Maximum PC

So my father wants to get rid of his old G4 Powerbook, macbook, or whatever the hell they called them back in the day, and sell it to a total stranger on Craigslist. You just have to nuke the drive and then install OSX again, right? Only problem is that the DVD drive (slot fed by the way) doesn't function, and even traps discs inside. I remember hearing when the air came out that you could use a network PC and its DVD drive to access discs, but I can't find it anywhere on Google. I can't take out the drive, install on another laptop and then swap the drives either, because I don't have any Apple laptops. How can I get around to installing a clean OSX on it without having to buy a USB DVD drive?

Is the laptop FUBAR?

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=in ... h&aq=f&oq=

The 2nd link seems pretty straightforward.

One installed there, you should be able to image from the USB drive to the G4

I don't believe the PowerPC models has an option to do a network image or remote install with this. In any case with the network install, I also believe you'll need another Mac to work with.

Hmm, how would I go about imaging though? Actually, I might have an old Norton Ghost that run with a floppy and LAN, so I'll do that, unless there's a way to make the USB a bootable install disc, instead of a bootable OSX install.

I believe OS X has the dd command.

macosxhints.com is probably going to be one of your best sources for stuff like this.

Yeah, but I can't imagine myself registering on a (GASP!) Mac forum.

But this is maximum PC forum. Heck you might even want to try the Apple Forums and see if someone can help you.

I am not totally up on my Mac models but there is a function called target mode where you connect two Macs via firewire and you completely control the 'target' from the master, including install the entire OS.

I have done this a couple times and it could not be easier. Not sure if it will work in this case but might be worth looking into.

But the OP is in Alt.Os so it is fine

I would say buy a new drive, but that is going to cost like a bajillion and 1 dollars.

An Apple is a PC running a different operating system. It is as much a PC as a linux box.

This question is in the correct category and properly posted.

I admit that he would probably find more help in Apple-specific forums, but he did the right thing in bringing the question to the Alt.OS.Abode.

I bought a USB DVD / CDR for $20 on kijiji ... there are always deals available to those who troll community bulletin boards.

The cheapest way would be to boot the OS from a USB stick, though. That is how I got OSX on my netbook.

When those comments were made, it was in Free Clinic. Thus the way I responded.

Only reason I recommended macosxhints was they seem to have a pretty good archive chock full of good stuff like this.

only the newer generations, depending on how old it is it would have the FruitBoard and AppleCorePU

These were actually the requirements from the OS X upgrade

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2176

I know a few individuals running them on G4s and a couple of G3s.