So i just recently picked up a G5 that is currently running 10.4 OSX with the plan to play some old mac games on it such as Yoot tower. But it requires OS 9 what would be the easiest way to get that installed? i do not have a CD burner as well to create bootable media so if possible id prefer to boot from a USB.
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Whats the easiest way to install OS 9 on a G5?
- Thread starter kingck
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You don't need to boot from anything; you just need to copy an OS 9 System Folder onto the drive (and possibly "bless" it). But I don't know where to get that System Folder short of the original DVDs 
Sorry but PowerPC(s) do not natively support legacy bootup from flashdrive, it is VERY difficult to get. Your G5 system may have a disk burner, I believe they came with them, go check it out! Fun fact: Classic Environment let you run OS9 applications but they got rid of it after OSX 10.3!
Classic is also available in 10.4, but it's gone in 10.5. Fortunately kingck is running 10.4!
The G5s shipped with a copy of Mac OS 9 which could be installed manually (drag and drop). The OS9 installation was under Classic.dmg on the 2nd disc of the install media.
On my first gen G5 discs, this was OS 9.2.2 which runs perfectly in Tiger.
You could try finding an install or restore disc set from the 2003 to 2005 era. Even an iMac or eMac restore disc should have the right version of Classic.
On my first gen G5 discs, this was OS 9.2.2 which runs perfectly in Tiger.
You could try finding an install or restore disc set from the 2003 to 2005 era. Even an iMac or eMac restore disc should have the right version of Classic.
The G5 can't boot into OS9 so it has to be started within 10.4 in Classic mode.
Instead of installing OS9 you can download the System folder from Apple here:
https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1192?locale=en_GB
The System folder can be copied to your HDD and Classic will find it upon activation (Prefs panel).
If you read the instructions, you'll see there's a default user login with this - to bypass, before activating, go into System Folder/Extensions and delete the Mult-User Startup file.
Was the G5 version of 9/Classic machine specific? Asking only because that isn't out of Apple's realm to do such a thing. I know the MDD/Hairdryer G4's did just that.
If it isn't machine specific, you can use any old installer or even piecemeal from a restore disk if you show hidden files (it's possible, but doesn't work for every restore disc from the PPC era).
If it isn't machine specific, you can use any old installer or even piecemeal from a restore disk if you show hidden files (it's possible, but doesn't work for every restore disc from the PPC era).
The MDD's needed different versions of Mac OS ROM to boot OS 9. For classic, different story as it's an hardware abstraction layer. Tiger shouldn't complain as long as it's 9.1 or higher. 9.2.x is preferred, though. I use my classic cd that came with an Imac G5 and it works everywhere.
No. There's a generic Classic installer for OS X that copies a standard OS 9.x system folder across. Any machine specific fixes are not required in classic. Any G5 related optimisations would be in the Blue Box tranlation layer in OS X.
I've used DLSD media on a G5 7,2 just fine.
So im not sure what im looking for to delete the "mult-user startup file" since it seem that the installer errors out
The version I have doesn't have an installer - let me download it again and see what the issue is.
Ok, let me know if they don't work out. I've downloaded the NetBoot dmg and can see it's an installer packgage, it's very easy to open it up and get the System folder out.
Would this urban legend please die a fast and painful death?
All PowerPC Macs with AGP graphics(or PCIe) are capable of booting from USB. It was an advertised feature of the Sawtooth tower, and is quite straightforward on G4 towers by simply using the boot selector that comes up when holding down the "option" key at start-up. G5s are a bit more involved, but it's not exactly difficult.
Thanks for the info. I wasn't quite sure as I haven't placed OS 9 on a G5 in, well, ever.
Building upon what bunnspecial wrote above, PowerPC Macs starting with the Sawtooth can easily boot to a USB drive if they are a USB 1.1 Mac. All you need to do is plug in the drive, and either select it in the Startup Disk pref pane or select it by pressing Option/alt at boot. All USB 2 PowerPC Macs can boot from a USB drive too, but with a bit more trickery. You need to put in a few commands into OpenFirmware. Not at all that difficult. Booting OS 9 on a PowerPC Mac is also possible using the same process on Macs that support booting into OS 9.
I found a G5 User Manual. I hope this helps for those down the road. I am trying to get OS9 running with OSX 10.4.11
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When I first went to my G5 with OSX 10.4.11, I could not find Classic mode. I went to System Preferences, then to the View menu and Classic was not there.
To get my G5 to work in Classic mode, all I had to do is copy, using an old USB drive, the OS9.21 System Folder, I had on another machine, into the HDD of of my G5. Then, either click on the System Folder or onto an OS9 app and the computer automatically opened in Classic mode. Now, I can run Classic apps and I see Classic under the System Preferences View menu. If you double-click on Classic, it allows you to select Classic mode to launch at startup
To get my G5 to work in Classic mode, all I had to do is copy, using an old USB drive, the OS9.21 System Folder, I had on another machine, into the HDD of of my G5. Then, either click on the System Folder or onto an OS9 app and the computer automatically opened in Classic mode. Now, I can run Classic apps and I see Classic under the System Preferences View menu. If you double-click on Classic, it allows you to select Classic mode to launch at startup
Yeah, the system files for Classic would have shipped on a disc with the original system in case you had to reinstall. If you can find the restore images for the original system they'd be part of that set.
The one copied from another system should work fine.
The one copied from another system should work fine.
Hi All,
Can Sheepshaver be used to run OS9 applications on a PPC Mac running Leopard? If so has anyone tried it? I know I could also do this under Tiger using the classic env but would like to do it in Leopard if at all possible.
Cheers
Ben
Can Sheepshaver be used to run OS9 applications on a PPC Mac running Leopard? If so has anyone tried it? I know I could also do this under Tiger using the classic env but would like to do it in Leopard if at all possible.
Cheers
Ben
As a matter of fact, you can run OS 9 applications using Sheepshaver. There is also a build of Sheepshaver built specifically for PowerPC that allows for near-real-time execution.
Source: https://www.emaculation.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=7360
YOU CAN'T.. if you mean boot into it ? Only classic under Tiger will support it, Leo does not allow this, though you can use sheepshaver for that.