Boot iBook G4 From USB

[HFTaylor12]

I need to reinstall Leopard on my iBook G4, however I have no dual-layer DVDs to burn my .dmg to. So, I need to boot from USB. I have heard that this has been done before through Open Firmware. How is this done? I might also need to install on my PMG5, so I'd like a method that works with that too. Thanks!

 

[IlikeTech]

You don't have any dvds? The ones you want are DVD+R

 

[HFTaylor12]

Only 4.7GB DVDs. The Leopard installer is more than that. So I need to boot from USB.

 

[IlikeTech]

Oh. I did not realize that it was larger.

 

[bunnspecial]

Most of the time, you can get away with just typing  boot ud:,\\:tbxi in open firmware once your bootable volume plugged in.

 

[IlikeTech]

That is what I thought as well.

 

[HFTaylor12]

Most of the time, you can get away with just typing  boot ud:,\\:tbxi in open firmware once your bootable volume plugged in.

OK, thanks. My Leopard DMG is still downloading, so I will let you know if it worked or not later today.

 

[bibilit]

I have done it several times, you only need to format the drive using Disk Utility (IIRC there is an option for Intel and pre-intel material)

http://lowendmac.com/2014/boot-a-clamshell-ibook-from-usb/

 

[Cory5412]

When you're partitioning the drive in Disk Utility, you need to choose APM as the partition layout type. Just one partition, you can name it whatever you want, and then use the Restore function in Disk Utility to copy the contents of the DMG over to the flash drive.

 

[HFTaylor12]

Thanks everybody!

 

[HFTaylor12]

I am glad to say that bunnspecials Open Firmware command did the trick on my iBook G4. However, when I try with my Power Mac G5, I get the prohibited sign. I was thinking of detaching some USB items on my G5 (like a display that uses USB port for hub) and I will try that later. The installation is currently going smoothly on my iBook G4.

 

[HFTaylor12]

Tried changing what was attached to the G5, still no luck. Now, if it would help, I have. USB 1TB hard drive. Maybe it would boot from that easier?

 

[HFTaylor12]

Wait a sec... I can just clone the iBook's hard drive!

 

[Gorgonops]

If you have Firewire cables lying around I'm personally a huge fan of doing the clone-an-image-of-a-working-one thing to "install" OS X. Target Disk Mode is probably my single most favorite thing about Macs.

 

[HFTaylor12]

If you have Firewire cables lying around I'm personally a huge fan of doing the clone-an-image-of-a-working-one thing to "install" OS X. Target Disk Mode is probably my single most favorite thing about Macs.

That's what I ended up doing, and now I have Leopard working on my G5! I really like TDM also, I remember quite a while ago I bought a Firewire 400 cable and it was probably one of the best purchases in my life. For just a few bucks, I could install and clone operating systems, as well as recover data, easier than ever before.