Old mac won't recognize OS 10 disks for installation to allow upgrade.

Question

I have an old Power Macintosh G3 300 Desktop (M7105LL/A) currently running OS 9.1. I want to upgrade to OS 10.3 or 10.4 (I have both disk sets).
I tried starting up from either of the disk but the PM won't recognize the 10.4 or start up from the 10.3. I get error messages offering to erase the 10.4. The 10.3 starts up on my mac in OS 9.1 even with "C" held down.
I somehow did this once b4 but do not remember the trick I used.
Unfotunately as my printer and internet did not work went back to OS 9.1 but now I am willing to work on those isses but cannot even get to that point.
Many internet sites won't work with OS 9.1 so I do need to up grade.
Note that when I start these disks from my mac laptop running OS 10 they are recognized? I'm stumped and need help.

Answer 1

Hi, I am tring to bring an old indigo imac g3 500Mhz 20Gb HD into the present day for my mother-in-law and have just put in 1Gb ram in order to install either 10.3 or 10.4 (I have been told that 10.5 is a no go). I have two copies of 10.4 that came with an old ibook G4 and a Mac Mini G4 and also a copy of 10.3 that also came with the Mac Mini. None will install on the iMac G3 with the note "this operating system and softare bundle cannot be installed on this Mac" (incidentally, although I am not sure this is relevant, I am using the DVD drive on my MacBook Pro by firewire link as the G3 only has a CD-Rom drive). I believe that if I buy a retail copy it will work, but at £90 it's maybe not worth it having just spent £70 on the Ram, however as I no longer use any of the other copes of 10.3/10.4 mentioned on another Mac I feel agrieved that I cannot use one of these. Does anyone know a way that will let me install one of the copies that I already have? Any help much appreciated.