Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

ORIGINAL iMac - installing OSX

DoFoT9

DoFoT9

macrumors P6
Original poster
Jun 11, 2007
17,586
100
London, United Kingdom
Hey all,

I recently acquired an original iMac G3 from my Uncle. I put a 80GB PATA drive in there, and installed OS9 without any hitches (apart from the fact that it doesn't recognise the HD because I think I have the jumpers wrong, it still boots eventually though).

Anyways to my question, does this version of iMac support OSX? I am hoping to install Tiger onto it, regardless of the speed that the machine will be. I had a Graphite iMac so I'm used to slow speeds baha.

I'm guessing the main problem would be in regards to the CD drive, it isn't a DVD drive.. Are there any ways to get around this?

Thanks in advance :)

DoFoT9
 
You get 10.2 out of the box after you've updated the firmware in OS 9. You cn try XPostFacto for later versions of OS X.

There's also a CD retail version of Tiger as well. Your mileage may vary on such old hardware.
 
Are you sure it's an original? Is the optical drive slot loading or tray loading?

Tray loader = Panther 10.3.9
Slot Loader above 400 MHz = 10.4.11

Assuming you meet RAM and disk requirements and without hacks.
 
Eidorian said:
You get 10.2 out of the box after you've updated the firmware in OS 9. You cn try XPostFacto for later versions of OS X.

There's also a CD retail version of Tiger as well. Your mileage may vary on such old hardware.
Click to expand...

very interesting, when you say "out of the box", you mean for free??

will check out the XPostFacto.

thankyou :)
 
bizzle said:
Are you sure it's an original? Is the optical drive slot loading or tray loading?

Tray loader = Panther 10.3.9
Slot Loader above 400 MHz = 10.4.11

Assuming you meet RAM and disk requirements and without hacks.
Click to expand...

It is a tray loading. 233mhz, 256MB ram, i checked with MacTracker (the program). it uses laptop RAM, thats how i can tell. the later iMacs didnt use laptop RAM. (i dont htink).
 
DoFoT9 said:
It is a tray loading. 233mhz, 256MB ram, i checked with MacTracker (the program). it uses laptop RAM, thats how i can tell. the later iMacs didnt use laptop RAM. (i dont htink).
Click to expand...

You're really better off with OS9 on that machine.
 
bizzle said:
Well if you want to do that, just run Panther.
Click to expand...

maybe i will :p

i have a disk image of my old iMac Graphite chilling on a HD (the HD is now pulled apart). i tried using that to boot but it gave massive errors, text was scrolling endlessly on the screen... any chance of that working ?

Eidorian said:
Depends more so on the version of iTunes the OP wants to run.
Click to expand...

any version that can stream mp3, uncompressed AIF, etcetc.. basically everything itunes music apart from movies, i have a different computer for that. it will be connected via ethernet.
 
Jaguar will run best on your machine. Panther runs OK. I had it on one with 192MB/4GB. If you want to install 10.4, you have to locate the CD version that some people got in a program. If you cant, you can put the HD in an enclosure or another computer sand install the OS onto it like that. After that, install it in the iMac. You should have about 512MB of RAM for your iMac G3. The latest version of iTunes 10.2 will run is 6. The most for 10.3 is 7. You also said that you wanted to boot from your disk image. To do that, you have to clone the drive, try CCC.
 
applefan1997 said:
Jaguar will run best on your machine. Panther runs OK. I had it on one with 192MB/4GB. If you want to install 10.4, you have to locate the CD version that some people got in a program.
Click to expand...
ok then great, hopefully Panther with 256MB/80gb :))) will run ok then..

If you cant, you can put the HD in an enclosure or another computer sand install the OS onto it like that. After that, install it in the iMac. You should have about 512MB of RAM for your iMac G3. The latest version of iTunes 10.2 will run is 6. The most for 10.3 is 7.
Click to expand...

thats a great idea my dad has an old iBook that will hopefully work a treat :) but OMG how annoying is taking the HD out and in and out and in.....

You also said that you wanted to boot from your disk image. To do that, you have to clone the drive, try CCC.
Click to expand...

i had the original drive and tried that in the iMac, but it didnt boot... it gave me a big long streaming thing of terminal crap.. so thats a no-go, if the original disk didnt work i doubt an image will.
 
I believe these old Macs require the os X partition to fit entirely within the first 8GB of the drive. Unless something has changed recently or there's a hack out there you will have to format the drive into two partitions.
 
Yes, I completely forgot about the 8GB partitions. Before you install 10 on the original iMac + iBook, you have to format the drive. Make a 7GB and install OS X onto it. The rest you can use for info. Putting the HD out and back is a bit tough, but it is easier than the later revisions. The drives are not compatible with the iBook if you want to install it on the iBook. Also, update the iMacs firmware if it is not so. However, if you have a Panther CD, all you need to do is pop it in, run Disc Utility, and install. Just remember the Firmware updates which can be downloaded at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1395?viewlocale=en_US.
 
leighonigar said:
I believe these old Macs require the os X partition to fit entirely within the first 8GB of the drive. Unless something has changed recently or there's a hack out there you will have to format the drive into two partitions.
Click to expand...

hhmm i actually dont think that is the case.
my iMac Graphite (its like 1 version up from the original) had botch OS9 + OSX installed on the one 13GB partition. there were no hurdles or problems with it at all.

applefan1997 said:
Yes, I completely forgot about the 8GB partitions. Before you install 10 on the original iMac + iBook, you have to format the drive. Make a 7GB and install OS X onto it. The rest you can use for info. Putting the HD out and back is a bit tough, but it is easier than the later revisions.
Click to expand...

!!!!!! :eek::eek::eek::eek:

easier!?!?!?! getting the HD out on my Graphite was WAY easier than this confusing thing!


The drives are not compatible with the iBook if you want to install it on the iBook.
Click to expand...

no their not by themselves, but if you have an external FW enclosure they are :) i might install it with that..

Also, update the iMacs firmware if it is not so. However, if you have a Panther CD, all you need to do is pop it in, run Disc Utility, and install. Just remember the Firmware updates which can be downloaded at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1395?viewlocale=en_US.
Click to expand...

ok thanks for the link i will try it!
 
applefan1997 said:
I though the tray loaders were a bit easier because the slide part. The slot loading iMac did not have the 8GB prerequisite.
Click to expand...

After seeing the tray loaders and working on a slot load, i think the slot load is much more easier, because everything is there an you don't have to take out everything like the trey load. All you have to do for the slot load is take off the back plastic thing and heat shield and everything is there.
 
ok so i have the tiger CD versions!!!!!!! im trying them with XPostFacto there seems to be an error, so i will try the firmware update thing and see who that goes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back