a_o_waqas
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: I am a student with G4 need free MacOS

I got hold of a iBootG4 with I.33 Gigs of processor and 1 GB of RAM plus 40 GB of HDD. I have installed fedora 12 which keeps on crashing so cant work. I need to get started with Mac OS X so that i may purchase later. I need a free OS X for now if any one can help me. Am a total newbie to Mac World so please be very simple. However i can boot a bootable Cd using this machine, i can reach to open firmware and thats it.

iBook, Mac OS X (10.0.x)

Posted on Apr 29, 2014 2:43 AM

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a_o_waqas

Q: I am a student with G4 need free MacOS

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  • by a brody,

    a brody a brody Apr 29, 2014 4:58 AM in response to a_o_waqas
    Level 9 (66,899 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Apr 29, 2014 4:58 AM in response to a_o_waqas

    There are no free Mac OS X versions that can run anything substantial.

     

    You should have tried to get ahold of a MacBook instead of a G4.  The G4s are much harder to find cheap operating systems.  MacBooks can at least run Mac OS X 10.6, and that's only $29 for a CD. 

  • by a brody,

    a brody a brody Apr 29, 2014 4:59 AM in response to a_o_waqas
    Level 9 (66,899 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Apr 29, 2014 4:59 AM in response to a_o_waqas

    I might add the person who had the iBook G4 should have given you the original installer discs.  You might be able to ask at a Mac usergroup if anyone has the original discs:

     

    http://www.apple.com/usergroups/

     

    http://www.everymac.com/ should help you identify the iBook G4.

  • by Jan Hedlund,

    Jan Hedlund Jan Hedlund Apr 29, 2014 7:16 AM in response to a_o_waqas
    Level 6 (9,901 points)
    Apr 29, 2014 7:16 AM in response to a_o_waqas

    In the meantime, while looking for a suitable Mac OS X disc, could Ubuntu (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PowerPCFAQ) possibly be of interest?

     

    Jan

  • by a_o_waqas,

    a_o_waqas a_o_waqas Apr 30, 2014 1:51 AM in response to Jan Hedlund
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 30, 2014 1:51 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

    Dear Jan

    Thanks for the suggestions. I downloaded and installed lubuntu 14.04 using an alternate install disk. However after installation the graphics donot show and i cannot login the system.

    Can you please help me with the right version which could help me prepare my machine to develop applicaitons in java sdk 8, desktop apps, web-apps, web-services and android. I just need to OS to use this machine.

    Any OS would do fine as long as it has the GUI available. Not interested in Windows.

  • by a_o_waqas,

    a_o_waqas a_o_waqas Apr 30, 2014 2:24 AM in response to a brody
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 30, 2014 2:24 AM in response to a brody

    Dear Brody

    I got the tiger disk and started the installer but i freezes at a screen where TWO MONSTER MICE are blinking.Installer donot move ahead of it.

     

    Can you please let me know what can i do as i dont have big wireless mouse with me.

  • by Jan Hedlund,

    Jan Hedlund Jan Hedlund Apr 30, 2014 4:18 AM in response to a_o_waqas
    Level 6 (9,901 points)
    Apr 30, 2014 4:18 AM in response to a_o_waqas

    Hi,

     

    >I downloaded and installed lubuntu 14.04 using an alternate install  disk. However after installation the graphics donot show and i cannot  login the system.

     

    I have only briefly tested a very early version of Ubuntu on a Power Macintosh G3 (Blue and White). An old Pentium III PC is using Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, which works fine providing that GNOME Classic (No effects) is chosen. So, you could perhaps try something like 12.04 LTS or 10.04 LTS to begin with, and also experiment with various desktop environments and graphics settings. See the aforementioned FAQ for details about how to configure graphics etc.

     

    >Can you please help me with the right version which could help me  prepare my machine to develop applicaitons in java sdk 8, desktop apps,  web-apps, web-services and android.

     

    Sorry, I do not really know anything about software development.

     

    Jan

  • by a brody,

    a brody a brody Apr 30, 2014 4:20 AM in response to a_o_waqas
    Level 9 (66,899 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Apr 30, 2014 4:20 AM in response to a_o_waqas

    The Tiger Disk if it does not say iBook G4 on it, must look like:

     

    tiger.jpg.

     

    Now depending on the age of the iBook G4, it may have to also say 10.4.6, or 10.4.3 on it to be able to work.

    OEM, Update, Dropin, labelled discs probably won't work, neither will any disk from a different model labelled machine work.

    Release dates are:

     

    10.4(.0) April 29, 2005

    10.4.3 October 31, 2005

    10.4.6 April 3, 2006

     

    Any iBook G4 released after a specific date, would have to use the followup discs only and can't use the earlier discs. 

     

    Use http://www.everymac.com/ and the inside of the battery bay to identify the age of the iBook G4.