Can I install Tiger without DVD drive?

Hello all!
I need your advice and help!
Today I finally added more RAM to my iMac and proceeded to upgrade to OSX. I bought v10.4.3 Tiger at a retail location. Nothing happens after I inserted the installation DVD. Then I realised that I probably do not have a DVD drive! (I did look at the system requirement page and saw a slot loading iMac there ...)
Is there any way I could install Tiger? All your help is much appreciated!
kris

First, have you installed the firmware update required for your model? You must boot directly into OS 9.1 or higher (but not OS X) to install the firmware update.
Secondly, your hard drive must be formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for Tiger.
If you open your Apple System Profiler it should tell you if you have a DVD drive. It was an option on your model, especially if you have the DV model.
If you don't have a DVD drive, then there are ways to install Tiger without one. One way is to exchange the DVD for a CD set from Apple. Visit the Apple OS X site to find the form needed for the exchange.
The following KB articles present alternatives for installing Tiger without a DVD:
http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/wlg/6976
http://www.applelinks.com/p5/index.php/more/osx_odyssey_752_how_to_installing_tiger_using_firewire_target_diskmode/
You can also use an external Firewire DVD drive provided it is a bootable drive.

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How do I install Tiger without DVD drive?

How do I install Tiger without DVD drive on a Powerbook?
My Powerbook had some problems recently, the HDD and the Superdrive where gone. I replaced the HD but can not get Tiger installed here because the DVD drive isn't working. I boot right now from a FW HD. Any Ideas how to install the OS on the internal drive?
Any ideas would be apreciated.

See Option 2 in
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304129> or Option 1 in
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303028>
It has worked for at least one person:
"Kenichi Watanabe
Posts: 853
Registered: 2-Sep-2003
Re: Using DVD drive in iMac G4 for iMac G3 in Target Disk Mode-->won't read DVD
Posted: 26-Oct-2006 4:37 PM in response to: AJ Nealey
Reply Email
I just tried it between a Power Mac G5 and a PowerBook G3 (Pismo) and it worked. The G5 was Mac in Firewire Target Disk Mode. I started the G5 with the T with no DVD in the drive. I started up the G3, and the G5's hard drive appeared on the G3's desktop. I pushed the eject key (on the G5 keyboard) and the SuperDrive opened. I put in a DVD (the Tiger installation disk) and closed the SuperDrive. The DVD appeared on the G3's desktop. I restarted the G3 with the Option key held down, and the DVD in the G5 appeared as a valid startup choice."

Can you install Tiger onto a drive with data?

Hello,
I would like to ask if you can install Tiger onto a hard drive that already has data files on it. I have a 250 GIG hard drive and it already has 10 GIGs of data on it. Can I install Tiger on this drive or might it corrupt my files?
Its a long story but here is a quick summary of why I am attempting to do this:
I have a 350 MHz Blue and white G3 (rev 1) with two hard drives: the original 12 GIG ATA drive and a 250 GIG SATA drive (internal) connected with a 1S2 Seritek SATA controller.
My 250 GIG drive has two partitions but only one is available to Tiger. You see, by accident I originally formatted my 250 GIG drive with an extremely small partion (32 Megs). I meant to type "30 GIGs" and by accident I typed "30 Megs". Oops That was supposed to be my OSX 10.4 volume. Its too late now - its too small. So I only have two choices for a place for TIger: my 12 GIG drive or the other partition of my 250 GIG drive. I am reluctant to choose my 12 GIG drive because it already has an older OS on it (OS 8.6).
I was concerned about installing TIger on the data partition of the 250 GIG drive because that is where all my valuable data files are - 10 Gigs of data. I don't want to risk scrambling this data in any way.
Is it safe to install Tiger onto this partition with my data files? Or is the possibility it might do something to my data.
Its only a temporary install so that I could burn my 10 GIGs of data files to DVD for backup and then I will start all over again and erase the entire hard drive and reinstall from scratch onto the 250 GIG drive once my data files are safely backed up. (I will not partition the 250 GIG drive i nthe final install - it will be one big partition.)
One other question:
When you format a disk in Tiger are there options to "low level format" or "zero all data" or will just a straight "erase" do the job sufficiently? I bought my 250 GIG Hitachi SATA drive new and so I am not sure if it worth the time to re-erase it with "zero all data" (if that is an option in the Tiger Disk Utility). What is the best formatting option to prepare this drive in the most beneficial for Tiger?
Thanks for any suggestions.

Thanks scb and Jeff,
Jeff, you have me thinking now. I think I will be safe and try another idea. I have a 4 GIG internal SCSI drive I could use to backup my data in 4 GIG sections at a time via my Adaptec 2430 SCSI card. I could then move this hard drive over to my other G3 onto its 40 GIG hard drive. This would be done three times to take off all my data and essentially provide a backup before I install Tiger. Good idea. You are right. It is better to play it safe.
By the way 8.6 can handle HFS+. And yes, I should eventually buy an external drive solution - probably an enclosure. I saw one called "coolmax" [1]. It could hold a SATA drive and it had USB, firewire and also an external SATA port.
And also Jef thanks for the info about formatting drives. I am glad to hear it is not important to zero all data if you don't have to. I am not concerned about havig anything to hide and so yes, I will just click "format" - that should be fine. Zero all data takes such a long time and I would rather avoid using it if I don't need this feature. Thanks for the advice.
Thanks for the new safer direction.
[1] Coolmax (CD-311-SATA Combo)
Coolmax Aluminum USB 2.0 External Case/Enclosure for 3.5" SATA/IDE Hard Drives, USB2.0, IEEE1394a, Serial ATA triple interface input CD-311-SATA Combo
http://www.iocombo.com/product/showproduct.php?productid=0EGD&PHPSESSID=3c41735b f27252cf17a17350cb603e0e
$69.95
http://store.yahoo.com/directron/35enclosure.html
$53.99 at directron

Can I install Windows without optical Driver

Hi!
I have a Macbook pro Early 2008 - MB134LL/A but its optical driver cannot read any disc. Now I want to install Windows via BootCamp but it cannot. Anybody know how can I install Windows without optical Driver? I tried to boot by USBflash, USB DVD Driver but it cannot boot.
I think that does external optical drivers via firewire work?
Thanks alot!

Thank you for your reply, and the information. This is what I came up with:
I added the strings as instructed, however when I went to sign the script in terminal, I was told:
/Applications/Utilities/Boot Camp Assistant.app: replacing existing signature
/Applications/Utilities/Boot Camp Assistant.app: code object is not signed at all
In subcomponent: /Applications/Utilities/Boot Camp Assistant.app/Contents/info.plist
Also, here are screen captures of the lines that I added. Mine are the top string entries:
Thank you for your help, thus far!

How do you install MACOSX without DVD drive?

hey guys,
I have a Powerbook, the DVD drive does not work anymore. I would like to format my Powerbook. I remember hearing that you can install MAC OSX via network?
The Powerbook is my only MAC computer, I have another computer which is a PC running on Windows XP. Is there anyway I can put my original MAC OSX bootup disk on the PC and have it read by the Powerbook via ethernet network?
If there is a more simpler solution, please advise.
PS. I'm aware I can use an external firewire DVD drive, but I do not have access to any at this point, and unfortunately can't spend money on one. I'm broke from school tuition, books and the necessities of life.
Thanks again for your help and support.
Teddy

You can only install OS X over a server running OS X Server. If you don't have access to an Apple server then you cannot install over a network.
If you have access to another Mac with a good DVD drive it is possible to use Target Disk Mode to do what you want.
How To- Installing Tiger Using FireWire Target Disk Mode
How to Use FireWire Target Disk Mode

Install OS without DVD drive?

I want to updgrade a g4 powerbook from 10.2 to 10.4 (10.5 if possible). The computer doesn't have a DVD drive. Can I book from an external firewire drive and then install from a Leopard disk image?
thanks

*How To: Installing Tiger Using FireWire Target Disk Mode*
http://www.applelinks.com/p5/index.php/more/osx_odyssey_752_how_to_installing_tiger_using_firewire_target_diskmode/
Does the Powerbook meet the Leopard requirements?
*Leopard Technical Requirements*
http://www.apple.com/macosx/techspecs/
You can upgrade directly to Tiger or Leopard without going to intermediate OSs.
 Cheers, Tom

Can I install Tiger on external drive with OS9 on internal?

I bought and plan to install OS X 10.4.3, but will continue to use OS 9.2.2 about 95% of the time because I can't afford to update all 3rd-party software at this time, so I want to start up in 9.2.2 usually. Can I install 10.4.3 on a partition of my external HD with firewire and leave 9.2.2 on my internal HD, then pick a start-up OS by a key combination or such? How should I do it, and what problems might I encounter? To partition my external HD should I use OS 9.2.2, the original 9.0 CD, or the new 10.4.3 DVD?
I have a Power Mac G4 (AGB Graphics) with an internal 10 GB HD and an almost-empty external 120 GB firewire HD (Iomega). Thanks.

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
Yes you can do that, though I'm not too sure that Iomega's firmware is up to date to do it. Be sure that any data you have on the Iomega is backed up elsewhere before attempting it. Some Firewire drives without up to date firmware from the manufacturer may become invisible and unusable after a software update on Mac OS X 10.3 or later. Also an AGP PowerMac needs its firmware updated while booted from Mac OS 9 before installing Mac OS X 10.2 or later:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86117
That said, if after testing you find it does work, you can switch booting between both drives using the Option key booting as described in the Startup Manager article:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106178
Leave OS 9.2.2 on your internal, and 10.4 on your external. That will be a lot easier than partitioning. Some information I wrote for others which can help you on your migration to Mac OS X is provided in this link below:
http://www.macmaps.com/macosxnative.html
If you really want to partition, be aware that only third party software is available to partition without erasing the entire drive, and you'll want to make sure additional partitions that will boot Mac OS 9 have Mac OS 9 drivers installed as my link above states. Whatever you do, be sure you have at least two copies of your data at all times:
http://www.macmaps.com/backup.html
Disclaimer: Reference to links I make to my Macmaps.com website are a for your information only type reference. I do not get any profit from this page, and it is open to the public.

Can I install Tiger on external drive, inside a folder?

Hi
I know I can install Tiger (iMac G5 version) on an external HD - I've already done it. However, I'd now like to install onto a different eHD where there is a lot more space.
Can I set up a folder (e.g. called "My Tiger") and install into that? And will it find & boot from it if I hold down the Option key when I switch on my iMac? Or must an install be done into the root directory only?
If you're wondering why I need this - Photoshop won't run in Leopard on the iMac, but it will run from an eHD running Tiger.

Does that mean I could have Tiger installed into a separate partition on my INTERNAL drive?
Yes.
And would it mean I could access all my files and run software from the main Leopard partition (obviously, not Mail or system utilities)?
Yes, except for software which requires system components; this typically consists of software which came with an installer.
(56123)

Installing Leopard without DVD drive?

I have an older MacBook that I have replaced with the Air, but now want to use the older one as a music and photo server (given the size of the Air's disk). I want to install Leopard on it, but the DVD drive on the old machine is scrogged. I can think of several ways to do this, but any suggestions as to which of those possibilities works?

Louis Goldstein
wrote:
(1) Use another machine to create disk image of the installation DVD on a bootable firewire drive. Boot the MacBook from the firewire drive.
(2) Attach the MacBook to an iMac via firewire. Boot the MacBook in target mode. Put the Installation DVD in iMac drive. Install onto the MacBook.
For (1), disk images aren't bootable. What you have to do is restore the install disk to a FWHD partition, using Disk Utility. For (2), that'll work as long as the iMac, when booted with the install disk can see the MB's HD.
However, nerowolfe's comment is the germane one: dual-layer DVD readers/writers are available for under $100 US and that'll make your MB totally usable.

Installing CS4 without DVD Drive.

I Have Adobe CS4 Web Premium Student Edition and an ultra-portable laptop PC that has no DVD drive, Can I Install it on my Laptop? Will it work if i extract the ISOs on Daemon Tools on a computer with a disk drive, putting the ISOs onto a USB hard drive, and mount them on my laptop an install them using my auhentic product key?

elite_batn wrote:
and adobe will have no problemas with this, as long as i have the real product key and liscence?
Why would they care? You can download the same software from the Adobe website (demo versions) which can be activated at any time with a valid serial number.There's nothing magic about the plastic disks. It's only a delivery medium.
Russell

How can I install Tiger on external drive

I have a maxtor external drive and I am trying to install tiger onto it but it is not installing properly. I have a imac g5 and I have the drive connected to it. It allows me to perform the install but then when I use it as the boot disk it goes through all the process and it goes to unix with panic...something about hanging here.
Thanks
imac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Hi Harrison,
is this a firewire drive? Be aware that you cannot boot from a USB drive: Don't start up from an external USB device.
Also make sure your drive's firmware is up to date.

CAN NOT INSTALL ON THIS HARD DRIVE

I am currently running 10.3.9 on my 450 Mhz G4 which has 640 MB SDRAM but when I try to install my Tiger CD's (actually looking for the Archive and install option) I get a message that I can not "install Tiger on this drive". I own the CD's and actually have installed them on my wife's mac mini, so I know that the CD's are good. Thoughts anyone?

Malcolm,
'Will have to check with the previous owner of the mac mini as I do not know if they were purchased seperate from the mac mini or came with that HD. But, thankyou; as, I believe that you have me going down the right road.
Bob

I purchased Elements 13 for my Imac that doesn't have a DVD drive. How can I install it without buying a DVD drive? I would like to also install it on my MacBook Pro. Do I have to buy a second version.

I purchased Elements 13 for my Imac that doesn’t have a DVD drive. How can I install it without buying a DVD drive? I would like to also install it on my MacBook Pro. Do I have to buy a second version?

Download from Download Photoshop Elements products | 13, 12, 11, 10
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Can you install tiger on a power mac g4 with out a DVD drive if so how, I do have have a 2011 iMac can I use that in target disk mode with a FireWire cable any help would be appreciated

Can you install tiger on a power mac g4 with out a DVD drive if so how, I do have have a 2011 iMac can I use that in target disk mode with a FireWire cable any help would be appreciated

Hello,
You need to put the Tiger Install Disc in the 2011 iMac, boot the 2011 uMac into Target mode...
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661
Boot the G4 holding the Option or alt key, hopefully the Install Disc in the 2011 iMac will show as a boot choice.
We just want to use the 2011 iMac as a big expensive FW Optical drive, it cannot be installed osing the 2011 iMac itself.

Can I install Tiger using an external DVD drive?

My PowerBook is being repaired and I have to use an older G4/733 tower (OS 9.2; CD/zip drives only) from 2001 ASAP. I purchased Tiger and now need to load it, along with the new software. Rather than purchasing an internal dvd drive, can I buy and external dvd drive to install Tiger/new software? I've seen some posts that say "no" and others that say yes, as long as its firewire, not USB. In looking at external drives, I've seen some compatibility requirements that say OS X as the minimum. Some places like CDW and the Apple store don't seem to have an answer for me. Does anybody here know? thanks!
Bob
PowerPC G4 Mac OS 9.2.x

Internal drives are much cheaper; you can get a DVD burner for under $40 online, vs. well over a $100 for an external, which may or may not boot your specific system.
The NEC ND-3550A or Pioneer DVR-110D will both boot the OS installer DVD when using the "C" Key, or from Startup Disc...
In a QS, you just have to remove the drive tray faceplate before installing the drive; This Apple Article has clear diagrams of the replacement process.

Can I install Tiger without DVD drive?

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