Q: Ibook G3  help needed

With proper identification of the iBook G3, and then determine the specifications

and supported Mac OS versions it may be able to use, then you could start out

on a quest to obtain the correct supported Mac OS on CD or DVD.

And this all depends on the actual iBook G3 you have.

There was more than one iBook G3 series. The Colors

early models, then later White series models; before G4s.

An early iBook G3 300MHz, up through iBook G3 900MHz.

•iBook: How to Identify iBook Models

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1772

•Apple iBook Specs (All iBook Technical Specs)

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ibook/index-ibook.html

•everymac - ultimate mac model lookup:

http://www.everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/

When you can identify the computer model precisely, then you

may be able to tell what system version, type, year, may work.

Often, installed by official CD media, either on original discs, or

on official retail full install disc, supported by the hardware.

I'd have no way of knowing what is on those .dmg disk image files.

Unauthorized copies could be in those files; or incorrect for iBook G3.

Usually a Disk Image is something that could be read by Disk Utility

and before they could be used, if they could be used at all, the HDD

would need to have a correct format and partition scheme in place.

Some use these for backup copies of parts of a system they wish to

restore, and are used in conjunction with a working OS to restore it.

So under these vague circumstances, missing correct software, no

way of telling where these files came from, I won't suggest using them.

With better identification of the computer, you could locate discs for

software of the correct vintage. Also, without a working pre-X system

in the computer, you cannot tell if the Firmware was updated. Without

a correct firmware update in a G3 (unspecified model) an OS X may

cause harm to the logicboard.

Sorry to not be of more help.

Good luck & happy computing!

The specification iBook G3 (dual-usb) PowerBook4.1 covers two build series

of the portable; neither one shipped with Tiger 10.4.11 as it had not been

created yet; Tiger (OS X 10.4) was the last OS X it could run.

Tiger was available in limited quantities in a 4CD set; primarily it was on DVD.

So as Dual-USB iBook G3 had a Combo optical drive, it could see & use DVD.

A retail Tiger OS X 10.4 full install DVD would be the path to install an OS.

Or an earlier Panther OS X 10.3 retail install DVD, could work. Tiger is better.

Tiger is getting harder to find, and a grey-color disc from another computer model

would not work, usually. On rare occasion one may install, but more likely it won't

include the correct hardware drivers for the early iBook G3 white.

The 'model number' you show does not appear to match any model identifiers;

but does come close to the Battery model range. The Sales Model number is

more widely known, but I can't match yours that way; if you had a serial number

(it likely is on the case, or perhaps in the battery compartment) you could run

the serial number in the Lookup site (link) I posted before. I have the database

here offline, to see the specs on both the first Dual-USB (May2001-Oct2001)

as well as second Dual-USB build run (Oct2001-May2002) open on desktop.

1st Dual-USB:

If yours is the first-model Dual-USB, May/Oct2001, the chip RAM could be

upgraded to (between 576MB or 640MB total) depending on which build it is.

Some shipped with more RAM fixed on the logic board, while the upgrade

slot would take the same piece of RAM to make up the total. While the second

Dual-USB model, Oct'01/May'02, could use up to 640MB RAM total, but had

only 128MB soldered on the logicboard. So hopefully your iBook already has

the 1- PC-100 3.3v 144-pin SO-DIMM RAM installed, or it won't boot Tiger.

2nd Dual-USB:

These early models shipped with a pre-OS X system 9.1; later w/ an early OS X.

They were intended to boot into OS 9.1, & OS X; it shipped with complementary

set of fairly good software originally; but yours has none of that included.

{I used to own a first-model Dual USB iBook G3, 12", with wi-fi, 56k modem,

576MB RAM, combo drive, yo-yo charger, original box, and a pile of discs.

It was great fun, and I used it mostly with Mac OS 9.2.2, since it worked well

and earlier OS X at the time was not a good option with the 500MHz. When

I finally sold it to an 85 y/o guy down the road, it had Panther 10.3.9, too.

It was his first computer, and I helped him somewhat remotely by phone/email

to make fair use of it over several years time.}

As a matter of experiment, you could see if your later Mac's Disk Utility could

see those .dmg files, and somehow restore them to a DVD. Not a dual-layer,

and if they are really for the early iBook G3 dual-usb, they'd all have to be

on one DVD as a single resulting file; it would have to boot up the iBook. So

that means the resulting DVD also has to be read by the iBook optical drive.

There are so many if's just to see if those .dmg files could be used at all.

With a second Mac, with FireWire400 cable, you could try & see if you could

get this early iBook to start in Target Disk Mode, and see if the hard disk drive

has HFS or HFS+ formatting, and an Apple Partition Map, on that drive. The

iBook would appear as an external HDD to the other Mac, as by holding the

T key down on startup, that would make the iBook appear as a drive to another

Mac, attached by firewire cable. There is an article about this in Apple Support.

•How to use and troubleshoot FireWire target disk mode (TDM)

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661

These other accounts of how to, are not something I can attest to or suggest:

How to restore an OS X from dmg files

https://www.google.com/#q=Mac+OS+X+how+to+restore+an+OS+X+from+dmg+files

Install OS X from dmg files:

http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/2628/install_os_x_from_dmg_file/

These older OS X systems are too small to use a dual-layer DVD; though many

of the stories about the use of dmg files are from a later era, so they say you'd

need dual layer, that is not the case. Leopard 10.5 started a need for dual-layer.

But you may be able to experiment with those dmg files, and know they may fail

to be anything correct. The path to get a retail Tiger OS X 10.4 DVD is often a

matter of searching resellers online, such as amazon affiliates, or be very select

in reading ebay ads. People often get the wrong discs from resellers who are not

actual repair or restore companies, and are misguided by the sellers words. A

grey disc set from a computer kit, generally won't work with a different series;

and the build of the disc vintage has to match the year/model series Mac to work.

So, that is why a 'retail' install DVD is required, of a system newer than the one

the computer shipped with. And Tiger 10.4 is the best one for the early iBook.

That is because you could still get a web browser and a few good applications

if you look long and hard to find them, that run under Tiger 10.4.

The last step of Tiger 10.4 is a combo update file, a download from Apple that

should be available by running Software Update in the running Mac OS X. None

of the original system parts (Mac OS 9.1 or Mac OS X 10.1) would be available.

Anyway, I'd suggest looking into local used computer stores, thrift stores, or

school sales bins for old software discs; though those places are likely picked

over fairly good. A local Apple User group in your vicinity, may be a source of

ideas and maybe someone has original or retail DVD system, they'd part with

for a reasonable cost. A few independent Apple specialists may know of other

Mac users who may have upgraded to newer stuff, yet hang onto older Macs

or their parts, software, etc. So these may be local places to attempt to get a

few leads. Companies such as welovemacs used to have software, but now

that is harder to get; and prices can be higher, too.

Perhaps someone will see your post and add ideas; certainly there are many

out there and I've ran out of time. And already think this is too wordy...

Good luck & happy computing!

a PS to the above...

There is a slim chance at possibly finding Apple replacement restore? discs

direct from Apple support or care, according to another ASC discussion, in

this link https://discussions.apple.com/message/25324790#25324790 and

note the post with two other discussions linked in it. Apple phone number(s)

are also in there; while this worked for some users, and you would need

to supply the iBook serial number to correctly identify if they can match it,

there is no guaranty of a match to obtain a replacement Tiger 10.4 disc;

in that these are 'white label' full install DVDs, and if available, for a Fee.

{However, given the vintage era, the fee is quite low at under $20.}

Thought I should add this; while not certain of the result.

Hopefully this helps.

You could enter that number in the lookup here, to see some more similar

specs, and more closely identify the model series build of your early G3

iBook Dual-USB... the page link is secure. I usually use additional found

information along with MacTracker offline database to narrow the field.

Everymac says this is generally your iBook G3 based on serial no:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ibook/specs/ibook_500.html

{An ASC Host will likely remove your iBook serial # from the above post.}

https://www.powerbookmedic.com/identify-mac-serial.php

{from powermedic.com lookup site}

According to powerbookmedic site, M6497 is a correct internal designation.

(However it may help to know some everymac info shows such numbers.)

The results from using the SN you provided suggest your iBook dual-usb

may have more than 64MB RAM soldered on the board; however your

would not know for sure, without actually being able to start it up to see.

(This is why it helps to cross check; and with later Macs it is easier since

they went to an 'early 20xx' or 'mid-20xx' or 'late-20xx' build series plus

EMC and other numbers, as referenced by MacTracker.ca.)

The serial number you cite, is similar to my old iBook G3 dual-USB;

though mine was very early in the first model year, w/64MB Base RAM

for a total of 576MB including upgrade chip, in slot under keyboard.

Which is near to another slot, where a early wireless card can go.

Good luck & happy computing!

edited 2x