Q: G4 AGP 450 mhz, OS X, and OS 9.2.2 revisited-HELP

Yes, Fahrenheit.  I can't find any way to find a sensor that reads the CPU temp.  I think it is too old to have one, or an MPU card.  They only talk about Intel based G5's with MPU cards or other abilities.  They talk about older Macs with an inferior TAU sensor, but that's about it. 

Currently:

111

100

102

I have switched back and forth a couple of times, and the screen messes up, but recovers and continues booting to OS9

Once it boots, it has continued to reboot in OS with the startup sound.

By the way, thanks for spending so much time with me on this, I know it's a very old machine.

I got Temperature Monitor.  The temp. readings it is giving me is associated with three of my hard drives, and not even the main hd.

I couldn't find a way to select a CPU temperature.

Is there something I am missing in the Prefs?  When I tried to start a new History Window, no CPU temps came up to watch.

M

Yes, thanks, I had replaced the battery about a week before all this started.  I replaced the battery, bought new Ram (2G), bought a Sonnet ATA card, added two drives, generally trying to get whatever life is left out of it.   If I replace the motherboard, that's gonna have to be about it, I will just live with the problem I have.

Hardware Monitor is designed to support sensors of Apple Macintosh computers released between August 2002 and October 2012. The number of sensors varies greatly between different model series.

Here is what they said about Hardware Monitor.  Mine is older, a 450 mhz G4 Graphite, w. a Sonnet Processor 1.2mhz

Thanks for the suggestion, though.

M

When I get my motherboard and install it, I will let you know the results.  I have contacted Sonnet to see if they have any installers that address this problem (it's old, so they may not have much around anymore) and I downloaded what they have online.

As long as I stay in OS9xx it starts up ok.  When I start going back and forth I run the risk of the screen freezes, etc.  Since I use it mostly for my music, I can stay in OS9 and use OS10.x.x to go online and download specific Mac things, and print from the G4.  To print out my music i have to make a complete Finale file in OSX, but there are workarounds.

Thanks so far, Glen and BD, for your help and suggestions so far, and I will update this when I think I have finished this journey!

M

Thanks for the suggestion, Glenn.  I read the info on it, and it appears recommended for certain older machines, and I didn't see mine listed or discussed. 

I do remember on one of my OS9xx versions seein a Startup X in my control panel in OS9, that must be what you were talking about, meant to help changing to OSX.  My problem is changing back from OSX to OS9, that is when I have the problems.

I am able to minimize it by staying in OS9 unless I really need to be in OSX.  I have a Dell PC for everyday activities, browsing, email, etc.  So my main purpose is still the music in OS9xx.  I just can't print anything in OS9 because my HP printer is too new, and they didn't support OS9 or even OS10.4.11, but I can use an Apple Printer driver w. my HP printer and it seems to be fine (in OSX)

I am hoping Sonnet will help me out, though they are pretty much done with helping people with the old stuff.  I downloaded what they have, but still have the startup problem.  I misplaced my Sonnet Installer ID and I will bet it is the one with the Startup X manager and other enabling fixes on it.  I must have used it at some time.

Thanks again for the suggestion.  I am going to look in my older folders for that startup function.  I kept about 3 other past system folders in different locations in case I want to look for something, like this.

M

This may be my last update.  I put in a different motherboard.  I started with the stripped down version, no cards.  Got the startup sound right away, and also when I switched to OSX.  Also, the "screen problem" would happen, but for only a second, then would continue booting.  So this is a huge improvement.  I added my USB/fw card, and ATA 133 card +2 drives.  Also, I started searching through my various discs and found the Sonnet Installer program, which installed a sonnet processor Enabler program within OS9 system folder.  I had several Sonnet processor extensions, so I stuck with the most recent.Oh, I forgot.  I checked the firmware, it was up to date (4.2.8fl).  I used the original processor to install all the Sonnet items:  enabler program, processor upgrade, and in OSX  the firmware upgrade and Sonnet cache.  Once it was all in, etc. and seeming to run ok, I put the 1.2mhz processor back in.  All seemed to be okay.  I went back and forth between OSX and OS9.2.2. Still had the screen problem but it was fast, and continued to boot up.

So I think the motherboard has helped minimize the switch-over, and probably the Sonnet Enabler program I installed with the installer program I found.

Something weird I forgot about.  When in OSX my newer HP printer(that doesn't support OS10.4) connects to my G4, and, using an Apple Color Stylewriter driver, I can print from it.  However, when I switch to OS9, I have no driver, AND the printer causes the program to freeze if I have my A/B selector set to  my G4 (I share w. my PC laptop via Printer selector switch).  If my printer is selected to connect with my G4, my computer freezes on bootup.  A possible AHA.....After each switchover, and/or problem, the startup in OS9 got a little worse each time.

I started it up again and......got the dreaded grey screen with grid.  All hopes dashed.  I tried it several times.  I double checked to make sure the printer was not selected to connect.  I did some errands and came back to it. I waited awhile longer, started it again, and it limped back to full bootup.

I don't really know what happened or why. It's possible the video card does something.  I wiggled it around to make sure it was seating properly.  I may get a used video card on Ebay to try it.

So, in summary so far: 

1. the different motherboard helped a lot.  The screen goes off and on about 3-4 times, but eventually boots up pretty fast. 

2.  I found the Sonnet Installer and installed the Sonnet Enabler, and know that I have the most up to date processor extension

3.  I have the updated firmware patch from Sonnet and Sonnet cache in

4.  It seems the more I switch back and forth from OSX to OS9 worsens the rebooting in OS9, but it seems to move through it faster.

5. I have to make sure that my printer is NOT selected to connect to the G4 if I boot in OS9.  It could be causing problems in the bootup process.

6.  I just finished wiping my OS9 hd clean, restoring from the image I made w. my portable hd in OS10.4.11, and it restored smooth, and when I started from the hd, the boot up was clean, no screen going on and off or distorting, so, I know that when the image is fresh and only in OS9, it acts like a normal G4 w. OS9.  Back in OS9 I did some other small updates to my music software, made sure it all worked fine, then made another new image via the same method, so now I think I have the cleanest possible restore image of my OS9 hd.

7.  I also have my main hd with OS10.4.11 and OS9.2.2 together-as Classic, though I rarely if ever use Classic.

8.  So, after all  this week+ of diagnoses, I have new Ram, 2 new hd's+ATA133 Sonnet Card, I got clear on what Sonnet firmware, Enabler programs, processor extensions, and caches are in there(Sonnet hasn't replied to my requests for any missing installers other than what is on the website), I have made up to date restore images, all clean, so that if it gets too bad, I can just Restore.  I keep all my files on separate drives from any drive that has my system software.  It saves so many hassles, and keeps the system software isolated.  Here are the hd's I have connected:  Mac Main HD-40G, Audio files hd-100G, OS922 hd-100G, Blank hd for more files-250G, two fw hd's- 60 G and 250G.  I can have all these connected and all works fine.

So, until I find a new break through or hear from Sonnet, I plan to stay primarily in OS9 w. my G4 for music, and only go into OSX when necessary.  It it gets to freakin' bad, I will just Restore a new image and continue.

Thank you Glenn and BD for the feedback, suggestions, and just being willing to read and respond.  Many times a suggestion would remind me of something I did in the past, and I would go searching and find what I needed.  I can continue with my music sequencing and Notation software, and print out, which is what I keep it all for.  Browser surfing, email, Quicken, etc. is all done on my laptop PC (also old, Vista Home, ugh, but it works). 

If you have any other suggestions I will come back and check.  There is still the question of "why does my screen go on and off several times, distort, and then continue on booting in OS9, while booting up in OSX works just fine?  Maybe switching back from the OSX architecture back to the PowerPC architecture makes the board, processor do weird things.

Thanks again for your help, it has helped me quite a lot.

Michael

I don't really do anything that requires printing in OS9.  I just have to make sure that I don't have my printer selected for my G4 when I boot in OS9.

When I write/arrange music in Performer, I can save it as a midi file, then import it into my Finale in OSX.  Most things that would be written up are done on my PC in Office.

I also have Office 01 for Mac I can reinstall in OS9 if I have to.

I've never really had to save anything in PDF form while in OS9.  I do in OSX, though, such as finished music manuscript.

That's something for me to look into.

Thanks again,

Michael

Thanks THX for the suggestion.  I will look into that.  In the past I used Disk Warrior for OSX problems.  I don't really have problems when changing from OS9 to OSX,  the problem is when I change from OSX to OS9.  The bootup process in OS9 appears to deteriorate over time, but OSX always seems to work.  At least I have clean restores on another portable hd I can start over with when I get fed up.

M