What is Mac OS X for PPC (OSX 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5)?

Mac OS X is an operating system by Apple Inc. It is a conglomoration of NeXTSTEP, A/UX, and Mac OS 9. It is based off the unix kernel and provides compatibility with X11. It features a new theme called Aqua which replaces Platinum from Mac OS 8 and 9. It also adds the Dock as a place to launch applications (Not dissimilar to the underused Launcher) as well as some other features.

It started out on PowerPC processors but later transitioned onto Intel processors with Mac OS X Leopard (10.5) the last to natively support the PowerPC architecture and Snow Leopard (10.6) the last to support PowerPC applications on Intel-based Macs. All versions of Mac OS X that were made to run on PowerPC systems (with the exception of Leopard) had a Mac OS 9 emulation layer called 'Classic'. It allowed Mac OS X to run Mac OS 9 applications that weren't updated to run natively on OS X (known as carbonization based on the Carbon API). However, some applications and extensions won't work under Classic. One example is Final Cut Pro 2. Yet, 99% of the time, Classic was perfectly capable of running most OS 9 apps.

See also: Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard (for Intel architecture only)

Important: To install Mac OS X 10.4 on G3's, use the Bad Machine or Unsupported G3 MOD Install CD 1 and on some G4 models, if it refuses to boot, first try the 2005 DVD version and second, the 4-CD set version.

 

Download Mac OS X for PPC (OSX 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5) for Mac

Architecture

OSX Universal Binary

Compatibility notes

System Requirements

 

10.0 Cheetah : 

Supported Computers: 

• Power Macintosh G3 Beige
• Power Mac G3 B&W
• Power Mac G4
• Power Mac G4 Cube
• iMac G3
• PowerBook G3
• PowerBook G4
• iBook

RAM: 128 MB (unofficially 64 MB minimum)

Hard Drive Space: 1,500 MB (800 MB for the minimal install)

 

10.1 Puma :

Supported computers:

• Power Mac G3
• Power Mac G4
• Power Mac G4 Cube
• iMac G3
• iMac DV
• eMac
• PowerBook
• iBook

RAM: 128 MB (unofficially 64 MB minimum)

Hard Drive Space: 1.5 GB

 

10.2 Jaguar :

Processors:

• PowerPC G3
• PowerPC G4
• PowerPC G5 (needs special build)

RAM​: 128 MB

 

10.3 Panther :

• PowerPC G3, G4, or G5 processor (at least 233 MHz)
• Built-in USB (indicative of a New World ROM being present)
• At least 128 MB of RAM (256 MB recommended, minimum of 96 MB supported unofficially)
• At least 1.5 GB of available hard disk space
• CD drive

 

10.4 Tiger :

• A PowerPC G3 (use the Bad Machine or Unsupported G3 MOD Install CD 1), G4, or G5 processor running at 300 MHz or faster
• Built-in FireWire
• At least 256 MB of RAM, 128 MB can run it unofficially though (512 MB recommended)
• At least 3 GB of available hard disk space; 4 GB of disk space including the Xcode 2 Tools, 2 GB for the minimal install
• DVD-ROM drive (CD-ROM exchange was available; offer ended on March 20, 2007)

 

10.5 Leopard :

• PowerPC G4, G5 or Intel (867MHz or faster) processor
• 512 MB of RAM
• DVD drive for installation
• 9GB of available disk space

 

Emulating this? It could probably run under: QEMU