Adding 9.2.2 to a G4 using OS X 10.4 (Tiger)

[efelman]

Hi
I just bought a G4 700 MHZ  Powermac 4,2.   "CPU type":PowerPC G4 (2.1)

It came with Tiger and I'd like to erase the computer and format it in 9.2.2

Can someone please walk me through that?
Thanks!

[Ncc74656]

you can download a 9.2.2 universal cd from macintoshrepository.com or on here is a modded os9 lives (will run on anything) and install off that.  id recommend keeping a X partition on there. 20gb or so would be enough for a 10.4.

all you need to do is either download hte iso and burn it. then install.

[efelman]

I tried to go to macintoshrepository.com but that website isn't working.
So I burned a copy of the 9.2.2 Universal software from this website to a CDR and then opened it on the G4 (with the CDR as the startup). 

I'm not clear how to do a Partition.  I went to Disk Utility but don’t see any options for partitioning.   Any suggestions?
Thanks.

[aBc]

You are kidding, right?

Do it again. But this time… open the Drive Setup folder.
Inside you’ll either find a copy of Drive Setup 1.92 or
Drive Setup 2.1. (I think it’s DS 1.92 with the Universal.)



There might even be a Guide too, as shown above.
A window like the one below then opens. You would
then select your HD (in this example, an already dual
partitioned ATA drive) and then click “Initialize”.

Another window will then open with options to then
partition the drive as you may see fit - before you
install OS 9.2.

*Be sure to save anything that you might wish to
keep from your drive as it is now… before you
initialize, partition and install.



And then, you’ll need to reinstall OS X / 10.4 (Tiger)
if desired, to a separate partition that you just defined.

[efelman]

Still can’t get there.  Here’s where I’m at:
1.  I burned a CDR with Mac OS 9.2.2 Universal
2. I inserted it in the CD drive of the G4 and held the C key down while it started up. 
3. I double clicked on the Icon “ Mac OS 9.2.2 Universal”
4. I double clicked on Applications in the MacOs9LIves folder and double clicked on Drive Setup 1.9.2
5. It starts to load up "Classic" but then gives an error message “Classic cannot update files in System Folder on MacOS9Lives because the disk is read-only”

I'm not sure if it's trying to read it from the CDR (which of course can't be written on) or of this is a Permissions error.  Either way I don't see the solution. 
 I went to Get Info on the MacOS9Lives icon and it only gives me the option for Read Only.   Even if I had the Administrator password (I got this from Ebay), there’s no place to type it in. 
Thanks.

[aBc]

Try again with the CD already inserted.
Boot up while holding down the option key.
The boot picker should then appear.
Select the installer disc & click the black arrow.
Then proceed as previously discussed.

It sounds like it isn’t actually booting from the MacOS 9.2.2 Universal disc. And your disc burn may be bad - OR you’ve a flat panel that requires some additional steps. However, specs for that particular G4 700 MHZ  Powermac 4,2  do note that it is capable of booting OS 9.

https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac_700_fp.html

If the option-key boot doesn’t work (the 9.2.2 Universal installer icon should appear top right corner of your desktop if it does) we can try another approach BEFORE the “additional steps”. Good luck.

[efelman]

I burned a new CDR of the Universal Installer (on a Sony 700 gb disc using a fairly new Apple CD Recorder on on a Sonoma Mac.
Then I inserted the CDR in the G4 and restarted holding down the option key.  The CDR wasn't an option (just Macintosh HD).   I restarted holding the C key and then double clicked on Drive Setup 1.9.2.  It appeared to start loading up system 9.2 but then had the  error message attached.  Thanks

[aBc]

If it will not allow you to boot from the boot picker (“the CDR not shown as an option”) then I assume that your CDR is not burned properly or is simply otherwise not bootable. And burning via a Sonoma-based, newer Mac might entail such a problem. You could try an Open Firmware routine but at this point I’d rather mail you an installer disc (if you are hopefully within the United States). PM me your address and I can possibly get one in the mail for you tomorrow. If you’re not in the U.S. - then other steps to burn a disc… OR try again to use what you already have.

OR TRY (feeling adventurous?)… booting into Open Firmware with your installer disc still inserted.

*Holding down the Command + Option + o + f  keys all together.   (That’s o as in otter and f as in frank)

Then once at the prompt, type boot cd:,\\:tbxi and then hit enter.

See: http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,6176.msg46148.html#msg46148

If it won’t boot from the CD then… then your installer disc is quite possibly crap.

[aBc]

Okay. Try this, download http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,3177.0.html
and opt for the .iso version.

As long as you don't attempt to open it on your download machine (the Sonoma-based one?)
You might be able to copy that .iso to a USB stick and then drag the file from that to your G4...
and then burn a disc from the G4 itself. (To then use that to install with.)

Ahh, but you might get tripped-up again if the G4 asks for a password.
Try variants of "Password" PASSWORD or even password?
Worth a shot, ehh?

I'm burning a disc for you now.

[IIO]

beside the file right issues when trying to format disks under classic enviroment... but if you boot into OSX you can not repartition the disk you booted of, anyway.

if it is another physical disc you want to format, this should work though.

the settings required to have the "OS9Driver" checkbox accessible in disc utiliy is that you choose APM as partition map (which is the default setting in 10.4.) and one of the HFS options as format.

but try to get the machine to boot into the OS9 CD first and run the setup as set by apple, one needs that exercise anyway.

[aBc]

Thanks for the additional clarification(s) IIO.
Judging from this thread’s title… necessary
information above that I did try to address earlier:

“*Be sure to save anything that you might wish to
keep from your drive as it is now… before you
initialize, partition and install.

And then, you’ll need to reinstall OS X / 10.4 (Tiger)
if desired, to a separate partition that you just defined.”

[IIO]

yes, exactly!

[efelman]

Confused about where to start.
I assume that "other physical disc" I need to boot from would be a CDR, not USB flash drive? 
I can try to make a CDR with another computer using Ventura 13.4; would that be better than Sonoma?

Also: what's the easiest way to tell whether the G4 is booting from an external drive or from its hard drive?  Would the boot-up drive be in the upper right corner of the Finder?

[GaryN]

I can try to make a CDR with another computer using Ventura 13.4; would that be better than Sonoma?

Also: what's the easiest way to tell whether the G4 is booting from an external drive or from its hard drive?  Would the boot-up drive be in the upper right corner of the Finder?

Likely no difference with Ventura.

Just on the off chance, and since it hasn't actually been mentioned yet…
Have you tried(?) and if not, try to boot into Tiger, insert the OS9 CD then goto System Preferences/Startup Disk. See if the OS9 disk appears as a boot option. If it does, you can select it and restart. Normally the option key-during-boot can be counted on to bring up the boot selector but when stuff happens that just doesn't make sense or seems incorrect, you should always try all of the alternative methods.

The point is that if the OS9 disk appears but NOT as a bootable option, you can be pretty sure that it's burned correctly but there's an issue with recognizing it properly as bootable. Exactly what that might be, that would allow/cause you to download and burn a disk that has worked for previous users without issue but for you it reads just fine but won't boot is puzzling. One would think that if your Sonoma-running machine was burning it incompatibly somehow, you would be able to read anything from it at all or it would just pop up the "This disk is unreadable……" error message.

I predict that this is going to end up being caused by some little teeny-weeny detail that no one (including me) has thought of… yet.

[aBc]

Just on the off chance, and since it hasn't actually been mentioned yet…
Have you tried(?) and if not, try to boot into Tiger, insert the OS9 CD then goto System Preferences/Startup Disk. See if the OS9 disk appears as a boot option. If it does, you can select it and restart.

Really hope that you're correct there Gary.
If not - then I have one of my massive overblown posts to submit.
Which is likely to be even more confusing - IF that's even imaginable.
I have already mailed new, tested good installer discs this morning.