Booting from external DVD drive

[bse5150]

I have a Mac Mini G4 and a Leopard install DVD. For some reason, my Mac Mini won't read the DVD in the internal drive so I can't boot from it. I also have an external USB drive. I would like to boot from the external drive. Is this possible? If so, how?

Thanks

p.s. I've tried holding down the 'c' key during boot up but that doesn't work. :-/

EDIT: I googled the question and found the answer: can't boot from USB.

 

[TheMacGuy]

You could always try Target Disk Mode from another Leopard-capable Mac.

 

[Byrd]

G4 Minis only boot from external firewire drives, sadly. If you have a spare FW hard disk you could use Disk Utility to make an image of your DVD and restore this to the FW hard disk, I find the combo drives in Minis are pretty unreliable.

 

[bse5150]

You could always try Target Disk Mode from another Leopard-capable Mac.

How would I do that? Put the DVD in one Mac and access it via FireWire? My only other OS X machine is my MacBook Pro, which runs Snow Leopard.

 

[Macdrone]

If it has firewire it should have target disk mode start it up holding the "T" with the dvd in drive the firewire sysmbol should appear. Then start up the mini holding the option key I think then pick the DVD from the screen. I may be a little off but when I booted my firewire ibook to my firewire tibook thats how it went. Should be pretty close.

 

[mcdermd]

It should work exactly as MacDrone described.

 

[TheMacGuy]

Its been the same throughout the years. Just do what MacDrone said, it should work. Does the MBP have FW400? If not, and it has FW800, you will either need a FW800-to-400 cable or a converter.

 

[bse5150]

Okay, so I need a cable. I'm pretty sure my Mini is a FW400 port and I'll have to check on my MBP's firewire.

 

[TheMacGuy]

Is it your 2011 MBP in you Signature? If so, its FW800 (I had a 2011 BBP too).