Mac OS 9 Lives
Mac OS 9 Discussion => Mac OS 9, Hacks & Upgrades => Topic started by: UnexpectedBomb on September 06, 2026, 10:10:39 PM
-
A true USB 2.0 solution for CardBus under Mac OS 9 is here!
I developed a single system extension for Titanium G4 PowerBooks that will give you true USB 2.0 speeds for NEC-chipset CardBus cards under Mac OS 9. Just drop it into your Extensions folder and reboot!
Not sure if your card has the NEC-chipset? Download and run the CardBusCompat compatibility checker app that will give you a verdict not only on your CardBus card's compatibility, but also the machine itself. Only the Titanium G4 has been tested and verified so far. I have not yet tested this on any G3 PowerBook models, but I suspect at least one of them should work, particularly the Pismo. If you have a G3 PowerBook and can test, please let me know what you find!
Other non-NEC chipsets (such as VIA) will NOT work; in my testing, cards with these chipsets usually made my TiBook crash. Adaptec cards, such as the DuoConnect and the USB2connect models, reliably contained the NEC-chipset, so you may consider hunting one of those down if you want to try it out but don't have a card yet.
Both the system extension (CardBus_EHCI_Ext.bin) and the compatibility checker app can be found here, under Assets:
https://github.com/UnexpectedBomb/MacOS9-USB2-EHCI/releases#release-cbrel
COMING SOON: Bluetooth for Mac OS 9.... muahaha
-
that means possibly we can add USB 2.0 soundcards to our trusted tibooks
Adaptec AUA-1420 2-Port USB 2.0 CardBus Adapter
-
that means possibly we can add USB 2.0 soundcards to our trusted tibooks
Adaptec AUA-1420 2-Port USB 2.0 CardBus Adapter
Yes! Absolutely. I believe Adaptec was one of the more reliable brands in terms of having the NEC-chipset and OS 9 compatibility overall. Let me know if that card works with this extension and I'll document it.
-
Thanks a lot UnexpectedBomb! Now you are guilty that have to search for a CardBus USB for my Ti! ;-p
To be serious. Your efforts are highly appreciated. I am gladful that you are around and that you are interrested in our plattform.
-
Thanks a lot UnexpectedBomb! Now you are guilty that have to search for a CardBus USB for my Ti! ;-p
To be serious. Your efforts are highly appreciated. I am gladful that you are around and that you are interrested in our plattform.
;D ;D Sorry for enabling your OS 9 habit, hehe. I appreciate the kind words. I'll never forget the summer of 2000 when our family brought home our graphite iMac G3/400 DV SE. Mac OS 9 has had a place in my heart ever since.
-
As always, this is good progress for the platform. :) Many thanks.
I might have considered trying these on my PowerBook, if only I could get it to boot Mac OS 9. It is the only non-G5 Mac to still be stuck on OS X, which is a shame. I just never figured out what to do on OpenFirmware to boot it, and the same seems to be the case for everyone else. I mean the DLSD specifically (PowerBook5,8 (https://everymac.com/systems/apple/powerbook_g4/specs/powerbook_g4_1.67_15_hr.html) for 15" and PowerBook 5,9 (https://everymac.com/systems/apple/powerbook_g4/specs/powerbook_g4_1.67_17_hr.html) for 17", I have the former). It's almost like it's the DDR2 RAM that is stopping it. Or, some code in the firmware changed in a way that makes the method for booting its slightly older 1.67 GHz predecessor (https://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=4781.0) no longer work.