Help installing 9.2 onto iMac G4...

Question

Hi,
I want to run Classic on my iMac G4 (OS X 10.3) so I can use some OS 9 programs, but I'm having some trouble. I've got an install disc but when I try to install it it wants me to open up Classic environment, which of course I don't have. I then tried booting from the CD, but it couldn't find a valid volume to install it to.
Is there any way to fix this?

Answer 1

You could get a flash USB drive and probably have OS 9.2.2
from some other installation work in the iMac G4 700; even
though the USB version in that computer is 1.1, it would do.
Drag and drop works OK with pre-X systems to move/copy.
Pacifist probably works best when extracting from a disc
set originally intended to support a dual-boot or OS X
system since it runs in OS X 10.3 and later, not OS 9.
Or in a hard disk drive with OS 9 Drivers installed, drag in
an OS 9.1 or later system (9.2.2, updated works best in a
dual-boot OS X and OS 9 computer; and in Classic/X)
There is no real reason why the Pacifist utility would not
do the job, either, to extract and install and OS 9.2 system
from an unused Mac installer disc; unless the iMac G4
does not have a suitable optical drive for that new an OS9
version. The last OS9.2.2 systems included with Macs on
their install-restore disc sets were on a second disc; and
one some, that was a DVD.
If you get past the need to run the OS 9 Installer, & you
can get the item to work the other way, as suggested, it
can and will work. I've done it, with an unused iBook G4
12" 1.33GHz' second disc via Pacifist, to make it install
a fully bootable OS 9.2.2 from that source, and have it
work just fine in an iMac G4 800MHz computer, now it
runs (boots) in OS 9.2.2 & OS 10.4.11. Also has Classic.
So, if you have OS 9.2 on an unused installer disc, you
may as well try to see if you can make it work. And if
it does not work the first time, trash the files in the Mac
and try it again. Pacifist is a pathway to install your old
software without the disc's installer. Even AppleWorks
can be installed from the disc again without having to
do a complete installation from scratch. Same with other
parts of an OS X system; the packets extracted from the
install disc can be installed by Pacifist. It does a good job.
Pacifist is compatible with Mac OS X 10.3 or higher...
While this is shareware, it runs: http://www.charlessoft.com/
You may be on the lookout for any school auctions or sales
where organizations get rid of computers and software, for
items otherwise harder to get; people even throw away the
good stuff or give it away. Even in Oz you should be able
to occasionally get a deal on some good castaways...
Good luck & happy computing!