User profile for user: troy1974
troy1974 Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Powerbook Wallstreet OSX upgrade

Hi

I havent read alot on this subject here but I have a setup that I havent seen here so I'm not sure the solutions I've read will relate to my situation but I'm sorry if this is an already answered problem.

I recently bought a powerbook G3 series 2 Wallstreet - it was running OS 9.2. I replaced the 2gig hard drive for a 60 gig drive and installed more RAM - it originally had 96 meg Ram I took the Ram out of the top slot and put a 256 meg PC100 SDRAM chip in.

I didnt have the original OS9 discs but I had an old Powermac G4 OS9 install disc - I was able to boot from the CD and format the hard drive - I checked for the RAM and it registered 288 meg which meant the original top slot had 64 which I replace with 256 and the lower still has 32 meg.

I then tried out of curiosity to install OS9 from the Powermac disc which it allowed me to do with the message OS9 was sucessfully installed but when I tried to select the volume in start-up disk it wouldnt let me select anything and the screen froze up - I tried the install again but the same thing happened

I then tried to reboot and I got the flashy disk question mark symbol

I was thinking that perhaps because it was off a Powermac G4 disk that was where the problem lied but then I thought the installer told me it installed successfully and the volume showed up on the desktop at the end of the install? I thought that if that the OS wasnt compatible it wouldnt install at all?

Could it be the new RAM replacement?

The other thing is I have a retail copy of jaguar OSX 10.2 - could I go ahead and try and install this or should I resolve the issue with OS9 first - am I likely to have the same problem with installing OSX - I know I need to do the 8 gig partition thing first.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Troy

PowerBook G3, Mac OS 9.2.x

Posted on Mar 10, 2008 2:42 PM

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10 replies
User profile for user: Grant Bennet-Alder
Grant Bennet-Alder
User level: Level 10
140,897 points

Mar 10, 2008 4:25 PM in response to troy1974

If that OS 9 CD was for a specific Mac, such as a G4, it may be bootable, but may not have installed all the drivers needed for your PowerBook. If you intend to move on to Mac OS X 10.2, your Disk Image may suffice as Classic, but may not be bootable as OS 9.

In every case, you will have the best success with "Full Retail" CD/DVD discs, intended to install on any Mac. Although sellers of some gray CDs for Mac OS X 10.2 claim that gray disks that say "for iMac" are "Installs on any Mac" CDs, we know that is NOT the case with later versions. If you have any trouble with the install, you will still need to get a "Full Retail " CD to proceed.

The Wallstreet PowerBook is one of the last to require that the Mac OS X Boot Volume be completely contained within the first 8 GB on the Master Hard drive. So you may want to partition your Drive into a just-under-8 GB Volume and a rest of the drive Volume and install OS 9 on the rest-of-the -drive Volume.
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User profile for user: jpl
jpl
User level: Level 7
28,285 points

Mar 10, 2008 7:25 PM in response to troy1974

troy,

I would think if the G4 9.x CD booted your Wallstreet, you should be fine with the install. There is nothing in the System suitcase (file) or Finder contained in the System Folder that is specific to the G4 and these are the two files you need to boot. I believe Other World Computers used to sell these older machine-specific Classic CDs and listed the other models these disks also supported.

I would try this first: Reset the PRAM, the try starting to the HD. A flashing '?' can often be caused by corrupted PRAM plus the PRAM also stores the startup disk selection. If the PRAM is corrupted, possibly it is preventing you from selecting a volume in the Startup Disk control panel.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238

If you reset the power manager before the PRAM, it resets both the power manager and PRAM...I would try this first.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=14449

I would also boot to the CD > open the Utilities Folder on the CD (not the HD) and run Disk First Aid.
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User profile for user: troy1974
troy1974 Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Mar 11, 2008 8:54 AM in response to troy1974

Hi thanks for advice - I did all the PRAM stuff and it didnt solve the problem - I managed to get hold of some retail Jaguar cds and did a complete install with the 8 gig partition . Funny thing was when it got to the end of installing disc one it said it would restart but didnt ask for the second disc but told me the install was successful - I then tried to reboot but I got the flashy disc question mark again - I then restarted with the OS( cd and went into disc start up and made sure the new partitioned disc was selected and yes it said 8 gig capacity 1.78 gig used and the volume registed )SX 10.2 as being on that volume but whatever happens I cant get it to reboot into OSX - on one reboot I got an error message that said something about firmware ?

can you help?

Thanks
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User profile for user: jpl
jpl
User level: Level 7
28,285 points

Mar 11, 2008 10:05 AM in response to troy1974

troy,

It certainly appears you have a problem other than software. A few comments and suggestions:

The Wallstreet does not have any firmware updates.

Not knowing if the 256MB RAM and/or the HD you installed are the problem, I would go back to your starting point.

Regarding the HD: Assuming you properly formatted the HD as MacOS Extended (HFS Plus), one potential issue are the jumpers, if any, on the HD connector (4 pins separated from the others used for master-slave-CS). Some HDs, if not almost all, come with no jumpers and the default is 'master', meaning it is bootable. You can also set HDs as 'slave', meaning you can read/write to the drive but it will not boot. I would pull your new HD and check the pins; there might also be a diagram on the HD showing the different settings. However, I would put the 2GB HD back in the 'book (make sure the connectors to the HD caddy are fully seated in the logic board...push down on the caddy directly above the connector) and see if it will boot. If it does, boot from the G4 CD and try a test-install of 9.x. If all works well, you may have a bad HD.

Regarding the RAM: If swapping the HDs makes no difference, pull your 256MB module and boot to your 2GB/9.x HD; 32MB in the lower slot was standard for the base Wallstreet. Also, cold start (not restart) to the G4 CD and see if you get a dialogue about RAM or cache memory; this is the startup hardware self-test (POST) that runs from a cold start.
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User profile for user: troy1974
troy1974 Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Mar 11, 2008 4:03 PM in response to troy1974

ok so I pulled the hard drive I had installed and refitted the original 2 gig one - it booted fine but only once I reinstalled the original 64 meg memory chip. I then wiped the disc and did an install off my G4 OS9 disc and installed ok and booted so the issue is with the new HD. The thing is the new hard drive is brand and came sealed plus when i pulled it I tried it in my iBook G3 and guess what it booted straight away??? so why wont it boot on the powerbook same processor right just different speed?? Ive since put the new hard drive back into the powerbook plus reinstalled the 256 meg RAM did another wipe and partition (one at 7.99 gig for OSX and the rest for documents) install was successful but again didnt boot the last time I tried to boot I got this message immediately after the start up chime on a grey screen kind of like a terminal prompt:

a strange symbol like a upside down T followed by a comma is next to this message which reads
'Don't understand word'
Open firmware 2.0.1
if you wish to continue booting to MacOSX type 'BYE'
If you wish to use the default Boot disc type 'BOOT'
For open firmware serial 1/0 Type TTYA10

the command I enter that works is the default device one which starts up the OS9 disc if its in the tray.

Just so you know when I boot up from the OS9 disc it shows the partitioned and 2nd drives on the desktop and when I go into system profiler everything reads as it should - it tells me that OSX 10.2 is installed as well??

any ideas - Its not the hardware as I have tried it out - im going crazy with this issue

thanks
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User profile for user: jpl
jpl
User level: Level 7
28,285 points

Mar 11, 2008 7:51 PM in response to troy1974

troy,

You said:

"it booted fine but only once I reinstalled the original 64 meg memory chip"

The Wallstreet should boot with just the 32MB module in the bottom slot; as I said, this was the original configuration. What happened when you tried with just the 32MB? It is possible the 32MB in the bottom slot is somehow the problem, but that does not really explain why the 2GB HD will boot but not the 60GB. Nonetheless, if it will not boot the 2GB without the 64MB module, I would remove the 32MB from the bottom and leave it empty. Chances are the 64MB module is a standard height chip (2.0 inches) and will not fit in the lower slot which requires a low-profile (1.5 inches or smaller). I would first try with the 64MB in the top slot; if OK, swap it for the 256MB.

It really is quite easy to remove the microprocessor card, turn it over, and remove the 32MB. Here is a nice guide:
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac/PowerBook-G3-Wallstreet/3/

We have to take one problem at a time. Possibly a bad 32MB RAM module does not work well with an HD that is approximately 9 years newer...I just don't know. I would suggest this: If you can get the 2GB HD to boot with just the 64MB module and just the 256MB module, each separately in the top slot, but you cannot boot the 60GB HD, then I believe you have a bad HD...this does happen occasionally.

By the way, I would drop your partition size a little more, maybe 7.8GB, for the reasons the tech article mentions.
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User profile for user: Allan Jones
Allan Jones
User level: Level 9
78,350 points

Mar 12, 2008 9:58 AM in response to troy1974

When you formatted the new drive, did you select the "Install OS9 drivers" option. If you don't enable that option, you can install OS9 for Classic to use but will not be able to boot into OS9. Like jpl mentions, the OSX partition must be the first one and must be just under 8GB in size. Install OS9 in the larger partition to save precious space on the OSX boot partition--you'll need it.

A
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Powerbook Wallstreet OSX upgrade

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