ibook g3, os 9 install

Hi, otto99. Because your discs came with a different iBook model, they can't be used on yours. All shipped-with Apple installer discs are specific to the model they came with. They support only that hardware configuration. Furthermore, each hardware configuration has a minimum OS version in which it will boot.

Retail installer discs, on the other hand, are not model-specific: they will boot and install on any Mac model that can use that OS version.

There were three different 600MHz iBook models, and each shipped with a different set of discs. The earliest of the three can boot to a retail OS 9.2.1 installer disc, and you can install OS 9.2.1 on it from that disc. The two later 600s both shipped with model-specific OS 9.2.1 or 9.2.2 installer discs, and there is no other source for a bootable OS 9.2.2 on those models. Only the shipped-with discs can be used for that purpose.

This article will help you identify your iBook model. Read it carefully.

It's nearly always a mistake to buy a Mac without the discs that were originally shipped with it. The only exception is when you completely understand all the ramifications of your decision, and you already have or are getting a full retail installer disc or set for a later OS version than the one that was preinstalled on the machine.

Hi, otto99 -

Every Mac has a minimum OS which it can use for booting purposes. It is quite probable that the OS 9 disks you have from the older G3 iBook are insufficient to boot the G3 600MHz model you acquired.

In addition, disks that come with a Mac are usually specific to that model, and are not capable of booting a different model machine, even one in the same class. These OEM disks usually do not contain a universal installer; the resources of software items available to the installer is not a complete, all-machine set. Although your G3/600 model is also an iBook, its hardware components are not the same as the earlier one.

Even if you could install OS 9 from your older disks via FwTDM, it probably will not work - if the CD can not boot the Mac, the OS 9 version it installs will also not be able to boot the machine.

A G3 600MHz iBook can be one of three different iBook models - iBook (late 2001); iBook (14"); or iBook (16 VRAM). This KBase article can help you identify which model you have -
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1772

Which model you have is important -
• iBook (late 2001) - came with OS 9.2.1, can use a retail OS 9.2.1 Install CD
• iBook (14") - came with OS 9.2.1, probably can not use a retail OS 9.2.1 Install CD
• iBook (16 VRAM) came with OS 9.2.2, can use only the original OS 9.2.1 Software Install CD that came with it

The significance is the recourse available to you.

If your machine is one of the first kind, a (late 2001) model, you can get a retail OS 9.2.1 Install CD and use it to install a bootable OS 9. You can get such disks at places like -
http://store.yahoo.com/hardcoremac/index.html

If your machine is one of the second kind, a (14") model, you may be able to use a retail OS 9.2.1 Install CD, or you may not - the information available is a bit contradictory. If it can not use a retail OS 9.2.1 Install CD, the only other choice is to locate an original OEM Software Install CD for that machine model.

If your machine is one of the third kind, a (16 VRAM) model, your only choice is to acquire an original OEM Software Install disk for that specific machine.

You might contact the person(s) you got the machine from to see if you can get its original disk set. Since OEM disks are not much use other than with the machine with which they came, it is customary to include them with the sale/transfer of a machine to another person.

So you are saying there's nothing I can do with it without the original discs? Are you sure?

Yes, I'm sure you can't install a bootable OS 9.2.2 on that machine from any disc other than the model-specific one that came with it (or an exact duplicate). It's just not possible.

Hi otto99;

You might call Apple and see if they can issue you and another set CDs. They will need that serial number and will charge a nominal fee for them. It is probably worth a shot.

Allan

Hi, otto99 -

That machine is not useless - it can also run OSX, versions up through OSX 10.4 as I recall. In conjunction with that it can use OS 9.1 or later (9.2.x is better) as Classic. For the purposes of Classic you can use a working OS 9 System Folder copied from another machine.

However, without its original disks you can not install a bootable OS 9 on it.

You might take a look at offerings on eBay or other similar sites. Caution - be sure to get a CD explicitly for your model.

You might also contact a Macintosh User Group (MUG) in your area. Most large cities and universities have one. They may be able to help you get a proper disk.
http://www.apple.com/usergroups/

If you do call Apple and they can't supply the disc(s) any more, ask whether they can tell you the part numbers that appear on the discs. If you can get those numbers, they are a 100% foolproof way to identify the right discs being offered for sale by someone on Ebay, Craigslist, a user group bulletin board, etc.