power mac g4 Agp ''sawtooth'' wont install 10.4.11

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power mac g4 Agp ''sawtooth'' wont install 10.4.11

hi

i have a power mac g4 (AGP 400 mhz)

i boot into the 10.4 install dvd about 1/5 th into the install it says please try installing agian.

when i restart without the disk in it shows the flashing no os floder.about 5 seconds after that it shows the white screen with the can't boot icon.

it has no os's onit and i plan to dual boot 10.4 and linux.

thanks.

also im not going to buying a new mac unless its dead because i love it! + im broke if its dead my budget is £75 😟

Posted on Oct 30, 2011 8:50 AM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

250,409 points

Oct 30, 2011 11:28 AM in response to Dexter G4

Hi Dexter,

1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc, then restart the computer while holding the C key.

2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu at top of the screen. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)

*Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.*

3. Click the Erase tab.

4. Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.

5. Select your Mac OS X volume.

6. Highlight the drive, select Partition Tab, then Format type... MacOS Extended Journalled, select the Security Options button, choose Zero Out Data, Erase... after completion hopefully you'll be able to install.

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Answer 2

Oct 30, 2011 11:32 AM in response to Dexter G4

I feel your pain. Ugh. I had that issue with a corrupted install disk, and it took me going through the setup and only installing the basic packages until I found the problem. Had a borked help file that took down the entire thing. When the system is installing keep an eye on what is actively being installed when it fails. then if it is something you can go without, go back through and uncheck it. Strip as much out as possible and see if you get further. You CAN get the thing to take but it may require a bit of sleuthing to discover the hangup.

When you are going through your installed options, uncheck all the language kits but english, none of the printer drivers and as few of the added-in applications as possible. All that stuff can be put in later as you need it.

Try again and let me know where it is hanging. you may be able to get around it.

Deb.

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Answer 3

Oct 30, 2011 3:49 PM in response to Dexter G4

Has this Mac ever had OS X installed? If not, it needs a firmware update prior to installing OS X.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1395 The firmware update is installed while booted into OS 9.

Is your install DVD black or gray? A black installer is a retail version that you need. A gray installer is Mac model specific & will only work on the Mac that it came with.

 Cheers, Tom 😉

After you install the base 10.4.x, update to the final Tiger version 10.4.11. Here's the link for the 10.4.11 combo update http://support.apple.com/kb/TA24901?viewlocale=en_US

Look at this link Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger Installing Software Support Page

http://www.apple.com/support/tiger/install/

You can also download the Tiger Installation and Setup Guide

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/Tiger_Install_Setup_Guide.pdf

Message was edited by: Texas Mac Man

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Answer 4

Dexter G4 Author

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Oct 31, 2011 2:49 PM in response to Texas Mac Man

HI agian.

im currantly trying BDAqua's idea. and so far its doing great. it got past the fail stage and is onto the essenials.

so far so good

ps. i zapped the ram as well and that is helping to (zapp ram r+o+alt+apple)

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Answer 5

Dexter G4 Author

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Oct 31, 2011 2:56 PM in response to Texas Mac Man

UPDATE: it failed : there were errors installing the software please try installing agian.

OTHER INFO: installer log errors: bom file error 5:input/outputerror - ./system/libary/coreservices/classic startup.app/contents/resorses/universalforks/.quicktime powerplug

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Answer 6

BDAqua

Level 10

250,409 points

Oct 31, 2011 3:23 PM in response to Dexter G4

How much further is this than before?

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Answer 7

Dexter G4 Author

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Nov 1, 2011 8:47 AM in response to BDAqua

it fails about 45% through base system 1.

also It has this problem where when the monitor is pluged fully in the psu humms and it wont start up but i can start it up when its not all the way in.

it has had os x on before. it was running 10.3. unfortuantly it didn't come with the original disks it came with 10.3 installed and the 10.3 update disk.

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Answer 8

Dexter G4 Author

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Nov 1, 2011 9:24 AM in response to Dexter G4

i read a post on someones old g3 that had been in a closet for 2 years and the back up battery was dead. i left it unpluged for 2 months while i built a pc for a freind. is this what happend?? https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2351491 3rd post.

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Answer 9

BDAqua

Level 10

250,409 points

Nov 1, 2011 10:51 AM in response to Dexter G4

Might be time to replace the PRAM Battery, 4 years is close to their lifespan, far less if ever without AC power, & can cause strange startup problems, sometimes even optical drive problems...

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/BAA36VPRAM/

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Answer 10

Dexter G4 Author

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Nov 1, 2011 12:31 PM in response to BDAqua

it was only last year i replased it.

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Answer 11

Nov 1, 2011 6:16 PM in response to Dexter G4

Those batteries will last three years at *least* before needing replacement. That the failure is happening in the Base System package is not good. You wrote that you are going to install linux on the machine as well - does this mean you have a spare hard drive or partition to use? There's a few tricks you can try to get around what is most likely that install disk corruption - but you need hard drive space to copy it to.

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