Ok, I'm trying to install OS X.0 and X.1 (blech)
I can boot from the OS X disk but when it comes up to the part where I select a destination my hard drive is greyed out. I have gone to apples support area and downloaded the firmware updater for the 333 Mhz iMac and it says that I'm already up to date.
I'm running with a Harmoni G3 600 Mhz upgrade card made by Sonnet. The Sonnet site says that this card, running in an iMac is compatible all the way up to X.3 with no software changes required.
The iMac I have has a tray loading CD-ROM drive in it. The drive does not look stock.
Here's the thing. I'm not sure if this iMac originally had a slod loading CD drive (for which there is a separate firmware upgrade application).
What I'm looking for is an opinion or two as to why you think it may not want to install to this disk. I have the required 128 Meg + of memory and have 13 + Gig free on my hard drive. It's formatted as "Mac OS Extended" and is in a single partition.
Incidentally, I'm assuming that my computer was originally a 333 Mhz machine. If anyone can tell me differently that could be helpful. My machine id is 406.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me out.
For that vintage of iMac you need a main partition that is less than 8GB, IIRC. So, make two partitions, the first one about 7.5GB and the other with the rest of the space.
Out of curiosity, why are you installing those oldest OS X systems?
they're trying to install those old OSx's because the 333iMac is still listed as supported with them... if you really want it to go good though, partition your disc into two partitions, (first partition smaller than 8 gigs, this is where you have to install OSX to) then install 10.3 or 10.4 using XPostFacto ive run tiger problem free on my 333 imac for a while now... just remember to do a customized install and uncheck any unneeded languages and printer drivers and so forth... you will need the space.
good luck.
BTW the newer versions of OSX actually run FASTER on the iMac than the old versions that you are trying to install [frankly, in my honest opinion, 10.0 and 10.1 were AWFUL!!!]
I didn't think I needed to partition my drive. The installation documentation says "...and the hard disk is larger than 8 GB with more than one partition,be sure to select a destination partition for Mac OS X that is completely within the first 8 GB of the disk."
I took that to mean that IF it was larger than 8 meg AND had more than one partition...
Oh, and I was installing the OLD versions 'cause I have X.0 and X.1 on disk here in front of me. I could borrow an install disk from my cousin for the latest X except that it's on DVD and I have only a CD drive. I'll have to look up XPostFacto though...
Do you think I might need to upgrade my hard disk driver? I have a Maxtor drive in the computer so it could be that the X installer is unwilling or unable to update the driver.
If nothing else I guess I can partition the drive out so I have a 7.9 Gig partition. That doesn't require any erasing does it? It's been so long I can't recall...
It will erase the drive. By the "destination partition for Mac OS X that is completely within the first 8 GB of the disk." part they really do mean it as directly as it was written. The first partition must be completely within the first 8GB. ie, if it's bigger, then it lies outside of it. That is the most likely source of your problem, and it's well known for certain models (early iMac, Beige G3, etc.).
When you repartition and format the drive it should update the drivers then.
thats right, i forgot that when i installed tiger i swapped the dvd drive from my mac mini G4 into the imac to install tiger, because my tiger install CD's were damaged... then after the install i put the cd drive back in... but, yeah, XPostfacto is your friend, and the 8gig limitation on that machine is quite real unfortunatley.
Yes, you haven't mentioned if the harddrive already has OS 9 or one of the other previous systems on it plus important data and you are trying to upgrade that system to X. Unfortunately, if so, you'll have to get whatever important stuff is there off the harddrive by CD burning or whatever before you'll be able to install X because of the partitioning requirement. After getting the stuff off, I would do a clean format by doing an erase using the "write zeros" option in the install CD's disk utility. It shouldn't take too long, maybe half an hour. This is to get your drive as clean as possible before installing X. Don't do the 8way random write. That could take a day or more, and is mostly just to make sure no one else can ever recover data even if it's been erased. After the write zeros erase finishes, then go to partition and select 2 partitions and make the top partition in the design shown be not more than 8GB. You can do that easily by just dragging the partition line up or down and it will show you the size of the highlighted partition on the side.
There are a couple of programs available that allow you to add partitions to an already formatted drive with data on it, but I wouldn't mess with those. You'd just be begging for problems.
I'm running Panther on my iMac 333 / 512 MB RAM / 30 Gig HD.
Partitions for Panther / OS9.2.2 / and Storage.
No big complaints, actually very snappy most of the time.
However, I have downloaded the latest version of Xpostfacto ,
( says you can get past the 8 Gig partition, and install Tiger, )
and it just doesn't seem to like this Mac.
I have to boot from an old OS9 disk and select the start-up drive.
Otherwise just blue screen.
Am I missing something, where to install, Preferences...?
Sorry to interrupt this thread but thought it may be useful / helpfull.
Dave
Don't fret about interrupting the thread. I'm now on X (blech). I am up to 10.1.5 but I can't seem to find anything that upgrades from there to 10.2 is that the case or am I just missing something?
Thanks everyone for your help. The wording and instructions in the readme for the 10.0 installation was very poor. And, if followed through logically, incorrect. Oh well...
Now I just have to work on restoring OS 9.2 onto the big partition. I borrowed my dad's DVD burner but Toast wouldn't recognize it on my firewire drive for some reason. I have no idea why so I had to use my internal burner and drop 5+ gig onto a handfull of CD's
There is no free upgrade from 10.1.5 (Puma). That's the last free upgrade without a purchase of Jaguar.
10.2 (Jaguar) is a paid upgrade. From there, upgrades are free up to 10.2.8. Jaguar would be an excellent choice of OS for your tray-loader, although application support is becoming less reliable.
10.3 (Panther) is a paid upgrade. From there, upgrades are free up to 10.3.9. A 333 MHz (tray-loading) iMac will run Panther quite nicely. My Frankenberry (pieced together from parts of a Bondi, a Blueberry, a Strawberry and a Lime) ran Panther on just 96 MB RAM until I bumped it up to 192 MB RAM.
10.4 (Tiger) is a paid upgrade. From there, upgrades are free up to (currently) 10.4.8. Your 333 MHz (tray-loading) iMac will not run Tiger without third-party support from a program such as XPostFacto.
Hope this helps.
Dave:
Were you ever able to use XPOSTFACTO or other method to in fact eliminate the 8 GB 1st partition requirement for the trayloader?
I am not aware of any way to overcome the 8 GB first partition. However I wanted to see if your were ever able to implement the claim you noted [EXPOSTFACTO to overcome the 8GB 1st partition].
Please post an update ... and details how ... if you did overcome the 8GB partition.
Thank you.
David Johansson
No, I never was able to get past the partition limitations,
and could not install Tiger on the tray-Loader using Xpostfacto.
Probably an error on my part, but I ran out of patience.
Dave