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Upgrading PowerPC G5 10.4.11 to Leopard

I've been reading about upgrading my older Power PC G5 in community discussions. I recently went to an Apple Store where they told me to get the Snow Leopard online and install it in order to eventually get the Lion upgrade. What I learned when I tried to install it, is that I cannot do it on my computer because I need an Intel processor. The discussion communities said I should first get the Leopard disk from customer service at Apple. I called them and was told they no longer sell it and they do not support it. That's not what the discussions were saying. Does anyone know if I am out of luck as far as doing any upgrade to at least Leopard? Thanks.

PowerMac, Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Posted on Mar 10, 2013 7:59 PM

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27 replies

Apr 3, 2013 6:28 AM in response to MichelPM

Wow. You are one hostile individual. There is no conspiracy here. I purchased a PowerMac G5 last year and needed an os for it. After a few days of looking I ended up calling Apple Care to see about how I might get OSX 10.4 Tiger for that machine. The gentleman on the other end of the line said that yes, I can obtain Tiger as a "replacement media" disk, but my machine could easily run OSX 10.5 Leopard. He asked if I would prefer that version, to which I answered yes. I gave him my credit card number and 2 days later I recieved the DVD via FedEx. It's the very same disk that I posted a picture of. OSX 10.4 Tiger? Early last week I called the Apple Care number and ordered the replacement media DVD for a different G5 I recently purchased. After giving the same credit card number, I recieved the replacement DVD disk 2 days later via FedEx.


I simply posted my personal experience with obtaining the "Replacement Media" DVD's with the hope of possibly helping someone else to do the same. You make it sound like I fabricated a "story" to do nothing more than spread chaos and disorder. Well, like I said, my post was based on my personal experience. Perhaps the Apple care representative I spoke to made a mistake. Maybe it was his last day at that job and he didn't care. Maybe the stars and planets were perfectly aligned at the moment of my order to allow me to obtain that which should have been unobtainable. I don't know. What mattters to me is that I recieved OSX 10.5 Leopard for a PowerMac G5 and in doing so I assumed anyone with a similar problem could do the same. As for my "brand new poster" status, well do not worry. It will be a cold day in **** before I even think about trying to offer anyone help in what appears to be your personal Apple Support Community. (I suggest that you contact Apple and get the title of the forums changed to "MichaelPM's Apple Support Community")

Apr 3, 2013 7:31 AM in response to String Theory

Hey String Theory ...for the record I did appreciate your post. However when I called Apple, they wouldn't send me the replacement discs 😟


I was told that IF they still had Tiger replacement discs I would qualify since that is what my machine shipped with, but they don't have any more. (Then again maybe that guy was just being lazy or having a bad day or something ...I should call back again and ask lol)

Apr 3, 2013 10:31 AM in response to Norseman2

Thank you! As of early last week OSX 10.4 Tiger was available, as I purchased a replacement DVD from them. I guess you could have Apple Care's phone number and a credit card handy and try a different customer service rep each day until you get one who can help. It appears that getting replacement media for the G5 is a "hit or miss" endeavor that depends solely on the mood of the person who answers the phone.

Apr 3, 2013 11:42 AM in response to String Theory

String Theory wrote:


Perhaps the Apple care representative I spoke to made a mistake. Maybe it was his last day at that job and he didn't care. Maybe the stars and planets were perfectly aligned at the moment of my order to allow me to obtain that which should have been unobtainable. I don't know. What mattters to me is that I recieved OSX 10.5 Leopard for a PowerMac G5 and in doing so I assumed anyone with a similar problem could do the same. As for my "brand new poster" status, well do not worry. It will be a cold day in **** before I even think about trying to offer anyone help in what appears to be your personal Apple Support Community. (I suggest that you contact Apple and get the title of the forums changed to "MichaelPM's Apple Support Community")

Col. Jessep: Absolutely. My answer is I don't have the first **** clue. Maybe he was an early riser and liked to pack in the morning. And maybe he didn't have any friends. I'm an educated man, but I'm afraid I can't speak intelligently about the travel habits of William Santiago. What I do know is that he was set to leave the base at 0600. Now, are these the questions I was really called here to answer? Phone calls and foot lockers? Please tell me that you have something more, Lieutenant. These two Marines are on trial for their lives. Please tell me their lawyer hasn't pinned their hopes to a phone bill.


Jack Nicholson in "A Few Good Men" written by Aaron Sorkin


Go easy on MichelPM. I think he had a different experience than you and just was a bit inarticulate in his reply to you. He has been very helpful on this forum and sometimes words written coldly on an internet forum can come off with intent that is just not there...


$17 dollars (USD) for the DVD is a pretty sweet deal.


I remember when a MacBook Pro literally ATE my retail Leopard install DVD (well chewed on it would be a better description after it came out with grooves etched into the plastic) thinking how EXPENSIVE $17 was for me to pay to Apple to obtain a replacement disc:


User uploaded file

Apr 3, 2013 3:09 PM in response to String Theory

Okay, I'll eat a little crow...but just a little.

You maybe right about your situation being unique, I suppose.

I like to try and not pass on misinformation here, if I can help it or aware of it... or if sometimes I am ignorant about some info and details.

I talked with two separate Apple reps. One who was a retail software sales rep, the other I was transferred to was a technical support rep. I spent about 30 minutes talking with these reps.

Very professional and knowledgeable employees, by the way.

Both of them said that the replacement discs are Mac computer specific and that ther would be no way to obtain 10.5 Leopard replacement discs with any PowerMac G5. Tiger OS X 10.4 discs yes, but not OS X 10.5.

So, they had no explanation as to how someone would have obtained these for their G5 model.

The software sales teams are only authorized to ship replacement OS X system discs that originally were installed and shipped when the Mac model was brand new.

I needed to know this as I had 4-5 other posted threads about upgrading to OS X 10.5 Leopard and all of them reported that they couldn't get these discs any longer in any form from Apple.

Something I had been very aware of for quite awhile.

Your case seems to be an exception.

Glad you were able to obtain these, but others may not be as lucky to get these as you had.

I Wish Apple would just let people who still need OS X Tiger or Leopard still obtain these cheaply.

The rep you had must have been feeling in a charitable mood that day.

So, sorry if the way my post was worded came of as sounding really angry or irate.

It was more like slightly annoyed.

😉

Apr 3, 2013 3:35 PM in response to MichelPM

MichelPM wrote:


I Wish Apple would just let people who still need OS X Tiger or Leopard still obtain these cheaply.


That's a totally different issue:


In the old days, keeping an inventory of physical media, so that minor sales of outdated system software could be maintained, is way behind us.


Apple is clearly in the business of online software distribution. Heck, with Lion and Mt. Lion, they will not even give you the option to purchase them on disc.


The incremental cost to Apple to then add outdated, legacy software to their online distribution inventory is extremely low. Yet they continue to refuse to do so, even for people who have a legitimate reason to acquire this software.


For example, the purchaser of Mac who has been running on Tiger all these years, has every reason to expect that they can update their Mac to the most modern software that would run on their Mac.


It really becomes an issue of "fair use" in the face of Apple's continued refusal to sell Leopard. If my neighbor loans me his copy of Leopard so that I can upgrade my Tiger Mac to the most modern OS available for that Mac, isn't that exactly what fair use is all about? Is Apple entitled to utilize the copyright monopoly that has been bestowed upon them to require you to purchase a completely new Mac with new software?


Fair Use is always a subjective determination, but now that Apple has the option for little, or no cost, distribution of Leopard online and it chooses NOT to do so; I think the scales have tipped in favor of legitimate Mac users obtaining Leopard from 3rd party sources with it being a fair use defense to copyright infringement.


Unauthorized copying of Leopard for use on a Hackintosh - of course, the scales would tip the other way in favor of Apple's ability to protect their interest in controling how their software works most effectively on their hardware.


At the end of the day, that is what Steve Jobs taught to the Music Industry: give people the legal right to purchase and download their music and most will turn away from piracy!

Apr 4, 2013 11:59 AM in response to Norseman2

Glen Doggett wrote:


I wonder if they still have OS 9 media for running Classic under 10.4 or 10.5


Norseman2 wrote:


I don't even know what that means. (I'm a Mac newbie)

Norseman: Don't worry about it:


Software written for pre-OS X is known as Classic and PowerPC Macs running OS X through Tiger could run Classic software in a "Classic Environment" if they installed OS 9 into it.


Glen: check out this information:


http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=14927170&postcount=28

Apr 4, 2013 8:05 PM in response to Glen Doggett

Glen Doggett wrote:


I wonder if they still have OS 9 media for running Classic under 10.4 or 10.5

I meant to say on a G4 or G5 (mixed myself up with 10.4 and 10.5 for some reason)

(Classic support was eliminated in 10.5)


I am not sure which PPC models originally shipped with both OS 9 and OS X on the original software restore media. My FW400 G4 shipped with OS 9 and 10.2, but I wasn't sure if any G5 models came with OS 9/Classic originally.

MlchaelLAX wrote:


...check out this...

I have heard of that, but have not tried, as I still have a good OS 9 machine in my G4 MDD.

Upgrading PowerPC G5 10.4.11 to Leopard

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