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[V.Yakob]

Hi!

I have PowerMac G4 MDD (FW400, 2003), I can't boot into Mac OS 9.2.2.

Tried:
1. Mac OS 9 Live community image to use
2. Software Restoration images 691-4872-A, 691-4873-A and 691-4409-A.
3. Unpacked os9general.dmg
4. Installed CPU_MacOS9_Z.pkg_.zip
5. Reset NVRAM using ⌘+⌥+P+R
6. Reset NVRAM via OpenFirmware ⌘+⌥+F+O
reset-nvram
set-defaults
reset-all

I used Apple Service Diagnostic (691-4769) to check the hardware and AHT 2.0.2 -- no problems were found, the tests were passed successfully.

The result is always the same -- Mac OS 9 does not boot. Just a gray screen, it turns out to get out of this state only by holding the power button.

At the same time, Mac OS X 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 work fine. Classic mode starts without problems.

What am I missing for a native Mac OS 9 boot?

[FBz]

You’ve tried holding down the option / alt key at boot to arrive at the boot picker which allows you to choose your boot disk? (And OS 9.2 shows up as a viable choice but still gives you the gray screen when selected?)



Have you tried two-partitioning your HD with one partition for your OS X installation and the other for OS 9.2? I rarely (if ever) allow an OS 9 installation on an un-partitioned HD and I never run OS 9.2 under Classic Mode.



Apple System Profiler showing a two-partitioned HD with OS 9.2 and OS 10.4.6 segregated on two different partitions - on the same (1) HD. *Usually  format and two-partition the HD first with OS 9.2 and then install whatever version of OS X on the second partition.

[V.Yakob]

Yes, of course I tried that too.
The screen is always gray.
Today I installed a new SSD, divided it into several partitions. Installed 10.4.
Copied the "System Folder" and "Applications (Mac OS 9)" directories from the os9general.dmg package to this section, to no avail

I noticed a strange thing, right after copying, rebooting and holding Opt, I did not see the possibility of loading Mac OS 9, it appears only after rebooting with the choice of Mac OS 9. in
And for some reason, the name of the section is not displayed.


A similar problem may be related to the battery on the motherboard? I bought this computer 2 weeks ago. The seller told me that it had been in stock for about 10 years. Unfortunately, I don't have a multimeter at hand right now to measure the voltage.

Since then, I haven't stopped trying to run Mac OS 9.2.2.

[FBz]

That is odd. Doubtful that the battery would cause that, but a new
battery couldn’t hurt.

What CPU is in the machine? And the machine is not a FW800?

I’d first try a fresh, clean and complete install via CD from:
http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,1657.0.html
-because it has Drive Setup 2.1 (which I prefer over DS 1.9.2).

And the above, before any OS X installation on any partition.

[V.Yakob]

FW400, that's for sure.

I'll try this image, thanx.

[FBz]

And of course… as with almost every Apple OS installer:

Nothing connected to the machine (inside or out) that is
not absolutely necessary for the basic function of the machine.
NO external hard drives, scanners, USB, SCSI devices etc. OR
internal cards other than the video / GPU.

ONLY the bare necessities connected during OS installs.

[V.Yakob]

I don't have any connection boards.
Only Apple Keyboard (A1048) and Apple Mighty Mouse (A1152) are connected. I also tried connecting another old Apple Mouse (M5769) with one button. The situation is not changing.
I tried the image you suggested, it doesn't work, see the screenshot. I watched it for 5-7 minutes, then rebooted it. After reboot, just like with Mac OS 9 -- just a gray screen.

[FBz]

You downloaded and successfully burned a bootable CD from that download and then booted the machine with / from that CD (holding down the “c” key). Then you reformatted and partitioned your SSD or HD with Drive Setup 2.1 before then installing OS 9.2. from that CD?

AND you still got a gray screen upon reboot?

Well, I am completely and totally puzzled.

[V.Yakob]

I couldn't boot from this disk.

I see this disk in the boot menu (hold opt), after selecting it, the icon appeared as in the photo in the message above. After restarting, the screen is gray.
Only OS X loads without problems.
I googled this problem for a week, and could not find similar cases.
What could the previous owners have done with this computer? Maybe the firmware was changed? I do not know how to check it.

[V.Yakob]

You downloaded and successfully burned a bootable CD

Maybe the image needs to be recorded in some special application?
I am using an embedded solution in macOS 12. Right click on the image -- burn. I use Intel-based Mac + USB SuperDrive and CD-RW disk.

Other images, such as Apple Software Diagnostics, Software Restoration and Mac OS X 10.3, 10.4 distrib are working fine.

[FBz]

Well, your Boot ROM (4.4.8f2) is identical to an MDD that I recently swapped the CPU in, so that seems fine. But you can boot into Open Firmware to check with Command+Option+O+F.

Do you have another G4 Mac that you can test the OS 9.2 install CD in? There’s a good possibility that you have not gotten a properly burned installer disc.

Lately I have reverted to downloading on a newer iMac (intel-based, running High Sierra) and then moving that download to another G3 or G4 mac to actually burn the installer disc from the download.

If your problem persists and you’d like a bonafide, tested OS 9.2 installer disc, PM me your address and I can send you a disc for the cost of postage alone.

Ahh, and Mac OS 12 (Monterey)!
It’s likely that you have not burned a bootable OS 9.2 installer disc from there.

*You may need a specific version of Roxio Toast for use with Monterey in order to burn a bootable disc from that download.
Which specific version, I do not know. v.12? v.18? or v.20?

[V.Yakob]

Ahh, and Mac OS 12 (Monterey)!
It’s likely that you have not burned a bootable OS 9.2 installer disc from there.

macOS 12 doesn't burn such images? 
I can burn on PowerMac G4 by booting into Mac OS X 10.4, which I installed today. Also next week I can make a burn with Windows 11.
I don't have any other computers anymore.

[FBz]

As you were posting, I prepared this:

OR... maybe move the (un-touched) download to your MDD running OS 10 and try to then burn a disc from there?

So yes, give that a try.

[IIO]

Copied the "System Folder" and "Applications (Mac OS 9)" directories from the os9general.dmg package to this section, to no avail

you said you were using the CD from the forums.

where does this OS9General image come from then?

you are supposed to use the "OS9 for unsupported G4" CD for the MDD fw-800.

(ignore if you do)

[IIO]

Maybe the image needs to be recorded in some special application?

burning an image file should not change its content at all - unless you mount it and attempt to make an 1:1 copy - then i can not guarantee you what windows 11 board tools or deamon tools do.

[V.Yakob]

where does this OS9General image come from then?

This image.

you are supposed to use the "OS9 for unsupported G4" CD for the MDD fw-800.

I've used different images, including ones that shouldn't work. When I boot from an unsupported image, I expect to see error or some other informational messages. But there is nothing but a gray screen.

*You may need a specific version of Roxio Toast for use with Monterey in order to burn a bootable disc from that download.
Which specific version, I do not know. v.12? v.18? or v.20?

Used Roxio Toast 8 to burn the "Rescue & Install" image, unchanged, gray screen

I'm left with 2 ideas:
1. Check the battery voltage, and if < 3.6 V change it.
2. Use a different drive. I have an old PATA DVD-RW from an old PC.

[IIO]

This image.

if you dont use this, http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,2143.0.html, you would have to get a MacOS9 driver onto your HDDs in another way, for example by formatting it in another machine.

[V.Yakob]

I can't load this image. I've tried it a few times. The result is always the same, the machine freezes on a gray screen. At some point I started it and left it for 30-40 minutes, but there was no progress. There's probably some kind of malfunction in this computer that I can't identify.

[FBz]

Okay… DAY SIX!

And 22 direct emails later and still no solution for Yakob’s Grey Screen - No OS 9.2 Boot problem. Has tried CDs burned from MacTron’s Rescue & Install AND the Universal installer and still no successful, bootable installation. The machine will not even boot from the Rescue & Install disc or the Universal. Have even tried drag & drop approach. And while I continue to suspect his install CD’s burned from downloads, it may be something else entirely. Please read back through this thread for more info.

His DVD/CD drive does allow a new, working Tiger SSD install.

Yakob is now using a correctly partitioned (via Tiger with OS 9 drivers installed) Crucial SSD in place of his original HDD and the problem persists. What appears to be an EVB-002-3 “Bribge” adapter has also been employed. First with jumper set to Master (alone on the ATA-100 ribbon cable) and now with jumper removed (Slave setting). Still, no joy.

Can this all be a consequence of not having the original install discs for the MDD and instead, using an install disc for Tiger, originally intended for another machine (or even a generic, downloaded version of Tiger)? Definitely an on-going, mystery puzzle. Even his fresh install of Tiger to the new SSD boots and works without fail.

“There are also machine-specific discs that are:
A) hard to identify properly and:
B) will NOT work if they're not exactly the correct one for your computer.
Spend the money - get a retail DVD - it will be good to have.” -GaryN
http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,2671.msg24015.html#msg24015

He also has no access to another nearby G3 or G4 machine to attempt an out-of-the-MDD installation, nor does he have a bootable external HD or Firewire drive.

All MDD hardware questions that I can think of, have been considered, addressed and dismissed. It is not a FW800 machine, but acts like one by not allowing an OS 9.2, independently bootable install. And Yakob has run “Apple Service Diagnostic (691-4769) to check the hardware and AHT 2.0.2 -- no problems were found”.

His current battery also maintains adequate voltage to keep Date & Time current, with no changes after being removed and then later re-installed. I even tested an MDD here without a battery installed and was still capable of installing & booting OS 9.2.2 from the Rescue & Install disc download file, without a battery installed.

I would send tried, tested and true install discs… but he happens to be in a country where currently, no mail... to-or-from is allowed (from / to the U.S. anyway). And I have requested (via PMs) possible more-direct assistance from two members here that may be his fellow countrymen. Maybe they can get discs to him or help in some other way?

So, anybody / everybody… step right up and give this on-going saga your best-est shots.
Whatcha got?

*Grey ribbon cable pictured below is not currently in use.

[DieHard]

Hi!

I have PowerMac G4 MDD (FW400, 2003), I can't boot into Mac OS 9.2.2.

Tried:
1. Mac OS 9 Live community image to use
2. Software Restoration images 691-4872-A, 691-4873-A and 691-4409-A.

What am I missing for a native Mac OS 9 boot?

I am so curious why you have not tried the last set made for this unit, that is right here on the site ?

http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,3266.0.html

From the download...

Power Mac MDD (Mirrored Drive Door) 2003 (Single 1.25 Ghz CPU) M9145LL/A Restore Set

This is the LAST Revision ever made for the MDD and is extremely Rare...

The Download Folder Contains the Following CD/DVDs:

SOFTWARE INSTALL & RESTORE 1 (DVD)
Color...........: Dark Grey
PN/Media.....: 691-4681-A (DVD)
Disk Title.....: Power Mac G4
Subtitle.......: Software Install and Restore 1
Mac OS.......: 10.3
AHT Diags...: 2.0.2
Year/Version: DVD version 1 / © 2003

SOFTWARE INSTALL & RESTORE 2 (CD)
Color...........: Dark Grey
PN/Media.....: 2Z691-4744-A (CD)
Disk Title.....: Power Mac G4
Subtitle.......: Software Install and Restore 2
Year/Version: CD version 1 / © 2003

SOFTWARE RESTORE 1 OF 4 (CD)
Color...........: Light Grey
PN/Media.....: 691-4078-A (CD)
Disk Title.....: Power Mac G4
Subtitle.......: Software Restore
Subtitle.......: 1 of 4
Software.....: Mac OS 9 & Mac OS X Applications
Mac OS.......: Mac OS version 9.2.2
Year/Version: CD version 1 / © 2002

SOFTWARE RESTORE 2 OF 4 (CD)
Color...........: Light Grey
PN/Media.....: 2Z691-4103-A (CD)
Disk Title.....: Power Mac G4
Subtitle.......: Software Restore
Subtitle.......: 2 of 4
Software.....: Mac OS 9 & Mac OS X Applications
Mac OS.......: Mac OS version 9.2.2
Year/Version: CD version 1 / © 2002

SOFTWARE RESTORE 3 OF 4 (CD)
Color...........: Light Grey
PN/Media.....: 2Z691-3548-A (CD)
Disk Title.....: Power Mac G4
Subtitle.......: Software Restore
Subtitle.......: 3 of 4
Software.....: Mac OS 9 & Mac OS X Applications
Mac OS.......: Mac OS version 9.2.2
Year/Version: CD version 1 / © 2002

SOFTWARE RESTORE 4 OF 4 (CD)
Color...........: Light Grey
PN/Media.....: 2Z691-3600-A (CD)
Disk Title.....: Power Mac G4
Subtitle.......: Software Restore
Subtitle.......: 4 of 4
Software.....: Mac OS 9 & Mac OS X Applications
Mac OS.......: Mac OS version 9.2.2
Year/Version: CD version 1 / © 2002