I bought an iMac G3 a while ago and it's still runing on OS 9, I checked Mactracker and it said these machines could run up to 10.4, I happen to have 10.4 discs from my iBook G4 but every time I try it doesn't work. Any help? Thank you!
iMac, Mac OS 9.1.x, PowerPC G3, DV/SE, Graphite
Yes, the discs that come packaged with Macs are Mac machine-specific and do not work with other Mac models.
You will need to find a full Apple retail OEM install disc for Tiger. These install discs have a black background with a silver "X" on them.
You will find the Tiger install discs very hard to find, now, and very expensive to purchase.
Try Amazon or eBay.
Also, make sure that your iMac model can run OS X 10;4 Tiger. Not all iMac G3's can. Most iMac G3 could only run OS X 10.3 Panther.
The tray-loading optical drive iMacs are limited to Panther, as well as those slot-loading iMacs without onboard FireWire ports. The remaining slot-loading models (such as your iMac DV SE) can run Tiger, but before you install it (or another OS X version), be sure to check the iMac's firmware version. If it needs to be updated, it has to be done while you're booted from the internal hard drive running OS 9.1. The final firmware revision (4.1.9) can be found here. If you choose to install Panther or Tiger, you'll likely need to add more memory. Most Forum regulars who have done so would recommend having 512 MBs minimally, but 1 GB (a pair of 512 MB DIMMs) is preferred by many.
Are Apple Software DVD's exclusive to the computer they're packed with?
