[billovitch]

A dealer informed me that I could install os X on my daughter's original imac old blue version provided I put in more RAM. She was running os 8.5 in english before.

I bought from him and fitted 256 RAM and wanted to install the os X - also bought from him. The all-important read me I couldn't open so I followed the book instructions for a clean install of os X, which reformats the hard disk.

The os installed OK but I had no classic mode any more, so couldn't run some programmes. Also I had to write the word "boot" to get it to boot each time. I was now able to open the pfd read me file and realised I should have installed os 9 before os X. I had a copy of os 9 in another language (german) on an Apple works CD rom but it wouldn't install as it said it could find no system folder.

Finally I tried to re-install OS 8.5 so that I could start all over again. The same problem arose - no system folder. I then dragged the system folder from the os 8.5 CD rom onto the hard disk, changed the start up preferences and tried to boot from it - a mistake as it turned out.

Now I get the welcome to os 8 caption but over it a note saying "The system Software on the startup disk only functions on the original media, not if copied to another drive. RESTART". When I restart it happens all over again and I can't get out of this situation. Holding key C doesn't help and I can't get to a CD rom prompt.

What must I do - remove the HDD and format it on another computer or is there a software which will cut through the preferences and boot anew?

Thank you for any assistance, email welcomed,

William Palmer billovitch@hotmail.com (from a PC...)

[Kenneth]

If I got it right, you iMac came with Mac OS 8.5 which mean it should be the late version of iMac Bondi Blue Rev. B. I assumed you didn't upgrade to a hard drive bigger then 8GB size.

Have you updated the firmware on your specific iMac model? It is necessary for installing Mac OS X.

This should clean up the "boot" startup problem.

Those Mac OS 9 stuff inside the AppleWorks CD is just updaters. I don't think you can simply drag the system folder to the local HD and boot it.

The Classic environment requires at least Mac OS 9.1 in order to work. If you purchased Panther, you may qualify for the Mac OS 9.2 upgrade program

If you don't want to pay anything by now, you can always install Mac OS 8.5 from the original iMac CD and boot to 8.5 if you want to run old apps.

[billovitch]

Thanks Kenneth,

Well after a long day I finally managed to get the iMac to boot off a very old os 8.5 recovery CD while holding down key C. I nearly opened a bottle of Champagne because it wouldn't boot from any other os CD I had tried.

Now about the firmware - I downloaded the latest one but it won't take on the 8.5. I think I will have to upgrade to 8.6 first, then try the firmware update. (I have some good stuff already on a USB Zip drive but having downloaded a lot of Iomega software the drive still isn't recognised...) Afer that I will try to get the os 9 upgrade as you suggest and finally install the os X.

I have to say, there are a lot of things I like about the mac but whenever I try to install anything it comes up with some reason why I can't - let's hope things are simpler with os X on board!