os9.04 retail cd on powerbook G3 pismo - boot problems

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os9.04 retail cd on powerbook G3 pismo - boot problems

Hi,

Installation problems, getting desperate...

I have a PowerBook G3 Pismo 400MHz. It is now running OSX 10.4 nicely (but slowly) so I want to back to 0S9.

I have a retail 9.04 CD I downloaded (don't have the disc that came with the PowerBook). Some other guy commented on the download, stating a successful install on similar PowerBook G3 Pismo 400MHz.

When I boot from the CD to start the installation, I hold down the 'c' key.
The mac starts booting from the CD, but I never see an Apple logo or smiling face... instead, the screen goes grey and the mouse pointer appears in the top left corner, after that.... nothing, total freeze.

I have tried booting with the 'alt' key, that gave me the option to boot from CD, same result as before. Also tried the battery reset (boot with command-alt-shift-delete)

Here's some more specs:
- machine model: Powerbook3,1
- boot ROM version: 4.1.8f
- 320MB ram (256 + 64)
- 40GB hard drive with 0S9 drivers enabled
- airport card installed
- battery is as good as dead, i get about 4 minits work on battery
- CD-R/RW drive installed

suggestions are greatly appreciated, getting tired of googling

thx,

eddi

Powerbook G3 Pismo, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Dec 10, 2008 2:52 PM

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Answer 1

driesbook Author

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Dec 10, 2008 3:07 PM in response to driesbook

I also tried with a 9.2.1 install disc, same problem

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Answer 2

Dec 10, 2008 3:32 PM in response to driesbook

I have the same 400MHz Pismo with 384MB RAM running Tiger OK, although a bit slow. I have OS 9.x installed from the original disc.

Hard to say what the OS 9 install problem might be. Don't know why you really want to go back to OS 9. OS 9 browsers have problems with many web sites, you can' see many Flash images, you can't open .wmv files, etc.

Two things you might want to consider for improving the Tiger operation. Increase the RAM to 512MB or more. Also, how much free space do you have on your hard drive? With a low amount of RAM, OS X uses hard drive space for Virtual Memory. If you don't have much free space, your operation can slow to a crawl.

Also look at these links

Mac Tune-up: 34 Software Speedups
http://www.macworld.com/article/49489/2006/02/softwarespeed.html

52 Ways to Speed Up OS X
http://www.imafish.co.uk/articles/post/articles/130/52-ways-to-speed-up os-x/

Tuning Mac OS X Performance
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/performance.html

11 Ways to Optimize Your Mac's Performance
http://lowendmac.com/eubanks/07/0312.html

The Top 7 Free Utilities To Maintain A Mac.
http://mac360.com/index.php/mac360/comments/thetop_7_free_utilities_to_maintain_amac/

Mac OS X: System maintenance
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=607640

 Cheers, Tom 😉

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Answer 3

driesbook Author

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Dec 10, 2008 5:15 PM in response to Texas Mac Man

hi,

thx for the suggestions.
I want to get an os9 on the mac, to get some speed out of the POWERBook.
I figure I can use the PowerBook as a second (or spare) computer to run photoshop illustrator and surf the web (obviously with older version of these programs). maybe even edit a video.

maybe i should switch to 10.2 instead.

in short, i want a workable (oh, the speed...) mac in full 2002 glory.

Message was edited by: driesbook

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Answer 4

Dec 10, 2008 5:50 PM in response to driesbook

It is really quite difficult to burn a CD with a bootable OS 9 on it, because there are a few things that must be on the CD for booting that are outside the normal file system structure. If you are not using a commercial pressed CD, that may be the problem.

Backing up to OS 9 will give you Browser problems. And the speed is not that different as long as you have the 256 MB+ required for Mac OS X 10.3 and more for 10.4.

Message was edited by: Grant Bennet-Alder

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Answer 5

driesbook Author

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Dec 12, 2008 9:57 PM in response to driesbook

Hi,

no real solution so far, so I'll consider this topic closed. I guess it must have something to do with the OS9 CD I have.

I reinstalled the Tiger, and will try the performance tips given above.

I might have a iMac G4 coming my way in january (the white one with the metal arm for the screen), maybe I'll give OS9 a shot then.
(I'm also bidding on a in-box sealed powerbook 2.5GHz as I'm typing this, old model, but might get lucky, its only 7 am here in belgium, so nobody's awake yet)

Thx for the tips

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