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Starting from scratch; wiping an iBook

  • 23-11-2009 11:57am
    #1
    stevemcf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 129 ✭✭


    Hi all,
    Experienced PC user here, Mac newbie.
    Have got my hands on an iBook G4 running OSX 10.4 from a friend. All I have is mac, PSU and a case.

    From what I can see the system files are corrupt or have been deleted as I cannot install any apps or open the System Pref... just get error messages and application not found.

    In the world of PC's I would wipe and start again but not so easy here! I have no OS as I have no install CD's. I also heard a whisper that the install CD's were also linked to the HDD?

    I use legit software so do I go into a shop can I get a copy of this software? Or do Apple sell legacy software? (unlikely) Even on the net?

    Is there any RAMDRIVE on these machines that may store a diagnostic OS loader or something? I checked the boot options and the system boot gives me loads of info but reports not errors.

    Thanks,
    Steve


Comments

  • #2
    uncle_sam_ie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,191 ✭✭✭uncle_sam_ie


    What specs does the ibook have? See if you can do a system update first. If not, get your hands on a copy of OS X Leopard and do the fresh install.


  • #3
    stevemcf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 129 ✭✭stevemcf


    MAC:
    OSX 10.4.8
    800 Mhz PowerPC G4
    640 RAM
    More info... is disabled


  • #4
    uncle_sam_ie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,191 ✭✭✭uncle_sam_ie


    This is definitely a situation were you need the install discs. The minimum requirement for Leopard is G4 867MHz, you might get away with it. I'd check e-bay they sometimes sell old iBook install disks. If you know anyone that has a mac running Tiger you could target mode with firewire. Other then that, there is always my cousin Torrance in Sweden, he might have a copy.

    Can you run Disk repair?


  • #5
    Type 17
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,731 ✭✭✭Type 17


    You can get a 10.4 drop-in CPU disc (Apple's term) on eBay.

    Drop-in means that it will work on any Mac, once it's not too old/new - the discs to be careful choosing are the grey Install discs that come with a new Mac - these will only work with the model that they came with.
    Note that they are not coded to an individual machine, so they'll work with any example of that model, but it's easy enough to buy a disc that doesn't work with your exact model variant so you might think that it would be worth going for the generic one.


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