RESETTING POWERMAC 6.1 PC G4 3.3 MAC OS 10.4.8 MACHINE TO DEFAULT

No iMac G4 shipped new with 10.4.8. The only 10.4.8 installer that exists is for Intel Macs, not iMac G4s.

So if 10.4.8 is on the hard drive, you need the original installer discs.

10.4.6 retail exists that will work with that model, and so does the 10.5 retail.

To learn more about both, see these tips:

http://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-2541

http://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-2275

And see my FAQ*:

http://www.macmaps.com/selling.html

It is entirely possible the machine is stolen, since you don't know about the original owners.

* Links to my pages may give me compensation.

If the machine in question is a G4 iMac with chrome arm used to suspend a

LCD flat panel so it can swivel and be moved in various positions, your post

is generally incorrectly placed.

If you mean half-hemispherical base, regarding the 'snowball' reference, then

that along with the pivotable display suspended on a chrome arm, is iconic.

You appear to have an iMac G4 USB2.0 model, among the last built; with either

a 15-inch or 17-inch LCD flat panel display. ~ There are some fringe builds in this

series, some are not USB2.0 and can dual-boot early MacOS 9.2.2 or MacOS X.

So you'd need either an original grey-label machine specific installer (Panther 10.3)

or a later retail installer Tiger 10.4) or with enough RAM and higher spec CPU, a

Leopard 10.5 retail DVD installer could be used.

I've had several different models. The 1.0GHz and 1.25GHz models are considered

USB2.0 (as would be the 20-inch display model) but have different identifiers.

Depending on the CPU speed, there are limits as to which MacOS X version

that could be installed and ran in certain builds of that series. A general rule

is that any PowerPC Mac with a processor speed lower than 867MHz has a

limit. ~ This means your model has an 800MHz CPU (PPC) then it would not

accept the installation of later than Tiger 10.4.11. (from original retail DVD or

if the computer is an early G4 iMac 700MHz, it may have shipped with CD/RW

optical drive; so special 4-CD Tiger OS X 10.4 installer were available or to use

for a limited time. These would be rare.)

For PPC G3/G4/G5 computers, the range of operating systems (as shipped)

include gray-label original software and systems, specific to one series only.

For you to have a workable installer if the computer has an 867MHz or higher

PPC CPU, then a retail version Leopard 10.5 installer could be used. But no

later Apple systems can be installed, based on this path. Updated, each one

only goes so far. Some or most of these steps may still be available from an

archival download page at Apple. (So 10.5.8 is the last Leopard, 10.4.11/Tiger.)

To identify the unit correctly and also by display size, is first on the list of details.

Appears you may have located the serial number (lookup online) to find those

numbers, so far. Could be you may have a later CPU and different specs.

The PRAM or clock battery is likely in need of replacement; usually a 3.6V 1/2AA

Lithium battery is the correct general part. Installing one on the logic board is a

trick; you will need correct tools, instructions, and thermal paste for the CPU

cooling apparatus. There are wires and connectors that may break, getting there.

Because the placement of your inquiry here in ASC is in doubt, due to identification

there should be some clarification to confirm that model build series date version.

So without a bit more info to help others who may assist, any recommendation

to relocate this thread (to Host) is on hold until additional identification is made.

In any event...

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

So to say: you would most likely need the original media specific to that vintage iMac G4 (USB2.0)

on grey label DVD media, or later retail Tiger 10.4 on DVD, or perhaps the Leopard 10.5 retail DVD.

Note, these retail version full installer system media discs Do Not include the extra original applications

that the system shipped with, that would be included on the grey-label software kit it had when new. In

order to get those, you'd have to look for their retail versions on install disc media. The iLife, iWorks,

and other applications were sometimes bundled as an upgrade kit back in the day; some may be found

on amazon reseller sites along with their respective Mac OS X retail upgrade installation DVD. (3-4 Discs)

An example of the bundled software kit would not have the later 10.6 Snow Leopard, only Leopard or Tiger.

There are ways to re-set (in terminal or single-user) command-line access to fool the configuration

into letting you create a new Admin user account and then run the Mac from that; then the original

owner's old Admin account could be deleted. Some ideas have been posted in second reply; but

not the most detailed. And those can get you into troubles that only an original installer, or clone of

a clean full installation of the specific Mac's system could be used to help you out.

Some resellers online have retail versions of Tiger 10.4 and/or Leopard 10.5 on DVD (doubt you'd need

the 4-CD install set for CD/RW drive only) or you could ask someone in your area who may have had

older Macs of vintage if they have the upgrade media for older Macs. ~ An upgrade means a fully new

system above the older one, unlike an update that simply patches the old one to move to a last step.

Your thread has been suggested to be moved to the iMac (PPC) discussions area as it's not referred

to as a PowerMac (that is a tower version, generally) and also is different than later iMac (Intel) series.

Good luck in any event...! 🙂

http://www.theinstructional.com/guides/how-to-re-run-the-os-x-setup-assistant

http://www.macyourself.com/2009/08/03/how-to-reset-your-mac-os-x-password-withou t-an-installer-disc/