os9 install on os10.3

[ndmccormack]

ok...
My mate has a clean install of os10.3, much like myself.
But he needs os9 installed to run quark 4...

I have os9.0 software install cds for an old g4 powermac.
Can i boot up to these, install the os9.0, then update os9.0 to 9.2.2 with the update downloads from apple.com, without harming osx???


cheers
Niall

 

[Norouzi]

What Mac does your friend have. If it's brand new, or even one bought in the last 2 years I believe it will not boot into OS 9 at all.

 

[ndmccormack]

I believe its one of the first G4 macs... probably a single processor G4 500... pretty slow, but it runs osx ok... so it should install os9 properly.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I believe its one of the first G4 macs... probably a single processor G4 500... pretty slow, but it runs osx ok... so it should install os9 properly.

Assuming you boot into Mac OS 9 okay, the drive is HFS Plus formatted, and Mac OS 9 drivers were installed on the hard drive the last time it was reformatted, you'll need to do a clean install to proceed with the installation. The installer won't let you do otherwise, and what it does is similar to Mac OS X's Archive and Install option, except that it doesn't affect Mac OS X files at all. For some reason, the Mac OS 9 installer gets confused if Mac OS X is on the drive already, and it tells you it cannot install over top of Mac OS X - so you do a clean install to force a side-by-side installation, where both Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X are installed. Doing this also allows use of the Classic environment in Mac OS X. Once Mac OS 9 finishes installing, follow the instructions given in this Apple Knowledge Base article to update to Mac OS 9.2.2. When that finishes, you're set.

 

[ndmccormack]

hmmm... thats not good at all... looks like its a complete day of re-installing software then!

would this make any difference if I had an os9.1 or os9.2 installation disc?

cheers tho
Niall

 

[Mechcozmo]

It needs to be a full install of OS 9.1 or 9.2 NOT 9.0

And it must be done before OS X
Make sure the machine's firmware is upgraded before you install OS X

 

[armarshall]

I just did this

I have a (old,used) mac G3 B&W tower with 10.3.9 installed. I needed to run a Classic application. I got a 9.2.1 CD from www.applerescue.com plus the 9.2.2 upgrade. ($67, came RIGHT AWAY). I booted from the 9.2.1 CD by powering up with the C key held down. I ran plain old install, it installed to System Folder on my disc (which is named Big Brother). I then restarted the Mac and started Classic 9, put in the 9.2.2 CD, ran the install and upgraded to 9.2.2. I received no messages about firmware upgrades so I must presume they were already in place.

This was no big deal. However, don't try to short circuit the reboots by copying system folder from the CD to the hard disc - bad things ensue.