[pixelcruncher]

Need to be able to boot Panther for a while longer. Can anyone find Apple's official line on if this will work?

[MacCheetah3]

Hi
Maybe on the 1.8GHz model but I even doubt that. Simple answer...No.

[Earthling7]

AFAIK, the OS version that shipped on the computer is the lowest it will take. Some chip seems to prevent you from installing an older OS. Does anyone know why that is? What is the idea behind that?
Not that I mind much, I'm not planning on downgrading. Just curious what drives such a decision...

[MacCheetah3]

Hi
It's built directly into the firmware (BIOS for "PC" users). It comes down to the fact that Apple includes the latest OS at the time of hardware release and therefore that OS version is the lowest to include the drivers, ... to support that series.
Mac OS 9 was a special case but, for example, why would Apple specially add support for the newest G5 hardware, ... to Panther when they don't need to?

[drmbb]

Do you have the generic Panther box set of install disks? The disks that ship with a machine are specific to it, but the generic box set of install disks will work.
Example, I can boot my original Panther box setr (10.3.0) disk on my Dec. 2004 powerbook (which shipped with 10.3.something installed), and my box set of Tiger DVD boots fine on my ancient (now) rev.B 667Mhz TiBook.
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[pixelcruncher]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the info. Guess I'll have to keep two boxes running for awhile. Time to dig out that crappy old monitor.