Can I revert to a previous system version?

by Kel68--2008 Apr 10, 2009 8:44PM PDT

I am looking at buying a used iMac PowerPC G5 1.8GHz with 1.25GB RAM and OS 10.5 preloaded, but the owner only has the original system discs which are OS 10.4. Is it possible to wipe the hard drive and revert to the 10.4 version? I don't want to buy the Leopard discs to have in case the computer crashes and the system has to be restored.

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Installing older OS

by jedirock Apr 10, 2009 9:13PM PDT

Sure, you can do that. The only thing that may not work is the Archive and Install. If you were to back up the data you needed on another drive though, the wipe the internal drive clean and install, you should have no problems.

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you are correct,

by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Apr 10, 2009 10:58PM PDT

Archive and Install will not work for going backwards.

As you say, format and install will be the only option

That said, I would seriously consider purchasing OS X 10.5.6 which will be the highest OS that this computer will be able to use.
Seems a shame to dumb it down.

P

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Thanks

by Kel68--2008 Apr 11, 2009 2:56PM PDT

Thanks to both of you. I didn't have the budget to get Leopard, and there is some software I have that will only run up to OS 10.4.

Kelly

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You may find,

by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Apr 11, 2009 10:52PM PDT

before you revert this machine to 10.4, that your software will actually run on 10.5

Sometimes the statement, requires 10.4, means that it does not run on 10.3 and was made before 10.5 was released.

It's worth a try, most software that ran on 10.3 still runs on 10.5

P

Can I revert to a previous system version?

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