Richard Thomas

Q: PowerBook G4 restore

I have a PowerBook G4, 1.67 mz, Mac OS X (10.5.8)...I want to remove all my information and restore it to basic 'like new,' so I can give it to a young man I am tutoring who does not have a computer. How do I do this? I have OS X and OS 9 install disks. Thanks.

PowerBook G4, 1.67 mz, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Mar 17, 2015 4:46 PM

Close

Q: PowerBook G4 restore

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Mar 17, 2015 4:48 PM in response to Richard Thomas
    Level 10 (311,916 points)
    Mar 17, 2015 4:48 PM in response to Richard Thomas

    Click here and follow the instructions. When you reach step 5, insert the Mac OS X DVD, restart with the C or Option key held down, use the Disk Utility to erase the internal drive, and install a fresh OS.


    (124339)

  • by Richard Thomas,

    Richard Thomas Richard Thomas Mar 20, 2015 7:00 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Mar 20, 2015 7:00 PM in response to Niel

    Thanks Niel... I think I followed the directions...all my personal stuff (pictures, music, contacts, etc.) has been removed and the computer is now pretty much empty. It is now OS 10.3.7, Safari is 1.2.4. I can get on line, but is have some pretty archaic looking Safari page and am unable to download anything because it says I need to update my browser. I run the Software Update, and it says my software us up to date...can't figure that one out. I had OS 10.5.8 before I did all this, but I am unable to find a newer disk than the one I used to reformat/restore. What do you think I should do now? I don't want to give this thing to the guy and he has to figure it all out and buy some outdated disk to get it to work properly.

    Thanks,

    Dick Thomas

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Mar 20, 2015 7:08 PM in response to Richard Thomas
    Level 10 (311,916 points)
    Mar 20, 2015 7:08 PM in response to Richard Thomas

    Sell it as is; if desired, you can buy a newer Mac OS X disk and install that, but it can't be newer than 10.5.6 on a PowerPC Mac. You may want to put TenFourFox on the computer.

     

    (124536)

  • by Richard Thomas,

    Richard Thomas Richard Thomas Mar 20, 2015 7:49 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Mar 20, 2015 7:49 PM in response to Niel

    Thanks again Niel,

    If I can't round up a newer disk, I'll probably just make the thing go away. The guy I want to give it to probably can't afford to buy the disk, and I'm not inclined to myself. Again, thanks.

  • by Jan Hedlund,Helpful

    Jan Hedlund Jan Hedlund Mar 21, 2015 1:47 AM in response to Richard Thomas
    Level 6 (9,869 points)
    Mar 21, 2015 1:47 AM in response to Richard Thomas

    For modern Macs (with Intel processors), Boot Camp offers a way to use another platform (Windows), if absolutely necessary. For a PowerPC computer such as the PowerBook G4, Boot Camp is not an option, but a second operating system can be tested anyway. For example, you could burn a "live CD" of one of the community supported Ubuntu versions for PowerPC (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PowerPCFAQ), perhaps 12.04 LTS. This should be seen as an experiment. The distribution in question may or may not be suitable for your machine, but if everything works OK, some useful alternative applications may be found. A live CD allows you to try out an operating system without installing anything.

     

    Jan

  • by Richard Thomas,

    Richard Thomas Richard Thomas Mar 24, 2015 6:42 PM in response to Richard Thomas
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Mar 24, 2015 6:42 PM in response to Richard Thomas

    Thanks Guys,

     

    If I don't run into a disk from one of my Mac cronies, I'll just pass on this PB ... I'm not going to spend any real $$ on it. If the 'receiver' wants to, then go ahead.

  • by Bobsax,

    Bobsax Bobsax Apr 28, 2015 12:14 PM in response to Richard Thomas
    Level 1 (64 points)
    Apple Music
    Apr 28, 2015 12:14 PM in response to Richard Thomas

    I have a similar problem with my G4 PowerBook but I guess I should start a new thread?