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MPMoriarty · Mar 12, 2004, 07:49 PM

I just recently bought my first Mac -- a beautiful iBook G4 933 -- and am loving every minute of it.

I have a question though. I received two sets of software CDs with my laptop. The first set is 8 CDs and those are called SOFTWARE RESTORE disks. The second set is the Mac OS X installation disks.

1). What is the difference between these two sets?

2) Can I use the software restore disks to format and reinstall Mac OS X and reset my iBook G4 to factory settings?

Thanks for your help,

Mike

Lateralus · Mar 12, 2004, 08:03 PM

The OS X install discs will install OS X and the basic applications set, that is all.

The restore set will install OS X, various others apps such as World Book Encyclopedia, etc... and the OS 9 system folder for the classic enviorment.

And yes, using the restore set would set your iBook back to the way it was out-of-the-box.

wataru · Mar 12, 2004, 09:23 PM

The restore disks on more recent machines actually don't delete anything at all (it used to be that they'd erase your hard drive). Now they just put on the 3rd party apps that came with your computer in case you deleted them. They do not install OS X, and they are not bootable. You can choose what category of apps you want to restore (games, utilities, etc.).

MPMoriarty · Mar 12, 2004, 11:29 PM

So since my iBook G4 is relatively new, does this mean that the software restore won't install Mac OS X?

If this is true, then do I need to use the Mac OS X disks and then use the software restore disks?

Also, if Mac OS X isn't included on the software restore CDs, how come there are 8 of them? That's a lot of data!

Mike

wataru · Mar 13, 2004, 01:07 PM

That's correct.

I think you have so many restore disks (I have 5) because your machine came with iLife. I'm pretty sure Tony Hawk's Pro Skating Whatever takes up two on its own, and then there are developer tools, and so on.

ginoledesma · Mar 15, 2004, 03:53 AM

Mine came with 9 discs total (excluding the 1 free blank disc you get):
- 5 Software Restore discs
- 3 Mac OS X 10.3 Discs
- 1 Worldbook Encyclopedia

Since I bought mine before iLife '04 was introduced, my iBook didn't ship with an extra disc.

Falconward · May 2, 2004, 07:05 PM

I recently got an ibook which came with THPS 4 and wordbook and the it's going to be away doing just power-point presentations for most of the year. Is there anyway i can get the software restore disks to work on my PM G4, I own them both and besides the G4 run tony hawk a lot better! I've tried copying the apps but they don't open and the software restore disc arnt allowed in the PM G4.
Thanks

discotronic · May 2, 2004, 07:14 PM

Originally posted by Falconward:
I recently got an ibook which came with THPS 4 and wordbook and the it's going to be away doing just power-point presentations for most of the year. Is there anyway i can get the software restore disks to work on my PM G4, I own them both and besides the G4 run tony hawk a lot better! I've tried copying the apps but they don't open and the software restore disc arnt allowed in the PM G4.
Thanks

The disks that came with your iBook are only licensed to be used with that computer so it is illegal to use them with you PM.

Falconward · May 2, 2004, 10:22 PM

I know and I always try and do the right thing for everything else, I buy my music etc, its just this time I own the product but can't use it because I'm using the ibook for a difference purpose. As wel,l over the last 2 years I have bought both the PM G4 and a G4 powerbook as well as the ibook and neither of these more expensive models came with anything, I feel that if I buy more expansive machines I should at least get the same value in software. Not only that but in all honesty, tony hawk runs like crap on he ibook... And I'm not directing this at you because you're just like me another consumer but I wish apple would give us a bit more freedom sometimes. Anyway, if anyone has anything to say about it I'd like to hear.

wataru · May 2, 2004, 10:56 PM

You can access all the contents of the restore discs through the Terminal. The stuff is all in a folder called ".images" on the disc--In the Terminal, do this:
cd "/Volumes/<disc name>/.images"
cp ./* ~/Desktop

This will copy all of the contents of .images to your desktop. They should just be disk images, so double click them to open.