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Helpful answers
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Jun 16, 2014 7:45 PM in response to Sabinnoby K Shaffer,Perhaps someone installed a non-spec optical drive as replacement
to what would have been a "slot-loading DVD/CD-RW Combo" drive.
About the only way to reinstall a Leopard OS X 10.5 from DVD into
that computer would be to use another Mac and a FireWire cable
and see if you can use FireWire Target Disk Mode, and if the other
computer can use Leopard 10.5, that would make it easier to use
one of two possible ways to use one in target disk to install an OS.
An external optical drive would have to be a FireWire model with its
own power supply, to install a supported OS X. And to boot a PPC
Mac from an external hard disk drive, perhaps a clone, that would
also have to be a FireWire based drive with oxford-type chipset.
So a FireWire cable, between two Macs, an install DVD or system
clone (from same model iBook) or an external FW drive, appear to
be the main general means toward that end.
However once you install an OS X in the computer, since almost all
versions of OS X that iBook G4 could support require a drive that
can read DVD install media. And the user will need to be able to
boot the computer from the optical drive to support the system in
the computer. Also note: the OS X install DVD is proof of License.
•How to use and troubleshoot - FireWire Target Disk Mode:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661
•OS X 10.8: Transfer files between two computers using Target Disk
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH10725
•OS X 10.7: Transfer files between two computers using Target Disk
http://support.apple.com/kb/ph3838
http://www.macworld.com/article/1139208/Target_Disk_Mode_to_the_Rescue.html
If you had Tiger on CDs, that would have been a 4-CD set and they
are rather rare now; if that optical drive is stock. I see no evidence
in several databases, of G4 iBook 12/14 with only CD-ROM drive.
The Combo drive is another animal. The workaround likely is to use
a FireWire cable and a second computer that can handle the 10.5
install DVD. But that puts this headache on a future owner, too.
PS: Perhaps it was a special 'education model' without Combo?
Good luck!
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Jun 17, 2014 7:36 AM in response to Sabinnoby a brody,http://www.macsales.com/ has optical drives for iBooks that should work.
Do not get a USB optical drive as that won't boot any operating system on the iBook G4.
Some iBook G4s can only install 10.4.6 retail or later retail. But do not attempt to boot a system specific disc other than for the iBook G4 itself.