CD desktop folder "locked"

[davey]

Hi, i'm trying to install a version of 9.2.2 from the forum ( http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,2580.0.html ) on my B&W G3, i've tried 3 diffrerent cd's and every time I boot from the disk it says "Sorry, the desktop folder on the startup disk could not be created. Try unlocking the disk" which is impossible since it's a CD. After the message it forces me to restart. I don't believe it's corrupted since when i'm in my installation on the hard drive it reads the cd fine and all the files are there.

[GaryN]

"Sorry, the desktop folder on the startup disk could not be created."

Refers to the disk you're trying to install to i.e. your hard drive…NOT the CD.
The error is saying the installer cannot write to that disk for some reason. It's locked, defective, improperly formatted or similar.
What is installed on the drive now?

[davey]

I have a retail installation of 9.0 on it, and it's formatted as MacOS Extended, also, I have been able to use other discs of other versions from 8.6-X without this problem.

[GaryN]

"Sorry, the desktop folder on the startup disk could not be created. Try unlocking the disk"

There is another possibility. If you're booting from a CD that simply has an installation of 9.2.2 rather than an INSTALLER……
the computer attempts to run from the startup system which in this case is on a non-writable CD.

Boot your computer from 9.0 and look at the files on the CD. If you see the System Folder and such just like on your HDD, there's no installer on the CD. You can confirm the difference by looking at your 9.0 retail disk where you'll see how it should look.
You can then either:
Drag-copy the 9.2.2 System and Finder OR download the original 9.2.2 from the Forum and install that.

To drag-copy:
Make a new folder on your HDD - label it new system or similar. Drag the System folder and Finder from the CD into it.
Open the folder and the 9.2.2 System folder.
Drag the 9.2.2 System file AND the Finder out onto the Desktop.
Put them both back. (You have just "blessed" the 9.2.2 System Folder - it should change appearance and look like your 9.0 System folder)
Reboot with the option key held down. You should see both Systems as boot choices - select 9.2.2 and continue.
In 9.2.2, you can now delete the 9.0 system and Finder BUT FIRST make a list of you Extensions and Control Panels that are enabled to check against the new System which may be / will probably be different. It will be MUCH easier to sort out what you need/want on or off with a list of your previous set handy.

I have NO idea of your level of OS9 experience. If all of that makes you uncomfortable, use the other Forum download WITH the installer.
That will assure you get a properly updated System and will remove any 9.0 stuff that can mess it up.
You can then pick the updated items you may want from THIS 9.2.2 and drag them over the older ones.

This is what sometimes happens when stuff is crowdsourced - you lose the consistency you normally get from a software developer.
If it had come from Apple, it would "just work"…

[IIO]

i dont think that "desktop folder on the startup disk" means on another disk than the startup disk - but it is weird in either case.

if you have the chance to, then try disconnecting the internals harddrive(s) in question and see what happens then.

[IIO]

normally i´d say "try to repair the filerights of the desktop folder in the HD from OSX" ... but no, then it would happen with the local OS 9.0, too, isnt it.

but we had it before: http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=2624.0

guy seems to have solved it using toast for burning. (which is hard to believe. but try that if you havent already)

google otherwise leads almost exclusively to emulation circumstances - and to issues with OSX server 1.x and rhapsody.

[IIO]

it might be that gary was very close in 2015 with that Desktop DB idea.

can it be that you burned the CD by mounting it and then dragging the content of the mounted image as files and folders over to a burning app?

[davey]

Sorry for the late reply, i’ve been at work all day. I don’t remember the file format off hand but 90% of the time I use the latest version of Toast Titanium to burn my Apple related discs no matter the format since it works the best in my experience. I have previously used the other universal iso with the installer in the past and wanted to try this one for a change. I do have other hard drives with OS 9 on them that I might try to boot from and do the drag and drop install method. I also have had trouble with Catalina not being able to mount HFS volumes anymore and thought that might be a possible cause, so i’m downgrading my MBP to Mojave not only to test this but to be able to mount my old files again, will post the results in an edit if it works or doesn’t.

[GaryN]

Sometimes I wonder why I bother. I write and write and do my absolute damndest to be perfectly fucking clear and it's like I didn't even post anything at all.

This has nothing to do with the shitshow from 2015. NOTHING.

ONE simple test, just ONE: BOOT 9.0; MOUNT the 9.2.2 CD; LOOK at it and see if there's an installer on it. If it ain't there THAT is what's up.

OR, fuck around and around and around just like part12 and his piece of shit SATA adapters that will NEVER work…ever!

Is it the virus? Why does everybody INSIST on taking the longest, most complicated route from point A to point B when somebody has handed them a simple map?

I give up.

[davey]

Hello, I'll have to get back with you all on the results, either the power supply died or the board died, have to do some diagnosing. Thanks.

[IIO]

Why does everybody INSIST on taking the longest, most complicated route from point A to point B when somebody has handed them a simple map?

I give up.

it is only you who is always writing ten pages of off topic "solutions" to a simple problem, not the others.

your idea that he might be missing the complete installer app on his burnt CD is absurd. this can not happen and this would also not cause a warning message.


the question is "why do some people get this warning message when they try to install from the universal CD".

so, what is our answer?

i dont know it yet...

[davey]

An update, I believe my video card failed and it has another unrelated issue with the power button not wanting to work randomly, but when it does turn on it has no video. I’ve ordered a replacement card as i was meaning to upgrade it from the Rage 128 anyway. Once I get everything installed and working again i’ll update on the software situation. Thanks for the help.

[GaryN]

Why does everybody INSIST on taking the longest, most complicated route from point A to point B when somebody has handed them a simple map?

I give up.

it is only you who is always writing ten pages of off topic "solutions" to a simple problem, not the others.

your idea that he might be missing the complete installer app on his burnt CD is absurd. this can not happen and this would also not cause a warning message.


the question is "why do some people get this warning message when they try to install from the universal CD".

so, what is our answer?

i dont know it yet...

IIO: For once, you're 100% correct. You DON'T know the answer. SO, I'll help you - I'll try to keep it to less then "ten pages".

Note:

I have NO idea of your level of OS9 experience. If all of that makes you uncomfortable, use the other Forum download WITH the installer.
That will assure you get a properly updated System and will remove any 9.0 stuff that can mess it up.
You can then pick the updated items you may want from THIS 9.2.2 and drag them over the older ones.

This is what sometimes happens when stuff is crowdsourced - you lose the consistency you normally get from a software developer.
If it had come from Apple, it would "just work"…

Although I write detailed posts in an effort to help "get it right", I don't have unlimited time - even in a quarantine…BUT
I DID take a little to sort this out just for you

I downloaded the same damn 9.2.2 he did, and I discovered a few things:

1) IT'S A TOAST IMAGE. I have personally had those go wrong if handled with anything other than toast.
    Does davey know that? Probably NOT. THAT may be the reason the boot fails every time.

2) THERE IS NO, REPEAT, NO "INSTALLER" in the image. Evidently that possibility is not "absurd". Apparently it can happen.
    What is there is ASR - as in Apple Software Restore.
    Does davey know how to use that if/when he ever gets to that point? I don't know - you neither.

3) THERE ARE NO, REPEAT, NO INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED WHATSOEVER. Not even a note to use ASR.

So, would the damn thing work an a perfectly - functioning Mac? WTF knows? NOT you and NOT me.
The only way to find out is to go through the entire process: Downloading; Burning a CD with toast; Booting and attempting an install.

I am NOT going to do all of that for what SHOULD be obvious reasons. Why don't you?

Maybe you'll discover the answer to your question: "why do some people get this warning message when they try to install from the universal CD".

Maybe you'll begin to understand why at least ONE of us tries to be concise and complete when discussing complex technical issues.

If not, maybe you'll at least understand why I wrote:

I have NO idea of your level of OS9 experience. If all of that makes you uncomfortable, use the other Forum download WITH the installer.
That will assure you get a properly updated System and will remove any 9.0 stuff that can mess it up.
You can then pick the updated items you may want from THIS 9.2.2 and drag them over the older ones.

This is what sometimes happens when stuff is crowdsourced - you lose the consistency you normally get from a software developer.
If it had come from Apple, it would "just work"…

davey: My sympathy that your computer took a dump. When you try this again, know that you should / must use Toast to deal with the OS 9.2.2 image file and use the Software Restore app in that image to write ("restore") it to your HDD. Google the instructions.

[davey]

Hello, I've gotten the computer up and running again. There is no installer, only ASR. I don't know if there was an easier way to do it, but I used 2 hard drives to install since the CD can't be booted from. I booted to my Mac OS 8.6 HDD and installed it to the second hard drive using ASR. Seemed to work fine.

[GaryN]

Glad to hear it! Good for you. Enjoy!