[bamchum]

I've accidentally hosed my system and need to reinstall Panther. Unfortunately, the system I've hosed is 10.3.1 and my Panther disks are for 10.3.0. When I try to reinstall the system (my intention is to do an Archive and Install), the installer tells me that I can't reinstall because the system on the target disk is newer than the system I'm trying to install.

I tried deleting the receipts for 10.3.1 and for the Security Update and still no go.

It seems to me one ought to be able to do an Archive and Install. But how? What should I delete on the target (which I can currently access only in Target disk mode)?

[Steven_Chow]

There are some options when you install Mac OSX. Remember the step to choose the destination partition? There is an "Options" button on the bottom of window, click it then you will see some options like "upgrade", "Archive and install" and so on.(Some of those options depend on what kind of OS installed on target partition.) Then you can go ahead to select "Archive and install".

There is another way to keep all your files by using Disk Utility to create a disk image. You can do this by start you computer with Panther install CD, then choose "Disk Utility" under "Install" menu. When Disk Utility is completely loaded, select a partition you wants to make a disk image, then click "New Image" icon on toolbar, then save the .dmg file in any of you other partiton. When you finish this you can quit disk utility and make a clean install.

Personally I prefer second way 'cause some software(like Marcomedia's StudioMX 2004) won't work after archive and install.

Good luck.

Steven.

[mikemako]

I think this will work: When booted from the installer disk, go to "Open Disk Utility". Somewhere in the window that opens will be the option "repair".. choose that.

[bamchum]

Originally posted by Steven_Chow:
There are some options when you install Mac OSX. Remember the step to choose the destination partition? There is an "Options" button on the bottom of window, click it then you will see some options like "upgrade", "Archive and install" and so on.(Some of those options depend on what kind of OS installed on target partition.) Then you can go ahead to select "Archive and install".

Thanks but the problem is precisely that the "Options" button is grayed out, no doubt because it won't let me install over the newer system.

Give it a try yourselves (you don't have to actually go through with installing: if I'm right, you won't be able to anyway).

[cal6n]

I've just tried it with no problems. Once I'd selected the partition, the options opened up for archive & install. Have you got the full install pack or the upgrade only pack? If it's the latter, you'll have to archive & install jaguar, then upgrade to panther. I remember having the same trouble with the upgrade version of jaguar.

Hope this helps

Calvin

[bamchum]

Ah, thanks for the tip. I do have the upgrade pack.

I'll give a try with a reinstall of Jaguar first.

Glad I kept my Jaguar disks around!