2006 White Intel iMac not accepting Tiger Disc

As I recall retail vesions of Tiger were released in both PowerPC and Universal variants. Obviously you need the Universal one, so if that nomenclature is absent from the discs that would explain the problem.

To eliminate all doubt, contact Apple and tell them you require a replacement set of its original discs. Use that exact terminology, since your biggest challenge will be getting someone who understands what it is you require. Have its serial number ready since that knowledgeable someone will require no more than it plus a credit card. The cost is reasonable; about $25 or so.

If the discs you have are the original install-restore discs with Tiger, they would be gray color and have a series number relating to their use with the iMac model you have.

Is it an iMac 4.1,4.2 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 7.1 model identifier?

All of these different ones (17"/20"/24") may have shipped

with Tiger OS X 10.4 on original machine series specific DVDs.

Could be the retail disc you have isn't as new as the special iMac installer's Tiger version. Most of this kind of information is documented. Other than the original applications included with the iMac, and the Hardware Test on the original iMac DVD, (plus restoring it before passing it on to some other user) the ability to use the Snow Leopard 10.6 retail DVD, and upgrade that way, is a better direction.

However if you had any older applications and you install Snow Leopard, be sure that retail DVD installs an option contained on the disc, by the name Rosetta; so your older applications that may not have been written for intel-based Macs of that era, could run in Snow Leopard 10.6.8.

Mactracker has a list of all Tiger releases; but under Intel-iMac models

that shipped with Tiger, these are different for specific hardware.

Be sure to have your product model identification number and serial number if you contact Apple for a replacement set of original DVD installer software.

You may be able to get more exact information on what the grey install-restore original DVDs (gray label) are and their identification numbers, in the database at everymac.com. If you can narrow down the model version you have; there was more than one 2006 build, and also the display size can affect the software included.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

edited

Yes, those would be the equivalent to a batch specifically made to replace a wider range; but there are builds for groups of computers. Your discs may be universal, but the history with Tiger had been to offer PPC and Intel releases, separately. Unlike Leopard that was a universal build on dual-layer DVD, Tiger was not.

MacTracker.ca database covers machine series install-restore discs

in the iMac (or other computer) category; and in the Operating System

category, they have each OS X and OS, etc version with info for them,

here is Tiger:

{from http://mactracker.ca download database}

So there is some conjecture, however the Tiger discs that shipped with your iMac early Intel model would have been grey and contained the Apple Hardware Test, included Applications (iLife, etc) and so on. Some even had Apple Works, etc back in the day, depending on what year and build the computer was.

My iBook G4 12" i.33GHz (mid-2005) shipped with Tiger on its original grey-label install-restore DVD set, and a MacBook (2006) 1.83GHz 13" coreduo shipped with an intel-build Tiger specific to the MacBook, on grey-label DVD each with its own AHT.

Anyway, restoring or repurposing old Macs can be a task.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

edited

When you say that it doesn't read it : what happens exactly ?.

In any case, a 2006 iMac would have shipped with anythingfrom 10.4.4 to 10.4.7/8 so there might be a problem if your dvd isn't new enough.

In fact, a brody's user tip

Mac OS X Tiger System requirements

says '...10.4(.0), (April 29, 2005), 10.4.3 (October 31, 2005), 10.4.6 (April 3, 2006) were all retail releases that did not say Upgrade, Dropin, or OEM. Though Intel Macs which started shipping with 10.4.4, can't take any of those retail discs, and must use the installer disc that shipped with them...'

Perhaps it should be, but it's not. In any event if they are not retail discs they won't work. Purchase a replacement set as I wrote.

>>Can I just buy any grey colored intel imac Tiger disc and use it?

No, first call Apple, as John Galt suggested.

According to sources, that is the case. A Server edition was made (10.4.7?) which was universal; otherwise all client versions in retail form were for PPC, and all Intel-based Mac shipped with a special version, not for PPC.

Tiger OS X 10.4.x PPC and Intel info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X_Tiger

However if you get the MacTracker.ca download database, an application for offline use, you can compare the System versions shipped with hardware, vs. the list of Systems under their separate banner...

Did you as the Apple source where you got the White Label discs, if they had a replacement by serial number for the Tiger version shipped with an Intel-based iMac? (That may really throw some for a loop.)

In order to match up those items, and if looking to get an original gray-label disc, you'd need to use the serial number and model identification number (re: iMac5.2, etc.) This would be helpful if you were looking on ebay, amazon, or other re-sellers of old-stock new, or discs that were separated from their original hardware kit.

For some idea, and for your own information, you can check the model and serial numbers against an online database; there are a few out there, including everymac.com's and this one at powerbookmedic...

'Indentify by Serial and Model number'

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

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

A retail dvd with 10.4.6 is PPC only.

10.4.7 server is meant to work, but if Apple can supply you, they'll be $20'ish, probably less than any other option.

PS: you can look among resellers and some have those gray-label discs;

there are PPC G4/G5 computers represented, as well as Intel-based Macs.

A few are getting rare in their original packaging, so the price is retail in

those environments where they're as-new. I was just looking through here...

welovemacs: OS X 10.4 - 10.4.11 software

http://www.welovemacs.com/osx10410411.html

Didn't want to take time to read through amazon or ebay listing; and of

those some don't accurately represent their product well enough to trust.

The wiki-link to Tiger above shows Final retail Tiger at 10.4.6. The

server is another story; since they had G5 + early MacPro Towers too.

Anyway, have fun... 🙂