[posthumanus]

hi people:

i’m just about to do a HD wipe and clean install of OS 9.1 on a friend’s G3/233 tray loading iMac (a Rev A i believe) with 64 Mb ram.

i’m also going to load Office2001 and reload her copy of Photoshop 6 and some of her boyfriend’s music writing software (no idea what yet).

my research suggests all this should go without a hiccup.

if anyone out there knows differently i’d appreciate a warning. i’ve done a HD wipe and clean install before, but not on such an early iMac.

she is going buy more ram soon but meanwhile we'll be cheating with VM.

thanks for any suggestions.

posthumanus.

[ 01-10-2002: Message edited by: posthumanus ]

[mikithecrackhead]

I think you have to clean install the 8.6 or 8.5 before you could install 9 on the imac. I have done the clean install on my imac 266, but I clean installed the original (8.6), and then I installed 9.0

[posthumanus]

thanks mikithecrackhead:

perhaps i used the wrong lingo in my first post.

i was hoping to boot from the OS9.1 disk, zero all data on the HD, then install OS9.1

surely this should work OK. please confirm.

posthumanus over.

[xyber233]

Don't worry. It will work fine. I've done it with my tray-loading iMac. Good luck!

[Jansar]

That's the way to do it

[posthumanus]

thanks all:

thought that was the case: just didn't want to end up with egg on my face.

i can't think of any reason why Office2001 or Photoshop 6 shouldn't work with OS 9.1 on a G3/233 either but if anyone out there does, please let me know.

hopefully we can close this thread though.

posthumanus out.

[posthumanus]

as an afterthought:

am i going to have trouble with firmware? i've got no idea what it is, but some archived posts have put forward some problems.

i can't figure out what they mean.

dazed and confused.

posthumanus.

[posthumanus]

hey:

i just became a veteran and i'm still asking stoopid questions. please indulge me. i'm shell-shocked.

[xyber233]

If its up to date, everything will work fine. If it the installer tells you it isn't updated, there is a firmware updater on the OS 9 cd.

[posthumanus]

i really have to let you know here that i have no idea what firmware is. if someone has the short answer, please post it. sherlock (fully indexed) couldn't even find it on my machine.

xyber233: 'If it's up to date, everything will work fine.'

i'm fairly sure my friend's 'puter won't have much updated properly: she bought it from a hospital that bought it from a uni that ... ect, ect.

i'm assuming this 'firmware' thing is part of the 9.1 software install CD so my reasoning suggests when i boot from that, zero all data on her (iMac/233/tray loading) HD and click install, then the appropriate firmware will also be installed.

sorry to need elaboration on this: i can do complex maths in my head but soft-boiling an egg has me stumped.

posthumanus over (again).

[xyber233]

Just erase the hard drive and run the firmware updater on the cd afterwards. It should be in its own seperate folder. It will update if necessary. Make sure you have a paperclip handy. Then you can launch the OS 9 installer and install the system software.

[Mac-Guy]

I believe the Rev A iMacs shipped with OS 8.6 if I remember right. I got my dad one. The "flavor" of OS 8.6 installed by the iMac Software Install CD wasn't just plain vanilla. It included some unique ROM files or something which I've since forgotten.

That in mind, seems to me it'd be safer to boot off the original CD-ROM, wipe the drive, install OS 8.6, and then follow the upgrade path. I don't see a downside to doing it that way.

Also, before reformatting the drive, remember to save any upgrades to printer drivers, software, USB devices, browsers, etc. It can be a pain to remember what they were, not to mention finding, downloading and installing. I always forget to save the upgrade from IE 4.x to 5. That's a huge download if you don't have broadband.

Good luck!

[posthumanus]

she doesn't have any install disks (except for photoshop, ect).

her 'puter has been having all sorts of problems. that's why i want to do a reformat and clean install with my OS 9.1.

thanks for your help people. we're diving in first thing in the morning.

posthumanus out.

[posthumanus]

success: everything worked. miracle of miracles.

thanks.

posthumanus out.

[Nawus]

Originally posted by Mac-Guy:
<STRONG>I believe the Rev A iMacs shipped with OS 8.6 if I remember right. I got my dad one. The "flavor" of OS 8.6 installed by the iMac Software Install CD wasn't just plain vanilla. It included some unique ROM files or something which I've since forgotten.
</STRONG>

Rev. A iMacs actually shipped with OS 8.1.

[Mac-Guy]

Originally posted by Nawus:
<STRONG>

Rev. A iMacs actually shipped with OS 8.1.</STRONG>

Silly me... How time flies, eh?

[slider]

Extra info, got me in a pickle.

Update the firmware before you initialize the disk. Making sure the firmware is up to date is the first thing you should do.