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[HAL90002026]

Hello dear experts. I am a musican and using macs for my projects. Beyond my work on bandcamp and youtube i work for a computer museum in lower saxony/ germany. My last project was a PowerMac G4 that i run now with Reason 4 and Rebirth RB-338. Makes so much fun. This days i get the mac mini from 2005 1.25GHz. But this one is not so easy to reactivate. I try a bunch of different CDs and DVD with burned iso but no chance. Every disc i try was ejected after booting with press key c. I need your help. It would be awesome to run Mac OS 9 on it but now i am happy if i can get Mac OSX running. The guy who gave me the machine didint give me the original os disc. Big thanks forward.

[aBc]

Instead of using the “c” key at boot with your burned CD inserted… try holding down the “option / alt” key just prior to powering up. If your install CD was burned successfully, it should then appear onscreen as a selectable and bootable option. If not… then your CD might not have been created properly.

You have created the install disc downloaded via https://macos9lives.com/downloads?

[HAL90002026]

Hello, yes i try different isos but this too. I also try it with an external drive. Is there a better burning tool for that? I read that it is better to burn it at slow speed ... i use CD BURNER XP on Windows and after that Power Iso, sadly with the same result ...

[aBc]

Perhaps someone else here would be able to help you with the Windows route. But there is this approach described by Mardeec - which may help you?

https://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=6699.msg50696#msg50696

[davecom]

Keep in mind it's also possible your mini has a bad optical drive. Unfortunately, of the 90 or so G4 minis I've restored roughly 10% had bad optical drives so it does happen. The good news is you can find a replacement on eBay for like $10-$20. I think the model numbers you want are optical drives numbered 8123 or 8124. You can find the number on your existing optical drive. I've also bought drives on eBay that don't work... so your mileage may vary!

You can also try to fix your optical drive by opening it up and cleaning the tiny glass patch where the laser comes out with a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol. Believe it or not several of my failed drives simply had little loose screws that were inside the drive that when removed began to work again.

[aBc]

Easy enough to check the operation of your mini’s optical drive and whether or not you’ve actually succeeded in burning a functional Mac mini OS 9 installer disc at this point.

IF your other Mac G4 has a functional optical drive, test any and all of the discs you have already burned from iso’s in that. If they mount and you can boot from any of them… then it is quite possibly your mini’s optical drive. And then before any exploratory surgery, perhaps a few short bursts from canned air (via slim nozzle) might sufficiently dispel any dust particles from the laser’s eye?

Conversely, you might also try any other Mac related / written software disc in your mini if it is already running OS X - just to see if the optical drive in it can read those that also have been used with your other G4.

ALSO. If you are downloading the iso to your Windows machine, transfer that .iso file via USB stick (or other media) to your other G4 BEFORE opening the file and then open it on that G4 and burn the disc from that other G4.

AND / OR perhaps one of our many benevolent German (or located nearby) members might also furnish you with pre-burned Mac mini OS 9 installer disc as well?

[HAL90002026]

Hi, my Mac mini 2005 1.25 GHz works now with the Ross OS9 ISO that burned. My mistake so it seems was that i burn the disc in windows and the biggest mistake, i use CD-RW. I find a note in the description to use only CD-R. After i burn that with my Mac Mini M1, the disc works perfect Than you very much for your help.

[Jubadub]

@HAL90002026

Burning with ImgBurn on Windows is also fine.