Best Emulator for pre-10.3 Netboot Server on post-10.3 g4 or intel?

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josietron
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Best Emulator for pre-10.3 Netboot Server on post-10.3 g4 or intel?

Post by josietron »

I have a long history of IT support with Macs, but I've been struggling with this particular scenario and could use some advice.

tl;dr - what's the best emulator to run a pre-10.3 server on an iBook G4 or MacBook Core2Duo to netboot a Bondi Blue iMac G3 tray loader with a dead drive?

I have an original Bondi Blue iMac G3 revA I got from the original owner, who had stored it in a closet for ~20 years. It works a treat, except the tray loading CDRom doesn't read any disks. It's time to clear out my collection of vintage macs in preparation for a move, and I'd like to sell it. The thing is, the original owner's data is still scattered in tons of folders around the drive. I'd like to erase and install OS 8.6 or 9, or even 8.1. The iMac came with the original 8.1 CDs.

The computers I have with ethernet are a 2004 iBook g4 and 2007 MacBook Core2Duo. All the data on both is backed up. The Macbook currently has 10.4.7 Server, and the iBook 3 partitions, OSX 10.3 server, 10.4 Server, and 10.5 regular. I can get the iMac to file share over Appletalk with the 10.3 and 10.4 systems (IIRC)
ALL those server installs were trying to figure out a setup to netboot the iMac. After struggling with it for over a week, I just read somewhere that for pre-g4 systems, you need to be running a pre-10.3 version of server. The iBook won't run anything earlier than 10.3.5 natively. Thus, I now look to setting up an emulator to run a pre-10.3 server to hopefully netboot the iMac and erase it so I can sell it (for a reasonable, under-eBay price!)
(I have a Powerbook 165c that's next up for restore/sell, but it doesn't have the ethernet card and I figure it's not worth buying for this task alone)

Any advice on the ideal setup, given the computers I have and the task I need to do?
Thanks!
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Cat_7
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Re: Best Emulator for pre-10.3 Netboot Server on post-10.3 g4 or intel?

Post by Cat_7 »

Hi,

The only emulator capable of reliably running OSX 10.1 or 10.2 and give you ethernet access would be Qemu. However, Qemu versions supporting running the required OSX will not run on the machines you have available.

Best,
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adespoton
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Re: Best Emulator for pre-10.3 Netboot Server on post-10.3 g4 or intel?

Post by adespoton »

I think your only real option is PearPC on the core2duo, unless you can get an older qemu-ppc build running.

You could potentially get MacOnMac working if you're fine with running 10.3 to do it.
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