Reviving a MDD from scratch - a new mac user

[nat8808]

Hello people,

I have picked up a MDD FW800 1GHz single processor G4 mac cheaply and am trying to get it up and running but am having problems installing any OS..

Basically I'm getting the flashing folder with question mark and I can't get any further - can anyone help?

In more detail: I have installed a new HD (160Gb) and LG DVD-RW (memory was included already) and have downloaded Panther off the internet on my PC and, using the process detailed here:

http://www.computing.net/mac/wwwboard/forum/10311.html

have seemingly successfully turned the .dmgs into CDs (I can read these fully on my old G3 B/W so I assume they are correct and bootable).

The problem is that I don't know how to get the mac (either the G4 or G3) to boot off the CD! Holding down C doesn't work (I'm guessing because it isn't a genuine mac optical drive) and other key presses like that I've quickly picked up from the net don't seem to work either..

I only have a Bondi iMac keyboard to use (well, and a biege G3 extended keyboard too - is there a way of making a USB converter for this with bits from Maplin?) so could this be malfunctioning - it appears to type ok using the G3.

The equipment I have at my disposal are: G3 B/W with OS 9.2 (with tempremental graphics card - won't always show stuff on screen but always boots) with modem/ethernet but no CD RW for burning Cds, Bondi imac keyboard, Kensington trackball USB, a PC laptop with CD/DVD RW and internet access, an external ethernet HD, my Sony minidisc with 1Gb disks that can used as a USB HD and £30 cash to help things along.

Any tips would be GREATLY appreciated as I've hit a wall - perhaps there are some things I can run through on my G3 as confirmation that things are working - will it see and run the LG DVD-RW?. Ha, I got the mac to steer me away from hardware issues and actually get creative!

Thanks in advance!

 

[teapot]

Hi and welcome
If you have access to a CD burner you need to burn the disk images you have and the load the first of the set in the optical drive on the computer you wish to install it on. Then start holding the C key down during the start up procedure, and just follow the on-screen instructions.

 

[nat8808]

Thanks for the warm welcome, Teapot!

And I have success!

Pressing 'C' wasn't working but I couldn't be sure of anything working correctly so went as basic as possible, moving the genuine apple CD-Rom from the G3 to the G4 and downloaded yet another OS where people have quoted their successful use of it AND have burnt the CDs using PCs (as I've had to). It actually liked this CD of Tiger, responded to pressing 'c' and started to read the disk for a change.. Now it's fully loaded! Hooray..

I'm not sure whether the OS 9.2.2 CD just doesn't work on a MDD FW800 or if it was a bad download and the OS X 10.3 didn't go anywhere either.. took 10 CD-Rs before success, will buy RWs next time.

Now to discover the joys of Mac creativity! Am getting a friend's 'new' G3 Pismo laptop to sort tomorrow - can this take OS X Tiger or will I have to settle on something lesser for it?

Haha, I changed the broken screen on my girlfriend's 12" G3 laptop and so now I think I know it all and taking on everyone's mac problems, but secretly learning as I go...

Cheers, will most likely be back on here soon - maybe imparting advice if I learn fast enough.

Nat