Resolved Help installing Panther (10.3) on iMac G3 400Mhz 9.0.1

[mgartner0622]

Hello,
I have a iMac G3 (Indigo) running Mac OS 9.0.1.
I'm trying to install Panther on it so I can give it to my handicapped brother that does not see very well to use for Office:2004 (The 800x600 resolution is perfect).
The problem is, my retail Panther CD says that a firmware update is needed. I have tried downloading it, and installing it, but I get the error message that a later build of Mac OS is required (9.2).
How can I install this? I can't really plug it into ethernet and run software update because it was not working when I tried earlier today (The ethernet, that is)

 

[BrianBaughn]

You're in luck, I think. That was, and still is, a free upgrade.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1387

 

[mgartner0622]

Thank you for the response.
I've tried updating, and get the failure -39. This is the same failure I get when trying to install the iMac Firmware update.
What I do to install is copy it to a USB flash drive, then drag the file off the flash drive onto the iMac's desktop. Next, it produces error -39 when I try and launch it.
On the Apple support page, it says "-39 eofErr End of file; no additional data in the format"
I really don't know what this means.

 

[chrismacguy]

Thank you for the response.
I've tried updating, and get the failure -39. This is the same failure I get when trying to install the iMac Firmware update.
What I do to install is copy it to a USB flash drive, then drag the file off the flash drive onto the iMac's desktop. Next, it produces error -39 when I try and launch it.
On the Apple support page, it says "-39 eofErr End of file; no additional data in the format"
I really don't know what this means.

What kind've machine are you attempting to download the file with? IIRC sometimes Windows can corrupt Mac OS 9 files as they all have resource forks and Windows doesn't know how to handle them, so it seems to break them in my experience. Don't know about Mac OS X as I always have Ethernet and just hook my Mac OS 9 machine up to the web to install software. Which software upgrade were you attempting to install? IIRC You should be able to go: 9.0.1 -> 9.1 -> 9.2.1 -> 9.2.2 and then be able to update the firmware.

 

[mgartner0622]

What kind've machine are you attempting to download the file with? IIRC sometimes Windows can corrupt Mac OS 9 files as they all have resource forks and Windows doesn't know how to handle them, so it seems to break them in my experience. Don't know about Mac OS X as I always have Ethernet and just hook my Mac OS 9 machine up to the web to install software. Which software upgrade were you attempting to install? IIRC You should be able to go: 9.0.1 -> 9.1 -> 9.2.1 -> 9.2.2 and then be able to update the firmware.

My MacBook Pro running OS X 10.6.7.
I tried the ethernet on the iMac as well, the status light lit up on the airport extreme, but the iMac says it is not connected to the internet when I open a browser or Software Update from the control panels. I don't remember how to configure ethernet when running OS 9.

 

[666sheep]

Try to format USB stick using Mac OS Extended first (it's FAT32 formatted by default). This should help. If it won't and...

I don't remember how to configure ethernet when running OS 9.

...try: http://ibbs-cc.custhelp.com/app/ans...rk-adapter-configuration:-mac-os-8-/-mac-os-9

But you need to connect ethernet cable directly to Airport station, sharing via Ethernet from MB won't work (SL lacks Internet sharing for OS 9 IIRC).

 

[mgartner0622]

Try to format USB stick using Mac OS Extended first (it's FAT32 formatted by default). This should help. If it won't and...




...try: http://ibbs-cc.custhelp.com/app/ans...rk-adapter-configuration:-mac-os-8-/-mac-os-9

But you need to connect ethernet cable directly to Airport station, sharing via Ethernet from MB won't work (SL lacks Internet sharing for OS 9 IIRC).

Thanks-
I just rechecked the ethernet settings after upgrading to OS 9.2 from a CD I found. It turns out that DHCP was being configured manually, so I changed and and was able to upgrade my firmware. I'm installing Panther on the machine as I type this.

Thank you everyone for your help. Both my brother and I greatly appreciate it.