Installing OS 9 on a G3 400 MHz iMac with 10.3.5

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Level 1

8 points

Installing OS 9 on a G3 400 MHz iMac with 10.3.5

My son got a used G3 iMac for Christmas with OS 10.3.5 installed, but no OS 9. I'd like to put 9 on so he can use some Classic software. So, I purchased a 9.0.4 iMac Software Install Disc that was advertised as for use with the G3 iMac. When I insert this into his machine and try to start up holding the C key, it doesn't work, and boots up in 10 as normal. I've also tried using the System Preferences Startup Disc and selecting the 9 disc, and I get the same results. Long story short -no luck getting 9 onto his machine so far.
His is a G3 400 MHz Power PC with 128 MB of RAM, CPU Type is a Power PC 750 (83.0). The OS 9 install disc I bought says "SSW version 9.0.4 and has a number printed below that : 691-2661-A

What am I missing?

G3 400 MHz iMac Power PC, Mac OS X (10.3.5)

Posted on Dec 26, 2006 2:19 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Don Archibald

Level 10

101,665 points

Dec 26, 2006 2:45 PM in response to montanamac67

Hi, montanamac67 -

Welcome to Apple's Discussions.

Unfortunately, there are three different iMac G3 400MHz models -

• iMac/iMac DV (Slot Loading) - originally came with OS 8.6

• iMac (Summer 2000) - originally came with model-specific OS 9.0.4

• iMac (Early 2001) - originally came with model-specific OS 9.1

The iMac OS 9.0.4 Install CD you have is probably from the second of the above models, and would not be suitable if the machine in question is one of the other two (model-specific OS 9 install CDs, those whose labels specify a model, are generally not capable of being used on any other model).

This Apple KBase article can help identify which model it is -
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58669

In addition, some Macs which have had their firmware updated can no longer use their original OS - since your son's machine is running OSX 10.3.5, it has had its firmware updated.

Recommendation - get a retail OS 9.2.1 Install CD. That version would be suitable for any of the three possible models, particularly since the firmware on it has been updated. OS 9.2.1 is usable as is, including as Classic (the OS must be at least OS 9.1 to be used as Classic; OS 9.2.1 or 9.2.2 are more compatible in that mode); it can be updated to OS 9.2.2 via a single download update.

You can often get retail OS 9 Install CD's at sites like these -
http://store.yahoo.com/hardcoremac/index.html - Apple Reseller
http://www.applerescue.com/
http://www.welovemacs.com/software.html

EBay is another possibility.

Regardless of the source, be sure to get a retail OS 9 Install CD - those are white, with a large gold 9 on them; the retail OS 9 Install CD's have a universal installer; model-specific Install CD's do not.

<hr>

Since the machine is used and has only OSX on it, there is the possibility that the previous owner reformatted the drive at some point. If that was done using OSX's Disk Utility, and the option to install OS 9 drivers was not selected, then the drive will not be able to be mounted (be visible on the desktop) by any OS 9, including that on a CD.

If it is the case that the drive is not mountable by OS 9, it means that you would not be able to install OS 9 using an OS 9 Install CD.

Article #106849 - Disk Is Available in Mac OS X But Not in Mac OS 9

If booting to OS 9 is not required, then a working OS 9 (9.1 or later) System Folder from another machine could be copied to this one, and should be usable as Classic.

A few users in that situation have found that copying an OS 9.1 or later version System Folder from an appropriate version OS 9 Install CD will also work as Classic - note, though, that the System Folders on OS 9 Install CDs have a very limited assortment of control panels and extensions, and many services would not be available; they are also not bootable from a hard drive under any circumstances.

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Answer 2

Mar 1, 2007 11:56 PM in response to StGeorgeVI

Hi, StGeorgeVI -

Your iMac (Summer 2000) model originally came with a model-specific version of OS 9.0.4; it probably can not use a retail OS 9.0.4 Install CD, if that is what you are trying to use.

Several folk have posted over the years that after having updated the firmware on their machines in advance of installing OSX (as is recommended), the machine will no longer boot to its original CDs, particularly OS 9.0.4 and earlier.

Those machines should, however, be able to boot to and use a retail OS 9.1 Install CD or a retail OS 9.2.1 Install CD.

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Answer 3

eww

Level 9

53,052 points

Dec 26, 2006 3:15 PM in response to montanamac67

Hi, montanamac67, and welcome to Apple Discussions.

There were three successive generations of iMac G3s that included computers with 400MHz processors. The earliest of those iMacs could boot into OS 8.6. The middle generation required OS 9.0.4, and the last 400MHz iMacs needed a minimum of OS 9.1. Since your CD's label identifies it as iMac-specific, I would guess that it originally came with one of the mid-generation models, but that your son's iMac is one of the later ones — or else its optical drive isn't working. After you start the machine from its hard drive, is it able to read the 9.0.4 installer CD OK? If so, the drive is sound, but the CD is unsuitable for that iMac. Should that prove to be the case, your best option will be to buy a retail (not model-specific) OS 9.2.1 installer CD from an online vendor like http://www.applerescue.com, and use that disc to install OS 9.

EDIT: After I began writing a reply to your post, I was interrrupted by a phone call, and didn't finish the reply for some time afterward. In the meantime, Don came along and posted his own reply, which I didn't see until I finally posted mine, which was by that time a repetition of his advice.

You just can't let anything distract you if you're going to beat Don Archibald to the punch. ;o)

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Answer 4

Mar 6, 2007 9:18 AM in response to Don Archibald

Don,

Thank you for all your help. I began to understand my install problems by reading your comments in thread http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=4164304#4164304.

The firmware of my iMac is at 4.1.9, so it must have been upgraded by the previous owner. Your comments confirm that this is why I am unable to boot the machine specific (grey) iMac 9.0.4 disk.

The next step would be to obtain a retail disk of OS 9.1+, but I am uncomfortable with montanamac67's diffculty in booting the full retail disk of OS 9.2.1. I've already purchased install disks that will never work on my Mac.

So, I tried your other suggestion, which was to copy a working OS 9.1 (or later) System Folder from another machine. This worked flawlessly. I now have Classic support on my iMac.

I am now able to run the 53 disks I have that require Classic.

Thanks again for all the help.

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Answer 5

Jan 14, 2007 11:34 PM in response to montanamac67

Hi, montanamac67 -

Does this mean that the previous owner reformatted the drive using the OS X disk utility and did not select the option to install OS 9 drivers?

That would make no difference re the ability of the machine to boot to a particular CD. The absence of OS 9 drivers would only affect the ability of a booted-to OS 9 from being able to mount the hard drive, not the ability of the machine to boot to OS 9. One of the reasons to boot to a CD when necessary is that doing so takes the hard drive out of the booting sequence - nothing on it is in use, all of its files are nought but data files at that point.

That machine should boot to a retail OS 9.2.1 Install CD, unless something is wrong with the drive.

I would suggest test booting the machine to an appropriate OSX Install Disk - not to re-install OSX, but to test the drive itself.

If it also refuses to boot to an appropriate OSX Install disk, then it would appear that there is something wrong with the optical drive - dirty lenses (which a standard audio CD cleaning disk should fix), or perhaps the cables to it are not well connected... or perhaps something else.

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Answer 6

montanamac67 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 14, 2007 6:27 PM in response to Don Archibald

Thank you for the response. I took your advice and purchased a full retail OS 9.2.1, white with the gold 9 logo as you described. Tried to restart with the 9 disk in holding down c key, and got a flashing question mark on a folder alternating with a OS 9 logo. Does this mean that the previous owner reformatted the drive using the OS X disk utility and did not select the option to install OS 9 drivers? Or is there something else I need to do that I have left out?

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Answer 7

Mar 1, 2007 11:33 PM in response to montanamac67

Tried to restart with the 9
disk in holding down c key, and got a flashing
question mark on a folder alternating with a OS 9
logo.

That's what I'm getting with my OS 9.0.4 disk. I'm going to try copying a working OS 9.1 (or later) System Folder from another machine, as Don describes. I installed Jaguar on a new hard disk, so I know that the drive systems on my Mac are functioning properly.

iMac DV Special Edition (Summer 2000) 500MHz PowerPC G3 Mac OS X (10.2.x) 640 MB RAM / 120GB HD

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Answer 8

Mar 6, 2007 9:18 AM in response to StGeorgeVI

Hi, StGeorgeVI -

You're quite welcome.

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