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paulwgraber

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 13, 2013
121
1
Just got my new G4 1.25GHZ single FW400 MDD model for the sole purpose of booting direct into 9.2.2. So I hook it all up, put the OS 9.2.2 CD in to boot from so I can install it on my blank WD 250G HD and nothing. So I put an OSX.4 CD in and try to boot from that. Nothing. Frustrated at this point I put my Leopard DVD in and yes it boots from that just fine. OK so now what? Again the whole reason I went and downgraded to get this particular G4 was for Dual booting into Classic and 10.5. Again mine is a single 1.25GHZ, MDD, FW400 model. I thought this was one of the last dual booting models???

Help. I am very frustrated at this point.
 

DeltaMac

macrumors G5
Jul 30, 2003
13,425
4,392
Delaware
One method would be to connect your MDD Mac to an older Mac that will boot to the OS 9 installer, or just boot that older Mac to an installed OS 9 system, then run the installer from the OS 9 installer CD. You would be connected with Firewire to the MDD Mac, which you would boot to Target Disk mode. Format the hard drive in the MDD using the Drive Setup Utility, and install OS 9, with the MDD hard drive as the destination.
The drive will only be bootable in OS 9 if installed in the rear, vertical mount (not in the front mount under the optical drives.)
(I could have that backwards, but I don't think so. Intell will likely correct me if I'm wrong :D )
 

paulwgraber

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 13, 2013
121
1
Here is what I have.

OS 8 disk
OS 9.0 retail
OS 9.2.2 update disk
OS X restore disk
OS X retail
OS X.5 retail
 

paulwgraber

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 13, 2013
121
1
So if I got a set of G4 9.1 restore disk would I be able to boot from that?
 

paulwgraber

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 13, 2013
121
1
So each restore disk is matched to its own PPC?

They are not interchangeable?
 

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
Yes, each restore disc is limited to being used only with the model machine it came with.
 

paulwgraber

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 13, 2013
121
1
So basically what you are saying is that any mac purchased without its restore disk is absolutely useless?

I can't belive that apple would make things som difficult and complicated.
I have two G4's that are useless to me then because I do not have their original disks.

So why would people even sell restore disks or mac on ebay then?

I am so frustrated at this point!!!!!
 

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
It isn't useless. You can use a retail Tiger or Leopard disc to put a new operating system on it. People sell restore discs because someone may have a Mac without them and need to reinstall the original OS.
 

paulwgraber

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 13, 2013
121
1
s if i install tiger on one hard drive can i then install 9.2.2 onto a diff hard drive?
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
28,698
26,713
Why not just call Apple and ask them for an OS 9.x Restore Disk for your model?

Apple sells restore disks for low cost. It's even been reported that they are given out free sometimes.

If Apple doesn't have a restore disk (OS9.x) for your model then you aren't any worse off then you are right now.
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
28,698
26,713
Yep, you can. As long as Apple still has a copy they will sell it to you for something around $25. Again, I've heard of some people getting it for free. But don't count on that.

My guess as to why Apple does this is both customer service, a small amount of revenue generation and the fact that since it's a model specific disk it's limited to working on just your model.

Worth a shot calling them anyway.
 

DZ/015

macrumors 6502a
Mar 23, 2003
875
26
New England
This is the bad thing about running OS 9 on a MDD. Needing the install discs. I have them for a dual 867 MDD. The last time I installed OS 9, I backed up the system and applications folder. If you need a copy, let me know. Since you own the hardware, you are licensed to own the originally installed software.
 

paulwgraber

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 13, 2013
121
1
Well I called Apple and they were very nice about it but told me they no longer carry restore disks. They said they stopped a few months ago. So I'm sitting here staring at my dead mac frustrated as hell.
 

WMD

macrumors regular
Jun 12, 2013
175
7
Florida, USA
There's not really any way around it; the computer was released after OS 9 and therefore the OS 9 CD doesn't support the computer.
Meanwhile, you can still boot a new PC from a Windows XP CD and install it. All you need is a driver disk. Heck, most PCs will still boot into the Windows 98 installer; it probably won't recognize the hard drive, but at least it does something.

This is one thing Apple has never handled very well. The closest they got were the "System Enablers" from the System 7 era, but I think even those were just pre-patched copies of the OS; you couldn't add one to a retail copy after the fact.
 

Nermal

Moderator
Staff member
Dec 7, 2002
20,595
3,936
New Zealand
The closest they got were the "System Enablers" from the System 7 era, but I think even those were just pre-patched copies of the OS; you couldn't add one to a retail copy after the fact.

You could; I remember installing a retail System 7 on a system that needed an enabler. The trick was to drop the enabler onto the first install disk so that it'd boot, and then copy it onto the hard drive once the system was installed. It wasn't absolutely trivial but wasn't too difficult either.

As for your other point, it's a good point but I presume that it has something to do with OS 9's driver model. I don't know the technical reasons there.
 

paulwgraber

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 13, 2013
121
1
So would a retail version of 10.4 work? Which would allow me access to classic therefore installing 9 on my mac?

I noticed my retail 10.5 installs just fine.
 

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
Retail 10.4 and 10.5 will work just fine. But if you ever want to boot that machine into OS 9, the restore disc is required.
 
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