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Guide: Install Leopard on unsupported Macs

A new partion should not pose a problem assuming you partioned it using the correct format, Mac OS Extendend (Journaled) I belive.
 
ash919 said:
I have been reading this thread .. and well was unable to find an answer to my stupid problem.

I have a 6month old Mac Book with 10.4.11 on it .. my brother bought a brand new 1 and he got leopard pre-installed. he got the install discs, and well i thought i could use it to upgrade my macbook.

but when i reinstall using the disc, i get the error of "cannot be installed on this computer" or something similar.

i have GUID partition.. i have no problem any1 mentioned here .. the install disc is Mac OSX 10.5 Disc Version 1.3 ..

can any1 help ?
Click to expand...

Hook up your two computers by Firewire. Put yours in target mode so it will show up as a harddrive on his disktop. Then just do an install. The installer sees your hard drive as one that is attached to his machine, sees his machine identifiers and decides everthing is copacetic:rolleyes:.
 
SawTooth500 said:
Hook up your two computers by Firewire. Put yours in target mode so it will show up as a harddrive on his disktop. Then just do an install. The installer sees your hard drive as one that is attached to his machine, sees his machine identifiers and decides everthing is copacetic:rolleyes:.
Click to expand...

Actually this isn't true, at least in my case. I have a G4 Cube and booting into Target Disk mode will allow me to select the Cube's Hard drive as a possible install location, it needs to be re-partitioned to GUID before I can install. The problem with this is that the Cube won't boot from the leopard install disk so that I can re-partition it!

I also do not have access to a Mac OS 9 disk so that I can update the firmware. . .

Anyone?
 
10.5 on a Mac Intel

I bought a grey iMac restore disc, 10.5.2. on eBay "for Mac Computers" 2008
I have an Intel duo core dual- 2.mhz, iMac. 3Gb RAM
I guess its from a spring 2008 machine where mine is a spring 2006,
Came with 10.4.10- I bought it at a great price about 3 weeks before 10.5 came out-
and on boot tells me "cannot be used on this mac"
Ive googled 1000's of ways to install on a PPC, none for an Intel mac
and have come close to success myself..
Getting rid of my "Bad" iMac, 5,1 and changing the minimum hz speed to be 667 from 867. in the Distribution script- But I just cant seem to hack it. sorry.

I would like to use this for the iLife on it and avoid SOME updating-and its the only Leopard I have for $30- I got my money back-guys said "keep the disc"
All I have is my iMac with an empty 10Gb partition

There must be a way to make a bootable disc
 
PJohnson thank you for your post. I have a 733 quicksilver that I installed a 1.5 ghz upgrade but my system profiler read it as 0 ghz and leopard would not install. Using the open firmware commands I was able to change the ghz to read 867 and then it loaded up just fine.
 
seashellz said:
I bought a grey iMac restore disc, 10.5.2. on eBay "for Mac Computers" 2008
I have an Intel duo core dual- 2.mhz, iMac. 3Gb RAM
I guess its from a spring 2008 machine where mine is a spring 2006,
Came with 10.4.10- I bought it at a great price about 3 weeks before 10.5 came out-
and on boot tells me "cannot be used on this mac"
Ive googled 1000's of ways to install on a PPC, none for an Intel mac
and have come close to success myself..
Getting rid of my "Bad" iMac, 5,1 and changing the minimum hz speed to be 667 from 867. in the Distribution script- But I just cant seem to hack it. sorry.

I would like to use this for the iLife on it and avoid SOME updating-and its the only Leopard I have for $30- I got my money back-guys said "keep the disc"
All I have is my iMac with an empty 10Gb partition

There must be a way to make a bootable disc
Click to expand...

There is...buy the retail box version off ebay.
 
Maybe someone can help.

A friend and I bought Leopard together because we were in college and couldn't afford the 130 separately. I kept the original and he kept a copy of it.

I graduated in may, and moved away. In the move I seem to have lost the disc. I searched everywhere and can't find it.

My gf just bought a new macbook. I tried to use the install on disc on my macbook but of course it wouldn't let me. I copied the image onto my mac, tried to find that OSinstall.dist file and I can't. I use xar to open the mpkg file, and there is no Contents folder.

Did apple change how this works? Did they move the file? Any help would be appreciated.
 
error 127 while trying to install xar

Hi Pls help I am new to this
sudo port installed but when I try to install xar I get the following
---> Building bzip2 with target all
Error: Target org.macports.build returned: shell command " cd "/opt/local/var/macports/build/_opt_local_var_macports_sources_rsync.macports.org_release_ports_archivers_bzip2/work/bzip2-1.0.5" && make all PREFIX="/opt/local" " returned error 127
Command output: sh: line 1: make: command not found

Error: The following dependencies failed to build: bzip2 libiconv gperf libxml2 zlib openssl
Error: Status 1 encountered during processing.
 
from panther to leopard

Need help updating an old machine. I have leopard and need to update my quicksilver g4. it's a dual 1.25ghz, 1mb l3 cache per processor. Is it safe just to run the instal and update? Thanks for any help you experts can give, I'm clueless.
 
michaelb, is the method the same if i have a os 10.5.5 on my first generation macbook air, but i want 4 finger gestures, so i need a recent macbook os 10.5.5 on my machine...

what about updates later, will they work or destroy everything?

thx
 
I am reposting this comment I made in a post linking to this post. I am new... and holding kittens... so don't harm me.

Please don't murder me. I registered just now... I have read through the post just in case it was previously mentioned. But, just on a side note, there is an easier way to bypass the Media check for installing from the System CD's. Just boot off the orginal system and target mode the system you want to install the os on. Than just select it in the list of drives to install too. If this was mentioned I am sorry, just trying to help. I have been doing this for a while now to install iLife and OSX in one shot.

ANNNNNNNNNNNND now I see it has been mentioned before. :)

Sorry.
 
This is a clip from the Distribution file that i'm trying to hack .. As far as i can tell its a Restore DVD from the new mb/mbp/mba since it won't load on my early 2008 mbp

Code: 
	<script>
        var minRam = 512;

	function checkSupportedMachine(machineType){
		// Fail on G3
		if (1 != system.sysctl('hw.vectorunit') ) {
			return false;
		}

		var badMachines = ['iMac','PowerBook1,1','PowerBook2,1', 'AAPL,Gossamer', 'AAPL,PowerMac G3', 'AAPL,PowerBook1998', 'AAPL,PowerBook1999'];
		
		if(machineType){
			var length = badMachines.length;
			
			// Fail if any of the compatible values match the list of badMachines
			for( var j = 0; j < length; j++ ){
				if(machineType == badMachines[j]){
						return false;
				} 

			}
			
		}
	
		// require 867Mhz+
		if (system.sysctl("hw.cpufrequency") < 866000000) {
			return false;	
		}
			
		return true;
	}
	
	function checkSupportedBootRom(machineType){
		var machinesNeedingROMUpdate = new Array();
		machinesNeedingROMUpdate['PowerMac2,1'] = 'f2';
		machinesNeedingROMUpdate['PowerMac2,2'] = '$0003.30f3';
		
		try{
			var bootROMEntry = system.ioregistry.matchingName('boot-rom','IODeviceTree');
			var bootROM;
			if ( bootROMEntry.length > 0 ) {
				var bootROM = bootROMEntry[0]['BootROM-version'];
			} else {
				return true;
			}

			// Fail if any of the compatible values match the machine/ROM pairs that need updating
			for( k in machinesNeedingROMUpdate ){
				if((machineType == k) && (bootROM == machinesNeedingROMUpdate[k])){						
					return false;
				}
			}
		} catch(e) {
			system.log('checkSupportedBootRom threw exception ' + e);
		}
		
		// if we can't find it, assume it's supported
		return true;
	}

function hasAtLeastRam(RAM) {
        var requiredRAM = (RAM * 1024 * 1024);
        var actualRAM = system.sysctl('hw.memsize');

        return (actualRAM > (requiredRAM - 1));
}

	function installCheckScript(){
			
			try{
				var machineType = system.ioregistry.fromPath('IODeviceTree:/')['compatible'];
								
				if (system.files.fileExistsAtPath("/usr/libexec/cpu_check")) {
					if (system.run("/usr/libexec/cpu_check")) {
						my.result.message = " ";
						my.result.type = 'Fatal';
						return false;
					}
				} 
				
				if ( typeof(machineType) == "string") {
						if(!checkSupportedMachine(machineType)){
							my.result.message = system.localizedStringWithFormat('IC_Machine_message');
							my.result.type = 'Fatal';
							return false;
						}
			
						if(!checkSupportedBootRom(machineType)){
							my.result.message = system.localizedStringWithFormat('IC_Firmware_message');
							my.result.type = 'Fatal';
							return false;
						}
				}
				else {
					for(var i = 0;i < machineType.length; i++){		
						if(!checkSupportedMachine(machineType[i])){
							my.result.message = system.localizedStringWithFormat('IC_Machine_message');
							my.result.type = 'Fatal';
							return false;
						}
			
						if(!checkSupportedBootRom(machineType[i])){
							my.result.message = system.localizedStringWithFormat('IC_Firmware_message');
							my.result.type = 'Fatal';
							return false;
						}
					}
				}
				if(!hasAtLeastRam(minRam)){
					my.result.message = system.localizedStringWithFormat('IC_RAM_message');
					my.result.type = 'Fatal';
					return false;
				}
				
			}catch (e){
				system.log('installCheckScript threw exception ' + e);
			}
			
			return true;
	}

what i can't figure out is what i'm suppose to change in this file to get it to load up on my slightly older mbp
 
pletopia said:
This is a clip from the Distribution file that i'm trying to hack .. As far as i can tell its a Restore DVD from the new mb/mbp/mba since it won't load on my early 2008 mbp

Code: 
	<script>
        var minRam = 512;

	function checkSupportedMachine(machineType){
		// Fail on G3
		if (1 != system.sysctl('hw.vectorunit') ) {
			return false;
		}

		var badMachines = ['iMac','PowerBook1,1','PowerBook2,1', 'AAPL,Gossamer', 'AAPL,PowerMac G3', 'AAPL,PowerBook1998', 'AAPL,PowerBook1999'];
		
		if(machineType){
			var length = badMachines.length;
			
			// Fail if any of the compatible values match the list of badMachines
			for( var j = 0; j < length; j++ ){
				if(machineType == badMachines[j]){
						return false;
				} 

			}
			
		}
	
		// require 867Mhz+
		if (system.sysctl("hw.cpufrequency") < 866000000) {
			return false;	
		}
			
		return true;
	}
	
	function checkSupportedBootRom(machineType){
		var machinesNeedingROMUpdate = new Array();
		machinesNeedingROMUpdate['PowerMac2,1'] = 'f2';
		machinesNeedingROMUpdate['PowerMac2,2'] = '$0003.30f3';
		
		try{
			var bootROMEntry = system.ioregistry.matchingName('boot-rom','IODeviceTree');
			var bootROM;
			if ( bootROMEntry.length > 0 ) {
				var bootROM = bootROMEntry[0]['BootROM-version'];
			} else {
				return true;
			}

			// Fail if any of the compatible values match the machine/ROM pairs that need updating
			for( k in machinesNeedingROMUpdate ){
				if((machineType == k) && (bootROM == machinesNeedingROMUpdate[k])){						
					return false;
				}
			}
		} catch(e) {
			system.log('checkSupportedBootRom threw exception ' + e);
		}
		
		// if we can't find it, assume it's supported
		return true;
	}

function hasAtLeastRam(RAM) {
        var requiredRAM = (RAM * 1024 * 1024);
        var actualRAM = system.sysctl('hw.memsize');

        return (actualRAM > (requiredRAM - 1));
}

	function installCheckScript(){
			
			try{
				var machineType = system.ioregistry.fromPath('IODeviceTree:/')['compatible'];
								
				if (system.files.fileExistsAtPath("/usr/libexec/cpu_check")) {
					if (system.run("/usr/libexec/cpu_check")) {
						my.result.message = " ";
						my.result.type = 'Fatal';
						return false;
					}
				} 
				
				if ( typeof(machineType) == "string") {
						if(!checkSupportedMachine(machineType)){
							my.result.message = system.localizedStringWithFormat('IC_Machine_message');
							my.result.type = 'Fatal';
							return false;
						}
			
						if(!checkSupportedBootRom(machineType)){
							my.result.message = system.localizedStringWithFormat('IC_Firmware_message');
							my.result.type = 'Fatal';
							return false;
						}
				}
				else {
					for(var i = 0;i < machineType.length; i++){		
						if(!checkSupportedMachine(machineType[i])){
							my.result.message = system.localizedStringWithFormat('IC_Machine_message');
							my.result.type = 'Fatal';
							return false;
						}
			
						if(!checkSupportedBootRom(machineType[i])){
							my.result.message = system.localizedStringWithFormat('IC_Firmware_message');
							my.result.type = 'Fatal';
							return false;
						}
					}
				}
				if(!hasAtLeastRam(minRam)){
					my.result.message = system.localizedStringWithFormat('IC_RAM_message');
					my.result.type = 'Fatal';
					return false;
				}
				
			}catch (e){
				system.log('installCheckScript threw exception ' + e);
			}
			
			return true;
	}

what i can't figure out is what i'm suppose to change in this file to get it to load up on my slightly older mbp
Click to expand...


Go further down the script... find this
var hwbeSupportedMachines = ['MacBookPro4,1'];
And your machine to the list or hunt down the function hwbeModelCheck()
and have it return true.

peace
 
I took a look at the Distribution file again .. searched through it and could not find 'hwbeSupportedMachines' nor 'hwbeModelCheck()' anywhere in the file

i wonder what disc this image was made from because:
var hwbeSupportedMachines = ['MacBookPro4,1'];
does not exist in the file

strange
 
Did everything but toast & disk utility won't work with sparseimage

I followed all of the instructions to the letter. Everything worked fine, until:

I was going to have toast compress and burn the sparseimage (I only have a single layer drive) but toast says it is an "unsupported format and cannot be imported."

So I tried renaming the sparseimage to .dmg. No luck. Toast is not fooled.

I tried using the sparseimage, located on a Leopard macbook, to install to an older macbook in target mode. The sparseimage assumed it was a dvd and forced a restart, which did nothing but restart the computer since there is no dvd to boot to.

So now I am stuck.

Any ideas? Please, only real ideas that might work, not random comments like "well, it worked for me!". :rolleyes:

Thanks much.
 
First try's a toaster..

I found a friend with a dual-layer dvd and burned the sparseimage successfully. When I got past the language choice using my new disk I got the same error saying that os x cannot be installed on this computer. So I went through the process again and while running the terminal command to repackage the OSInstall.mpkg file I noticed an error on the first line. Here is the terminal dump with the error:

Estela:package Estela$ xar -c ./ -v -f ~/Desktop/NewOSInstall.mpkg
Error adding file ./
..DS_Store
Distribution
Resources
Resources/da.lproj
Resources/da.lproj/License.rtf
Resources/da.lproj/Localizable.strings
Resources/da.lproj/locversion.plist
Resources/da.lproj/VolumeCheck.strings


I didn't include the whole dump since I only see one error. A little backround:

I am using a restore disk from a friend's newer macbook. Also, like an idiot, when I first tried to install with their disk I used disk utility to erase the hard drive, after backing up any files I wanted, hoping for a totally clean install. This was after being allowed to choose the language so it seemed like everything would go fine. I had also just used these restore disks on a third macbook and they installed just fine. Must have been a bit newer than my macbook. Have I backed myself into a corner here? Will the restore disks only work if there is already an OS on the hard drive? What is the "./" in the terminal command for? Can I do without that?
 
I've been trying to install Leopard on my G4/533mhz with 512meg RAM.
That should be the Apple Macintosh G4 Digital Audio (PowerMac3,4 according to Hardware Overview).
Since the DVD-drive in the comp is kinda bust (won't read any disk for long, just stops working after a while) I've tried to restore the image I have of my Leopard disk onto a partition on the second harddrive I have in the computer.
I have tried both using Disk Utility and Carbon Copy Cloner, but every time I try to boot that hard drive (I can select it just fine in Startup Disk in System Preferences) I get just a folder with a questionmark blinking before it swaps to my other harddrives working Mac OS X 10.4.11 install.
Anyone have any idea what could cause this?
Any help or ideas would be great :)
 
it doesn't work because leopard isn't supported with your G4.

Read the 1st post of this thread and start making a leopard disk that will work

I followed the guide(s) and I'm running 10.5.6 on my QS G4 800 - 1gb ram is really needed for 10.5 to run smootly

good luck
 
Qianlong said:
it doesn't work because leopard isn't supported with your G4.

Read the 1st post of this thread and start making a leopard disk that will work

I followed the guide(s) and I'm running 10.5.6 on my QS G4 800 - 1gb ram is needed for 10.5 for iy yo kinda run properly

good luck
Click to expand...
Seems I left out the bit about that I HAVE made a leopard disk that should work, but it doesn't (changed so that it's minimum 533mhz instead of 867mhz requirement etc).
 
Solution for PowerBook G4@667MHz

Hello everyone,

I've been struggling for the last few weeks to install Leopard on my G4. I came pretty fast to the conclusion that I have no other option but to hack the installer.

Following this thread has helped me a lot to understand how to hack the installer, but the information contained here wasn't enough.

It seems that in my case, the installer failed due to the "hwbeModelCheck" function. Beacuse of this and because of the fact that I didn't want to waste another DVD, I commented-out all lines that, in my opinion could have caused the installed to abort. (This is way my "Distribution" file might look like the work of a maniac).

Hope this can help someone.

Ciao,
Florin

P.S. Disk Utility was in my case good enough to make the DVD image.
P.PS. I was only able to attach the distribution file as a text file (.txt). To be able to use it you need to remove the extension. Obviously!
 

Attachments

  • Distribution.txt
    55.9 KB · Views: 1,154
Just for a update I'm making this post, the other day I was trying to burn a recovery/fix/whatever dvd to attempt to fix a hd in my Mac Mini that seems to be on the verge of failing (just to get it running so I can copy stuff of it before I replace it).
I've always known that the DVD-RW in my old G4/533mhz didn't want to work well, but tried anyway. However Disk Utility could never access the empty disk and I decided to do a reboot to see if it would work after that (with empty dvd-r still in the drive, since it wouldn't eject it either).
To my surprise upon reboot, it boots to the Mac OS X Install DVD (Leopard) partition I had on my second harddrive (that it NEVER wanted to boot before) :eek:
Also installed it on the Partition I had prepared for the system, and it worked! :D
Find it however very weird that I have to have a blank dvd-r in the drive for it to boot that other partition :p
 
I got this to work, but i had to deviate significantly from the instructions in the first post. Here's what worked for me(with no need to deal with Xar or Darwintools..blah!)

I used Disk Utility, found on every mac in Applications/Utilities, to Restore my roomie's Leopard CD onto my 16 gig flash drive(any external hard drive could be used as well, as long as they use usb or firewire)

Then I just downloaded the hacked mpkg onto my desktop from here:
http://www.broadbandreports.com/r0/...2c6f2be47c4b7280666aff6/NewOSInstall.mpkg.zip

and renamed "NewOSInstall.mpkg" to just "OSInstall.mpkg"

Then dragged that file from my desktop to my new "Leopard Install DVD" flash drive (specifically System/Installation/Packages/). It will ask you to replace the old one, to which you will say "Yes"

Reboot holding the option key and choose to boot from the flash drive and voila! All done.
 
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