G4 1.4GHz Mac Mini will not install Leopard

[Akula971]

I have a 2005 Mac Mini (My first Mac) which came with Tiger. I've over clocked it to 1.56GHz by the zero ohm link method. It has 1GB RAM. It runs just fine. I have now bought a copy of Leopard 10.5.6 from ebay, and tried to install, but it just won't read the disk, makes some noise then decides against it and spits it out. The DVD is fine and reads OK on my 2011 mini. The DVD in the 2005 mac mini reads the Panther and Tiger disks just fine, and reads DVD films too. Is there an Intel only version of 10.5.6? I thought they were all universal?

Any ideas why it won't install?

[scooper]

Leopard is the last version of OS X to support PPC-based Macs. It should just work. Maybe there is just something about the DVD that isn't playing well with the laser in that drive. It's a real DVD from Apple right?

[Akula971]

Yes its a genuine DVD

[castaway]

You could try installing via Target Disk Mode with the Intel-based Mac mini using a Firewire cable. You also need to have the PPC-based Mac mini partitioned using the Apple Partitioned Map.

[mooblie]

It may be genuine Apple DVD, but is it a genuine RETAIL copy of Leopard? i.e. with a picture of "X" over a purple galaxy in a starry sky on it?

(and NOT a plain grey Leopard system DVD from another model of Mac? - which won't work.)

It is also possible that the DVD drive in your mini can read single-layer only (like the Panther/Tiger discs you have) and the Leopard DVD is dual-layer? Not sure about this, though! Can you borrow an external dual-layer DVD drive to try? (Doesn't have to be a special Apple drive. One from a Windows PC - via USB - should be OK.)
_________________
Martin at HeadSpin HD now on Blu-ray

[Akula971]

Thank you so much , spent all afternoon trying to get it to install via fire wires and DMG's. Worked first time in Target mode. I can only assume the DVD is on the blink.

was a full retail copy btw.

[castaway]

[macmanmacman]

Actually it's called disk burning 1.0 most super drives can only read single layer on the g4 mac mini.

then theres super drives mark 2 which read everything 1.0 2.0 and 3.0 burning

[Smithcraft]

It is more likely a dead drive than a only reading a single layer.

The SuperDrive in my G4 mini reads dual layer discs without issue.

SC
_________________
Grumpy old man of computing.

[Desktop] G4 mini - 1.5Ghz 1GB 80GB HDD - Newer miniStack v2 500GB - 10.5.8

[Media System] Intel i5 mini - 2.33Ghz 8GB 500GB HDD - 4 x Hitachi 2TB HDD in a qBOX-SF - 10.7.5 (Thanks Phil!)

Make sure it has pins!

[macmanmacman]

then that means you have a mark 2 drive not a mark 1

[Smithcraft]

Find me an DVD drive that can only read a single layer. It would be useless even as a DVD drive for watching DVDs with content on more than one layer.

SC
_________________
Grumpy old man of computing.

[Desktop] G4 mini - 1.5Ghz 1GB 80GB HDD - Newer miniStack v2 500GB - 10.5.8

[Media System] Intel i5 mini - 2.33Ghz 8GB 500GB HDD - 4 x Hitachi 2TB HDD in a qBOX-SF - 10.7.5 (Thanks Phil!)

Make sure it has pins!

[macmanmacman]

i know it's worthless that is why apple stoped using them and went to mark 2 drives thats why you have launch mac mini g4's that wont read leopard disks i know i have one it only reads single layer because at the time single layer was cheaper then dual layer support

[Smithcraft]

SC
_________________
Grumpy old man of computing.

[Desktop] G4 mini - 1.5Ghz 1GB 80GB HDD - Newer miniStack v2 500GB - 10.5.8

[Media System] Intel i5 mini - 2.33Ghz 8GB 500GB HDD - 4 x Hitachi 2TB HDD in a qBOX-SF - 10.7.5 (Thanks Phil!)

Make sure it has pins!