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Fyre4ce · Mar 8, 2010, 11:47 PM

Hey,

I just got back my old 12" PowerBook G4 after a long-term loan. Unfortunately, I did not get back the CLASSIC system CD, and the machine doesn't have OS 9 on it. I've called AppleCare and they very kindly sent me some CD's, but no classic. What's the easiest way to get classic onto this machine? I have some old software I'd like to be able to run.

Thanks!

reader50 · Mar 9, 2010, 12:32 AM

The OS 9 install packages should be on the original install discs. On each disc, look in /System/Installation/Packages/

You may need to make all files visible, then look for a hidden folder in /Packages/ which will contain additional software installers.

Big Mac · Mar 9, 2010, 04:55 AM

Also, you know that you need to run 10.4 or below for Classic to work. . .

Fyre4ce · Mar 10, 2010, 12:16 AM

When I wrote the last post, I thought I was missing an install disc. Now I think I have the correct disc, but it isn't working. There's an alias "Install Applications & Classic Support" but when I run it, I get a window telling me to insert a disc with the symbols on the install disc, which is in the drive! Ejecting it and reinserting it doesn't help - it just doesn't seem to recognize it. I've got 10.4.11 installed right now.

amazing · Mar 10, 2010, 01:56 AM

You can also run OS 9.04 under Sheepshaver, which works even with Snow Leopard. I run Sheepshaver on 10.5.8 so I can play Shanghai II (mahjong solitaire.) Whether it would work for you depends on what software you need to run.

reader50 · Mar 10, 2010, 02:12 AM

Use my directions and find the Classic install packages. Run them directly.

amazing · 02:15 PM

And yes, installing Classic is way easier than Sheepshaver if you've got the install disks.

You mention that you think you have the install disks. Why don't you just do an install using those disks? Don't erase or reformat the HD (i.e. don't do a clean install) and be sure sure choose to install Classic. This install would probably take you back to 10.4.1, but you can always update to 10.4.11 after that. The applications and everything would still be there, but some printer drivers etc might need to be reinstalled.

Alternatively,....... Edit: the now-deleted advice was wrong, because the OS 9 installer will require erasing the HD when it installs the OS 9 drivers.

Fyre4ce · Mar 10, 2010, 10:55 PM

Reader - tried that and couldn't get it to work. I looked as you suggested on all three of my 10.3 discs, my 10.4 DVD, and on the PowerBook Software DVD. There was no classic installer, and I checked out all the ones with promising names - OSInstall.mpkg, Essentials.pkg, AdditionalEssentials.pkg, AdditionalApplications.pkg, BaseSystem.pkg, EssentialSystemSoftware.mpkg. I didn't actually run any of these, but when I opened them, none mentioned OS 9.

It seems an (the?) installer for OS 9 is on my hard drive. When I run "Install Applications & Classic Support", the installer successfully puts an app called "System Restore" in my HD/Applications/Utilities folder, and then launches that. It's this program that fails to recognize the PowerBook disc in the drive. This is the only installer I've seen that claims to install classic.

amazing - It's worth a try, but it looks like the normal installer is OS X only. I haven't run it (doing so would put 10.2 on the machine), but when I look at the custom install options, classic isn't on the list. I think they intend me to use the separate classic installer.

Thanks for the suggestions, but I think I'm still stumped.

reader50 · Mar 10, 2010, 11:30 PM

I found them for my G5 Quad on install disc #2. This machine was made after your PowerBook 12", but I'm not sure how much after. There were 4 12" models.

Note that this is a Classic install, not a real OS 9 install. Also, /blue folders/ are invisible folders.

/Mac OS X Install Disc 2/OS 9/Packages/
CPU_MacOS9_BR.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_CH.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_D.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_DK.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_E.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_F.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_H.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_J.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_K.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_KH.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_N.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_S.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_T.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_TA.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_US.pkg
CPU_MacOS9_Z.pkg
Mac OS 9 System Support Files.mpkg

Fyre4ce · Mar 11, 2010, 12:10 AM

I must not have the software then, because I've looked on all my discs and can't find that. There's no OS 9 on the PowerBook disc, and that's probably why it's not installing. My friend has a retail copy of OS 9 - maybe that would be my best bet at this point.

amazing · Mar 11, 2010, 12:39 AM

If the OS 9 drivers are still on the disk from the original install, then yes, you should be able to install OS 9 without erasing OS X. That should allow you to dual boot, I think?

amazing · Mar 11, 2010, 12:46 PM

You could also try getting the correct model install disks on eBay.

You don't mention which 12" PB you have, but even my 1.33 12" PB did fine on 10.5.8 with 1.25 GB RAM. If virtual memory got too high, a restart was quick enough (while getting coffee...)

So, if you're at all interested in booting into something more recent than 10.4.11, you'd want to be looking at Sheepshaver. Sheepshaver ran fine on my 12" under 10.5.8, but it all depends on what OS 9 software you want to run. I haven't got Sheepshaver to fun reliably under full screen, so it's in windowed mode (which is fine for what I use it for) but you'll want to do some research on whether you particular apps will run under Sheepshaver and whether they'll be fine in windowed mode. There is a distro out there (just google around) which comes with the ROM file.

CharlesS · Mar 11, 2010, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by Fyre4ce

I must not have the software then, because I've looked on all my discs and can't find that. There's no OS 9 on the PowerBook disc, and that's probably why it's not installing. My friend has a retail copy of OS 9 - maybe that would be my best bet at this point.

On some of those old CDs, they hid a bunch of stuff, including the Classic installer, on some invisible Apple Software Restore disk images instead of the install packages for God knows what reason. If you launch Pacifist and click the "Open Apple Install Discs" button, you'll see all of what's there, and it may become easier to find the Classic installer. Once you find it, all you need to do is extract the OS 9 System Folder - there's no voodoo required to make it work with Classic.

fisherKing · Mar 11, 2010, 11:25 PM

is classic REALLY necessary? it's 2010...surely there are OS X apps that can do what you need...
you can even get something like maclink plus deluxe to translate older files.
just hard to imagine why anyone would need classic anymore (but hey, whatever...)

amazing · Mar 17, 2010, 12:19 AM

Mostly, I run OS 9 in Leopard for Shanghai II, which is mahjong solitaire. The tiles are vibrant and well-designed, easy to recognize and easy on the eyes. All the OS X mahjong solitaire games that I've looked at are washed out and hard on the eyes. They're trying to mimic ivory tiles, which means trying for authenticity--which makes the tiles harder to recognize on-screen (and, as aforementioned, hard on the eyes.) I'm not one who needs doodads and hoopla.

Also, I wanted to prove to myself that OS 9 will run in Leopard, in spite of Apple phasing it out.

I did get a kick out of playing mahjong in OS 9 in front of the Genius Bar, while waiting for an appointment. I got asked by one of the sales people what game I was playing (daresay he'd never heard of Shanghai II, and maybe never even used OS 9, young as they are nowadays) and when I "won" a solitaire game while waiting, the Genius working on someone else's problem across the bar from me didn't believe it ("show me!") and I got to show him the Fortune Cookie that I won. Ha!