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Powerbook G4: Wipe existing OSX 10.5.8, clean install OS 9, how?

B

Burnsey

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 1, 2007
572
67
Canada
Hi,

I have an old Powerbook G4 667MHz and I would like to install OS9 onto it. Unfortunately Leopard 10.5.8 does not support classic environment and there is no option for installing OS9 drivers on a disk partition in disk utility. Consequently Mac OS9 cannot run along side OSX 10.5.8.

I don't want 10.5.8, I want a pure Mac OS9 machine. I have a bootable install CD for Mac OS9.

Does anyone know how I can erase 10.5.8 from my Powerbook and replace it with a pure OS9 install?

Thanks
 
redheeler said:
Did you try booting from the OS 9 disk and initializing the drive from there?
Click to expand...

That's probably the least painful way to do it.

I'm too lazy to check at the moment, but a 667mhz will probably need a 9.2.1 retail disk at a minimum, and possibly a system-specific 9.2.2 disk. I seriously doubt a retail OS 9(.0) disk will install.
 
bunnspecial said:
That's probably the least painful way to do it.

I'm too lazy to check at the moment, but a 667mhz will probably need a 9.2.1 retail disk at a minimum, and possibly a system-specific 9.2.2 disk. I seriously doubt a retail OS 9(.0) disk will install.
Click to expand...

You are correct, the 667 MHz models shipped with OS X 10.1 and OS 9.2.1.
 
redheeler said:
Did you try booting from the OS 9 disk and initializing the drive from there?
Click to expand...

I booted into Mac OS9 using the CD, then went to install from there, but there are no drives/volumes that I can select to install OS9 on.

So I went back into OSX and created a new partition, but the OS9 CD boot will not recognize that as a usable volume either. I suspect it's because there are no OS9 drivers installed on that partition, and there is no way that I know to get those drivers on that partition via OSX Leopard (due to dropping of classic support).

The option to install drivers via the OS9 disk is greyed out.

And that's where I'm stuck.
 
Burnsey said:
I booted into Mac OS9 using the CD, then went to install from there, but there are no drives/volumes that I can select to install OS9 on.

So I went back into OSX and created a new partition, but the OS9 CD boot will not recognize that as a usable volume either. I suspect it's because there are no OS9 drivers installed on that partition, and there is no way that I know to get those drivers on that partition via OSX Leopard (due to dropping of classic support).

The option to install drivers via the OS9 disk is greyed out.

And that's where I'm stuck.
Click to expand...
Try initializing the partition you created in OS X using the Drive Setup application (should be in the Utilities folder when booted from the OS 9 install disk).
 
redheeler said:
Try initializing the partition you created in OS X using the Drive Setup application (should be in the Utilities folder when booted from the OS 9 install disk).
Click to expand...

When I do that, it says "initializing will destroy all data on the following volumes", then it lists my two OSX partitions but labeled as "untitled".

I don't care about losing the OSX and there is no other data on the machine, is this the correct way of installing OS9? I should note the install DVD is also from an eMac, if that adds complications.

I just dont want it to wipe the hard drive and then fail to install OS9, leaving me with an empty HD and no operating system.
 
Burnsey said:
When I do that, it says "initializing will destroy all data on the following volumes", then it lists my two OSX partitions but labeled as "untitled".

I don't care about losing the OSX and there is no other data on the machine, is this the correct way of installing OS9? I should note the install DVD is also from an eMac, if that adds complications.

I just dont want it to wipe the hard drive and then fail to install OS9, leaving me with an empty HD and no operating system.
Click to expand...
You should now be able to install OS 9 on one of the partitions.
 
BTW, if you don't like the name "Untitled", once you've initialized the disks click on the volume(on the desktop), hit enter, and type in whatever name you want them to be.
 
redheeler said:
You should now be able to install OS 9 on one of the partitions.
Click to expand...

I think the problem is that since the partitions were created in OSX 10.5.8 Leopard which dropped OS9 support, OS9 cannot read the partitions. So I can't select any of the partitions individually in Drive Setup, it lists both as volumes that will be cleared. The partitions also already have names, but OS9 cannot read those names, again because they were created in Leopard, so they are listed as "untitled".

I have a OSX Panther disc for an aluminum Powerbook, could I do a clean install of Panther using that disc on the Tibook? Then I could create partitions that support OS9.

I'm not sure how specific these install DVDs are.
 
Burnsey said:
I think the problem is that since the partitions were created in OSX 10.5.8 Leopard which dropped OS9 support, OS9 cannot read the partitions. So I can't select any of the partitions individually in Drive Setup, it lists both as volumes that will be cleared. The partitions also already have names, but OS9 cannot read those names, again because they were created in Leopard, so they are listed as "untitled".

I have a OSX Panther disc for an aluminum Powerbook, could I do a clean install of Panther using that disc on the Tibook? Then I could create partitions that support OS9.

I'm not sure how specific these install DVDs are.
Click to expand...

Leopard has the ability to install OS 9 drivers, but it appears that they weren't installed when the drive was set up.

If you don't care about the data on the drives, do as instructed-use Drive Set-Up from the OS 9 CD to re-initialize the drive with as many partitions as you want(and how you want them sized). Drive Set Up will default to calling all the volumes "Untitled 1", "Untitled 2", and so on. I don't know of any way to change this in Drive Set-Up-you just need to rename them as instructed above after initializing.

If you want the data on the drives, use Carbon Copy Cloner or the like to copy to an external, then re-initialize the drives and copy your data back on. You can initialize under OS 9 or OS X-just be sure that if you are in OS X, you select "install OS 9 drivers."

@Intell(testing out the new tagging feature of the new forum software) has said that it's "very difficult" to install the OS 9 drivers without re-initializing the drive.

Gray disks generally contain a check to make sure they are being installed on the specified computer, but other than that are typically full installs of the OS. The easiest way to bypass the check is to actually run the installer on the specified computer but use Target Disk Mode to install onto the other computer. I would expect a 10.3 disk from an AlBook to contain an OS 9 system folder, but if you go this route be sure to double check. No AlBook could natively boot into OS 9, and the OS 9 system folder(if present) on the restore disks would only be there for Classic support. I'm pretty sure that the 10.4 restore disks that came with my DLSD Powerbook don't even have a system folder on them, but would need to double check. Again, if you are using the restore disks to install, be sure to use Disk Utility to install the OS 9 drivers.
 
Burnsey said:
Is it possible to dual boot OSX 10.5.8 Leopard and OS9?
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Every one of my TiBooks(with the exception of the 400mhz-because I haven't gotten around to installing Leopard on it) is set up that way. I also have a few desktops set up that way. They can co-exist on the same partition-just use "startup disk" under system preferences to change between them.

With that said, I prefer having OS 9 and OS X on separate partitions so that I can select between OSs using boot manager(holding the option key at start-up).

One last thing-on most if not all new world ROM Macs capable of booting OS 9, holding down "X" while booting will force booting into OS X(if installed). This can be handy if you're stuck with a corrupted or otherwise problematic OS 9 install and still want to get into the computer. Of course, as I said, if you put them on separate partitions, you can go either way using boot manager.
 
Thanks for the help, I double checked Leopard's disk utility and there is an option to install OS9 drivers when creating a new partition, however this option is greyed out.

Does this mean my only route is initializing (and erasing) the drive via OS9 Drive Setup? Or is there something I need to do in Leopard to un-grey the OS9 driver option?
 
Will 9.2 even boot stand-alone? As I recall, 9.2 was a classic-only version of OS 9 built for Panther or Tiger – 9.1 was the last truly bootable pre-X Mac OS. I could be mistaken.
 
Sydde said:
Will 9.2 even boot stand-alone? As I recall, 9.2 was a classic-only version of OS 9 built for Panther or Tiger – 9.1 was the last truly bootable pre-X Mac OS. I could be mistaken.
Click to expand...
All versions of OS 9 will natively boot without using Classic.
 
Last edited:
Burnsey said:
Hi,

I have an old Powerbook G4 667MHz and I would like to install OS9 onto it. Unfortunately Leopard 10.5.8 does not support classic environment and there is no option for installing OS9 drivers on a disk partition in disk utility. Consequently Mac OS9 cannot run along side OSX 10.5.8.

I don't want 10.5.8, I want a pure Mac OS9 machine. I have a bootable install CD for Mac OS9.

Does anyone know how I can erase 10.5.8 from my Powerbook and replace it with a pure OS9 install?

Thanks
Click to expand...

If you don't have the original install disk that came with the Powerbook, a universal OS 9 disk is available from macos9lives:

http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=2109.0

Using the wrong disk will mean certain functions/features on the Powerbook won't work fully or at all.
 
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