Re: help installing tiger

Thank you, answers in line.

David Empson wrote:
Scott Moore <samiam@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi, I am attempting to upgrade a G4 currently running
the first OS X to the tiger version.

Yes, I know Tiger is a bit old now, it was on my shelf
awaiting the install of a DVD on the machine.

Anyways, the start happens just as the manual shows.
I boot up to regular OS X, I insert the tiger disc,
I get the "mac OS X install DVD" window, I hit
"install mac OS X", it gives me the Mac OS X tiger
window with the big X, I hit "Click restart to begin",
the machine asks for a password, I give it, it reboots.
I hold down "C" to boot off the install disc.

After the reboot, it shows an apple logo in the middle
of the screen, and is accessing the DVD drive.

Then the apple logo changes to the "fobidden" sign,
you know, a circle with a slash over it (as in "do not
enter").

That probably means either of two things:

(a) The computer was unable to read the DVD properly and it stopped part
way through the boot sequence. This might be due to a bad DVD or a bad
drive.

Humm, it is a known good drive (an HP DVD drive used for several years).


(b) The system software on the DVD decided that it wasn't able to
proceed any further because it isn't compatible with the computer, or it
detected a fault with the computer.

Anyone seen this?

I've seen the "forbidden" symbol come up once, but I don't recall the
circumstances.

Some more information might help to narrow down the problem.

1. Exactly what is that DVD? Is it a standard Tiger retail DVD, not a
DVD which is specific to a particular Mac model? (It should be black
with a big grey X on it, and not say "Upgrade" or "CPU Drop-in".
Model-specific DVDs are grey and say the model name.)

Store bought, not model specific, black with grey X, says:

MAC OS X TIGER
Includes Xcode 2
Install DVD


2. Exactly which Mac model do you have? "G4" doesn't tell me much. The
fact that it originally had a CD drive and ran a very old version of Mac
OS X narrows it down somewhat.

Yes to all the above.


3. How much memory is installed in the computer? It must have at least
256 MB to be able to install Mac OS X 10.4, and it is possible that this
is checked early in the boot process.

128mb, so I guess that is it? A new 1gb memory should be cheap. In my
searches in usenet, I saw that others were getting a screen that said
"not enough memory"?


4. Is the firmware up to date? Later versions of Mac OS X might not work
if the computer is running old firmware. You can find out the firmware
revision using System Profiler.


Here is my system profiler detail:

System: MAC OS X 10.1.3 (SQ45) (I installed OS X on the machine, it was
running some early version I don't recall).

Note: no startup disc selected
Built in memory: 128mb pc100-3225
Backside l2 cache: 1mb
Machine ID: 406
Processor info: PowerPC G4
Model Name: PowerMac G4 (agp graphics)
Keyboard type: apple usb keyboard
Boot rom version: 4.28f1

The boot rom on this machine is probally very odd, it comes up with
"openboot" something, and you have to type "mac-boot" to start it.
The short story is I bought the machine in an auction from a failed
networking company, they had rack mounted it and were doing odd
things with it, so I think the rom is nonstandard. How hard would
it be to return the rom back to original form? I have no use for
the special boot.

Thank you,

Scott Moore


You might be able to find out more about the problem by starting from
the DVD in verbose mode by holding down Command-V immediately at
startup. This will go into text mode and display a series of messages as
the boot sequence proceeds. It might display an error message when it
stops, and that might reveal what it doesn't like (if we can interpret
it).


This was great information, thank you.

Scott Moore
.

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