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How to boot OS 9 on my Powerbook G4 1.33GHz?

ppc_michael

ppc_michael

Guest
Original poster
Apr 26, 2005
1,498
2
Los Angeles, CA
I read that my 17" Powerbook G4 1.33 GHz will not boot Mac OS 9. But I want it to! So I tried anyway. ;) I don't use it anymore, so why the heck not.

I used the recovery CD from my old iBook G4 to get the os9general.img file, which contains a bootable OS 9 system folder. (I also have a Mac OS 9.2 disc I bought, so this is all legal I promise). I copied it over to the root directory of my hard drive and used terminal to bless it, using --setBoot to set it as the default system (because it does not show up in the Startup Disk control panel).

Restarting normally gives the "no file system" icon (folder icon alternating between a Finder face and question mark). But restarting while holding the Option key brings up this screen:


(click for the full picture)​

The trackpad doesn't work right on this screen, but I managed to get the cursor over to that straight arrow button and click it. That crashes to an open firmware screen saying "Illegal ref."

So! Have there been any successful attempts to boot OS 9 on the "newer" PPC computers? I don't understand why it wouldn't be possible.

(and mods, if this isn't in the right subforum, please put it in the right one :))
 
MisterMe

MisterMe

macrumors G4
Jul 17, 2002
10,709
69
USA
You cannot boot a FireWire 800/USB 2.0 Mac under MacOS 9. However, the first Macs featuring the faster ports could be booted with the aid of a hack. What you are doing won't work. Do a Google search for the required hack.
 
0007776

0007776

Suspended
Jul 11, 2006
6,473
8,170
Somewhere
It won't work because OS 9 was not designed for that hardware so it is missing drivers and probably somthing else that I can't think of right now. if you really want to boot Mac OS 9 then old G3 or slightly earlier macs can be gotten for very cheap or free.
 
progx

progx

macrumors 6502a
Oct 3, 2003
766
849
Pennsylvania
Actually, the above is a great tip. My Powerbook G4 can't go into OS 9 natively, and I don't even have Classic installed, but having a low-end Mac handy is a good idea. That's why I keep my 1999 iMac G3 handy for OS 9 stuff.

Around 2002, or 2003, Apple announced it would no longer have OS 9 preinstalled on its machines and the option to dual-boot was eliminated. If you wanted to run your old OS 9 apps, you hoped it would work in the Classic environment. Every G4, and iBook G3, was no longer able to dual boot to OS 9 natively. Then Apple EOL'd OS 9.2. Which was a good decision, many top apps were running on OS X at that time, so there was no reason to continue to have computers dual boot between X and 9.

That's what Apple is hoping with OS X and Windows. You'll get sick of restarting, and when your app is available for your Mac, then ditch Windows. Just as many people have ditched OS 9.
 
CanadaRAM

CanadaRAM

macrumors G5
Oct 11, 2004
12,417
6
On the Left Coast - Victoria BC Canada
DoFoT9 said:
i know that silly. how retarted do you think i am!!!
Click to expand...

Retarded. Otherwise you're talking about a small pastry again. ;)

Since you talked about needing to use OS9 and Appleworks in the same breath, it was natural to assume that you were linking the two.

But to answer the question, we really don't know what your knowledge level is. Really. All we have to go on is what you put in your posts, and yours in this thread left considerable room for speculation.
 
ppc_michael

ppc_michael

Guest
Original poster
Apr 26, 2005
1,498
2
Los Angeles, CA
It's not really because I have apps I need to use on OS 9 or anything, it's just to see if it's possible. I kinda miss OS 9, I'd like to have it back, and I don't really see why I shouldn't be able to run it on my Powerbook.

But, oh well.
 
DoFoT9

DoFoT9

macrumors P6
Jun 11, 2007
17,586
99
London, United Kingdom
CanadaRAM said:
Retarded. Otherwise you're talking about a small pastry again. ;)

Since you talked about needing to use OS9 and Appleworks in the same breath, it was natural to assume that you were linking the two.

But to answer the question, we really don't know what your knowledge level is. Really. All we have to go on is what you put in your posts, and yours in this thread left considerable room for speculation.
Click to expand...

to tell u the truth ive never done an IQ test. nor do i want to. i know that appleworks is a ppc program, as i run it practically every day. i dont like to boast about my knowledge, but it is fairly broad in a lot of computer areas. broad but not perfect.

os9 ftw!
 
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