Can Open Firmware force a boot from OS9 System folder?

Question

Level 2

189 points

Can Open Firmware force a boot from OS9 System folder?

Here's the problem:
- Blueberry iBook, with an OS 9.2.2 system folder
- also has OSX 10.3 loaded on it. Both OSes work fine; either one of the other depending on which was chosen by Startup Disk.
- on Wednesday, it was running with OS9. Inexperienced user deleted a number of the key OSX system files stored at root of the hard drive. Stuff like mach_kernel!
- user then changed Startup Disk to OSX (Control Panels/Startup Disk) and restarted.
- now when it boots, the OSX "prohibitory sign" appears. OSX can't start up since it is missing some files

To complicate life, there are no boot CDs available.
The iBook is in a small village in Uganda, where there is no internet, sporadic power, and expensive low-quality cellphone connection between the user (my son) and North American tech support (me).

I am hoping that we can boot into Open Firmware and define the boot-device and/or boot-file to be the OS 9 system, instead of the present setting in NVRAM (the OSX system).

I've read a number of Open Firmware documents such as these one, but they are beyond my grasp.
http://www.firmworks.com/QuickRef.html
http://www.netneurotic.de/mac/openfirmware.html

We've tried the obvious workarounds and fixes, such as:
- boot into Safe Mode (OSX)
- reset PRAM with opt-cmd-P-R.
- boot into Open Firmware and reset-nvram and reset-all.

blueberry iBook G3 Mac OS 9.2.x

PowerBook G4 1670 MHz Mac OS X (10.4.7)

PowerBook G4 1670 MHz Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Posted on May 24, 2007 11:07 AM

Reply

Answer 1

troy enn

Level 5

4,250 points

May 24, 2007 1:44 PM in response to D.R.C.

If OS9 is fine then you should be able to boot while holding the 'Option' key down. Then select OS9 to startup from. Once started, go to your Control Panels and select OS9 as the boot volume.

Reply

Answer 2

D.R.C. Author

Level 2

189 points

May 24, 2007 2:14 PM in response to troy enn

Nope - alas, the option key (Startup Manager) doesn't help in this situation.

Holding down Option at boot activates Startup Manager. Startup Manager only displays only one operating system per volume. Specifically, on a given volume it offers the last operating system from it which it was started up. In this case, the iBook last tried to startup using OSX. Thus, Startup Manager only offers one option: OSX. The OS 9 System folder is not displayed.

If only I had partitioned the hard drive. If the drive had been configured with OS9 in one partition and OSX in another, then Startup Manager would do just fine. That is really what it is intended for: selecting which device or volume to boot from when there are several from which to choose.

More detailed info on Startup Manager can be found in article 106178.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106178

Thanks for the suggestion.

PowerBook G4 1670 MHz Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Reply

Answer 3

D.R.C. Author

Level 2

189 points

May 28, 2007 12:12 PM in response to D.R.C.

While I haven't solved the problem yet, I am one step closer. Following extensive web research and helpful input from others, we booted the iBook into Open Firmware and tried the following:

boot hd:\System%20Folder\Mac%20OS%20ROM

• hd: is the alias for the system volume on the single (and only) drive on the iBook
• the %20 represents a <space> character, since Open Firmware syntax, which is based on Forth, uses <space> as a delimiter
• Mac OS ROM is the name of the ROM-in-RAM bootfile, essentially the boot in NewWorld architecture machines. It's in the System Folder

This boot command was partially successful. Instead of an unsuccessful OSX boot that ground to a halt at the 'prohibitory sign', the OS9 boot process started. The OS9 smiley face appeared. But that's as far as it got.

So near and yet so far.

clamshell G3 ibook Mac OS 9.2.x

Reply

Answer 4

D.R.C. Author

Level 2

189 points

May 28, 2007 12:14 PM in response to D.R.C.

While I haven't solved the problem yet, I am one step closer. Following extensive web research and helpful input from others, we booted the iBook into Open Firmware and tried the following:

boot hd:\System%20Folder\Mac%20OS%20ROM

• hd: is the alias for the system volume on the single (and only) drive on the iBook
• the %20 represents a <space> character, since Open Firmware syntax, which is based on Forth, uses <space> as a delimiter
• Mac OS ROM is the name of the ROM-in-RAM bootfile, essentially the boot in NewWorld architecture machines. It's in the System Folder

This boot command was partially successful. Instead of an unsuccessful OSX boot that ground to a halt at the 'prohibitory sign', the OS9 boot process started. The OS9 smiley face appeared. But that's as far as it got.

So near and yet so far.

Reply