Comments on: Issue reinstalling OSX 10.4 (Tiger) on my MacBook Pro

Question: Issue reinstalling OSX 10.4 (Tiger) on my MacBook Pro

freshgroundpepper — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 03:50:59 -0800

I've got a MacBook Pro that currently has Max OS X 10.4.7 installed on a single partition (no boot camp). I'd like to wipe the hard drive clean and reinstall OSX 10.4 from scratch, but I'm running into some issues.

I've got an ADC (apple developer connection) membership, so I've got a couple of OSX install DVDs lying around. The two OS X install discs that I can find are a 10.4.3 and a 10.4.6 disc. Both discs say on their packaging and on the "readme" PDF that they require a Mac with PowerPC G5, G4, or G3 Processors. They don't say anything on them about the build on them being Universal or that they support Intel processors.

When I insert either of them and click on the "Install Mac OS X" icon, I get an error message saying: "Mac OS X 10.4 cannot be installed on this machine. Please consult the documentation for the list of supported Macintosh computers."

I assume that this error is because the disc seems to be a PowerPC only disc and not a universal/intel one. I've also tried to just boot with the DVD in and holding down "C" (so that it boots from the DVD drive instead of the hard drive). The disc spins up but then it launches back into OSX.

I think that the 10.4.3 disc came with my ADC membership, so it could make sense if they sent out a PowerPC only one for that. I'm almost positive that the 10.4.6 disc came with the MacBook Pro, but that doesn't seem right because it's not compatible with my system.

Do the Intel-based macs come with a DVD that is Intel-compatible? Am I just not finding the right disc, or did my Mac not ship with a disc that I can actually reinstall with? For anyone else with a MacBook Pro (or other intel mac), did you get a disc that specifically says that it's universal/works with Intel processors?

By: cerbous

cerbous — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 04:00:27 -0800

The disks I got with my MacBook Pro also say 'Mac OS Version 10.4.6'. However, 'MacBook Pro' is printed on them as well. I didn't reinstall the system but I installed some other programs from these disks and it worked. Do your disks state specifically that they are for a MacBook Pro?

By: freshgroundpepper

freshgroundpepper — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 04:00:55 -0800

Umm..yeah, so after looking for an hour for any other install discs, I find the MacBook Pro Universal one 2 minutes after posting the question. So yes, there is a universal specific DVD.

Mods: Feel free to delete this question, as it is messy and easily answered when I'm not this tired.

By: freshgroundpepper

freshgroundpepper — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 04:02:14 -0800

Those other discs must have both been from ADC, the one Universal one that came with my MPB was actually a 10.4.5 version. Reinstalling now.

By: pmbuko

pmbuko — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 19:05:11 -0800

The one that came with your MBP is not universal. It will only install on an Intel Mac.