Install OS 9 or X on iBook G3 M6497

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Level 1

64 points

Install OS 9 or X on iBook G3 M6497

I inherited an old 2001 iBook. The OS was filled with junk, so I decided to just erase it and start over.

I connected it to my modern mac via Target Disk Mode, setup the partition as Apple Partition Map and zero'd the disk.

I have a Mac OS 10.4 Tiger install disc (1-4) CDs, but when I put the first disc in the iBook, after a few seconds it just spits it back out.

I also created a Mac OS 9.2.2 Universal Installer disc, but that also just gets spit out when I put it in the iBook.

I've tried putting those discs in there and holding down the C key when starting up, but it won't load from those discs and eventually spits the discs out.

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong or a way that I can install either OS 9 or X on this iBook?

Thanks!

Posted on Jan 18, 2018 4:51 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Dastumer

Level 1

35 points

Jan 20, 2018 9:48 PM in response to Brian Covalt

Try holding down alt as you boot the computer, and insert the disk after the cursor stops loading, and click the refresh button. If it still spits out the disk, that likely means that the optical drive is dead, and you will either have to replace it or use an external one. If your modern Mac has an optical drive, you can boot the modern Mac to target disk mode, and use its optical drive for the iBook. There are ways of using a flash drive, but that doesn't really work consistently and I have never gotten it to work. Also, you will want to format the iBook's hard drive to Master Boot Record once you boot it to an install disk, as PowerPC Macs use that format, but newer Macs can't format disks to that format.

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Answer 2

Brian Covalt Author

Level 1

64 points

Jan 20, 2018 9:51 PM in response to Dastumer

Thanks for the suggestion! I think the optical drive inside the iBook must be dead, but your suggestion to put the install disc in my other Mac and start it up in target disk mode did the trick.

I put a 10.1 install disk in the iMac, connected it to the iBook, and started up from that disk.

I opened Disk Utility to reformat the disk, but I didn't find Master Boot Record. My option was Mac OS Standard or Extended, and I had the checkbox to install OS 9 drivers if I wanted.
I chose Mac OS Extended, checked the OS 9 drivers, and I'm installing now.

Think I should be good? Do you think it's because I'm starting up from a 10.1 install disk that I don't see the Master Boot Record option?

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