Disk image Restore returns "Could not validate source - error 254"

I had backed up an older G4 with a disk image of the boot disk. I was having severe problems so I reformatted the boot drive and started a restore (using disk utility from startup disk). The restore started fine and ran a while but then "stalled." The "progress" bar stopped and the system just kept "hitting" the Utility DVD install disk non-stop (as shown by disk access light).
Now when I try again, I immediately get a "Restore Failure - Could not validate source - error 254"
The disk image being restored is on a hard drive. I copied it to another drive and tried again with the same result.
This is being done on an old G4 Tower, dual 1 GHz PPC under 10.5.8
Comments?
(This won't kill me as all my data files are also on my MBP, I just don't want to have to reinstall all my apps, setups, etc.)

Yes, for my "real" machine (my Intel MBP) I have images, clones, and Time Machine Backups not to mention my data files written to DVD. I've got at least triplicate backup. This was a old machine I was setting up for a specific purpose. I'm not losing any data but I just didn't want to have to reload apps and such. But guess I have no alternative. Thanks for the tip. I had never used the "scan for restore option" before so I learned something. Usually I just trust my multiple backup method so if one source is bad, no big deal. Thanks baltwo!

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