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burnsmonkey · Nov 27, 2004, 07:05 PM

Just picked up a PowerMac G4 AGP/400mhz system but it came with no HD and luckily I have a few laying around, so I popped it in and now I am stuck with the task of installing an OS and need to know how I go by doing that? Is it like a PC where I just put in the disk and the cd-rom boots and installs the OS or is it something completely different, cause rite now all I get is a grayish white screen. Any info would be appreciated and its great to learn something new, again I have no experience with a MAC,

THANKS!

Catfish_Man · Nov 27, 2004, 07:12 PM

Stick the install CD in, hold down C, and restart. You should be able to get to disk utility from one of the menus in the installer, iirc.

p.s. Mac isn't an acronym (not MAC, in other words). Some people get kinda annoyed about this

burnsmonkey · Nov 27, 2004, 07:23 PM

Well I havent purchased an OS so I am not sure about which one to purchase since I have read the some will not work with others. And I would hold down c and press restart on the g4 then the OS will install? And sorry about the Mac thing wont happen again!

CharlesS · Nov 27, 2004, 07:30 PM

The G4 should have come with some CDs containing the OS installers. If you don't have these, the person who sold you the machine has done you a disservice by not giving you everything that came with the machine. However, since it sounds like they took the hard disk out as well, I guess this isn't much of a surprise. Anyway, I would see if you have any CDs for installing Mac OS X.

The latest version of Mac OS X is 10.3.6. Any 10.3.0 through 10.3.5 will work, since they will automatically update to 10.3.6 through Software Update. If the CDs that you got with the G4 were for OS 9 or any version of OS X earlier than 10.2.x, then I would not bother with them. If you have no OS X CDs, you can either buy Mac OS X 10.3 from the Apple Store (http://www.apple.com/store/) or wait for 10.4 to come out, which should be sometime early in 2005. Alternatively, you could also install Linux or BSD if you like (but most of us on here will recommend Mac OS X as it is awesome!).

When you boot from the CD by inserting the CD and holding down the C key at boot time, it will launch the installer. From there, you'll be able to choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. This is where you can format the hard drive.

Good luck!

bborofka · Nov 27, 2004, 07:34 PM

You'll want to buy Mac OS X 10.3 Panther... it's the latest version of OS X.

When you boot the CD, you will be greeted with a step-by-step installer which will give you the option to format a volume. As someone else said, it might be wise to just go ahead and format it with Disk Utility before you try and install OS (use HFS+, Journaled), which is available in one of the menus of the Installer.

Be sure to run all the Software Updates after everything is installed.

CharlesS · Nov 27, 2004, 07:36 PM

Originally posted by bborofka:
(use HFS+, Journaled), which is available in one of the menus of the Installer.

To clarify this, the option you actually need to choose is "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)". HFS+ is the short name for the Mac OS Extended file system.

burnsmonkey · Nov 27, 2004, 07:42 PM

That would be correct that no discs came with the system but what do you expect for $30, I thought it was a great buy, I hoe I didnt get screwed.

Well it seems that the best choice is to go with Mac OS X and thats what i will do, thanks again everyone.

CharlesS · Nov 27, 2004, 07:51 PM

Originally posted by burnsmonkey:
That would be correct that no discs came with the system but what do you expect for $30, I thought it was a great buy, I hoe I didnt get screwed. Well it seems that the best choice is to go with Mac OS X and thats what i will do, thanks again everyone.

$30 for a G4? Okay, I take back the complaint about the missing OS X disks - that's a really cheap price, even for a pretty old model.

burnsmonkey · Nov 27, 2004, 08:07 PM

Thats good I almost felt like I got jipped, thanks.

winwintoo · Nov 27, 2004, 08:17 PM

Originally posted by burnsmonkey:
Thats good I almost felt like I got jipped, thanks.

HOLD THE PHONE! YOU DID GET GYPPED!! PUT THAT COMPUTER IN A BOX AND SEND IT DIRECTLY TO ME. YOUR $30 IS IN THE MAIL AS WE SPEAK. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY THAT MUCH FOR A G4 MAC OR Mac WITHOUT A HARD DRIVE.

Where am I when these deals are made?

I always come along right after the big sale

Margaret

Krypton · Nov 28, 2004, 09:40 AM

For that price I would love to know where you got it from!

Cadaver · Nov 28, 2004, 09:46 AM

Originally posted by Krypton:
For that price I would love to know where you got it from!

Back alley.... "Pst! Hey, wanna buy a Mac?"