How can I update an iMac G3 without a disc?

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How can I update an iMac G3 without a disc?

Hi everyone

I got a iMac G3 indigo with OS X 10.1.5 and I would like to update it to 10.3.9 Panther because well...10.1 is very limited now 😐

The problem is that if I want to insert a CD into the computer, it gets in the drive, then is stuck and is rejected, like something is blocking the CD.

I'd like to know if there's a method to update OS X without a CD (No, i'm not planning to download Panther illegaly haha 😝)

iMac G3-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.1.x), "Broken" CD Drive

Posted on Sep 18, 2014 9:14 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 18, 2014 9:19 AM in response to Forzenny

You have to use the CD for OS X versions before 10.7 so there is no real option for you. You could have the optical drive serviced or replaced,dthat would be the most direct approach.

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Answer 2

Forzenny Author

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Sep 18, 2014 10:58 AM in response to Ralph Landry1

Okay well, guess I gotta find a Panther disc lol.

If I try a USB DVD drive, will that work too?

Also, thanks for the (very) fast answer 😉

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Answer 3

Allan Jones

Level 9

78,776 points

Sep 18, 2014 11:11 AM in response to Forzenny

If I try a USB DVD drive, will that work too?

Could be a problem. Most PowerPC Macs like the iMac G3 need to boot from a Firewire drive, not USB. Even the few PowerPC Macs that are "supposed" to be USB bootable often fail. Is your iMac new enough to have FireWire ports? It needs to be a "DV" version (with slot-loading optical drive) iMac to have FireWire. Easiest way is to look at your ports. A Firewire port looks like this:

Another thing to try is clean the existing optical drive. Slot-loaders get dirty. A drive cleaning disk is usually between US$5 and $15 at most computer, office supply, and home entertainment retailers. It is surprising how many optical drives are pronounced dead by Apple service technicians but come back to live after a cleaning.

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Answer 4

Forzenny Author

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Sep 18, 2014 11:26 AM in response to Allan Jones

This computer is from 2001, judging by the date of the last files created. It has Firewire ports too

Edit: The DVD drive seems to take discs fully now but stills ejects them without reading them 😐

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Answer 5

MichelPM

Level 10

81,541 points

Sep 18, 2014 5:32 PM in response to Forzenny

The read/write lenses on the internal optical drive, probably, are no longer working.

If your iMac model does have FireWire, you can still get FireWire optical drives and hard drives here.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/MR3F82SD24S/

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Answer 6

MichelPM

Level 10

81,541 points

Sep 18, 2014 5:37 PM in response to Forzenny

If you have access to amazon.com, you can find the proper retail OS X Panther version there.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nav_search_go?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords= OS+X+10.3+Panther

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