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Any way to boot OS 9 on new Macs...

F

fiercetiger224

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Is there ANY way to boot OS 9 on newer Macs? I have an Aluminum PowerBook G4 and am wondering if there is any firmware upgrade or anything that can allow it to boot in OS 9......

But I guess none of the newer Macs can boot in OS 9 if there isn't any way to do it......Just like to use legacy programs sometimes ya know? 😉

_____________________________________________________________

PowerMac G4 Sawtooth 450 Mhz, 1 MB L2 Cache, 640 MB RAM
iBook G3 600 Mhz, 256K L3 Cache, 384 MB RAM
PowerBook G4 1 Ghz, 512K L2 Cache, 768 MB RAM
 
and it you f**k around with the firmware something goes wrong and you can't reverse it, it's goodbye AppleCare as well... 😱 😉
 
Yes, write a ROM patch -- since Apple stopped updating the OS, you need a patch to tell the OS what the new hardware is.

Then you need to write a firmware updater to rewrite the bootROM to rerecognize OS 9.

Shouldn't be too expensive hiring, training, and for R&D to write the patch (for every single machine you want to build OS 9 bootablity for -- or one huge patch for all). You may have to sell between 1-5 Enzo Ferraris to foot the bill though.

Then there is Apple legal you'd be tangling with when you start selling the patch to recoup your money.

Definitely a better deal than buying a new "legacy" PowerMac G4 for $1000-$2000 -- or buying an old TiBook
 
What is it with people and their INSISTENCE with booting into OS 9??

GET OVER IT!!

Apple has already pried OS 9 from your cold dead fingers.
 
Originally posted by pncc
What is it with people and their INSISTENCE with booting into OS 9??

GET OVER IT!!

Apple has already pried OS 9 from your cold dead fingers.
Click to expand...
Apple may have, but there are still some apps that people HAVE to use that are currently OS9 only. I'm holding on to OS9 for one f'ing app, and the worst part about it is that its a sub 300kb app (a driver of sorts that I NEED) that the developer has told me has no OSX plans in the pipeline. I guess I just have to keep bugging them.🙁
 
Originally posted by kanker
Apple may have, but there are still some apps that people HAVE to use that are currently OS9 only. I'm holding on to OS9 for one f'ing app, and the worst part about it is that its a sub 300kb app (a driver of sorts that I NEED) that the developer has told me has no OSX plans in the pipeline. I guess I just have to keep bugging them.🙁
Click to expand...

What is this driver/enabler for?
 
Originally posted by MacBandit
What is this driver/enabler for?
Click to expand...
It's a sample dump program for my Nord Electro 2 Rack, a synthesizer from Clavia. They have a set of samples that are freely available for the synth, and the program allows you to change the samples that are in the system's flash, or to change their order. I know they are a small company, but come on, writing a port of a 300kb program can't be that big a deal (I think most of that 300kb is GUI), and like I've told them, it may cost them sales in the long run as they haven't supported OSX for any of their synths, and as we all know, Apple is no longer producing OS9 bootable Macs. To use the utility, I have to use my iMac, but I would really love to be able to run it on my 12" 1 Ghz PB, since I take that with me to gigs. That would allow me to change out sounds on the fly if I needed to, instead of having to plan in advance and hoping that the sound I switched to works out.
 
Originally posted by kanker
It's a sample dump program for my Nord Electro 2 Rack, a synthesizer from Clavia. They have a set of samples that are freely available for the synth, and the program allows you to change the samples that are in the system's flash, or to change their order. I know they are a small company, but come on, writing a port of a 300kb program can't be that big a deal (I think most of that 300kb is GUI), and like I've told them, it may cost them sales in the long run as they haven't supported OSX for any of their synths, and as we all know, Apple is no longer producing OS9 bootable Macs. To use the utility, I have to use my iMac, but I would really love to be able to run it on my 12" 1 Ghz PB, since I take that with me to gigs. That would allow me to change out sounds on the fly if I needed to, instead of having to plan in advance and hoping that the sound I switched to works out.
Click to expand...

Hmm that sucks. Sounds like a petition or some sort of movement needs to be started to among Mac owners with synths from this company. I agree that the port should not be hard at all especially since OSX has a much more friendly developing environment then OS9 ever dreamed about.
 
Bah...OS 9 should still be functional! Even if Apple wants everyone to buy and use OS X, they should still allow OS 9 BOOT!!! I'm sure the majority of Mac users now use OS X anyway, because Panther does kick ass. But there are still many programs that run faster in OS 9 (especially Virtual PC), and there are even plugins that only work with OS 9 with certain programs (such as After Effects, etc.). Besides, classic sometimes sucks, where some programs (such as Connectix Virtual Game Station) don't work!

I mean, c'mon, on PCs you can still install older OSs (mind you I hate Windows 😛). Well, hopefully someone does write a new ROM to support OS 9 on newer Macs 😉

_____________________________________________________________

Power Mac G4 Sawtooth 450 Mhz, 1 MB L2 Cache, 640 MB RAM
iBook G3 600 Mhz, 256K L2 Cache, 384 MB RAM
Aluminum PowerBook G4 1 Ghz, 512K L2 Cache, 768 MB RAM
 
Originally posted by yamabushi
Apple should just improve Classic so that all legacy apps will work.
Click to expand...
Part of the problem with many audio apps is that they need the OS to have direct control of the processor, which the Classic emulator does not have. This is probably the problem with many legacy apps that don't function in Classic.
 
Originally posted by fiercetiger224
Bah...OS 9 should still be functional! Even if Apple wants everyone to buy and use OS X, they should still allow OS 9 BOOT!!! I'm sure the majority of Mac users now use OS X anyway, because Panther does kick ass. But there are still many programs that run faster in OS 9 (especially Virtual PC), and there are even plugins that only work with OS 9 with certain programs (such as After Effects, etc.). Besides, classic sometimes sucks, where some programs (such as Connectix Virtual Game Station) don't work!

I mean, c'mon, on PCs you can still install older OSs (mind you I hate Windows 😛). Well, hopefully someone does write a new ROM to support OS 9 on newer Macs 😉

....
Click to expand...
Um-m-m-m, No. That is not how Apple does business. Apple does not make its new computers backward compatible with its old operating systems. With one exception, it has never done so. The one exception is that Apple continued to develop Macs that were compatible with MacOS 9 for 2-3 years following the release of MacOS X 10.0. There were pragmatic reasons for doing so. You are in a new land. You have to learn new ways.
 
Originally posted by pncc
What is it with people and their INSISTENCE with booting into OS 9??

GET OVER IT!!

Apple has already pried OS 9 from your cold dead fingers.
Click to expand...


Originally posted by MisterMe
Um-m-m-m, No. That is not how Apple does business. Apple does not make its new computers backward compatible with its old operating systems. With one exception, it has never done so. The one exception is that Apple continued to develop Macs that were compatible with MacOS 9 for 2-3 years following the release of MacOS X 10.0. There were pragmatic reasons for doing so. You are in a new land. You have to learn new ways.
Click to expand...


i need OS9 still, and i still enjoy using it. printing is a lot better, even with panther out. and OS X will not work with SCSI. I have a drum scanner that has to be SCSI for streaming purposes and therefore OS9 it is. sure for con/prosumer OS X is fine, but for pro's, OS9 is still very much alive and depended on.

so, pncc, that is why in INSIST on booting in 9, classic won't work for what i need to do. get over it.
 
evoluzione,

Unfortunately unless an issue affects them, many people don't care. They would be just as verbal if they had the same problem however, shouting how terrible Apple is.

The only OS X "only" Mac that could be made to boot OS 9 was one of the original flat-panel iMacs with a special developer CD Apple released. If you have this machine (sorry don't have exact specs to hand) and could get the cd, you may be in luck. Otherwise I suppose just buy a cheap G3 tower and use it for OS 9, or borrow someones comp.

AppleMatt
 
heh. good show evoluzione

school dept had some cash to spare. i insisted on g4's that can boot into 9.2. most science apps here are for that os. i find it less hackable than os x.

students do not linger on a 9.2😀
they move on. heh

$1,299.00
1.25GHz PowerPC G4
1MB L3 cache
256MB DDR333 SDRAM
80GB Ultra ATA drive
Combo Drive
ATI Radeon 9000 Pro
Mac OS 9 boot supported

applestore
 
Well, OS 9 boot would still be nice! Classic feels, very unstable whenever you run it anyway. 😛

I'm not saying OS 9 is stable, but if you were able to just boot in OS 9, you'd have that "snappier" feeling. And really, what about the people with iBook G3s? Any OS earlier than 10 definitely was optimized for the G3; OS X just never feels snappy on a G3, even if you have an iBook G3 running at 900 Mhz...

Too bad though, it is of course, Apple's way of marketing. So none of us can change their way of thinking; they always do what they feel is right for their customers.

Gah, still miss the OS 9 boot... 😉 😡

________________________________________________________________

Power Mac G4 Sawtooth 450 Mhz, 1 MB L2 Cache, 640 MB RAM
iBook G3 600 Mhz, 256K L2 Cache, 384 MB RAM
Aluminum PowerBook G4 1 Ghz, 512K L2 Cache, 768 MB RAM
 
You know, in the time you've spent screwing around with a synth or a scanner might have wasted enough productivity to buy a different product that will work with OS X. You could always buy a G4 since they still boot OS 9.
 
dukemeiser said:
You know, in the time you've spent screwing around with a synth or a scanner might have wasted enough productivity to buy a different product that will work with OS X. You could always buy a G4 since they still boot OS 9.
Click to expand...
First off, some products are irreplacable, regardless of what platform they interact with (windows included). The particular synth that I use that is not OSX compatible is IMHO by far the best at doing the job it does- period. Of all the digital instruments I've owned (which has been quite few top end models over the years), this is the only one that really talks, and the only one I've ever considered owning more than one. I've been an Apple user for 24 years of my 31 on this planet, but I'll replace my Apple with some thing that will work with my gear before I replace my gear to get it to work with my Apple. My use of Apple computers has been out of convenience and ease, my use of my equiptment has been for a living and for my sanity.

Second, I have a FP iMac that will boot OS9, but my G4 PB will not, so your second point is just dead wrong. 🙄
 
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