Mac OS: Versions, builds included with PowerPC Macs (since 1998)
Summary
Learn the version(s) of Mac OS included with PowerPC Macs produced since 01 Jan 1998. If you're looking for information about Intel Macs produced since 2006, see this article.
Important: You cannot normally use a Mac OS version earlier than the one included with the computer. See "Don't install older versions of Mac OS than what comes with your computer," as well as the related documents mentioned below.
Products Affected
Power Mac Server, Xserve, iBook, MacBook, PowerBook, Power Mac, Mac mini, iMac, eMac
- Some computers shipped with different Mac OS versions at different times. When a computer was not bundled with a later version, a "-" appears in the "Later Mac OS included" column.
- The build information is available in the About This Mac window.
- The parenthetical product descriptions (Summer 2000) and (Summer 2001) refer to the summer of earth's Northern Hemisphere.
- Also known as iBook (Early 2003).
- (*) Some, or all, of this type of computer start in Mac OS X only. For more information, see "Macintosh: Some Computers Only Start Up in Mac OS X". Additional information:
- iMac (Flat Panel) with serial numbers of xx303xxxxxx or later start only in Mac OS X
- eMac (ATI Graphics) with SuperDrive start only in Mac OS X.
- Some computers may include a slightly newer build (but same numbered version) of Mac OS X on the Install or Restore discs than was preinstalled on the hard drive. This is normal.
- Some versions of computer-specific software can only be used for NetBoot or System Images for the computer model with which they were bundled. This includes these Power Mac G5 computer-specific builds: 6S74, 6S75, 6S80, 6S90.
Power Mac G3, G4, G5 |
Date introduced
|
Original Mac OS included
(see Notes 1 and 5) |
Later Mac OS included
(see Note 1) |
Mac OS X Build(s)
(see Note 2) |
Power Macintosh G3 (Blue & White) | Jan 1999 | 8.5.1 | - | - |
Power Mac G4 (PCI Graphics) | Sept 1999 | 8.6 | - | - |
Power Mac G4 (AGP Graphics) | Sept 1999 | 8.6 | 9.0 | - |
Power Mac G4 (Gigabit Ethernet) | Aug 2000 | 9.0.4v2 | - | - |
Power Mac G4 Cube | Aug 2000 | 9.0.4v2 | 9.1 | - |
Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio) | Jan 2001 | 9.1 | 10.0.3 | - |
Power Mac G4 (QuickSilver) | Jul 2001 | 9.2, 10.0.4 | 9.2.1, 10.1 | 4Q12, 5G64 |
Power Mac G4 (QuickSilver 2002) | Jan 2002 | 9.2.2, 10.1.2 | 10.1.3, 10.1.5, 10.2 | 5P63, 5P68, 5Q83, 5S54, 6C115 |
Power Mac G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors) | Aug 2002 | 9.2.2, 10.2 | 10.2.1, 10.2.6 | 6C115, 6E31, 6E32, 6L60 |
Macintosh Server G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors) | Aug 2002 | 10.2.1 | - | 6E32 |
Power Mac G4 (FW 800) * | Jan 2003 | 9.2.2, 10.2.3 | 10.2.4, 10.2.6 | 6H58, 6H60, 6J54 |
Power Mac G5 - see Note 7 * | Jul 2003 | 9.2.2, 10.2.7 (G5), 10.2.8 (G5) | 10.3 | 6S74, 6S75, 6S80, 6S90, 7B85 |
Power Mac G5 (June 2004) * | June 2004 | 10.3.4 | 10.3.7 | 7L18, 7L32, 7P124, 7T52 |
Power Mac G5 (Late 2004) | Oct 04 | 10.3.5 | 10.3.7, 10.4 | 7P134, 7T52, 8A428 |
Power Mac G5 (Early 2005) | Apr 05 | 10.4 | - | 8A428 |
Power Mac G5 (Late 2005) | Oct 2005 | 10.4.2 | 10.4.4 | 8E90, 8G32 |
iMac |
||||
iMac 233 MHz | Aug 1998 | 8.1 | - | - |
iMac 233 MHz/B, 266 MHz, 333 MHz | Jan 1999 through Apr 1999 | 8.5.1 | 8.6 | - |
iMac (Slot Loading) | Oct 1999 | 8.6 | 9.0, 9.0.3, 9.0.4 | - |
iMac (Summer 2000) - See Note 3 | Sept 2000 | 9.0.4 | - | - |
iMac (Early 2001) | Feb 2001 | 9.1 | - | - |
iMac (Summer 2001) - See Note 3 | Jul 2001 | 9.1, 10.0.4 | 9.2, 10.1, 10.1.2, 10.1.3, 10.2 | 4P13, 4R15, 5G64, 5P63, 5Q83, 6C115 |
iMac (Flat Panel) | Jan 2002 | 9.2.2, 10.1.2 | 10.1.3, 10.1.4, 10.2, 10.2.3 | 5P63, 5Q83, 5R48, 5T91, 6C115, 6H58, 6H60 |
iMac (17-inch Flat Panel) * - See Note 5 | Jul 2002 | 9.2.2, 10.1.5 | 10.2 | 6C115 |
iMac (17-inch 1GHz) * | Feb 2003 | 9.2.2, 10.2.3 | - | 6H58, 6H60, 6I34 |
iMac (USB 2.0) 17-inch 1.25 GHz, 15-inch 1 GHz * | Aug 2003 | 9.2.2, 10.2.7 | 10.3.1 | 6R42, 6R49, 6R52, 7C150 |
iMac (USB 2.0) 20-inch 1.25 GHz * | Oct 2003 | 9.2.2, 10.3 | 10.3.1 | 7C9, 7C150 |
iMac G5 * | Aug 2004 | 10.3.5 | - | 7P35 |
iMac G5 (Ambient Light Sensor) | May 2005 | 10.4 | - | 8A428 |
iMac G5 (iSight) | Oct 2005 | 10.4.2 | - | 8E102, 8E104 |
eMac |
||||
eMac | Apr 2002 | 9.2.2, 10.1.4 | 10.2, 10.2.2, 10.2.3 | 5R106, 6C115, 6F22, 6H60 |
eMac (ATI Graphics) * - See Note 5 | May 2003 | 10.2.4 | 10.3 | 6J73, 7B85 |
eMac (USB 2.0) * - See Note 5 | Mar 2004 | 10.3.3 | 10.3.4 | 7G21, 7L33 |
eMac (2005) | May 05 | 10.4 | 10.4.2, 10.4.4 | A428, 8A451, 8E90A, 8G32 |
Mac mini |
||||
Mac mini * | Jan 2005 | 10.3.7 | 10.4 | 7T21, 8A428 |
Mac mini (late 2005) * | Sept 2005 | 10.4.2 | - | 8D40, 8E90A |
PowerBook G3 and G4 |
||||
PowerBook G3 Series | Sept 1998 | 8.1 | - | - |
PowerBook G3 (Bronze Keyboard) | May 1999 | 8.6 | - | - |
PowerBook (FireWire) | Feb 2000 | 9.0.2 | - | - |
PowerBook G4 | Oct 2001 | 9.1 | 10.1.1 | 5M45 |
PowerBook G4 (Gigabit Ethernet) | Oct 2001 | 9.2.1, 10.1 | 10.1.2 | 5G64, 5P63 |
PowerBook G4 (DVI) | Apr 2002 | 9.2.2, 10.1.4 | - | 5R60 |
PowerBook G4 (12-inch) * | Jan 2002 | 9.2.2, 10.2.3 | - | 6G30, 6H28, 6H30 |
PowerBook G4 (1 GHz / 867 MHz) | Nov 2002 | 9.2.2, 10.2 | 10.2.3 | 6C115, 6E62, 6H60 |
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW 800) * | Aug 2003 | 9.2.2, 10.2.7 | 10.3 | 6R55, 7B85 |
PowerBook G4 (17-inch) * | Mar 2003 | 9.2.2, 10.2.4 | 10.2.7, 10.3 | 6I34, 6J25, 6R55 |
PowerBook G4 (12-inch DVI) * | Sept 2003 | 9.2.2, 10.2.7 | 10.3 | 6R55, 7B85 |
PowerBook G4 (15-inch 1.5/1.33GHz) and (17-inch 1.5GHz) * | Apr 2004 | 10.3.3 | 10.3.4, 10.4 | 7G43, 7L46, 8A428 |
PowerBook G4 (12-inch 1.33GHz) * | Apr 2004 | 10.3.3 | 10.3.4 | 7G33, 7L46 |
PowerBook G4 (15-inch 1.67/1.5GHz) and (17-inch 1.67GHz) * | Jan 2005 | 10.3.7 | 10.4 | 7T62, 8A428 |
PowerBook G4 (12-inch 1.5GHz) * | Jan 2005 | 10.3.7 | 10.4.2 | 7T51, 8E90A |
PowerBook G4 (Double-Layer SD) * | Oct 2005 | 10.4.2 | - | 8E45 |
iBook |
||||
iBook | Sept 1999 | 8.6 | - | - |
iBook Special Edition (FireWire) | Feb 2000 | 8.6 | 9.0.4 | - |
iBook (FireWire) | Sept 2000 | 9.0.4 | - | - |
iBook (Dual USB) | May 2001 | 9.1 | 10.0.3 | 4P13 |
iBook (Late 2001) | Oct 2001 | 9.2.1, 10.1 | 10.1.2 | 5G64 |
iBook (14.1 LCD) | Jan 2002 | 9.2.2, 10.1.2 | - | 5P54c |
iBook (14.1 LCD 16 VRAM) | May 2002 | 9.2.2, 10.1.4 | 10.2 | 4P13 |
iBook (Opaque 16 VRAM) | Nov 2002 | 9.2.2, 10.2.1 | 10.2.3 | 6D52, 6E57 |
iBook (32 VRAM) | Nov 2002 | 9.2.2, 10.2.1 | 10.2.3 | 6D52, 6E57, 6H60 |
iBook (14.1 LCD 800 MHz 32 VRAM) - See Note 4 | Apr 2003 | 9.2.2, 10.2.4 | - | 6I34, 6J73 |
iBook (14.1 LCD 900 MHz 32 VRAM) - See Note 4 | Apr 2003 | 9.2.2, 10.2.4 | - | 6I34, 6J73 |
iBook (800 MHZ 32 VRAM) - See Note 4 | Apr 2003 | 9.2.2, 10.2.4 | - | 6I34, 6J73 |
iBook G4 (12-inch) * | Oct 2003 | 10.3 | - | 7B85 |
iBook G4 (14-inch) * | Oct 2003 | 10.3 | - | 7B85 |
iBook Logic Board Update REA * | Mar 2004 | 10.3 | - | 7E40 |
iBook G4 (Early 2004) * | Mar 2004 | 10.3.3 | 10.3.4 | 7G51 or 7G33, 7L46 |
iBook G4 (Late 2004) * | Oct 2004 | 10.3.5 | 10.3.7, 10.4 | 7P216, 7T52, 8A428 |
iBook G4 (Mid 2005) | July 2005 | 10.4.2, 10.4.4 | - | 8D37, 8G32 |
Xserve |
||||
Xserve * | May 2002 | 10.1.5 | 10.2 | 6C115 |
Xserve (Slot Load) * | Feb 2003 | 10.2.4, 10.2.7 | - | 6I34 |
Xserve (Cluster Node) * | Mar 2003 | 10.2.4, 10.2.7 | - | 6I34 |
Xserve G5 * | Mar 2004 | 10.3.2 | 10.3.3 | 7E46, 7G66 |
Additional Information
25114: "Mac OS 8 and 9: Compatibility With Macintosh Computers"