Install Tiger Via Target Disk Mode
Several people over at this Mac OS X Hint are reporting successfully installing Tiger to a Mac sans DVD drive by booting the Mac in Target disk mode (hold down the T button at boot up). Then they plug that Mac into another DVD-capable Mac via a Firewire cable. The original Mac shows up as a Firewire drive on the second computer and during installation they simply install to that firewire drive.Although everyone in this thread reports this method working like a charm, in previous versions of OS X, I myself have experienced problems when trying to install from one type of computer to another. Once, I installed OS X on a G4 Power Mac in Target Disk Mode from my Powerbook, and I ended up with a non-working system on the Power Mac, because it mistakenly thought it was a Powerbook. Odd, but true, so consider yourself warned.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ryan said 2:21AM on 7-23-2005
The better approach is to do it the other way around. Boot the Mac with a DVD drive in target mode and it becomes an external DVD drive to the Mac without a DVD drive.
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Thomas said 4:17PM on 6-16-2005
Another great story. Saves me the price of getting another install disk for my moms Blue iMac. Thanks
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Olivier said 4:17PM on 6-16-2005
I have trouble believing Mac OS X installs itself differently depending on the machine it thinks it's installing on. Countless time have I booted a PowerBook using a PowerMac in target disk mode or the other way around.
Regarding the booting of a Mac in target disk mode to make it behave as a DVD player, it's a recent feature. It works with my G5 but not with my PowerBook G4 12" 867MHz. Originally, target disk mode only displayed one hard disk, presumably the master on ATA bus 0.
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san said 4:17PM on 6-16-2005
"Saves me the price of getting another install disk for my moms Blue iMac."
I might be able to save you some time, too. If it's a Bondi Blue iMac, it's not officially supported. Slot-loading iMac in the original form factor is allegedly the oldest one that will work with Tiger.
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Keller said 12:20PM on 8-27-2005
As far as it installing different versions based on the machine, I think this is true to a certain extent. I think it will install a version optimized for that processor (ie G4 vs G5, etc). It should still work on a mac with a different processor, but it would probably be slower.
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Tan Hoang said 4:17PM on 6-16-2005
For some reason whenever I tried to use target disk mode under panther trying to install tiger, my powerbook would just shut itself down. Even after installing it with the dvd, I tried to target disk another ibook with my powerbook and my powerbook would shut down. Maybe its a glitch with tiger and target disk mode?
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Cyberwhore said 4:17PM on 6-16-2005
I used my iPod instead of mucking around trying to get two desktops next to each other.
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Adam said 5:56PM on 7-12-2005
As for the iMac thing, the installer just won't run if it's an unsupported Mac. It won't even boot into it, no matter how you do it. Apple's got this whole eliminating machines thing down pat.
As for the target mode thing, over the weekend, I tried to install tiger on a coworker's Pismo. After discovering that her DVD drive is flaky, we tried to boot it into Target mode, and run the installer from a G5. The installer just hung while trying to determine what volumes it could install to, and after a restart, it decided it would not install to the Target mode Mac. Luckily, I had a 2.5" enclosure, so I stuffed the drive in that, and she installed just fine, and worked in the Pismo just fine. I found it to be an odd error indeed.
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Craig said 2:15PM on 8-22-2005
I very strongly recommend AGAINST using this method. Some Mac OS updates have caused problems when connected to external FireWire drives, particularly 10.3.6. I have spent many more hours than I care to tell anyone fixing problems associated with upgrades performed while connected to external drives. There is no good reason to deviate from Apple's intended methodology. I prefer archive and install, myself.
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James Neal said 2:27AM on 10-16-2005
I got a 60 GB color iPod today, a dock, a firewire cable, a $25 iTunes Music Store gift certificate, and Mac OS X Tiger. I go to load Tiger and find out my DVD drive is not reading the disc. I then try a regular DVD movie and it spits it out. I then try a CD which loads properly. As it was Saturday night I could not cash in on my AppleCare because they are not open during the weekend. Can anyone help me? I reset PRAM. I repaired all permissions. It's it the drive? When will AppleCare mean 24 hour toll free tech support like most customer service.
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