Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

eScrib · Oct 20, 2007, 05:21 PM

So I thought I had it all figured out. After doing some Photoshop work on my dual 533, I realized that I needed a new desktop. I have a Macbook Pro that I use every day, but there's something about a desktop... But with Leopard coming, I figured it was time to pony up.

The thought was to turn the G4 into a file server/Time Machine backup and put it in the basement. It has plenty of disk and enough memory to function. I was going to get a 24" iMac and enjoy life.

Until I read that a remote Mac that would be used for Time Machine backup requires Leopard to be installed. Well that's sort of a problem since I don't meet the minimum install requirements posted by Apple.

So... I can either upgrade the G4 to something like a 1GHZ processor for under $200, or hope someone figures out how to hack the Leopard installer so that the OS will install on unsupported machines.

I am leaning towards upgrading the G4, but is the $200 worth it all?

Thoughts?

0157988944 · Oct 20, 2007, 05:29 PM

You can install Leopard on that machine, you just need to do it via another compatible computer and Firewire. If I understand correctly, you can connect your PowerMac to your MacBook Pro in Target Disc mod, pop the Leopard disc into your MBP, and when it asks where to install it, select the PowerMac disc.

eScrib · Oct 20, 2007, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by adamfishercox

You can install Leopard on that machine, you just need to do it via another compatible computer and Firewire. If I understand correctly, you can connect your PowerMac to your MacBook Pro in Target Disc mod, pop the Leopard disc into your MBP, and when it asks where to install it, select the PowerMac disc.

Good stuff. I supopse it's worth a shot before I go out and spend more $$$.

I'll look into this!

Thanks!

reader50 · Oct 20, 2007, 05:32 PM

The official Leopard minimum is 867 MHz ... single core. With all the multithreading, your dual 533 will behave much like a 1 GHz system.

They should get around the install check fairly quickly. If you have another PPC system handy that qualifies, you could already install over firewire. If the Leopard installer allows you to choose the platform version to install, then you'd be OK doing a FW install even from an x86 system.

Are you sure the remote Mac needs Leopard for Time Machine to work? I'd think a shared network HD would be enough.

eScrib · Oct 20, 2007, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by reader50

The official Leopard minimum is 867 MHz ... single core. With all the multithreading, your dual 533 will behave much like a 1 GHz system.

They should get around the install check fairly quickly. If you have another PPC system handy that qualifies, you could already install over firewire. If the Leopard installer allows you to choose the platform version to install, then you'd be OK doing a FW install even from an x86 system.

Are you sure the remote Mac needs Leopard for Time Machine to work? I'd think a shared network HD would be enough.

I was wondering if TDM works coming from a MBP to a PPC machine.

Here's what I got from Apple's website re: Time Machine requirements:

Apple - Mac OS X Leopard - Features - Time Machine

Pick a disk. Any disk.
You can designate just about any HFS+ formatted FireWire or USB drive connected to a Mac as a Time Machine backup drive. Time Machine can also back up to another Mac running Leopard with Personal File Sharing, Leopard Server, or Xsan storage devices.

reader50 · Oct 20, 2007, 10:02 PM

Come to think of it, Time Machine uses hard links on the backup disk. That would require a directly connected drive, or a remote drive with an OS that supports hard links. ie - Leopard for a remote OSX computer. Probably could use a remote Linux box, but it doesn't sound like they mention such a compatibility.