Update Power Mac G3 from OS 9.2 to OSX 10.4?

Question

Level 1

35 points

Update Power Mac G3 from OS 9.2 to OSX 10.4?

Hello all,

So I just received an old Powermac G3 from a friend of mine running OS 9.2. I am trying to get the computer a little more up-to-date so that I can use the computer as a file server. When I went to put my 10.4 install disk in, it told me the disk was unreadable. After doing a little research I discovered that it might be possible that the firmware had not been updated. After a long struggle with trying to open the firmware update file, it tells me that the firmware is indeed up-to-date.

So the mission now (should you decide to accept it) is how to update this thing to 10.4 without any problems.

ANY IDEAS???

Thanks so much for your help guys,

David

PowerMac, Mac OS 9.2.x, Blue and White G3 400MHz

Posted on Sep 29, 2014 3:29 PM

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Answer 1

MichelPM

Level 10

81,547 points

Sep 29, 2014 4:38 PM in response to David 14

Is your install disc a retail OEM disc with a silver "X" on a black background?

Gray colored, Mac machine specific discs will NOT work.

Is this disc fairly clean with minimal scratches on the data side of the disc?

Also, is this disc a CD or DVD disc?

There might be the possibility that your B&W G3 only has a CD read/write optical drive and not be able to read a DVD.

It is very hard to find retail versions of OS X 10.4 Tiger, now, and even harder to find the CD set install version of OS X 10.4 Tiger.

Plus, if you find these, they will be very expensive to obtain.

Apple's original OEM cost for these was $129 U.S.D..

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Answer 2

David 14 Author

Level 1

35 points

Sep 29, 2014 4:41 PM in response to MichelPM

My disk is in fact a gray colored disk... Is it possible to install it from a flashdrive if I were to torrent the correct version? And is the correct version a dmg?

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Answer 3

MichelPM

Level 10

81,547 points

Sep 29, 2014 4:50 PM in response to David 14

Here is the CD set of OS X 10.4 Tiger.

http://store.fastmac.com/product_info.php?products_id=111

Here is the official OEM retail DVD of OS X 10.4 Tiger, in case you do not have the correct disc.

http://www.amazon.com/Apple-Mac-10-4-Tiger-VERSION/dp/B0002G71T0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=U TF8&qid=1412034532&sr=8-1&keywords=OS+X+10.4+Tiger

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Answer 4

MichelPM

Level 10

81,547 points

Sep 29, 2014 4:59 PM in response to David 14

I would NOT torrent anything!

Especially an operating system!

People can install malicious software or code into torrented data and has the potential to do more damage to your Mac by installing potential malware into your newly installed system.

Why submit yourself to that!

I gave you legitime sources for the discs you need.

Do what yoy will, but you have been warned if you decide try and use torrenting.

Besides my warning, you will not be able to install an OS from a USB flash drive as older PowerMacs, like what you have,need to have their operating system to be install from CD or DVD discs either from the internal optical drive or from a FireWire only external optical drive.

Their was no way back then for operating systems to be installed or booted from a USB source. Especially a USB 1.1 source as the USB connections on your PowerMac are all USB 1.1 connections.

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Answer 5

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

24,325 points

Sep 29, 2014 5:53 PM in response to David 14

>get the computer a little more up-to-date so that I can use the computer as a file server.

Alternatively, you may even want to try running an FTP server (perhaps the now free NetPresenz) on the Power Macintosh under Mac OS 9.x.

Jan

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Answer 6

Sep 29, 2014 10:20 PM in response to David 14

David 14 wrote:

...running OS 9.2... ...to use the computer as a file server...

have you tried using OS 9.2 built-in File Sharing, Web Sharing, or as mentioned already: setting up an FTP server (NCSA Telnet or Better Telnet also have an FTP server feature, if you can still find them)

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