Upgrade from Panther to Tiger or Panther to Leopard

I'm operating a Powerbook 15" with a 1.33 G4 and 256MB RAM. I believe the specs for Leopard call for 512MB RAM. The question I have is, am I better off going with Leopard and upgrading the RAM or should I just go with Tiger and upgrade the OS?
A little background to help...I'm upgrading my OS more out of necessity (very quickly, everything is becoming incompatible with Panther -- like Flash, TurboTax, etc.). I don't want to upgrade to Tiger tomorrow and find myself in need of Leopard next week...if that makes sense.
Thoughts?

Upgrade the RAM regardless of which OS you install. Personally, I prefer Tiger because some of the apps I use regularly are still not yet compatible with Leopard and possibly never will be. I also had performance issues the first time installed Leopard, but after a couple of reinstalls I found the install process made a lot of difference to the performance of the install. My conclusion, Leopard is like that little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good she was very good, but when Leopard is bad it is horrid.

Similar Messages

  • Upgrading from Panther to Leopard

    Hello,
    I wanted to upgrade my Powerbook G4 from Panther to Leopard. Was told I needed to upgrade to Tiger first then to Leopard. I bought the Leopard installation CD and will be using the Tiger installation CD that came with my MacBook. Am I good to go? I already enabled the "root" user and is trying to back up my files (which I have another problem with --- been getting error messages such as 1.) "One or more items can't be copied. Do you want to skip them and copy the remaining items? 2.) You cannot copy the item "Icon" because the name is too long or includes characters that the disk cannot display."
    Would very much appreciate any help I could get =)
    Many thanks!

    As already mentioned you do not need to upgrade first to Tiger. In any event you cannot use an Intel version of Tiger on a PPC Mac or vice-versa. Fortunately, you can upgrade directly to Leopard from Panther or you can do an Archive and Install which is what I would recommend:
    How to Perform an Archive and Install
    1. Be sure to use Disk Utility first to repair the disk before performing the Archive and Install.
    Repairing the Hard Drive and Permissions
    Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger.) After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported, then quit DU and return to the installer.
    If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior (4.0 for Tiger) and/or TechTool Pro (4.5.2 for Tiger) to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
    2. Do not proceed with an Archive and Install if DU reports errors it cannot fix. In that case use Disk Warrior and/or TechTool Pro to repair the hard drive. If neither can repair the drive, then you will have to erase the drive and reinstall from scratch.
    3. Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When you reach the screen to select a destination drive click once on the destination drive then click on the Option button. Select the Archive and Install option. You have an option to preserve users and network preferences. Only select this option if you are sure you have no corrupted files in your user accounts. Otherwise leave this option unchecked. Click on the OK button and continue with the OS X Installation.
    4. Upon completion of the Archive and Install you will have a Previous System Folder in the root directory. You should retain the PSF until you are sure you do not need to manually transfer any items from the PSF to your newly installed system.
    5. After moving any items you want to keep from the PSF you should delete it. You can back it up if you prefer, but you must delete it from the hard drive.
    6. You can now download a Combo Updater directly from Apple's download site to update your new system to the desired version as well as install any security or other updates. You can also do this using Software Update.
    DO NOT ENABLE THE ROOT USER!! It is not recommended nor necessary for backing up your data. Copying files is not how you do a proper backup. Read the following:
    Basic Backup
    Get an external Firewire drive at least equal in size to the internal hard drive and make (and maintain) a bootable clone/backup. You can make a bootable clone using the Restore option of Disk Utility. You can also make and maintain clones with good backup software. My personal recommendations are (order is not significant):
    1. Retrospect Desktop (Commercial - not yet universal binary)
    2. Synchronize! Pro X (Commercial)
    3. Synk (Backup, Standard, or Pro)
    4. Deja Vu (Shareware)
    5. PsynchX 2.1.1 and RsyncX 2.1 (Freeware)
    6. Carbon Copy Cloner (Freeware - 3.0 is a Universal Binary)
    7. SuperDuper! (Commercial)
    8. Intego Personal Backup (Commercial)
    9. Data Backup (Commercial)
    The following utilities can also be used for backup, but cannot create bootable clones:
    1. Backup (requires a .Mac account with Apple both to get the software and to use it.)
    2. Toast
    3. Impression
    4. arRSync
    Apple's Backup is a full backup tool capable of also backing up across multiple media such as CD/DVD. However, it cannot create bootable backups. It is primarily an "archiving" utility as are the other two.
    Impression and Toast are disk image based backups, only. Particularly useful if you need to backup to CD/DVD across multiple media.
    Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQs on maintenance, optimization, virus protection, and backup and restore. Also read How to Back Up and Restore Your Files.
    Although you can buy a complete FireWire drive system, you can also put one together if you are so inclined. It's relatively easy and only requires a Phillips head screwdriver (typically.) You can purchase hard drives separately. This gives you an opportunity to shop for the best prices on a hard drive of your choice. Reliable brands include Seagate, Hitachi, Western Digital, Toshiba, and Fujitsu. You can find reviews and benchmarks on many drives at Storage Review.
    Enclosures for FireWire and USB are readily available. You can find only FireWire enclosures, only USB enclosures, and enclosures that feature multiple ports. I would stress getting enclosures that use the Oxford chipsets (911, 921, 922, for example.) You can find enclosures at places such as;
    Cool Drives
    OWC
    WiebeTech
    Firewire Direct
    California Drives
    NewEgg
    All you need do is remove a case cover, mount the hard drive in the enclosure and connect the cables, then re-attach the case cover. Usually the only tool required is a small or medium Phillips screwdriver.
    Note that before doing your backup you should do the following:
    Repairing the Hard Drive and Permissions
    Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger and Leopard.) After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer. Now shutdown the computer for a couple of minutes and then restart normally.
    If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior (4.1 for Leopard) and/or TechTool Pro (4.6.1 for Leopard) to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.

  • Upgrade from Panther to Leopard on PowerBook G4

    Hi-
    I just bought Leopard (for $129 directly from apple) and am interested in knowing the steps I would need to take to upgrade from Panther (10.3.9) on a PowerBook G4 with the following specs:
    Machine Model: PowerBook G4 17"
    CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (1.1)
    Number Of CPUs: 1
    CPU Speed: 1.5 GHz
    L2 Cache (per CPU): 512 KB
    Memory: 512 MB
    Bus Speed: 167 MHz
    Boot ROM Version: 4.8.4f1
    I have 11 GB of disk space available.
    Do I have the correct system requirements to make this transition seamlessly? Anything else I need to get?
    Thanks!

    What's the difference between getting an external hard drive vs. the card? I'll definitely go with 160GB to be on the safe side.
    See my reply in your other thread.
    I keep reading that Archive&Install is giving people problems. Given my situation, would you recommend Upgrade or Archive&Install or Erase& Install?
    I'm running Tiger and did not know that A&I was giving people problems on Leopard. If that's the case, I would definitely do the Upgrade (if that is an option like it has been on previous OSX installers).
    My main thing is that I'm going to need to keep Office 2004 (which I learned should work on Leopard).
    Given that, use the Upgrade method.
    Unless... this may sound silly, but can I save it on disks or something? (I don't have the original install disks anymore).
    That's not silly at all, and with some applications it will work. I do not know if that's the case with Office, but I would recommend against it. OSX often needs to "weave" parts of an app into itself via the installation, and copying the actual app will not do that. If you have a disk image of the installation disc, that's a different story, and it will copy/work fine.
    Also, when I do the backup (via Super Duper?), where does all the stuff end up living? If it's on my hard drive, doesn't that get taken away when I replace it with the newer/bigger one?
    I use SD and think it's the best cloning app out there. You need to save it on an external source, otherwise you're correct, it's still "living" on your PB's HD, and if you erase that HD or something happens to it, all that data is gone.
    In your situation, I would consider either an external HD or an enclosure. With an external, you'll be able to use if for backups, which would be a very good idea if you value your data. 300GB and even larger can be found for under $100. I'd recommend a FireWire model, so you can then boot your PB from it if you want/need to.
    If money is an issue and you choose not to backup (a bad idea, as all HDs eventually die), you may get an external enclosure. Install the new HD in it, SD/clone your PB's internal HD to it, install the new HD in your PB, and you're good to go. 2.5" enclosures can be purchased for under $10.

  • Upgrading from Panther to Leopard tips?

    Hi, I'd like to upgrade from Panther 10.3.9 to Leopard, ideally the newest version.  I have an I-book G4, 1.33GHZ, currently 512 MB RAM and 30.98 GB available disk space.
    First question, is 512 RAM enough, or would it be important to get additional RAM for best performance?  I think the most I could upgrade to with this computer would be 1.25 GB RAM.  Or would it be better to get Tiger instead?  What's the worst that could happen if I run Leopard with only 512 MB RAM?  Computer slowing down?  I would mostly use it for web surfing and writing with Word 2004, so nothing complicated.  Thing is, I wouldn't want to spend too much money on this old computer, and more RAM would be another 30$ at least.
    Also, is there any upgrade version that might be cheaper to buy than the full retail version?  If so, what is it called?  If I get the full retail, are they all the same and should I basically be safe with any disk that has the large "X" on it (as opposed to the gray disks that might only work for specific computers)?  Not all sellers offer the whole box, which is fine, I really just need the disk, but I want to make sure I'm getting the right thing.
    Do you know of a good place to get Leopard for a good price?  Is it generally safe to buy a used disk?  I would only need it for this one install, don't care if the disk is dirty, as long as it works.
    I still have the Leopard disk from my I-mac, is there any way to install Leopard from that disk, or is full retail the only option?

    Leo uses more resoueces, especially Video card relaed...
    Tiger Requirements...
    To use Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, your Macintosh needs:
        * A PowerPC G3, G4, or G5 processor
        * Built-in FireWire
        * At least 256 MB of RAM (I recommend 1GB minimum)
        * DVD drive (DVD-ROM), Combo (CD-RW/DVD-ROM) or SuperDrive (DVD-R) for installation
        * At least 3 GB of free disk space; 4 GB if you install the XCode 2 Developer Tools  (I recommend 20GB minimum)
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1514
    I still have the Leopard disk from my I-mac, is there any way to install Leopard from that disk, or is full retail the only option?
    Sorry, no, it's Intel & machine specific.
    main thing for her would be access to internet (being able to watch basic videos online, mail, search, see all photos on a website.
    In the end, not much differences as far as that, both are outdated... but I use both daily on the Internet.
    Do you know if the old AOL software would work with either Tiger or Leopard?  My mother still uses that and is used to it, although I might be able to get her to just check her e-mail on Safari in exchange for better internet access.
    No idea, but AOL became irrevelant decades ago, Apples Mail App can be setup in 10.4/110.5 to access most anything, & theres better/safer Browsers in eithere OSSX...
    TenFourFox is the most up to date browser for our PPCs, they even have G4 & G5 optimized versions...
    http://www.floodgap.com/software/tenfourfox/
    I'd avoid vesrion 24 though, as it no longer supports plug-ins like Flash.
    SeaMonkey seems pretty fast also, with many options...
    http://www.seamonkey-project.org/
    http://www.seamonkey-project.org/releases/
    Might also look into iCab & OmniWeb versions.

  • Upgrade from Panther to Leopard

    After buying an iPhone 3GS, I think it's time to finally perform a software upgrade. The newest versions of Firefox and Safari browsers don't run on Panther either. I want to hang on to my 5 year old G4 iMac for at least a couple more years and now have a Leopard pack ready to install (also iLife 09 and iWork 09).
    I have a 1GB PC2700 SODIMM on the way, which would raise my total RAM to 1.25 GB. Should I wait until the new RAM is installed before starting the install of Leopard, or would that make little difference?
    I have some older software that gets regular use and want to be sure it will still work after Leopard is installed:
    1. Quicken 2004 for basic checkbook balancing and account management (don't do any online stuff).
    2. Apple Works 6
    3. MS Office 2004 for Mac
    Plenty of photos saved on iPhoto 4.0.3 and a full music library on iTunes 7.7.1.
    Is it safe to go ahead and pop in the Leopard DVD and get this install going, or are there other steps I need to take to avoid losing data from the older programs above?
    Thanks for your help!!

    If you currently only have 256mb of RAM, you will have to wait. Leopard's minimum is 512mb.
    Going from Panther to Leopard is a big jump. Hopefully, you have an external FireWire drive that is at least the size of the iMac's internal drive. What I would do is clone the current internal drive startup volume to the external drive using Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper. Restart using the clone to make sure it works properly, as if you are starting up normally from the internal drive.
    While started up from the external clone, run Disk Utility. Run +Repair Disk+ (on the +First Aid+ tab) on the internal drive.
    Once you are satisfied that the clone is working properly, disconnect it. It will serve as your backup. You should always have a current backup (of at least your personal data) when doing a major system update. You can now install Leopard on your internal drive. If something goes wrong or if something critical does not work properly under Leopard, you can always restart from your external clone of the previous system, then clone it back to the internal drive. You'll be back to your pre-Leopard state, so you can try it again.
    You can then trouble-shoot potential problems and try again. You can also use the +Archive and Install+ option to install Leopard, which retains your user settings and data but gives you a fresh system. The default installation method installs Leopard over the existing system, and that can somethings cause problems; for example, you may have third-party system extensions installed that are not compatible with Leopard.

  • Upgrade policy (upgrading from Panther to Leopard?)

    Hello,
    is it possible to perform a major upgrade and skip a major version (10.3 -> 10.5)? Most modern OS don't support this and I wonder whether OS X supports this.
    Please don't reply if you think it does or doesn't, I need an answer from someone's 100% sure (such as someone who upgraded from Jaguar to Tiger).
    Thanks.

    So just to be clear, if I haven't been...
    To install a new OS, you must purchase the full retail install DVD and install it. There is no way to download it like an incremental update (i.e. 10.4.9 or 10.4.10)
    There are several install options to choose from, which may provide more information for you.
    -mj
    [email protected]

  • How easy is it to upgrade from Panther to Leopard?

    I think it is about time I upgraded from 10.3.9 to 10.5 as I want to update my iLife package and use Final Cut.
    However, I have been procrastinating about it - is it easy? I've read some reviews; some say it is easy and some say it is not. I will back up everything but was hoping that I wouldn't have to remove everything and then put it back once the new OS is installed.
    I read one review where they upgraded their OS and lost everything even though it shouldn't be affected.
    Any ideas or tips please?
    thanks

    First repair your hard drive:
    Repairing the Hard Drive and Permissions
    Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger and Leopard.) After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer. Now restart normally.
    If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior (4.0 for Tiger, and 4.1 for Leopard) and/or TechTool Pro (4.6.1 for Leopard) to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
    Next clone your system to another hard drive (external or internal) and test the clone by booting from it.
    How to Clone Using Restore Option of Disk Utility
    1. Open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder.
    2. Select the destination volume from the left side list.
    3. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (journaled, if available) and click on the Erase button. This step can be skipped if the destination has already been freshly erased.
    4. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
    5. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
    6. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to the Source entry field.
    7. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
    Destination means the backup drive.
    Source means the startup drive.
    Verify your system meets the minimum requirements to install Leopard:
    System requirements
    You must have a Macintosh computer with:
    an Intel processor or a PowerPC G4 (867 MHz or faster) or G5 processor
    a DVD drive
    built-in FireWire
    at least 512 MB of RAM (additional RAM is recommended for development purposes)
    a built-in display or a display connected to an Apple-supplied video card supported by your computer
    at least 9 GB of disk space available, or 12 GB of disk space if you install the developer tools
    When you move on to the actual installation I suggest doing the following:
    How to Perform an Archive and Install
    An Archive and Install will NOT erase your hard drive, but you must have sufficient free space for a second OS X installation which could be from 3-9 GBs depending upon the version of OS X and selected installation options. The free space requirement is over and above normal free space requirements which should be at least 6-10 GBs. Read all the linked references carefully before proceeding.
    1. Be sure to use Disk Utility first to repair the disk before performing the Archive and Install.
    Repairing the Hard Drive and Permissions
    Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger.) After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported, then quit DU and return to the installer.
    2. Do not proceed with an Archive and Install if DU reports errors it cannot fix. In that case use Disk Warrior and/or TechTool Pro to repair the hard drive. If neither can repair the drive, then you will have to erase the drive and reinstall from scratch.
    3. Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When you reach the screen to select a destination drive click once on the destination drive then click on the Option button. Select the Archive and Install option. You have an option to preserve users and network preferences. Only select this option if you are sure you have no corrupted files in your user accounts. Otherwise leave this option unchecked. Click on the OK button and continue with the OS X Installation.
    4. Upon completion of the Archive and Install you will have a Previous System Folder in the root directory. You should retain the PSF until you are sure you do not need to manually transfer any items from the PSF to your newly installed system.
    5. After moving any items you want to keep from the PSF you should delete it. You can back it up if you prefer, but you must delete it from the hard drive.
    6. You can now download a Combo Updater directly from Apple's download site to update your new system to the desired version as well as install any security or other updates. You can also do this using Software Update.

  • Upgrade from panther to leopard-partition new macintosh hard drive?

    hello,
    i have some upgrade questions:
    i have a mac g5, dual 2.5 with 4 gigs of ram in it. i've been running logic pro 7.1.1 for the last three and half years or so on panther, never switched up to tiger. my computer hasn't been running so great so recently, (problems with audio midi setup in logic, and with i-tunes) and also my mac hd is almost full. i bought leopard and logic 8. before trying an installation i used carbon copy cloner 3.01 to make bootable clone of my my hard drive onto an external firewire drive, (it boots up fine, albeit with the same little wierd issues as the original hard drive) would it make sense, since my hard drive is so full anyway, to buy a larger internal hard drive to replace the original hard drive, partition it somehow into two parts, clone the clone back to one of the partitions to have my panther setup on an ATA, then install leopard on the other half? would i risk bringing the wierdnesses back, or would they only be confined to the one leopard partition. is this even possible? if so, how would i do it?
    thanks!
    dave

    What makes sense to me it to just leave the old Panther install on the original drive and install a new faster 500 GB internal drive for Leopard. Your PowerMac can have more than 1 internal drive and can boot from any drive with an OS on it.
    I would not do an upgrade install with all the old and apparently corrupt files in your old system. Leopard has proven that if you start out with a less than perfect system, the upgrade will make it worse. The list of strange behaviors and problems that look like bugs on this forum is very long and you would be importing your existing wierdness and possibly just make it worse. There are several programs that actually break the upgrade so that it won't even boot.
    Download the 10.5.2 Combo Update from Apple. Install OS 10.5 fresh to the new drive. Repair Permissions using Disk Utility. Install the 10.5.2 update and Repair Permissions again.
    If you want your iLife applications you will need to get them from the Bundled Software installer on your original setup discs for Panther or you can buy the latest versions separately (iLife is not included on the Leopard Retail DVD).
    Use Software Update to get the latest versions of just about all your Apple programs and Repair Permissions again. Install your new Logic Pro and new Leopard versions of all your applications. If a program isn't updated for Leopard make sure there are no problems with it from it's support group. If it's no longer supported don't use it and find a replacement program that is.
    Setup your email preferences and accounts fresh. You can import your messages later, along with your other data files that are important. If you don't spend a few hours setting up your new fresh OS properly, you will spend weeks trying to get a broken upgrade to work. You stand a much better chance if you don't start out badly.
    Depending on it's size, the external drive can be used for Time Machine for awhile or to clone your Leopard installation to in case you ignore my recommendation for a fresh install and go ahead with the update.

  • Upgrade from Panther to Leopard - how much hard drive GB is needed?

    Even though the system requirements on Apple say 9GB is needed, I hear that I really should have more than that and should get a larger hard drive. Has anyone had experience with this? I currently have 11 GB.
    In terms of getting a larger hard drive, what is the difference between an external hard drive versus an internal one? Should I get 80 GB or more? Does it replace my current 74.4 GB one or does it add to it? What would work best with Leopard and my PowerBook G4?

    Hi again Camille,
    Your 74GB is really an 80GB, because manufacturers use a 1000 scale instead of 1024. Thus, you need a 100 or larger. Per other thread, I'd recommend larger. One can never have too much storage capacity, and files keep getting larger and larger, especially if you work with video data.
    If you get an external, that means you'd have to haul it around with you, limiting the portability of your PB, but that is an option. I have a 500GB with several partitions sitting next to my PB which I usually leave connected and use for backups.

  • Why upgrade from Panther to Tiger on G4 iMac?

    I have two iMacs. I use a G5 recently upgraded from Panther to Leopard 10.5.5. My wife has a G4 with Panther 10.3.9.
    Now that I have Leopard I have a Tiger install license available.
    Are there good reasons to upgrade my wife's G4 to Tiger?
    She uses it heavily for e-mail, internet, and MS Word.
    She's networked to my G5 through Airport and we use printer sharing and file sharing.
    Her G4 works great, but I'm wondering about security issues.
    Comments?
    -Bob

    Correct me if I'm wrong but I think Apple is still releasing Security updates for Panther too, isn't it?
    I think some of the Panther software is starting to show its age limitations for Internet capabilities, and things like iTunes for all the new iPods, etc. On one hand if you're not actually having problems then my feeling is an old computer best runs software designed for it. On the other hand I am not sure you would lose any functionality if you did upgrade. I think most Panther applications run on Tiger, the system requirements are pretty similar. It's not like when you upgrade to Leopard that you suddenly lose Classic support and it requires (demands?) a faster processor. From my personal perspective upgrading to Leopard really makes a big difference in capabilities both ways and may even be a negative upgrade if you run old software the way I do. Upgrading from Panther to Tiger didn't have any downsides and had several upsides in terms of software is still being brought out for Tiger.
    [Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger system requirements|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301341]
    [OS 10.3 Panther requirements|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106163]

  • Leopard Upgrade from Panther Forgot Mail Messages

    I just upgraded from Panther to Leopard. My iPhotos, Word documents, Bookmarks, everything except email messages made it thru the upgrade and are accessible. My problem is that although all of the Mail user settings are fine, and I can send and receive mail, my inbox, sent box, etc. are empty. Do I have any hope of seeing the contents of them again?

    It seems Tiger lost my Mail files. I restored from backup, then started Mail again. It imported in less than 1 minute, then started up normally.
    Beavis2084

  • Upgrading Question: From  Panther to Leopard... PhotoShop 7.0 to CS3?

    I just upgraded from Panther to Leopard and need to upgrade my PhotoShop 7.0 to CS3. What do I need to do to insure the upgrade is successful? And... what do I need to pull from my OS 9 before I delete it?

    *"What do I need to do to insure the upgrade is successful? "*
    You shouldn't have to do anything...just install CS3.
    Regardless, since Photoshop is not an Apple product, you should post your questions on Adobe's discussion forums, rather than an Apple forum that focuses on the isntallation of OS X:
    http://www.adobeforums.com

  • Upgrading from Panther 10.3.9 to Tiger 10.4.3

    My brother has a 17" 1.8 IMac and wants to upgrade from Panther 10.3.9 to Tiger 10.4.3 so he can use Aperture, Apple's new software. Since I have always helped him in the past with his upadates, I prefer doing clean installs by reformatting the hard drive before doing a major upgrade like the aforementioned. Is this the preferred method or should I attempt to install over Panther without reformatting? I'm rather reluctant to go to 10.4.3 based upon the number of negative experiences reported by people who have done so, but if he wants to use Aperture, according to the system requirements needed to run it, he has to perform this update. What recommendations do any of you have for making a safe migration from 10.3.9 to 10.4.3? In other words, what is the best and safest method of updating?
    G5 2.3   Mac OS X (10.4.1)  

    Tom,
    Don't forget this forum is the hospital ward. Don't let the preponderance of bad reports make you think an update is bad. These are usually cases where people haven't taken the proper precautions while updating which should always be taken.
    Mac OS X doesn't technically have a clean install option. For reasons why I say not, see this user tip:
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=607614
    The best method of upgrading depends on how well the machine is functioning in 10.3.9. If it has sufficient space, sufficient RAM, has not had any kernel panics, the following sequence of steps is recommended:
    1. Backup your data.
    2. Make sure all your hardware and software has compatible drivers for the operating system you are going to. Verify all the applications you are going to use are updated.
    3. Dismount and disconnect all third party peripherals.
    4. Upgrade and install to 10.4 with a retail 10.4 installer disk. Do not use a system specific disk on a different machine. Buy the box family or single user pack from an Apple software reseller.
    5. Repair permissions with Applications -> Utilities -> Disk Utility
    6. Run the 10.4.3 combo update:
    http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macosxupdate1043combo.html
    7. repeat step 5.
    Do steps 1 and 5 before and after any update as a general practice in anycase. Application installers often have a tendency to want to mess with permissions and sometimes don't put them back causing problems later on.
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  • Upgrading from Panther to Tiger. Is it worth it?

    Hi there. I have been debating this in my head for quite some time. It is worth upgrading from Panther to Tiger? What are the benefits?
    Thanks,
    dave

    Hi dave!
    If you do decide to upgrade, Tiger is available for purchase at The Apple Store (US).
    Jaguar and Panther, are no longer available directly from the Apple Online Store, as Tiger 10.4.x is the most up to date OS.
    A Full Retail Version of the Tiger Install DVD, can be purchased rather inexpensively, at some online Apple retailers, Amazon, eBay, AppleRescue, (as cornelius mentioned) etc.
    Be sure not to purchase grey, upgrade or machine specific CDs or DVDs.
    Additional info in these links.
    Using OS X Install CDs/DVDs On Multiple Macs
    What's A Computer Specific Mac OS X Release
    Software Update, Upgrade: What's The Difference?
    Once Tiger 10.4.x is installed, you can use the PPC 10.4.8 Combo Update, to upgrade to the most up-to-date version.
    Tiger System Requirements
    Mac Model Compatibility & Requirements For OS X
    Additionally,
    "Tiger ships on a DVD, but if your Mac doesn’t have a built-in DVD-ROM player, you’ll need CD media. When you buy Mac OS X Tiger, you qualify to purchase Tiger CDs for only $9.95."
    Download The Order Form Here. Media Exchange Program
    Shop Carefully, Examine All Documentation, And Good Luck!
    ali b

  • Having problems upgrading from Panther to Tiger

    Hi there!
    I'm new to this place, but very desperate to find answers. I have been trying to upgrade from panther to tiger for the past week and have gotten a mess. I have to restore my old panther system after a panic kernal while trying to install tiger. I have tried to upgrade, install and archive and erase and install tiger and the same keeps happening: after 30-30% installation of essentials, I get a "try installing again" message and immediately goes to a blank blue screen. I have to reboot from my eDisk on the external hd and re-install my old system. I've done EVERYTHING I can find on the web and in the install suggestions. Everything has been updated (firmware, sofware, etc.), I tired disconnecting external devices except the keyboard and the external dvd I need to install and still the same thing...over and over and over!
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    Call 1-800-MY-APPLE WRT media exchange program and the DVD version you have.

  • Be carefull when upgrading from Panther to Tiger

    If you choose to upgrade from Panther to Tiger by using the Erase and install option on the Tiger DVD install disk, your XServe RAID won't mount. The problem seems to be that the driver for the RAID won't be updated in the process.
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    Mattur:When I restart to install the OS, it goes into a Kernel Panic and tells me to restart.I take it to mean that you mean you put the install disk and open it and at the prompt you restart, and it goes into the kernel panic. I notice too that you sayI can reinstall Panther with the disk the computer came with , but I can't install Tiger..In other words there is a problem is with the Tiger disk.
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    If you are planning to install Tiger check out System Requirements to be sure your computer complies.
    Good luck.
    cornelius

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