Total Re-Install

[incoquito]

Greetings and early thank yous to whomever who can help...

I have a G4 Powerbook which I need to completely re-install the OS due to a major crash.

I'm having some problems with using the Mac OS X Panther discs because it says that I can't install because I don't have a previous OS on the hard drive. However, someone told me to remedy this with the gray Software Install and Restore disc but after trying to read that disc, I get the start up Apple screen (grey background with the apple in the middle) and black and white lines in the middle and it crashes.

In terms of software discs I have the 3 Mac OS X Panther discs, the grey Software Install & Restore disc, OS X Xcode Tools disc and an Apple Hardware Test disc.

Any additional help with helping me to install a previous OS so that I can go forward to install OS X would be greatly appreciated.

[ThreeDee]

Hi, you need to make sure that those "gray disks" came with your Mac, or are specifically for you exact model Mac. If not, your Mac will not work properly.

Many people get scammed into buying these disks from eBay or the like, where the seller claims it will "work with your Mac", when many times, it won't.

On the Panther disks, make sure they are the black "retail" version, not the gray "restore" disks.

If you have the proper disks, then you can boot from the first Panther disk, make sure to erase your hard disk first, then install a fresh system.

If the problem still persists, perhaps it is a hardware problem.