Mac classic on a 10.5.2

Hi, NikiKL. You don't. Classic isn't supported in OS X 10.5.x (Leopard).

The good news is that your Powerbook can also run OS X 10.4.x (Tiger), in which Classic is supported. You might consider a) erasing your Powerbook's hard drive and replacing Leopard with Tiger, or b) buying an external FireWire hard drive and installing Tiger and Classic on it, so you can start up in Tiger at times when you'll need to use Classic applications, or c) if the Powerbook's hard drive is big enough, dividing it into two partitions and installing Leopard on one and Tiger and Classic support on the other, so you can choose which OS to start up in without carrying an external drive around. However, as long as you keep Leopard, you will still need to restart the computer each time you switch from running Leopard to running Tiger and Classic, and vice versa. It won't be real convenient. If any significant percentage of your work is going to involve using Classic applications, my recommendation is that you dispense with Leopard and just run Tiger on the old Powerbook. Another alternative which may or may not be feasible for you would be to leave Leopard on the Powerbook and buy an inexpensive used older Mac on which to run the Classic application(s).

All of the above assumes that the Classic applications you want to run are not available in OS X-based versions. If they are, then the solution is a no-brainer: upgrade the applications to their latest versions and run them natively in OS X, avoiding the whole Classic issue entirely.

Sometimes getting the Mac compatibility information is difficult indeed. I recently purchased a new Hooked on Phonics package that states compatible with Mac on the box, but had no other detailed information. Since it was a good sale I bought it, only to learn later on their web site that the software only works on PPC computers in Classic mode in OSX or in OS 9, no Intel Mac support.

HOP sys req

luckily I have an older G3 that can run it, but was hoping to install it on my newer MacBook.

I think Apple would have some legal requirements about third-party vendors claiming Mac compatibility, although the product packaging was printed in 2005 back when G5's were shipping, I don't know if they are continuing to supply packages with this misinformation in stores, or if this particular box had been on the shelf since then. It just seems that Apple would have a legal case to complain about a Mac-compatbile statement when a product is not compatible with any current model Mac's or OS available from Apple at this point in time. I hope that they are updating the printed information on their boxes that are delivered to stores with something like WARNING: Not compatible with any current model Mac from the Apple company since 2005.

I think Apple would have some legal requirements about third-party vendors claiming Mac compatibility, although the product packaging was printed in 2005 back when G5's were shipping, I don't know if they are continuing to supply packages with this misinformation in stores, or if this particular box had been on the shelf since then. It just seems that Apple would have a legal case to complain about a Mac-compatbile statement when a product is not compatible with any current model Mac's or OS available from Apple at this point in time. I hope that they are updating the printed information on their boxes that are delivered to stores with something like WARNING: Not compatible with any current model Mac from the Apple company since 2005.

The problem with that is enforcement. Numerous software vendors disappear entirely, or lose their Mac support staff. The fact remains, in 2005, Hooked on Phonics really was supporting only Macs that predated 2001 or earlier. Any software vendor that didn't pay attention to Apple's Developer Conference in 2003 declaring Classic is dead, basically has left obsolete software on the shelves since then. They already had two years to update their information.

It may have been a good sale specifically because the people who marketed it knew only those with older hardware would be able to use it, or couldn't sell it because the hardware that could run it was getting harder to find, and they reduced the price to attempt to attract more customers.

March 2001 - Apple introduced Mac OS X, and used Classic as a transition point to Mac OS X, and new Macs could still boot into 9.

January 2003 - New Macs no longer could boot into 9, but could still use Classic.

January 2006 - New Macs no longer could use Classic, but older Macs still could run Classic as part of the current operating system.

October 26, 2007 - 2005 and older Macs with the most current operating system no longer could use Classic unless they dual booted into 10.4.11, or installed Mac OS 9 as a dual boot if they were 2002 and older.

Caveat emptor, if the price looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Message was edited by: a brody

Hi Niki, it isn't easy, but with SheepShaver, the right old Mac, like a PM8500, and OS9.0.4 CD, it can be done...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SheepShaver

Of course if you have OS 9.0.4 and the right old Mac, there's no need for SheepShaver.

Good point, but it's faster, and doesn't require another KVM! 😉

http://bdaqua.com/old/SSonIntel.tiff

If you have a newer Mac with an Intel chip, a much easier route is to install Windows XP with Boot Camp and use the Windows version of Hooked on Phonics. The genius bar at any Apple Store could help you with this. It's actually not that hard, but does require you to buy a copy of Windows.