Mac OS 9 booting on: Mac mini G4 (Detailed Posts)

[arnyekveto]

Hi,

sorry for TR;DL -> mac mini G4 works OOB with digital DVI cable using full native resolution with v9 installer.

after my older post here where I did experimentation with the silent upgrade G4 Mini with OS9 v8, v9 installer, I stuck totally in regards of VGA/Display with my WSXGA+ 1680x1050 Samsung monitor. I cannot acquire the native resolution, for the WSXGA+ image ratio resolutions every second vertical pixel line disappears, so at full resolution which is 1680x1050 the machine sends 840x1080 dvi signal, then for example 1027x768 works correctly, but any other smaller resolution that has the same ratio as WSXGA+ having every second vertical line disappearing.

I grabbed my older 1.25 GHz Mini again, installed 128 GB mSata->IDE drive in it. I grabbed my DVI cable this time, no dvi-to-vga converter this time, using my Samsung WSXGA+ monitor 1680x1050px.

Why? Because when I boot from v9 CD, the monitor have native resolution via the digital cable!!! Period.

So I first booted from v9 CD, initialized HDD then did the software resotre install... the usual way, as the manual says. Side note, when booting from CD I have native resolution with digital cable, I have the  red ATI icon near the clock, with its small acceleration menu, and the display is truly 2d accelerated.

After booting the fresh install from internal drive, the installed OS9 does not have the  red ATI accelerator icon, also visible no 2d acceleration present when dragging windows. As expected I don't have native resolution, I have non WSXGA+ image ratio resolutions, I see 1900x1200, 1280x800 etc resolutions that are cropped or not working at all.

So, based on release notes, a newer ATi display driver extension was applied in the v9 installer as well inside the macintosh.hdd image in the Configuration folder. This newer driver having a regression.

What I did I booted again from v9 CD installer disc, initialized again the internal drive, then I drag-and-dropped everything from the v9 CD onto the empty internal-drive, then rebooted.

My internal drive boots the very same os9 that the v9 installer CD have, so I have perferct native resolution via digital cable, red ATi accelerator icon present and 2d acceleration works. :-)

Well after tinkering with this exremely stripped down OS9 that comes directly from v9 CD, to make everything fully working I had to mount the macintosh.hdd from the v9 installer and drag-and-drop the carbonlib and the stuffit extension into my systme folder.

After this, I installed my usual combo, Illustrator9, Photoshop6 and 4, Painter7ProCreate, KPT3/5, Eyecandy, there is no issue so far after 2 weeks of daily usage rendering fractals with kpt5 on 12000x8000 px RGB, doing vector graphics, etc... in regards of extensions no other extension was missing besides stuffit and carbonlib to make this mini again full OS9 graphical workstation with proper full resolution via digital cable! Period.
Due to mstata ssd and having the minimal extensions and machine having Ultra-ATA100 speed, boot to full desktop is 20-25 seconds. Clicking on PS4 it starts up in 4-5 seconds in total.

One, small glitch: sometimes image is not present unless OS9 fully boots into desktop (monitor seeking digital signal), sometimes display is OK from the beginning of the boot (small mac icon smiling in gray background) and I can see OS9 progress bar and loading extensions. I re-booted so far 100 times, the conclusion is: 50% of the cases display is blank until OS booted into desktop fully, 25% cases I can see small mac smiling from the very early stage, the rest of the cases my monitor starts displaying image when extensions are almost loaded. What I can 100% sure say, when I switch on the OS9 mini the worst case 2 minutes later I will have my fully native resolution via digital cable. All the time!

Side note: I can add back slowly extensions and supplementary folders from macintosh.hdd image from v9 CD until I have again the stripe on the desktop, more preference panes, etc... what is show stopper overwriting the ati* extensions from the hdd image, or upgrading with the ati display drivers upgrade packs...

I do not use sound apps, though one who gonna go for a audio workstation, will use anyway firewire or usb external sound card with own drivers.

The monitor preferences app is totally not the same, it seems a very ancient prefpane with white background... tho It works out of the box, I have the full native resolution and a few smaller ones, all working.

Cheers!

[quantum8]

Just wondering if there's a way to dual boot this between OS9 and OSX on separate disks?

I'm running my setup a little differently to most; using an IDE to SD adapter with an extension ribbon so I can change the SD disk easily.

Would I be able to just take the OS9 SD out, put a new one in and install OSX, or will I come up against OF issues?

[quantum8]

the way how the system audio´s volume is controlled doesnt work with that hardware.

OK thanks, thought that might be the case.

[helixnrg]

Hi all!

I took a couple of years back that Mac OS 9 on a Mac Mini was now achievable. After some successful SSD replacements for some iMac G3s, I'm keen to give the Mac Mini 1.2Ghz model I have a whirl, especially with Mac OS 9, but the download link on:

http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,4365.0.html

doesn't seem to work anymore. Can anyone point me to the .ISO or the .sit that contains all the updated System files that'll make an existing Mac OS 9 install work with the Mac Mini?

Thanks in advance!

Alex

[RossDarker]

Hi all!

I took a couple of years back that Mac OS 9 on a Mac Mini was now achievable. After some successful SSD replacements for some iMac G3s, I'm keen to give the Mac Mini 1.2Ghz model I have a whirl, especially with Mac OS 9, but the download link on:

http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,4365.0.html

doesn't seem to work anymore. Can anyone point me to the .ISO or the .sit that contains all the updated System files that'll make an existing Mac OS 9 install work with the Mac Mini?

Thanks in advance!

Alex

http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,2408.msg43581.html#msg43581

[helixnrg]

Hmmmm...it's not working for me from Melbourne, Australia. I've tried latest versions of Safari, Chrome and Firefox, but all I see is:

Not Found
The requested URL was not found on this server.

Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

[RossDarker]

Hmmmm...it's not working for me from Melbourne, Australia. I've tried latest versions of Safari, Chrome and Firefox, but all I see is:

Not Found
The requested URL was not found on this server.

Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

Try the google drive links from Reply #1267, should jump to it from the link.

[helixnrg]

Awesome, thank you so much! Installing OS 9 on my Mac Mini now!

Could we update the original post with these Google Drive links instead?

Alex

[xc68000]

Hello - Need some help here.  I have 2 G4 mini's and i've tried to install the v9 9.2.2 image but have run into a problem i can't get past.

I have both a 1.25ghz mini and a 1.5 super mini and both have the same issue.

Booting the 9.2.2 v9 DVD works but as soon as the drive utility starts, i loose mouse function.  I can click the mouse but cannot move it.

I *think* this issue is because neither of my mac mini's have drives that have the os9 drivers on them.

I have a 10.4.6 DVD but it does not give me the option of installing OS9 drivers on the disk.  I can't use the OS9 v9 disk utility because the mouse will not move.

So I'm sorta stuck.  Any thoughts?

[DieHard]

Booting the 9.2.2 v9 DVD works but as soon as the drive utility starts, i loose mouse function.  I can click the mouse but cannot move it.

There are documented mouse issues (exactly how you describe), but usually they are not as often as you are describing.... a few possible fixes...

1) if you have a genuine white apple mouse, use that
2) if you have a genuine apple keyboard (that you can plug the mouse into) try that
3) if you mouse is already in the keyboard, try plugging it into the mini directly
4) while the mouse is "paralyzed" unplug it while leaving the mini on, put it into the other USB and/or re-plug it in

I had the exact issues and while it was frozen I switched it to an apple mouse and it un-froze

[xc68000]

I will try that.  I am using a MacAlley usb keyboard and mouse that i purchased recently and the mouse is a two button scroll wheel mouse.  I have a genuine apple keyboard on the way and i will try and source an original apple mouse to go with it.

[Greystash]

I will try that.  I am using a MacAlley usb keyboard and mouse that i purchased recently and the mouse is a two button scroll wheel mouse.  I have a genuine apple keyboard on the way and i will try and source an original apple mouse to go with it.

I've had this issue a lot but I now use my imac G3 Keyboard which has a power button. It means I can fully boot the system with a frozen mouse but I can press the power button to safely shut off/restart the machine only using the keyboard. That way I don't need to forcefully turn it off and it won't corrupt anything. After the one restart it usually un-freezes for me.

[xc68000]

Does the v9 disk have USBOverdrive as a default extension?

I ask because I found another os9 dvd that someone put together that worked perfectly, however after the install i added USBOverdrive and the exact issue with the cursor disappearing and button still working manifested.

Oddly, even disabling the 2 extensions and control panel for USBOverdrive did not fix it and I ended up reinstalling.

[IIO]

yes, they included it with the mini CD.

but one have to say that a 3 button mouse normally works without third party software. the wheel does what it should, and left is alt by default. only if you want to change that or if you have issues with the speed using the original driver (or when there is no driver for OS9) you needed usboverdrive.

i cant really comment on the "mac mini mouse bug", but i *think* it is mostly releated to the type of mouse, and usboverdrive wont fix much.

[IIO]

...

[xc68000]

So the boot part of the v9 image has a USB Device Extension dated 2012 and 399KB.  It also has the USB Overdrive Control Panel.

I made a new image and replaced the USB Device Extension with one dated 2002 396k (Version 1.5.9) and the mouse works fine when booting up the CD image.

The restore image part of the install has the 2002 396KB v1.5.9 and no USB Overdrive control panel.

I'm quite certain that the wider "mouse sometimes freezes at boot" issue is different than the issue I resolved as my mouse hang issue was reproduceable 100% of the time booting the v9 install image.

[teroyk]

...

[teroyk]

I made a new image and replaced the USB Device Extension with one dated 2002 396k (Version 1.5.9) and the mouse works fine when booting up the CD image.
The restore image part of the install has the 2002 396KB v1.5.9 and no USB Overdrive control panel.

I have never understand why use USB Overdrive for mouse. Logitech mouse driver is better, scroll wheel works with that.

[zefrenchtoon]

Hi guys (and girls) !
What if I tell you that Bluetooth is working on OS9 on my mini ?
Ok ok ok, only with keyboards and mouse. 

[IIO]

I have never understand why use USB Overdrive for mouse. Logitech mouse driver is better, scroll wheel works with that.

you can switch right-click and mid-click with it.