Upgrading a Sawtooth to OS X

[wPod]

I work in the IT department of my university (Im a student worker, and the only mac guy in the department) and someone in the building just upgraded their old Sawtooth to a new iMac. So, that means the IT department gets to keep the Sawtooth (though I am trying to work out a deal so I can end up with it ) So anyway, it has OS 8.6 on it and I really want to put OS X on it. But, the only OS X disks I have are upgrade disks, or machine specific. The upgrade disks require OS X already be installed and the machine specific disks only work with my PowerBook, or I have a really old iBook G3 disk sitting around somewhere. Either way, I dont think I will be able to install with the disks i have! I dont really want to pay for a full new version of 10.4, but I don't think I have any other choice do i? Also what about DVD drives. I am not sure if the sawtooth has a DVD reader in it so I wouldnt be able to install 10.4 anyway (unless i send in for the CDs yeah yeah, takes too much time) So what should i do? thanks!

 

[crap freakboy]

The stock Sawtooth did have a dvd-Rom drive in it
http://www.apple-history.com/?page=gallery&model=g4agp&performa=off&sort=date&order=ASC
Can't you find Panther Discs on ebay for a cheap price then upgrade?

 

[Will Cheyney]

Just looked up what a 'Sawtooth' was... A 1999 Power Mac G4.
According to Mac Tracker, it'll accept OS X no problem. It also has a DVD drive. Have you tried using your PowerBook OS X install discs? In the past when I've tried, they've worked on other systems anyway.
Other than that, you'll have to acquire a version some other way... A nice friend or an Apple Store

 

[wPod]

Just looked up what a 'Sawtooth' was... A 1999 Power Mac G4.
According to Mac Tracker, it'll accept OS X no problem. It also has a DVD drive. Have you tried using your PowerBook OS X install discs? In the past when I've tried, they've worked on other systems anyway.
Other than that, you'll have to acquire a version some other way... A nice friend or an Apple Store

interesting, i havent tried that. i tried on an old cube once and it didnt work. i guess it wouldnt hurt to try now with the powermac.

but i do like the idea of finding a copy of panther on e-bay or such. get that cheap then just use my upgrade disk. that just might work out.

 

[doucy2]

sawtooths came with a dvd drive
it fully suports Tiger 10.4 (im running it on both my sawtooths)

i have come cheap install disk if you need them just PM me

i also have about any sawtooth part you need


good luck installing

 

[wPod]

sawtooths came with a dvd drive
it fully suports Tiger 10.4 (im running it on both my sawtooths)

i have come cheap install disk if you need them just PM me

i also have about any sawtooth part you need


good luck installing

playing politics with the university right now on where the sawtooth ends up. not sure if ill be able to get it or if it will just sit somewhere in the IT dept as the token 'training' mac for everyone to learn with. students are coming in much more frequently with questions about macs and i am the only one who can answer, so having a mac that everyone else in the IT dept can play with could be advantageous. . . so, the point it, it might be a while till i get back to you about getting cheap install disks. i dont know if ill be paying or the university will be. but if i end up with it, i know ill be looking for cheap upgrades for it as well as the install disks!

 

[SmurfBoxMasta]

What better way to show others what wonderful and LONG LASTING computers macs are. A 1999 machine running the latest (or near latest) OS with ease.....(assumming adequete ram and HD space)

Try THAT with a 1999 POS windblows box, puh_leaze

And having the box there to rub in their faces: Priceless

 

[yellow]

It should be noted that what you're attempting to do isn't legal, according to the EULA.

And that doesn't reflect well on a University IT group.

 

[Makosuke]

It should be noted that what you're attempting to do isn't legal, according to the EULA.

Indeed--if you're just demoing it before buying a proper license, there's argument in favor of doing this, or if the university has sufficient licenses but you can't get your hands on an install disc it's also different, but otherwise I can't imagine most University IT departments would want an unlicensed OS install running in their office.

There are arguments in favor of why it might morally be acceptable, but that has nothing to do with the legal issues that crop up when a large organization runs unlicensed software. I always have to swear up and down I won't so much as let anybody touch the campus Microsoft License install discs for home use.

If it's going to be a training Mac, can't you get the department to fork over the $80 for an edu license?

Also, you didn't mention the RAM, but for a demo machine you should really get at least 512MB in there; 384MB is the bare minimum for Tiger, but more will keep it running smoother while techs mess with it--no sense in the first hands on experience being on a RAM-starved machine. It's usually not too hard to find a few sticks of PC100 or PC133 RAM laying around.

 

[wPod]

It should be noted that what you're attempting to do isn't legal, according to the EULA.

And that doesn't reflect well on a University IT group.

STOP HOLD ON BE CAREFUL!!! I am asking here what I can do to BE legal! But at the same time be CHEAP!!! Yes, I could go out and buy a brand new license and be done with it, but that would be expensive. On the other hand I have an extra upgrade disk sitting around my house (i bought one full price, then one came with my newest PB) so if i bought a legal version of panther then used one of my legal upgrade disks the whole process would be fine.

if i wanted to spend no money and be non-legal then im sure i could figure a way. but im trying to be legal, just for the least amount of money.

im also asking on behalf of myself more so than the IT dept, b/c if things work out then i might buy the old computer from the IT dept for a reasonable price and the IT dept might just buy their own mac just so they can have a new top of the line one. but that decision is being debated in the higher ups of the dept that i have no say in.

 

[wPod]

Also, you didn't mention the RAM, but for a demo machine you should really get at least 512MB in there; 384MB is the bare minimum for Tiger, but more will keep it running smoother while techs mess with it--no sense in the first hands on experience being on a RAM-starved machine. It's usually not too hard to find a few sticks of PC100 or PC133 RAM laying around.

We have stacks and stacks of old PC100 or PC133 sitting around back here. we use to pull out of old computers before they were donated (we donate old computers to somewhere when they are old or broken and the place can use spare parts) then we would put the old ram into new computers. that worked well until new computers started using higher quality ram DDR etc. so now we end up having a lot of extra old ram sitting around.

 

[seamuskrat]

Does your university or department have a site license for OSX? Many schools do. In this case, you have a total number of OS X installs you are legally able to have active on campus.

I am fairly sure Apple allows any recognized university a free 500 site license, but that may be if they purchase a number of new machines.

Bottom line, contact Apple education, and they will Fedex out a copy of tiger for you if you present the same facts you have stated here. They are salespeople and ultimately want you to go Apple over Dell. And you are in Dell territory so they work extra hard.

STOP HOLD ON BE CAREFUL!!! I am asking here what I can do to BE legal! But at the same time be CHEAP!!! Yes, I could go out and buy a brand new license and be done with it, but that would be expensive. On the other hand I have an extra upgrade disk sitting around my house (i bought one full price, then one came with my newest PB) so if i bought a legal version of panther then used one of my legal upgrade disks the whole process would be fine.

if i wanted to spend no money and be non-legal then im sure i could figure a way. but im trying to be legal, just for the least amount of money.

im also asking on behalf of myself more so than the IT dept, b/c if things work out then i might buy the old computer from the IT dept for a reasonable price and the IT dept might just buy their own mac just so they can have a new top of the line one. but that decision is being debated in the higher ups of the dept that i have no say in.

 

[wPod]

Does your university or department have a site license for OSX? Many schools do. In this case, you have a total number of OS X installs you are legally able to have active on campus.

I am fairly sure Apple allows any recognized university a free 500 site license, but that may be if they purchase a number of new machines.

Bottom line, contact Apple education, and they will Fedex out a copy of tiger for you if you present the same facts you have stated here. They are salespeople and ultimately want you to go Apple over Dell. And you are in Dell territory so they work extra hard.

Unfortunately not. We have a total of three apple computers out of about 300 computers we service. our school's IT is seperate from the rest of the university so we dont really have as much buying power as the entire university.

im also trying to see what is available should i work out a way to purchase the old mac from the university. if i did that, then i would be responsible for purchasing whatever i may need