NOTE: 2021 overhaul updates and remarks supersede the original WikiPost. Several details have changed. Props to @AmazingHenry for setting up this WikiPost.
OVERVIEW
For future reference, I thought it would be a good idea to have a list of all of the operating systems that we can put on our PowerPC Macs. This is a WikiPost, so add what you know of to the list below, along with the URL. Thanks! — @AmazingHenry
With the addition to links to OS builds, please mind how many of these links are maintained externally and are not associated with MacRumors or their forums.
INTERACTIVE TABLE: ALL PowerPC-BASED OSes [external link]
Don’t see a PPC-based OS listed below on this WikiPost?
Have a look through this table for other PPC-based OSes and download links.
[NOTE: above link set to “latest released”, “32- or 64-bit ‘big endian’” (i.e., what all PPC Macs are), and are in some way “supported” and “downloadable”.]
MAC OS
MAC OS X
POSIX
MorphOS
PROJECT SITE
[MorphOS 3.15 (trial version)]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The MorphOS Thread
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Selected high-end PPC G4 and non-PCIe G5 models
BeOS/HAIKU
PROJECT SITE
[Preview Release 2] [4.5]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: Haiku OS for PowerPC
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Select PPC603e and PPC604 Macs
NOTE: This is a WikiPost. If you can think of any OS info for PowerPC Macs, please add them.
OVERVIEW
For future reference, I thought it would be a good idea to have a list of all of the operating systems that we can put on our PowerPC Macs. This is a WikiPost, so add what you know of to the list below, along with the URL. Thanks! — @AmazingHenry
With the addition to links to OS builds, please mind how many of these links are maintained externally and are not associated with MacRumors or their forums.
INTERACTIVE TABLE: ALL PowerPC-BASED OSes [external link]
Don’t see a PPC-based OS listed below on this WikiPost?
Have a look through this table for other PPC-based OSes and download links.
[NOTE: above link set to “latest released”, “32- or 64-bit ‘big endian’” (i.e., what all PPC Macs are), and are in some way “supported” and “downloadable”.]
MAC OS
Mac OS 7 (System 7)
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: [7.1.2] PPC601
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS 7.1.2 for Power Macintosh
Mac OS 7.5 [7.5.1] [7.5.2] [7.5.5]
Mac OS 7.6
[note: several machine-specific and localized variations accessible on Macintosh Garden and Archive.org.]
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: [7.1.2] PPC601
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS 7.1.2 for Power Macintosh
Mac OS 7.5 [7.5.1] [7.5.2] [7.5.5]
Mac OS 7.6
[note: several machine-specific and localized variations accessible on Macintosh Garden and Archive.org.]
Mac OS 8
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: Mac OS 8.6 findings and ramblings
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: PPC 601, PPC603e, PPC604, G3 (PPC750), or early G4 (PPC7400)
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS 8 (plus 8.1)
Mac OS 8.5 (plus 8.6)
[note: several machine-specific and localized variations accessible on Macintosh Garden and Archive.org.]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: Mac OS 8.6 findings and ramblings
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: PPC 601, PPC603e, PPC604, G3 (PPC750), or early G4 (PPC7400)
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS 8 (plus 8.1)
Mac OS 8.5 (plus 8.6)
[note: several machine-specific and localized variations accessible on Macintosh Garden and Archive.org.]
Mac OS 9
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The OS 9 Thread
EXTERNAL FORUM DISCUSSION: Mac OS 9 Lives! (booting OS 9 on unsupported, post-OS 9-era PPC Macs)
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: PPC 601/603e/604, PPC G3 or PPC G4 (Classic Mode only for later G4s and G5s running Tiger)
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS 9 [9.1] [9.2.1] [9.2.2] [9.2.2 OS 9 Lives!] [9.0–9.2.2 uploads (alternate)]
[note: several machine-specific and localized variations accessible on Macintosh Garden and Archive.org.]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The OS 9 Thread
EXTERNAL FORUM DISCUSSION: Mac OS 9 Lives! (booting OS 9 on unsupported, post-OS 9-era PPC Macs)
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: PPC 601/603e/604, PPC G3 or PPC G4 (Classic Mode only for later G4s and G5s running Tiger)
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS 9 [9.1] [9.2.1] [9.2.2] [9.2.2 OS 9 Lives!] [9.0–9.2.2 uploads (alternate)]
[note: several machine-specific and localized variations accessible on Macintosh Garden and Archive.org.]
MAC OS X
Mac OS X SERVER 1.0 RHAPSODY
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Rhapsody Thread
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X Server 1.x [DR1 & DR2]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Rhapsody Thread
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X Server 1.x [DR1 & DR2]
Mac OS X 10.0b KODIAK (OS X PUBLIC BETA)
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Kodiak Thread
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X 10.0 Public Beta [10.0 DP (pre-public beta)]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Kodiak Thread
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X 10.0 Public Beta [10.0 DP (pre-public beta)]
Mac OS X 10.0 CHEETAH
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Cheetah Thread
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X 10.0 [10.0 Server]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Cheetah Thread
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X 10.0 [10.0 Server]
Mac OS X 10.1 PUMA
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Puma Thread
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X 10.1 [10.1 Server]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Puma Thread
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X 10.1 [10.1 Server]
Mac OS X 10.2 JAGUAR
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Jaguar Thread
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X 10.2 [10.2 Server]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Jaguar Thread
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X 10.2 [10.2 Server]
Mac OS X 10.3 PANTHER
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Panther Thread
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X 10.3 [10.3 Server]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Panther Thread
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X 10.3 [10.3 Server]
Mac OS X 10.4 TIGER
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Tiger Thread
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: [10.4.0+] PPC G3, 256MB RAM
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X 10.4 [10.4.0 retail] [G3 CD version] [10.4 Server] [10.4 DP beta 8A162]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Tiger Thread
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: [10.4.0+] PPC G3, 256MB RAM
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X 10.4 [10.4.0 retail] [G3 CD version] [10.4 Server] [10.4 DP beta 8A162]
Mac OS X 10.5 LEOPARD
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Leopard Thread
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: G4/867MHz, 512MB RAM
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X 10.5 retail [single-layer DVD install version] [10.5 Server] [10.5 beta 9A421]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The Leopard Thread
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: G4/867MHz, 512MB RAM
BUILDS [external links]
Mac OS X 10.5 retail [single-layer DVD install version] [10.5 Server] [10.5 beta 9A421]
Mac OS X 10.6 SNOW LEOPARD (Unsupported PPC BETA)
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: Snow Leopard on Unsupported PowerPC Machines
BUILDS [external links]
[10A96 Server] [10A96 Client] [10A190] [10A190 (alternate link)]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: Snow Leopard on Unsupported PowerPC Machines
BUILDS [external links]
[10A96 Server] [10A96 Client] [10A190] [10A190 (alternate link)]
POSIX
GNU/Linux
MR FORUM GENERAL DISCUSSION: PowerPC Linux in 2020
LUBUNTU REMIX
Lubuntu Remix 16.04 ISO]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: Lubuntu 16.04 Remix (Updated)
VOID LINUX
PROJECT SITE
MR FORUM DISCUSSIONS: [The Void Linux Wiki] [Void Linux for PPC]
DEBIAN
PROJECT SITE
10.0 PPC32] [10.0 PPC64]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The PPC Debian Wiki
DEBIAN Sid
MR FORUM DISCUSSIONS: [Debian Sid Remix (ppc32/ppc64)] [Debian Sid Installation Guide (PowerPC)]
MINT PPC
PROJECT SITE
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: Mint PPC project
OpenSUSE
PROJECT SITE
[Tumbleweed PPC64]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: OpenSUSE Tumbleweed
MR FORUM GENERAL DISCUSSION: PowerPC Linux in 2020
LUBUNTU REMIX
Lubuntu Remix 16.04 ISO]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: Lubuntu 16.04 Remix (Updated)
VOID LINUX
PROJECT SITE
MR FORUM DISCUSSIONS: [The Void Linux Wiki] [Void Linux for PPC]
DEBIAN
PROJECT SITE
10.0 PPC32] [10.0 PPC64]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The PPC Debian Wiki
DEBIAN Sid
MR FORUM DISCUSSIONS: [Debian Sid Remix (ppc32/ppc64)] [Debian Sid Installation Guide (PowerPC)]
MINT PPC
PROJECT SITE
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: Mint PPC project
OpenSUSE
PROJECT SITE
[Tumbleweed PPC64]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: OpenSUSE Tumbleweed
BSD
OPENBSD
PROJECT SITE
[OpenBSD 6.8 Install]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The OpenBSD Wiki
FREEBSD
PROJECT SITE
[NetBSD 10.4 PPC32] [NetBSD 10.4 PPC64]
NETBSD
PROJECT SITE
[NetBSD 8.2 PPC]
OPENBSD
PROJECT SITE
[OpenBSD 6.8 Install]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The OpenBSD Wiki
FREEBSD
PROJECT SITE
[NetBSD 10.4 PPC32] [NetBSD 10.4 PPC64]
NETBSD
PROJECT SITE
[NetBSD 8.2 PPC]
MorphOS
PROJECT SITE
[MorphOS 3.15 (trial version)]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: The MorphOS Thread
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Selected high-end PPC G4 and non-PCIe G5 models
BeOS/HAIKU
PROJECT SITE
[Preview Release 2] [4.5]
MR FORUM DISCUSSION: Haiku OS for PowerPC
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Select PPC603e and PPC604 Macs
NOTE: This is a WikiPost. If you can think of any OS info for PowerPC Macs, please add them.
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