Unix Code keeps appearing when I am trying to Install Panther OS X

[Esolanas]

Dear Members,

Can anyone help to solve my problem, please. I have a G3 PowerMac 350Mhz, Apple Model No. M5183.
I am trying to install Mac OSX Panther on this computer, but everytime I put the disk in the drive and try to boot it, and whilst I am holding 'C' down to boot from the CD, it come up with the grey screen and the grey 'Apple' insignia, and then it keeps coming up with a black background, with loads of gobble-de-gook white writing on it. I presume that this is Unix code, which means that there is something terribly wrong. I cannot reset the PRAM at all, (no chimes were heard). In fact I cannot reset anything. I have tried to reset all of the keyboard parameters, but it just won't do anything. I think that there is a kernel panic, which needs resetting, somewhere, which at this time I don't understand what's happening. No matter what I try to do, I cannot get rid of the Unix code at all. I know that the G3 firmware is up to date, and I also know that I need something called, X-Post Facto 4 Patch for Mac OS-X for use on Mac G3', which I have on a CD. Is it also possible that I need to get something else as well?

Could any kind knowledgeable member, please describe to me in detail, of how to get back to some sort of normality, so that my son can learn the Mac. (I don't want him to go down the 'Windows' road, as that is a pain in the a**), but he might have to, later on.

Thanking you for reading this, and any replies on this subject, will be most gratefully received if this problem can be solved.

Yours faithfully
Esolanas

 

[bousozoku]

Two things come to mind:

• The battery is dead
• The CD you're using is not appropriate for that machine

Since that machine is around 7 years old, it may need the battery replaced. Hopefully, you're using a retail version of Mac OS X because if you try to use a version for another machine, such as a PowerBook, it might not work.

 

[crees!]

Can a 350Mhz G3 even run Panther, reliably?

 

[Josias]

Two things come to mind:

• The battery is dead
• The CD you're using is not appropriate for that machine

Since that machine is around 7 years old, it may need the battery replaced. Hopefully, you're using a retail version of Mac OS X because if you try to use a version for another machine, such as a PowerBook, it might not work.

Why would a Powermac have a battery?

And also, I think it might be a help if you simply put in a new harddrive. They go for a candy nowadays.

 

[yellow]

Why would a Powermac have a battery?

All computers have a battery. Desktops have a litium battery. That's how the computer keeps tack of time (and other things), because there's enough power to keep the ROM info alive.

Thanking you for reading this, and any replies on this subject, will be most gratefully received if this problem can be solved.

Sounds to me like you're getting a kernel panic. Does it look like this?

 

[Esolanas]

Unix Code keeps appearing when I am trying to Install Panther OS-X

Thank you for your speedy replies.

The battery has been changed about a week ago. The disks that I am using are for a PowerMac, and the hard drive has been changed and re-formatted,
but still the Unix Code keeps appearing when I try to start-up from the CD.
I'm tearing the rest of my hair out, so if you can think of any other solution, I would be very grateful.

Kind Regards
Esolanas

 

[Eidorian]

Can a 350Mhz G3 even run Panther, reliably?

Yes

Why would a Powermac have a battery?

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer Technology/BAA36VPRAM/

 

[Queso]

Can a 350Mhz G3 even run Panther, reliably?

With enough RAM yes. My 400MHz iMac used to run it happily enough and surprisingly fast too.

EDIT: BTW, although the Power Mac G3 was before the "Lock your Open Firmware" time, was it still possible to hack it but without the nice graphics? Is the UNIX writing asking for a password?

 

[yellow]

Err.. edited above.

Sounds like you're getting a kernel panic. Does it look like this?

I also assume this is one of the Blue & White G3 Towers, no?

How much RAM is in there? I had a TON of problems installing Jaguar on one of those back in the day. Turns out I had TOO MUCH RAM. Once I reduced it to the original 128MBs, the installation worked fine. And finally, you have an 8GB partition on your boot drive right? Because you cannot install OS X on that computer in a volume larger than the first 8GB of the volume.

 

[Esolanas]

Unix Code keeps appearing when I am trying to Install Panther OS-X

Hello! 'Yellow' and Members,

It is a blue/white tower. Yes! I have a kernel panic, just like in your photo. My ram is 480mb, and I did not partition the disk. It is a 40gb disk on one partition. Should I partition the disk 8mb & 32mb, and try to install it on the 32mb partition or the 8mn partition. Please let me know.

Thanking you all for your constructive comments.

Regards
Esolanas

 

[yellow]

Well, for starters, you don't need XPostFacto to install OS X on there.

That Mac will take Tiger.

 

[Esolanas]

Unix Code keeps appearing when I am trying to Install Panther OS-X

Hello! Yellow, and Members,

I have also been told that this Mac will accept Tiger.
However, until I can get rid of the Unix that keeps coming up every time I insert a disc, I still am lumbered with this problem. I also understand, that I have to reset the Kernel to get back to normality. I also understand that I need to type in a reset code in the Unix, to reset the Kernel. What do I have to do to get it, or does anyone know where to get it, or has anyone got that code.
I appreciate already, the answers and advice that you have given me, and I think it's a good forum to be on. I thank you all very much.
Please let me know.

Kind Regards
Esolanas

 

[Nermal]

The disks that I am using are for a PowerMac

That's your problem. You need a retail CD, as the CDs you're using are from a different system.

 

[Queso]

I'm wondering whether it's a problem with the memory chips. Any chance you can get hold of some different DIMMs and swap the ones inside out for a test?

 

[nnoob]

try to mount the hard drive and format it on windows ... or a better way show us a picture of the screen or try to do safe boot do this at start up push: command-s

 

[yellow]

I also understand, that I have to reset the Kernel to get back to normality. I also understand that I need to type in a reset code in the Unix, to reset the Kernel. What do I have to do to get it, or does anyone know where to get it, or has anyone got that code.

I think you might have been misinformed.
There's no such thing as 'resetting the kernel'.

As has been mentioned, you will get better results using a retail version of the CDs. And you should scale back your RAM to 256MB if you are installing Panther or Tiger. After installed, you can slap in as much RAM as it can handle, but during the installation process scaling back is a good idea.

Also, your application of XPost Facto could be the root of your issues. You should investigate how to remove it, as it installs a custom BootX file, kexts, and an NVRAM patch. Which might be what you mean by 'resetting the kernel'.

 

[dusanv]

Can a 350Mhz G3 even run Panther, reliably?

Very much so. I have one running my old copy of Panther.

I had no problem installing a retail copy of Panther. 768MB RAM. 20GB boot disk. I remember that I had to update the OpenFirmware before the installation (that was a while ago). If you have a Jaguar CD, try booting from that and see what happens. Also, maybe it's a bad piece of hardware like the others suggest. Did it run fine before this install?

 

[Esolanas]

Unix Code keeps appearing when I am trying to Install Panther OS X

Dear Contributors,

I have now gotten to the root of the problem, took me a long time, though.
Dominicv led me to the only other option that was not covered.
It appears that all Macs are 'memory fussy', and will work with certain types of memory only. I have been advised that I should ONLY use 'Kingston' memory in the Mac, as it is the most reliable. However you still have to use the RIGHT type of Kingston Memory.
I installed this memory into the G3 Yosemite blue/white tower, and it started behaving itself for once.
So! We have now solved this problem, and so I will end this by saying to you all, thanks for your knowledgable contributions and if I get any further problems, I know that I am coming to the right place to solve them.

Kind Regards to All
Esolanas38

 

[bousozoku]

Dear Contributors,

I have now gotten to the root of the problem, took me a long time, though.
Dominicv led me to the only other option that was not covered.
It appears that all Macs are 'memory fussy', and will work with certain types of memory only. I have been advised that I should ONLY use 'Kingston' memory in the Mac, as it is the most reliable. However you still have to use the RIGHT type of Kingston Memory.
I installed this memory into the G3 Yosemite blue/white tower, and it started behaving itself for once.
So! We have now solved this problem, and so I will end this by saying to you all, thanks for your knowledgable contributions and if I get any further problems, I know that I am coming to the right place to solve them.

Kind Regards to All
Esolanas38

If it was Kingston ValueRAM, I can understand that. It's not really good in that many machines of any kind.

However, with Macs, there are more precise specifications and through the G4s, it was better to use RAM from vendors you knew were Mac compatible.