Upgrading without an installed DVD drive

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Upgrading without an installed DVD drive

I purchased the MAC OS Tiger Family Pack from Apple Stores only to find out after receiving it that you need a DVD drive to install. I know I can return the set and pay an additional $10 to receive CD's, but I need to upgrade the OS on this Silver G4 today. Can I use an external DVD drive to accomplish the upgrade? If not, can I install an internal DVD drive to accomplish the upgrade. As for this last method, does the upgrade software know that this particular model G4 did not ship with a DVD drive and thus won't this method?

G4 Silver, Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Posted on Jan 10, 2007 5:08 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 10, 2007 5:39 AM in response to GeoMike

I purchased the MAC OS Tiger Family Pack from Apple Stores only
to find out after receiving it that you need a DVD drive to install.

This information is included with the other minimum system requirements to install Tiger.

Since you must have another Mac, if the other Mac has a built-in DVD and both Macs support being connected via Firewire Target Disk mode, you can cannot your Silver G4 to the other Mac as a target computer which will allow for installing Tiger on the Silver G4 using the build-in DVD drive on the host computer.

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Answer 2

GeoMike Author

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Jan 10, 2007 6:13 AM in response to Allan Sampson

Allan, this is helpful! I do have another computer - it is a 15" MacBookPro with 2 GHz Intel Core Duo. Is the method you describe documented somewhere so that I can learn how to do this?

While on the topic of the 'other' computers that I planned to install the new version onto, one is this very 15" macBook Pro. It already has 10.4.8 on it, but it was 'handled' by other IT people before coming to me and they have this thing locked down tight such that I need them to install any new software for me. i was hoping to re-install 10.4.8 and thus get Administrative control back!

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Answer 3

Jan 10, 2007 6:28 AM in response to GeoMike

Information on using Firewire Target Disk mode is here.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58583

You can't use the Tiger retail install package with an Intel Mac. The Tiger retail install package is not Universal which would allow for using it on a PPC or Intel Mac but since all Intel Macs have shipped with Tiger pre-installed, there is no reason for Apple to sell a Universal Tiger retail install package.

In order to re-install Tiger on your MBP, you need the Tiger install package that shipped with this Mac when new.

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Answer 4

LRanger

Level 1

25 points

Jan 10, 2007 6:33 AM in response to GeoMike

Holding down T when restarting the computer puts it in Target mode. (Connect them via fire wire cable)

I won't get into the security aspect of your work place, but you casn do a clean install from the OSX DVD.

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Answer 5

Király

Level 6

10,025 points

Jan 10, 2007 3:48 PM in response to GeoMike

The Intel Mac won't boot from the Tiger retail DVD.

But you can try this:

1) Insert the Tiger install DVD into the Intel Mac.
2) Reboot the Intel Mac while holding down the T key.
3) Hook the two Macs together with a firewire cable.
4) Reboot the PPC Mac while holding down the option key.
5) The PPC Mac should ask you which volume you want to boot from; just select the DVD. That should start the installation process.

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