Mac OS 9 Lives

Mac OS 9 Discussion => Mac OS 9, Hacks & Upgrades => Mac OS 9 on Unsupported Hardware => Topic started by: nex86 on October 03, 2025, 08:50:20 AM

Title: Powerbook G4 2003 15" PowerBook5,2
Post by: nex86 on October 03, 2025, 08:50:20 AM
So I'm still new to this,
What ISO do I need for my hardware?
its the 1ghz G4 Powerbook 15". M8980LL/A from 2003. Radeon Mobility 9600.
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/powerbook_g4/specs/powerbook_g4_1.0_15.html

Title: Re: Powerbook G4 2003 15" PowerBook5,2
Post by: PrepperGeek on October 03, 2025, 03:00:38 PM
Sadly it is not compatable with stock OS 9, youll have to use one of the disk images posted on this website for incompatable machines.
Title: Re: Powerbook G4 2003 15" PowerBook5,2
Post by: PrepperGeek on October 03, 2025, 03:01:42 PM
Quote from: PrepperGeek on October 03, 2025, 03:00:38 PM
Sadly it is not compatable with stock OS 9, youll have to use one of the disk images posted on this website for incompatable machines.
Nevermind, I just realised where this is posted.
Title: Re: Powerbook G4 2003 15" PowerBook5,2
Post by: nex86 on October 04, 2025, 02:21:49 AM
Quote from: PrepperGeek on October 03, 2025, 03:00:38 PM
Sadly it is not compatable with stock OS 9, youll have to use one of the disk images posted on this website for incompatable machines.

yes this is what I meant.
Because when I go to https://macos9lives.com/downloads I don't exactly which ones I need, that is why I asked.
Title: Re: Powerbook G4 2003 15" PowerBook5,2
Post by: aBc on October 04, 2025, 04:30:33 AM
Review the following... maybe?

Topic: Powerbook 'Aluminium' 15 inch 1Ghz - OS9Lives working, but no audio
https://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=7607.msg58954#msg58954 (https://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=7607.msg58954#msg58954)

And maybe also read this:
http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=2143.0 (http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=2143.0)
Title: Re: Powerbook G4 2003 15" PowerBook5,2
Post by: ssp3 on October 04, 2025, 07:14:48 AM
Quote from: aBc on October 04, 2025, 04:30:33 AM
And maybe also read this:
http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=2143.0 (http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=2143.0)

An Error Has Occurred!
The topic or board you are looking for appears to be either missing or off limits to you.  ;)
Title: Re: Powerbook G4 2003 15" PowerBook5,2
Post by: aBc on October 04, 2025, 07:59:18 AM
For those unable to access… https://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=2143.0 (https://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=2143.0)
there is an image attached below. (DHblab.png)

Basically, it is the original written explanation for the Unsupported G4 ISO CD Image.
Now, explained thus:

             (http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=7675.0;attach=15982;image)

AND now that file itself, is available for download here:
https://macos9lives.com/downloads
 (https://macos9lives.com/downloads)
*Keystrokes, keystrokes and more keystrokes! ::)
Title: Re: Powerbook G4 2003 15" PowerBook5,2
Post by: Knezzen on October 04, 2025, 08:14:15 AM
Yeah, there's a need for a more verbose download info. Thanks for the subtle knife stab, aBc ;)
Title: Re: Powerbook G4 2003 15" PowerBook5,2
Post by: nex86 on October 18, 2025, 03:35:35 AM
this isn't all so straight forward.

So I pretty much understood this:

1. Download unsupported G4's iso from here: http://files.macos9lives.com/MacOS%20Operating%20Systems/Mac%20OS%209.2.2%20For%20Previously%20Unsupported%20G4s/Mac%20OS%20922%20Unsupported%20G4.iso

2. burn it on a CDR, can I use a windows PC using IMGBURN for this?

3. Boot up on Powerbook G4 and install on a free partition
(I have Tiger and Leopard already on this machine including one unassigned 80GB partition..)

4.
apply some sort of firmware hack for audio support..

Code: [Select]
dev /cpus/PowerPC,G4@0
80010201 encode-int " cpu-version" property
dev /pci@F2000000/mac-io/i2s/i2s-a
" screamer" encode-string " compatible" property
device-end
are these nvram parameters ? my machine doesn't have a working pram battery as I'm unable to obtain a CGL3032 rechargable coincell in my country.
Will this be an issue? I don't want to retype this everytime I reboot the machine  :o
Title: Re: Powerbook G4 2003 15" PowerBook5,2
Post by: robespierre on October 18, 2025, 06:26:51 AM
Those commands can be added to the firmware script "nvramrc" in order to run each time the computer boots up. I think on the Alubooks the nvram doesn't depend on a battery; the CGL3032 is for keeping RAM contents alive when you put the computer to sleep and exchange the main battery. But open to correction on that point.
Title: Re: Powerbook G4 2003 15" PowerBook5,2
Post by: joevt on October 18, 2025, 04:43:41 PM
That nvramrc script is only for booting Mac OS 9 so I would try putting it into the "<BOOT-SCRIPT>" of the "Mac OS ROM" file of the Mac OS 9 "System Folder". Update the checksum at the end. Make sure "elf-offset" is correct and aligned on 4K (0x1000) boundary by adding or removing zero bytes after "</CHRP-BOOT>"

To make the Mac OS ROM compatible with all Macs, I would add code to the script to check the Open Firmware version or date or whatever before applying the changes.

 https://macos9lives.com/downloads says "Contains install media with modified ROM". Maybe it means the "Mac OS ROM" file has been changed already? I've never looked into it since I don't have an unsupported G4. I would compare the "Mac OS ROM" file with the ones at https://github.com/joevt/MacROMan to see what if any changes were made already.

 https://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?action=post;quote=51436;topic=2337.0;last_msg=57282
 https://68kmla.org/bb/index.php?threads/emac-combo-1ghz-chipped-to-1-27ghz-wont-boot-from-mac-os-9-2-2-iso.50730/post-571510
Title: Re: Powerbook G4 2003 15" PowerBook5,2
Post by: nex86 on October 19, 2025, 01:18:44 AM
Is there a guide on how to do this with the boot script?