them to .iso, not sure)

I think Nero & others can restore dmgs to a Mac Readable CD form.

Reply

Answer 2

mutank Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 20, 2011 4:28 PM in response to BDAqua

The files are in .DMG format, and I used a separate program designed to burn DMG files to disc. But it seems that the laptop doesn't read properly.

Could the cd reader be broken? Any way to test it without logging in?

Reply

Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

239,009 points

Aug 20, 2011 5:53 PM in response to mutank

Well, if it's not got a Firmware password set, almost mentioned this before...

Reset OS X Password Without an OS X CD...

http://theappleblog.com/2008/06/22/reset-os-x-password-without-an-os-x-cd/

It'll boot like a newly setup Mac, but all your stuff should still be there once filling out the stuff.

Reply

Answer 4

mutank Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 20, 2011 6:31 PM in response to BDAqua

I've tried that out and so far its booting likes its the first boot, but for some reason it gets stuck at one of the pages and when I click continue, nothing happens, the continue button gets grayed out, and if I click back I go back 2 pages. It appears im stuck at this part. No error appears.

Reply

Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

239,009 points

Aug 20, 2011 6:41 PM in response to mutank

Try a Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at bootup).

PS. Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive.

Does it boot to Single User Mode, CMD+s keys at bootup, if so try...

/sbin/fsck -fy

Repeat until it shows no errors fixed.

(Space between fsck AND -fy important).

Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck...

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

Reply

Answer 6

mutank Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 20, 2011 6:45 PM in response to BDAqua

Alright i'm trying the safe boot right now. Will post back after i've tried all the steps. Also, thanks so much for giving me quick responces.

Reply

Answer 7

mutank Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 20, 2011 7:06 PM in response to BDAqua

Tried safeboot and the glitch still appears, also did the fsck command and it ran the checks and it reported that the volume was OK.

Tried safebooting again, and when I hit continue I get stuck at a page with just a gray line across it, continue is grayed out, but not the back button.

If I hit "Go Back" I go back 2 pages, and if I hit continue again, I get stuck on the last page but instead of a gray line, its just the same page with the continue button grayed out.

Reply

Answer 8

BDAqua

Level 10

239,009 points

Aug 20, 2011 7:18 PM in response to mutank

Your'e going to need an Install Disc, some OS compinent is munged.

Reply

Answer 9

mutank Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 20, 2011 7:22 PM in response to BDAqua

Hmm, thanks for the reply. Before I mark your first answer which talked about rebooting the mac as a new installation the correct one, awarding you some points, I was reading regarding OS installation discs for this mac and that's its actually really hard to get one since many discs were made for VERY specific models of macs.

Is there any way to find the specific version I need?

Reply