140. Unconventional Installation
Problem: Install OS X Leopard on iMac G4.
I got one of the old lamp-style iMacs for my daughter to play with; I love the design as well, so it's a nice thing to have around. Even though it's rather old, I thought it might run a little better with Leopard installed rather than Tiger, which seemed quite pokey. However, the Leopard installation requirements state that the machine must be a G4/867MHz or faster, and this model is a mere 800MHz. The installer refuses to proceed.
Solution: Install via Firewire Target Mode.
After some research, I thought I could trick it into installing via Target mode, so I hooked it up to my MacBook Pro and duly started the installation. The partition manager demanded that I format the iMac HDD as a GUID partition, which I did, and the install proceeded.
Problem: iMac G4 cannot boot from GUID partition.
So I restart the iMac after the install completed, and it displays the question-mark folder, meaning that it cannot find a bootable disk. I realize that the GUID partition is only usable for booting an Intel Mac. I then retrieve my older Powerbook G4, thinking that will allow me to install to an older Macintosh partition type.
Problem: Powerbook G4 has broken DVD drive.
I put the install disc in, and click-click-click-click it starts up, but fails to mount (and sounds horrible.) This gave me pause, but then I thought, why not put the Macbook Pro into target mode, attach it to the Powerbook, and use its DVD drive to boot the installer from.
Problem: Powerbook G4 has only one Firewire 400 port, and I have no Firewire 800 cables.
Gah! Now what do I do? Wait a minute! Firewire supports daisy chaining, and the imac has 2 Firewire 400 ports.
Solution: Plug Macbook Pro, in target mode, into iMac G4,, and plug iMac G4, in target mode, into Powerbook G4.
Success! The Powerbook G4 sees all the drives, dutifully boots from the Macbook Pro DVD drive, and the installation proceeds, albeit slowly.
The iMac G4 actually runs Leopard quite nicely, in the end. It seems well suited as a kid computer — it's solidly constructed, plays DVDs quite well and the swing arm can be manipulated into different positions for different uses. Now I just need to figure out Simple Finder.