HHD restore for iBook 3g

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iBook G3 12"

Model M6497 or A1005 / 500, 600, 700, 800, or 900 MHz G3 processor

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John B @johnb

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Posted: Dec 31, 2015

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HHD restore for iBook 3g

I bought a couple iBook 3g A1005s. The HHDs are clean. I bought OS x 10.2 then tried to install. Message I got was can not install due to no older OS installed.

Do I need the original disks for each unit? Can I just get OS 9.0 and install?

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mayer @mayer

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Posted: Jan 1, 2016

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http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ib...

Your probable system limitations are:

Pre-Installed MacOS: 9.2.2 & X 10.2.1 Maximum MacOS: X 10.4.11

Sounds like you got a system upgrade disk rather than a full installation disk.

UPDATE 1/4/16

There are three different models of your machine, see them here. See which machine you have here and tell us which one you have: :

http://www.everymac.com/ultimate-mac-loo...

Here is a picture of an original gray system installation disk: http://www.welovemacs.com/6913638a.html

Here is a picture of a retail installation disk:

http://www.welovemacs.com/m8621llanos9.h...

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30 Comments:

thanks, I have the link you provided. The disks I got states install on them,, OS X10.2.. the message I been getting is "Cannot install Mac OS X on this disk. An earlier version of Mac OS X is not installed".

Sooo I have bought Mac OS 9.0, to install first then try the OS X 10.2 again.

I also asked the local Apple store, but they are not willing to help unless I bought from them, that's what it seems like anyways.

Again thanks for you input... I may have just wasted my money on the iBook 3Gs I bought.

Live and learn ;-)

Jan 2, 2016 by John B

If you are trying to install 10.2.0 it is to early, needs the 10.2.1. Is this a retail version or a gray (machine specific) disk? You should have no problem with the system 9 install.

Jan 2, 2016 by mayer

won't get the 9.O till next week. Dumb me,,, what is the gray(machine specific) mean? So OS X 10.2.1 install disks should work?

Jan 2, 2016 by John B

Is your 10.2.1 disk a retail disk or is the disk gray?

Jan 3, 2016 by mayer

still not sure what gray means,,, the disks I got are retail not copies. there 10.2 not 10.2.1 I think I need the OS type first not the OS X type if I understand the message correctly

Cannot install Mac OS X on this disk. An earlier version of Mac OS X is not installed,,, could be wrong..

Jan 3, 2016 by John B

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thanks, I have the link you provided. The disks I got states install on them,, OS X10.2.. the message I been getting is "Cannot install Mac OS X on this disk. An earlier version of Mac OS X is not installed".

Sooo I have bought Mac OS 9.0, to install first then try the OS X 10.2 again.

I also asked the local Apple store, but they are not willing to help unless I bought from them, that's what it seems like anyways.

Again thanks for you input... I may have just wasted my money on the iBook 3Gs I bought.

Live and learn ;-) — John B
If you are trying to install 10.2.0 it is to early, needs the 10.2.1. Is this a retail version or a gray (machine specific) disk? You should have no problem with the system 9 install. — mayer
won't get the 9.O till next week. Dumb me,,, what is the gray(machine specific) mean? So OS X 10.2.1 install disks should work? — John B
still not sure what gray means,,, the disks I got are retail not copies. there 10.2 not 10.2.1 I think I need the OS type first not the OS X type if I understand the message correctly

Cannot install Mac OS X on this disk. An earlier version of Mac OS X is not installed,,, could be wrong.. — John B