Installing 9.2 on a MDD Dual 1.25GHz G4, what's the trick?

I have a G4 that I need to install OS9 on, I have a perfectly legit OS9 9.2 disc and I boot from it and it says it can't be installed on this computer. Do I need to install Mac OS X first? I don't have the restore discs that came with this computer =\ All I need it for is to run a couple OS 9 apps, I have other Macs with X installed on them.

[benwiggy]

You're sure the 9.2 disk is not specific to another type of Mac?

This machine is specced as being able to boot from OS 9, so not sure what the error is. You may need to repartition the drive and make sure that OS 9 drivers are put on the partition. (Disk Utility will do this.)

You do not need OS X on the machine, if you don't want it.

[trevor]

Does this particular PowerMac MDD G4 1.25 GHz have FireWire 800 USB 2? Or just FireWire 400 USB 1.1? The models with FireWire 800 USB 2.0 can run Classic (the OS 9 emulation environment inside of OS X) but cannot BOOT to OS 9.

If this is the model with FireWire 400 only, USB 1.1, then it can boot to OS 9. But you will need the original Restore discs that came with the computer. I would advise you to contact your nearest Apple Store, or call Apple on the telephone, to arrange to buy the original discs. They are available, reports say, for a nominal fee.

If you have the FireWire 400 USB 1.1-only model, you do not need to install OS X, as benwiggy says. But if you have the FireWire 800 USB 2 model, you WILL need to install OS X, then install OS 9 to get Classic support. Again, you cannot boot OS 9 on the FireWire 800 USB 2 model.

Also, this page *might* be helpful to you with the task of installing OS 9 for Classic support: How to perform Mac OS 9 clean installation with Restore CDs. Or it might not.

Trevor

[Lanny]

The other more common differentiator is whether your Dual 1.25 MDD is a Firewire 800 model. They can't boot OS9.

[trevor]

My mistake, Lanny is right. The actual differentiator is not USB 2 vs. USB 1.1, it's FireWire 800 vs. FireWire 400-only. I'll make the edits in my post above. Thanks Lanny!

Trevor

[hughvane]

Quote: Originally Posted by RoamingGnome I have a G4 that I need to install OS9 on

Install a second internal hard drive, those tower machines should have a spare rack and molex connector. A new drive of, say, 40-80 Mb should be sufficient. Install OS 9 onto the second drive.

I cannot sing loudly enough the merits of having a dual-disk, dual-OS machine. The only drawback is not being able to toggle between the two separate drives and OSs. One has to select one startup disk and stick with that for as long as required.

Mine is a G3 350 b/w, rather slow, but it gets the job done. I can boot into OS 9 from a dedicated 2-hand 40 Gb internal IBM drive and retain access to both the Classic software, and the work I did over several years under OS 9.

[Lanny]

Until RoamingGnome, the original poster, identifies whether he has a Firewire 800 or Firewire 400, we won't be able to help him. A Firewire 800 won't be able to boot OS9.

[DeltaMac]

And, the MDD G4 needs OS 9.2.2
9.2 likely won't work.
You need the original set that shipped with that MDD, unless you can get a simple copy of the System Folder to work.

[junk666]

Could you startup the G4 FW800 to target disk mode and install OS 9.2.2 from an older G4?

[DeltaMac]

Sure, but what's your point? The FW800 G4 CAN'T boot to OS 9. Your only choice for OS 9 is Classic environment with OS X. So, all you need with the FW800 is the OS 9 System folder, which could simply be copied from another OS 9 Mac. No 'install' really necessary, as the Mac won't boot to that OS 9 system.

[tonetony]

I've got exactly the same problem. I just transfered my OS 9.2.2 hard drive to an 1.25Ghz MDD - the non FW 800 model - and the computer is not able to boot in OS 9. It can start classic alright, but not boot in OS 9. My 9.2.2 installation disk is not the one that came with the computer and I was told that in order to fix this problem is to either find the original cds or manage to copy the Mac OS ROM from a working Mac OS 9.2.2 MDD to my mac. I think I was mentioned Mac OS ROM 9.5.1. Is that the case? And if so, could someone please email me the ROM?

[REYNE]

I've just installed OS9.2.2 on a DP867 MDD, so, in a similar vein to DP125 FW400 model.

Even the last 9.2.2 standalone (un-model specific) installer disc does not work on an MDD - original machine discs are usually required - as previously stated in this forum.

However...
I circumvented this by installing 9.2.2 via CD, then booted into OSX and replaced the Classic ROM file. Then rebooted the machine into OS9.

The last Classic ROM issued (that I'm aware of), I found on an OSX Tiger 10.4 DVD, the number being 10.2.1

PM me if you require it.

[macsolver]

Hi,

I use a similar trick to REYNE - install Classic from OX 10.4 Tiger DVD, and then use this system folder to boot the G4 (assuming it is one of the models that can boot into OS9). Sometimes the System folder needs to be re blessed in order to boot from it. At this point, sound will not work as there is no "sound space" driver for the Texas Instruments sound chip set). Copy the sound space extension from another G4MDD system folder and restart to get the sound working. This extension is only installed when using the original G4 MDD install CDs. In is not contained in any updates as far as I know.

Regards,

Nick

So in addition to 9.2.2 I need the appropriate ROM file and the sound space extension to be able to boot my 1.25 Ghz G4 dual into OS 9? Does anyone know the version number of the needed ROM and if you have it would you be so kind as to send it to me?

Thanks.

Corey

[trevor]

It's really not safe to install stuff you get from strangers on the internet, and the good folks in this forum, although all remarkably good-looking and intelligent, definitely count as strangers on the internet.

Have you contacted Apple for the original discs that shipped with this computer? Reports are that they keep those around for quite a while as a service part, and will sell them to you at a fairly low cost. And wouldn't it be better to get the original discs than to install some unknown file that a stranger sent you?

Trevor

Thanks for the advice Trevor. The problem is that Apple no longer has the discs. I have both read that on other forums and confirmed it myself by calling them. It seems we must fend for over selves. Good to remember not to download from strangers though.

[fumute]

Has anyone had any luck finding where the MDD specific OS9 installation discs are available? I'm desperate to get hold off them, but cannot find them Anywhere!

[benwiggy]

To all the people who are spending time and effort trying to install a bootable OS 9 on their G4 Macs, my question is: why?

99.9% of all the software for OS 9 has been updated for OS X, or there are alternatives that read the data of old apps. There some exceptions, but they are very few.

MDD G4s work very well with Tiger or Leopard. OS 9 is so last century!

[BEEFY]

The ROM needed to boot Os9 on
G4 MDD is 10.2.1 MAC CPU software 5.9 Just replace the one in the 9 system folder and start w/extentions off. then you bwill be able to choose the extens you want. I run 7 dual boot 9.2.2 10.4.11. I have software that is not supported by 10 also it requires a dongle that must be the first ex to be read at start up. I woud have to go to windows to run the app that I need and the price is $15000.00::

[Suhr]

Here is a solution that really works.
Send your hard drive to http://headgap.com/ or... purchase a hard drive from http://headgap.com/ with Tiger and OS9 installed.

I had the same problem and this solved it perfectly.

I now boot and run OS 9.2.2 native on two MDD machines. (both Classic and Native)
I am not affiliated with http://headgap.com/ in any way.
He simply knows what he is doing.