problem installing os9 on osx

[hobnob]

I have a G4 mac with OS-X installed,

I have an original OS 9.1 CD, when I press 'C' on startup the CD is
ignored and it boots in OS-X (I have tried this many times)

when I change the startup device to the CD, the boot up displays '?'
and folder then boots up OS-X again.

if I copy the CD to the desktop then start classic os, it tries to
startup but says it must be installed from cd.

arghhh, I have totally formated all disks and re-installed OSX and
after 3 hours trying different things i'm still having same problems.

anybody have any ideas ?

thanks,
hobnob

[Phil St. Romain]

I've had the same problem with some OS 9.1 CD's. I can't boot from the CD that came with OS X, but I can with the one that shipped with my Powerbook. Go figure.

Installing OS 9 on the same partition as OS X after X has been installed has never been easy, however. You might need to backup everything using Carbon Copy Cloner, wipe your drive, then install OS 9.1 (and your CD might work after erasing), and, finally, restore your OS X set-up. If you do take this route, I'd recommend partitioning, putting 9 on one partition and X on another.

[hobnob]

ok, I'll give that a try.

how do you wipe an osx partition when it's in use by osx ?

[Phil St. Romain]

You'd need to boot from your os x installation cd, then select erase the disk/partition during the installation process. You can also open Disk Utility (under the File menu, I believe) and use it to erase and even partition, I believe.

If you're going to use just one partition, quit the installation process after erasing, manually eject the cd, and try rebooting with the OS 9 CD. Install that first, then install OS X.

If you're using more than one partition, it doesn't matter which you install first.

[hobnob]

ok I reformated then reset then inserted the os9.1 cd, it just flashes '?' and folder.
I have tried the Power Mac G4 - Software Install CD also and that does the same.

what can it be ???, bizzare! only the osx cd boots.

could it be the cd drive ? it's a LG DVD
or could it be firmware update ?

there must be a logical explanation for this problem.

thanks,
hobnob

[Phil St. Romain]

It seems to me that you've done all you can do. As I mentioned, I've had some OS 9.1 cd's that wouldn't boot. It's odd that your installation CD won't work. Maybe it is a firmware incompatibility. I don't know, and am out of ideas. Sorry you're having such a hard time of it.

[Craig R. Arko]

So it's not the original CD drive? That's probably it right there. Can you swap in an OEM Apple drive and try it?

[bakaDeshi]

Do you have Software Restore CDs? You could try those, they don't give you a wealth of options but they install both oses. Then you could try partitioning, os9, etc. again.

-HTH

[justytylor]

If your machine came with OS X as the default (you haven't said anything else about it), it may be new enough that you can't install 9.1 or boot from the 9.1 CD at all. You *have* to get a CD with 9.2.1 or later (maybe the Software Restore CD?) In all, though, I'm surprised you have to go through this at all: you should have been able to simply open up Startup Disks and select the correct folder: OS X or OS 9.2.

[hobnob]

yes i have tried the Software Restore disk and the Software install disk and they won't boot from CD either.

so i wonder if it is the cd drive then, unfortunately I don't have the apple one to try.

hobnob

[Whitelighter]

Hobnob,

If you see my thread just a couple below, I had the EXACT same problem that you had. Nobody else but us seems to have had this issue. I am running a G4 Dual 533MHz system. I originally had OS 9 - 9.1 - 9.2 on it before upgrading to OSX. I wanted to baseline the system after the last user was finished with it. After wiping the hard drive and repartitioning it, I attempted to boot from the OS9 cd. I have all the original cds as well as retail copies of OS9 but none will boot the machine now. All I can figure is that OSX performed some sort of firmware upgrade to the MOBO concerning the CD drive (which is a standard CD/RW from Apple). I cant believe that more folks have not run into this issue....

WhiteLighter

[rusto]

I'm currently experiencing this situation: can't boot off my OS 9 drive or any OS 9 CD's...I have one of them intended-for-PC combo drives by LG installed, when I get half a sec I'll swap it out to see if that helps.

[Whitelighter]

I am anxious for your results. The issue remains under my desk and has not been addressed because it is low on my long list of to do's... Glad we had and extra Mac laying around... :D

Scott