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Heian · Apr 23, 2006, 08:22 AM

Hi folks, new poster!

I have an iMac and need a cheap laptop too; the latest specs aren't important but I do wnat to run OSX.

A used computer shop near me has a number of 867 MHz G4 PBs from 2001 and one of them is significantly cheaper because it doesn't have an OS. (The person who sold it to the store didn't have the system discs.)

Can you load the OS from a non-Powerbook on to that machine? The gap betwen that computer and another one was more than the educational price of Tiger, so even if I had to buy 10.4 separately, it would be a good deal.

Anything tricky that I need to be aware of?

TheoCryst · Apr 23, 2006, 02:42 PM

Nope, you should be totally fine. The copies of Tiger sold at the Apple store are specifically designed to be installed on any Mac (with a Firewire port, at least). The best part about that particular TiBook is that it will happily boot into OS 9.2.2 in addition to Tiger.

yugyug · Apr 23, 2006, 06:45 PM

Just so you know though, other versions of Tiger than come on newer machines will not load onto some older models - a way for Apple to enforce their licensing. There are ways around it but kinda tricky.

Dr.Michael · Apr 26, 2006, 02:23 AM

I have the 1GHz Model of the Titanium Powerbook.

Tiger installs without any problems. I used a family pack version that I restored from my 12 inch Powerbook.
But it is by no means sure that OS 9 will boot. The latest machines of that series don't boot OS 9 (mine does not for ex.). So I agree: buy the machine. The orignal OS would be 10.2. So its better to have no OS and pay less for the machine, especially if you can buy Tiger with an edu price.

BLAZE_MkIV · Apr 26, 2006, 09:41 AM

I'd take a system disk with you and boot the machine of it if you not completely sure of the dealers return policy ( bad pixels, lines on the screen, keyboard impressions etc ).

Heian · May 4, 2006, 04:46 PM

Thank you all for the advice! (Sorry for the late reply!)

The store has a return policy so I could always bring a 10.4 disk with me, boot it in a nearby cafe, and return the computer if there are any problems. I'm a long-time shopper there and bought my old PC from them.

My system disk for 10.4 is for an Intel machine; does that matter? (Does the 10.4 for the new iMacs boot on any Mac?) Basically I don't want to be stuck searching for a 867-MHz PBG4-specific system disc, which would be just about impossible to find.

It's an AlBook, BTW, not a TiBook. I meant to say 2003 for the production date, not 2001.

Dr.Michael · May 5, 2006, 01:46 AM

Originally Posted by Heian

Thank you all for the advice! (Sorry for the late reply!)

The store has a return policy so I could always bring a 10.4 disk with me, boot it in a nearby cafe, and return the computer if there are any problems. I'm a long-time shopper there and bought my old PC from them.

My system disk for 10.4 is for an Intel machine; does that matter? (Does the 10.4 for the new iMacs boot on any Mac?) Basically I don't want to be stuck searching for a 867-MHz PBG4-specific system disc, which would be just about impossible to find.

It's an AlBook, BTW, not a TiBook. I meant to say 2003 for the production date, not 2001.

Is it the 867 MHz 12 inch powerbook then? That machine had a couple of heat issues. Please browse the forum before you decide.

You don"t have to search for a system. Any system that you buy from Apple will boot on that machine. The intel version will not boot, unless there is also the ppc version on that disk (probably not, otherwise it would not be labeled for intel).

Also the iMac disk can be tricky. I remember that I once used a powermac cd to install on my powerbook. That left the system unstable. Its about the drivers. If the iMac dvd contains only the iMac specific drivers that it will not work on a powerbook.