Comments on: Installing OS X via the Target Disk Mode

By: craig5678

craig5678 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 09:41:44 +0000

Thank you so much for your help. I've been trying to get this done for several hours and couldn't figure it out until I stumbled across your post.

By: craig5678

craig5678 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:41:44 +0000

Thank you so much for your help. I've been trying to get this done for several hours and couldn't figure it out until I stumbled across your post.

By: Reza

Reza — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 06:03:14 +0000

This is an amazingly easy process, thank you so much.
After spending many hours online trying to find out ways to install leopard I finally got it done with this simple way and it worked the first time with no hassle.
Great jon Hedi,

By: Christopher

Christopher — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:23:02 +0000

Genius!

Such a simple but useful guide, worked perfectly the first time.

Cheers

By: mac fanatic

mac fanatic — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:57:11 +0000

Kofi Blades,

The Install disc will install the version of Leopard that is correct for the machine that is running the install disc.

So if you try it your way, you will get a Intel Leopard version installed on a PPC. And it won’t boot.

By: buddha429

buddha429 — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:02:22 +0000

will this work if i’m tring to install os x 10.3.7 from a ibook G4 to a Ibook G3 clamshell

By: mr inge j.clausen

mr inge j.clausen — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:15:41 +0000

great advice. sending you good vibes from oslo. inge

By: bkb

bkb — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:46:17 +0000

bregreta – backup to the start of the installer process (before you have to choose install location). open disk utility (from the utilities menu). erase the macintosh hd partition on the disk you wish to install the new OS. make sure you erase the partition and not the entire disk, otherwise it will say “resource busy”. once this is done quit disk utility and go back to the installer. the location will now show up in target install locations.

By: Bregeta

Bregeta — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 18:49:28 +0000

Hey! I’m using this method to get OS X from my imac onto my powerbook G4 (dead optical drive). All works well until i come to the stage of having to select a hard-drive for 10.4 to install on. For some reason the only hard-drive that appears is that of the imac’s, no sign of the powerbook? Is this the case of a dead hard-drive in the powerbook, or something software based. My powerbook OS at the moment is corrupt so i cannot change any settings here. By the way, i have reset PMU, and other recommended tests have been taken out. Thanks! Bregeta, x

By: Hypnogogic » Tumble » Links du jour

Hypnogogic » Tumble » Links du jour — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:08:54 +0000

[...] Installing OS X via the Target Disk Mode | Mac AmourTrying this tomorrow. [...]

By: Ivor

Ivor — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 10:20:50 +0000

I’ve heard that the reason for not starting the destination computer in Target Disk Mode is that when you install OS X from retail DVDs, that OS X will be configured to its host computer, and not it’s destination computer. For instance, I’m about to install 10.3 onto my iBook G3 500 by using my eMac’s DVD drive. If I started my iBook in Target mode, then a system which was configured for an eMac would be installed on it. If I were installing from one iBook G3 to another one, it wouldn’t be a problem.

By: Hedi

Hedi — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:58:23 +0000

Not sure but maybe the OS 9 drive is set as a master while the other one is set as the slave drive. You will maybe need to fix that on the hardware itself not from the software (OS X).

By: Melody

Melody — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:59:08 +0000

I am trying to install Tiger on a power pc G4. The G4 has two hard drives… One that has OS9 and one that has OSX 10.3.9. The only hard drive that comes up as the target drive on the desktop is the OS9. I’ve tried fixing the OSX drive as a startup drive in system prefs but I cannot get it to come up.

Any suggestions?

By: Simon

Simon — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 00:05:10 +0000

Kofi is right…. you need to start the “destination msc” as TARGET…..

By: Hedi

Hedi — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:27:01 +0000

Apple states the following basic Leopard system requirements, although, for some specific applications and actions (such as iChat backdrops) an Intel processor is required:
Processor must be any Intel, PowerPC G5 or G4 (at least 867 MHz or faster)
DVD drive (for installation of the operating system)
At least 512 MB of RAM (additional RAM (1 GB) is recommended for development purposes)
At least 9 GB of disk space available
Leopard was not released in separate versions for each type of processor, but instead consists of one universal release that can run on both PowerPC and Intel processors. Leopard drops support for slower G4 and all G3 processors.

By: David

David — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:01:57 +0000

Is there any reason that this technique won’t work on a G4 PowerBook (an early 500mHz version)? Other than trial-and-error is there a compatibility chart for hardware and software anywhere? Thanks. Great site! David

By: Karey

Karey — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 08:24:53 +0000

I’m working towards installing Tiger, from a retail DVD, via a G4 Powerbook, onto an iMac G3 with a CD drive.

Upgraded iMac from OS 9.0.4 to 9.1, installed Firmware 4.1.9, then OS 9.2.1 via install files transferred via the Firewire cable. Zapped PRAM in both computers just in case (hold down the CMD+OPT+P+R keys until you get at least two bongs). Verified the disks, no repairs needed.

With the PB up and the iMac screen showing the Firewire icon, selectively installed OS 10.4 onto the iMac HD, and all looked great from the PB screen. When both were shut down & disconnected, the iMac would not start without an OS 9 restore disc, would not restart with its own OS 9 or 10, would not restart with the PB, and could not see the DVD.

I restored OS 9 to the iMac, cleaned out the OS X files, shut ‘em both down, reconnected Firewire, set the PB screen to show the Firewire logo as you suggested, and started up the iMac with Option down, to restart from the PB’s DVD – but it did not show up as a restart option, only the iMac’s OS 9 and the PB’s os X.

So I’ve done it both ways & neither works; is there anything else I should be looking into as a toe-stubbing point for these hard-working computers? Somewhere there was a mention of resetting SMU but no directions for doing so.

Thanks,
Karey

By: Guide: Leopard Under Control | Mac Amour

Guide: Leopard Under Control | Mac Amour — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 23:18:01 +0000

[...] Installing Leopard in Target Disk Mode may be obliged for some Mac users, here’s the tutorial [...]

By: Hedi

Hedi — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 23:22:09 +0000

Awww thank you Jason!
I had that boot icon when I was trying to install OS X from my external DVD drive from the Firewire port. And after contacting LaCie’s support, we arrived to the conclusion that the Drive’s Firewire port was dead..
I won’t repeat what you have probably read at the Apple’s support you gave but, I think (but I’m not sure) there is a defective Firewire port. First thing to do in that case is to do a reset SMU (or PMU), perform a search on Mac Amour you’ll find the how to.
You should also try an Apple Hardware Diagnostics to be sure.

By: It Lives!!!

It Lives!!! — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 19:23:25 +0000

[...] I borrowed a coworker’s identical Macbook and connected the two with a firewall cable using target disk mode (which is a really cool feature by the way). Sadly my macbook could see the drives on the other [...]