os9 system folder warning on restart

[ibclare]

Out of the blue: programs like Photoshop and Word wouldn't open but started asking for new setup. When I tried to restart iMac, I got this warning: "the startup disk no longer has a valid system folder. System and finder must be in the system folder. If you continue, you may not be able to restart the computer." OK, well, system & finder ARE both in the folder. All my files are backed up and I am ready to reinitialize if this will fix the problem (though I have OS10 also, some of my fav programs are in old version and I can't replace them yet). But I am concerned that the computer will just k e e l o v e r a n d d i e. Any ideas please? Tx, Clare in IB, CA

[tombb]

Out of the blue: programs like Photoshop and Word wouldn't open but started asking for new setup. When I tried to restart iMac, I got this warning: "the startup disk no longer has a valid system folder. System and finder must be in the system folder. If you continue, you may not be able to restart the computer." OK, well, system & finder ARE both in the folder. All my files are backed up and I am ready to reinitialize if this will fix the problem (though I have OS10 also, some of my fav programs are in old version and I can't replace them yet). But I am concerned that the computer will just k e e l o v e r a n d d i e. Any ideas please? Tx, Clare in IB, CA

Sounds like you may need to do a "clean install" from the Mac OS system disks.

[ibclare]

Sounds like you may need to do a "clean install" from the Mac OS system disks.

Looks like it. Guess I'm wondering if it'll start up, even come back on at all, but I'm going to have to try it I guess. Tx for your feedback.