OS 9 and Leopard

Question

Level 1

19 points

OS 9 and Leopard

Can they cohabitate on my Powerbook G4? I have a single program on a CD and it runs on Classic.
Is it safe to re-install Classic from a previous G4 install disk alongside Leopard? Basic user explanation would be most appreciated!

PowerBook G4, Mac OS X (10.5.1)

Posted on Dec 29, 2007 1:28 AM

Answer 1

Dec 29, 2007 2:03 AM in response to leftcoaster

Hi, leftcoaster -

OS 9 and Leopard can cohabit on the same volume without conflict.

However, Leopard does not support the use of OS 9 as Classic. The only way you would be able to use OS 9 would be to boot the machine to it, provided your PB is OS 9 bootable.

Answer 2

leftcoaster Author

Level 1

19 points

Dec 29, 2007 11:15 AM in response to Don Archibald

Great; thanks for your help. (I have had other issues with Leopard, so I did not want to add any more drama.) I recall that I once re-installed OS9 on my current machine when Apple upgraded to Tiger (or was it Panther?) and quit providing it. Can you tell me in layman's language how to do that? I have old Version 9 discs and the Tiger upgrade disc, which may have it. I realize that when you install, you partition them, then boot only one at a time (i.e., that OS9 is not simply an application of OSX).
(Another option would be to simply run the CD I have on my old G3 Mac laptop and then transfer the files I need to the PowerBook, but I'd rather not have two Macs cluttering my small space.)

Answer 3

Dec 29, 2007 12:41 PM in response to leftcoaster

Hi, leftcoaster -

Can you tell me in layman's language how to do that?

Provided you have a stand-alone OS 9 Install CD of adequate version for that Mac, boot the machine to the OS 9 Install CD, then do a Clean Install of OS 9. Instructions for doing that are in this Apple KBase article -
Article #58176 - Mac OS 8, Mac OS 9: Performing a Clean Installation

A Clean Install of OS 9 will not remove anything - it will install a brand new, 'clean' System Folder and the standard utilities and suplemental folders that OS 9 uses. Doing a Clean Install will avoid an issue where the OS 9 installer can mistake an OSX folder for being an already installed but unknown version of OS 9.

(Another option would be to simply run the CD I have on my old G3 Mac laptop and then transfer the files I need to the PowerBook, but I'd rather not have two Macs cluttering my small space.)

Since OS 9 installs are, by default, model-specific to the machine whose OS is running the installer, a default install of OS 9 would not work for that purpose - it would not be able to boot the Mac you transfer it to. However, there is a way around that - many original OS 9 install CDs and all retail ones (white label, gold 9) have the ability to perform a universal (boot any Mac) install of OS 9. Instructions for doing that are ast the top of this page (wait for the graphics to cycle) -
Ron Jackle's Mac Page

Answer 4

leftcoaster Author

Level 1

19 points

Dec 29, 2007 7:54 PM in response to Don Archibald

Thanks. Still a little confused. I have a Mac OS 9 (from 2000, white label, gold 9, V. 9.0.4) disc (this was a disc I used with my old G3 Mac laptop). Can I simply insert this into my Powerbook G4 which has Leopard, boot from this disc and install and not screw up my Leopard system?

Answer 5

Niel

Community+ 2026

Level 10

756,437 points

Dec 29, 2007 8:20 PM in response to leftcoaster

No. No PowerBook G4 can use a retail Mac OS 9.04 or 9.1 CD, and the majority of the Mac OS 9 compatible models cannot use any retail Mac OS 9 CD.

(27509)

Answer 6

leftcoaster Author

Level 1

19 points

Dec 29, 2007 8:55 PM in response to Niel

Ok. Well, I'm lost. I thought there was a way to install both OS 9 and 10 on a G4, as it was before Tiger and Leopard, and switch between the two as needed. I think I'll just fire up the old G3 when I need to run something on OS9.

Answer 7

eww

Level 9

53,192 points

Dec 30, 2007 12:48 PM in response to leftcoaster

coaster: The original installer disc(s) that came with your Powerbook can install a suitable version of OS 9 to boot it, if it's OS 9-bootable, or to use as Classic if it isn't.

All Titanium Powerbook G4s, which have most of their ports between the two separate hinges on their rear panels, are OS 9-bootable, but only the first two (400MHz and 500MHz) Titanium models can use any retail OS 9.x installer disc, and the only such disc that works even on those two is a retail 9.2.1 installer. Aluminum Powerbooks (12", 15" or 17"), which have ports on their side panels and none on the rear panel, can't boot into any version of OS 9, and consequently no OS 9 installer disk can be used on any of them (all OS 9 installer CDs require the ability to boot into OS 9). So for every PB G4 model, the safest and surest way to install a suitable version of OS 9 is to use the disc or discs that were originally packaged with it.

Answer 8

leftcoaster Author

Level 1

19 points

Dec 30, 2007 12:58 PM in response to eww

Thanks!

At one time I was able to switch between systems on my G4, but subsequent system upgrades have eliminated that capability. At this point I have decided to figure out a way to share files between my old PowerPC G3 laptop, which runs on OS9, and my G4, and leave it at that. It's only on a very rare occasion that I need to use the OS9 program in question to download music sheet eps files, so it's not a big deal.

Answer 9

Kurt Weber

Level 6

13,969 points

Jan 3, 2008 5:03 PM in response to leftcoaster

My old eps files (music clips) open in OS X. They are converted to pdf.

Kurt