Member Avatar for cambridge7

Hi,

I have a old G3 and like to update OS 9 to OS 10 with two CD's. I reboot and hold the C key and get a yellow sign on screen.

Thanks in advance.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by jbennet

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Brief context: tried to boot OS X install media by holding C and got a yellow symbol; rightly pointed out that the exact OS X release matters. The steps below focus on diagnosing whether the problem is the media, the drive, or a compatibility/restriction on the disc itself.

Check model and disc labeling

  • Find the Mac model identifier or model number (printed on the case or on the serial sticker). If the Mac cannot boot, the case label or original paperwork is the source.
  • Inspect the CD face closely: look for the exact wording (words like "Install" versus a specific model name, any version numbers or build identifiers). Discs that explicitly name a Mac model are usually restore discs and will only boot that model; retail installers are generic.

Boot and media diagnostics

  • Try the Startup Manager by holding Option at power-on to see whether the installer appears as a boot choice.
  • Reset PRAM with Command-Option-P-R (hold until the startup chime repeats) and retry.
  • Inspect the discs for damage and, if possible, test them in another Mac. Pressed (commercial) discs are more reliable in older drives than burned copies; burned copies sometimes fail to boot on legacy optical drives.

Advanced checks and what to gather

  • Enter Open Firmware (Command-Option-O-F) on PowerPC machines only if deeper trouble‑shooting is needed. Photograph the yellow icon and note the exact text printed on the disc and the Mac model identifier. Important diagnostics to report are: exact disc wording, whether the disc appears in Startup Manager, whether the disc boots in another Mac, and results of a PRAM reset. Those details will clearly distinguish an incompatible restore disc from a faulty drive or damaged media and point to the right next step.

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Member Avatar for jbennet

Which version of OSX

Member Avatar for cambridge7

Which version of OSX

it's OSX 10

Member Avatar for jbennet

No. Thats not the version

OSX = OS 10 - sucessor to MacOS 9

the X is a roman numeral standing for 10

There are specific versions, like 10.5 is usually referred to by Apple as "Leopard" , 10.4 was referred to as Tiger, 10.3 as Panther. different versions have different requirements. Tell me which version of OSX you have.

The current version of OSX (Leopard) WILL NOT run on your G3

The older version, (Tiger - v10.4) may run if your G3 is 333 MHz or more and has FireWire and at the absolute least 256 MB of RAM then you can run that

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