eMac 16-color?

[lduley]

Hey everyone, been wanting to relive some old mac game memories, and I came across a 700mhz eMac for $20 locally, figured I couldn't turn it down.  Only drawback is it had X 10.4 on it, and no 9 system folder.  I didn't really have any want/care for X on it, as all the old games I used to play were B&W and on my quadra 605.  I got the "universal" .iso from here and got it to install, so I burned the eMac 9.2.2 .iso I found to a USB, and tried installing an actual 9.2.2, but when it first booted up, it crashed on the extension startup screen, so I went back to the universal ISO

My question is, is there a way to revert back to 16 bit and B&W on this?  lowest option I have is 256, and I'm not sure if maybe its an extension or control panel I'm missing?  Or is it because of the nVidea GeForce thats in it?

If I could get an answer it would be appreciated!

[FdB]

Which “Universal” did you try?

Mac OS 9.2.2 Universal Install - ISO CD Image - Most Popular Download
Mac OS 9.2.2 Universal (Developed by User: Blackholemac) - ISO Images
Mac OS 9.2.2 Universal (Just Format & Drag files to Install) - Self Extracting

If not the last one listed here, you might try that one… as you’re already running OSX.

Sorry not more help, unfamiliar with eMacs. Hopefully, someone else
(more knowledgeable), will chime in. Just give ‘em some time.

[lduley]

It was the most popular download, and I wiped the HD clean for 9.

[FdB]

Here… https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7945583 (under Read all Replies), it’s mentioned by milagromac that:

The earlier eMACs like 700 mhz and 800 mhz may work with the disks you suggest.
However first you need the special eMAC OSX OSX 10.2.1 or 10.3.4
disks that have the internal monitor driver of the eMAC.

Maybe that machine-specific monitor driver is what you seek? And possibly, it isn’t present in the eMac 9.2.2 iso from here that you installed.

Or, maybe an eMac original install disk set?

Everymac.com notes: *M8655LL/A refers to the original education-only configuration that shipped to startup with MacOS X, a CD-ROM drive and no modem. The "/B" configuration uses the same hardware but shipped with MacOS 9 set to startup. M8578LL/A refers to the education-only configuration with a "Combo" drive set to startup in MacOS X, and "/B" was set to startup in MacOS 9.

So, unless you can find the original install disks for the /B model configuration, featuring OS 9 as the startup… or if someone here may provide you with the above-mentioned, specific monitor driver... I'm out of suggestions.

Of course, you may well already know all of this… in which case, please pardon my attempt.

Anyone else here familiar with this eMac quandary /scenario?

[ovalking]

No experience with an eMac, but doubt <256 colours is selectable.
For example, it's not possible on my iMac.

What are you trying to play? Some ancient games still run fine in 256 colours.

[lduley]

Here… https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7945583 (under Read all Replies), it’s mentioned by milagromac that:

The earlier eMACs like 700 mhz and 800 mhz may work with the disks you suggest.
However first you need the special eMAC OSX OSX 10.2.1 or 10.3.4
disks that have the internal monitor driver of the eMAC.

Maybe that machine-specific monitor driver is what you seek? And possibly, it isn’t present in the eMac 9.2.2 iso from here that you installed.

Or, maybe an eMac original install disk set?

Everymac.com notes: *M8655LL/A refers to the original education-only configuration that shipped to startup with MacOS X, a CD-ROM drive and no modem. The "/B" configuration uses the same hardware but shipped with MacOS 9 set to startup. M8578LL/A refers to the education-only configuration with a "Combo" drive set to startup in MacOS X, and "/B" was set to startup in MacOS 9.

So, unless you can find the original install disks for the /B model configuration, featuring OS 9 as the startup… or if someone here may provide you with the above-mentioned, specific monitor driver... I'm out of suggestions.

Of course, you may well already know all of this… in which case, please pardon my attempt.

Anyone else here familiar with this eMac quandary /scenario?

ahh ok, I"m going to guess that mine is a /B model as it has the DVD drive (even though I'm not sure its original...because its black lol)  So I may be SOL, unless I use the classic environment in 10, which I've read can be flaky at times? This would also explain why in "Hellcats" everything works minus the enviroment, and F/A18 hornet the gauges don't display correctly

No experience with an eMac, but doubt <256 colours is selectable.
For example, it's not possible on my iMac.

What are you trying to play? Some ancient games still run fine in 256 colours.

The main one that I remember is SimCity Classic, yes I know theres 2K & 3K, but classic is the one I grew up playing on my MacPlus....may its CRT RIP

[darthnVader]

So you can only select 16bit color( Thousands of colors ).

This is really a function of the NDRV, or native device driver. For nVidia cards there are two types, one is in the ROM of the Graphic card itself, and one is loaded by one of the nVidia extension in the System Folder. I don't remember right off which one, but I think it has the type NDRV.

You may need to try and find nVidia Extensions that work with you card, if they exist.

If you are able to change the screen Res, then you have one of the types of NDRV's loaded, under OS 9. You could try and remove all the nvidia extensions via the Extension Manager and see if the card defaults to 256 colors. If it does then you all set, just create a custom extensions set to boot to when you need 256 Colors.

If you can still change the screen res in OS 9 without any of the nVidia Extension enabled, but you still can't select 256 Colors, then there is a problem with the ROM NDRV, and you'll need the proper, or hacked nVidia Extension to enable 256 Colors. Otherwise, you'll have to see if the card has a flashable ROM chip, of if the FCode ROM for the nVidia chip is in the 1MB Mac Boot ROM( not the Mac OS ROM ) in the System Folder, but the Boot ROM on the logicboard.

I don't really advise Flashing the Boot ROM or the Flash Rom of the Graphics card, if it has one, because it could be quite difficult to revert from a bad flash, with no display. I only bring it up to say it can be done, not it should be done.