Using TransMac to Burn A Bootable OS9 CD in Windows

[Mardeec]

The question of burning bootable CDs in Windows comes up occasionally, especially in cases where someone has recently acquired an old Mac but has only a Windows PC with which to burn a CD.

To explore the topic a bit, I did some testing using TransMac on a Windows 11 PC to burn the “Mac OS 9.2.2 Universal Install Image (for G3s & G4s, Our Most Popular)” .  TransMac has a number of other Mac-Windows features, so it seemed like the best tool for the job.

TransMac is available by download from https://www.acutesystems.com.  It sells for $59 with a 15 day free trial.  It’s an easy installation on any Windows PC, Vista through 11. I followed these steps:

• Download the Mac OS 9.2.2 Universal Install Image (http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,2109.0.html).  This file has the .iso extension, so it doesn’t need any decompression and will be recognized by TransMac.  Do not open the file in Windows.
• Insert a blank CD-R.  Don’t use a rewritable CD (CD-RW).  The image will fit on a 650Mb CD.
• Open TransMac.  Under Tools, click Settings, then click the DVD/CD Burning tab.  Make sure the Use slowest burn speed and Verify (may slow burn speed) boxes are checked.
• Note: If your first attempt to burn a bootable CD fails, check the Use alternate burning method box, and try again.
• Make sure the .iso file is accessible somewhere on your computer.  Under Tools, click Burn CD/DVD Image.  Use the Burn CD/DVD Image dialog box to select the CD drive and .iso file.
• Click OK.

I burned two CDs, one using the “standard” method and one using the “alternate” method.  I tested both CDs on a variety of G3 and G4 Macs, with these results.

Successful boot

• iBook G3/366 (Firewire/Clamshell) #1
• iBook G3/466 SE (Firewire/Clamshell)
• iMac G3 400 DV (Summer)
• iMac G3 500 DV SE (Summer 2000)
• iMac G4/800 17-Inch (Flat Panel)
• Power Mac G4 Quicksilver 733
• Power Mac G4 1.25 DP (MDD)

Did not boot

• iBook G3/300 (Original/Clamshell)
• iBook G3/366 (Firewire/Clamshell) #2
• iMac G3 333 (tray load) w/ Sonnet Harmoni G3 500MHz processor
• Power Mac G4 1.25 (MDD 2003)

All but one of the Macs that did not boot from the TransMac CD did boot from a CD burned in a G4 Mac running OS9.2.2 and using Toast 5.2.1.  The exception was the Power Mac G4 1.25 (MDD 2003), which showed a -18 system error in both instances.  There may be bigger problems as it no longer boots into OS 9.2.2 from the hard drive.

I tested both the “standard” and “alternate” burn methods in TransMac, and results were identical.  The TransMac Help page does not elaborate on the difference between the two methods.  In the past and with an earlier version of TransMac, it was only the “alternate” method that produced a CD that could boot my G3 500 iMac.

There may be other factors involved in whether a TransMac burned CD can boot successfully, but hopefully these results offer a path forward for those whose only option for burning is Windows.

[chrisNova777]

Well apart from the g4 1.25 the other results look simple in that all of those machine groupings are from similar time frame 🖼️ ie the g3s are all earlier machines so maybe its possible there's another reason why they did not boot ie there was alot of changes by Apple in late 90s and early 2000s partition types and  file systems (AFS vs Fat32)

Anytime you have a replacement cpu be ready for hell to freeze over and wierd things to occur