[macnewbie1]

I acquired a mac powermac g4and which did not come with a internal hard drive and was wondering if i could use a external NTFS formatted
hard drive to boot and use applications on the mac the mac has usb and firewire.

mac serial number xa02235zxhse

[mduell]

No, you can't boot from an NTFS drive.

Internal hard drives of modest capacity are dirt cheap; even 250GB is only $75.

[Leonard]

You'll have to find an internal HD or external firewire HD, and you'll need a set of system CDs/DVDs as you'll have to format the HD and install MacOS on it. You should be able to install either Mac OS X or Mac OS 9 on that Power Mac G4 as from the serial # I get that it is a Power Mac G4 (AGP Graphics) 350 - 500Mhz. Since your a Mac Newbie, I'd probably suggest installing Mac OS X.

[wubrew]

Just want to hold your hand through this one
#1 Put the OSX CD?DVD in the drive. If the drive door won't open because that *&^% who sold you the PM w/o a HD you should look for a mac owner to format the HD to take the OSX. Make sure it's at least a 10.2+ version preferably 10.4
#2 After installing the OS on your ex HD connect to the mac through the usb2 or preferably FW port. If you only have usb1 go straight to #5.
#3 Boot up holding the programmer button. That's the smaller botton below the bigger one on the front of the PM that you purchased.
#4.1Once you hear the "Bong"let go the buttons and press the key "T". You have now made the PM the target disc on to your ex HD. Now that you have the PM booted w/o app what will you do with it?
#4.2 Alternatively you can hold option key down on start up to choose the desire start up disk.
I am doing this because I want you to become a mac affectionado instead of those whiner who said "I tried mac and i AM GOING BACK TO MY peecee because I bought a 2nd hand mac w/o a HD w/o any apps and expect it to do all the great stuff I heard about a mac can do and it DID NOT!"
#5 Now if I were you I will go get an internal HD and install the osx like mduell suggested. Are you sure the only problem that you have now is no HD?
Next time PLEASE get a new/like new entry level complete mac if you plan to discover the GREATness of this Superior Computer System.