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Downgrade from 10.5 to 10.4

I need to run the Classic environment, and have an old iMac G5 which I'm trying to use. The trouble is that it has 10.5 installed on it. I have all the install disks for 10.4, but the Mac won't boot from them. It acknowledges the disk, then after a few minutes I get the 'No Entry' sign.


(I've set up a separate partition to try to install 10.4 onto, but without success.)


This should work, shouldn't it? What's going on?


MST

Posted on Mar 11, 2012 3:40 AM

Reply
15 replies

Mar 16, 2012 5:07 AM in response to noondaywitch

I think so. I have several Tiger discs (including one which I'm pretty sure has the generic Tiger instal on) and other, grey disks, which are marked 'iMac G5' on them.


I'm beginning to thing there's something wrong with the Mac. There certainly *is* something wrong with the screen, but that shouldn't affect whether it boots from a certain disk or not, obviously.


I've also tried a genuine, authentic, Apple original Panther disk, and that won't boot it either.


MST

Mar 16, 2012 6:41 AM in response to Martin S Taylor

Martin S Taylor wrote:


I think so. I have several Tiger discs (including one which I'm pretty sure has the generic Tiger instal on) and other, grey disks, which are marked 'iMac G5' on them.


If they're the wrong OS version they won't work.


Can you give us the exact model of iMac you're on?


 > About This Mac > More Info > hardware overview.


Model Identifier (PowerMac8.1 to 12.1)

Processor name,

Processor speed


Should do to be going on with, then we can check the original OS and build nos.

Mar 16, 2012 8:11 AM in response to Martin S Taylor

That would make the original OS OS X 10.4.2 (Build 8E102 or 8E104).


If you have grey discs for either of those builds you may be in luck.


Any retail Tiger disc would have to be 10.4.3 or later to work. If in doubt, the retail disc looks like this -


User uploaded file


That's the pack, but the disc has the identical design on it.


As it shipped with Tiger, no Panther discs will work.


Message was edited by: noondaywitch

Mar 16, 2012 10:28 AM in response to Martin S Taylor

There's a good reason why 10.4.10 won't work, 10.4.10 only ever shipped as a grey disc with Intel iMacs - it doesn't have PPC support.


Copied discs are iffy at best, even if from the right original.


The retail version you need is 10.4.6 order nos. MA453Z/A for single user licence, MA454Z/A for the family pack (5 licences).

That was the last retail disc for Tiger - the first one was 10.4.0 which won't do for you.


Amazon market place, eBay, We Love Macs and I daresay someone else can mention other sources.


Not going to be cheap, though - even used ones are going for rip-off prices.

Downgrade from 10.5 to 10.4

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