Can I install Mac OS X Tiger Using a external dvd drive? ?

Question

I have a slot loading imac g3 500mhz proccesor 1gb ram but it has a cd-rom Drive and I want to get tiger and Will it install using a external dvd drive? Becuse I hear tiger is on a dvd!

Answer 1

It is possible to install from an external drive, but it must be a firewire drive. The old PowerPC chips, like those in the G3, are only able to boot from a firewire drive - the newer intel chip Macs can boot over USB too.

So, what you would need to do is find a friend who has a Mac with a dvd drive and who will let you use their machine for 20 minutes.  

1) You will need a piece of software on your friend's machine called Carbon Copy Cloner. You can download this from:

http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html

2) Download and install this.

3) Connect up the firewire drive

4) Put the Tiger DVD in your friend's machine

5) Open Carbon Copy Cloner

6) Make sure that in the Source the Tiger DVD is selected

7) In the target make sure your Firewire drive is selected

8) Click Clone

9) Once complete (and it takes a while), you are safe to disconnect the hard drive and take out the cd

10) Go home

11) Connect up the hard drive and make sure it is powered up

12) Start your mac whilst holding down the option key (that's the one that says alt)

13) Keep holding until you see some boxes on the screen that should show your external hard drive and any other bootable drives.

14) Click the external drive to highlight it and then the forward arrow

15) Your install should start!! bingo!! Grab a beer.

Let me know how you get on and drop me a message if you need any help.

Ross