Lots of problems in changeover from OSX to OS9

Question

Hi,
I have a G4 bought in 2001. It operates fine in OS9, but I recently got broadband, which isn’t compatible with OS9. Therefore I had to start using OSX and I have had nothing but problems since. Here is the list of problems:
1. Internet Explorer regularly freezes or quits. I have tried to download both Safari and Firefox but my computer won’t open or install a ‘.dmg’ file. When I click on ‘get helper application’, a window opens to show my Internet Plug Ins folder, which is empty.
2. If I shut down OSX, then start up again, the computer appears to boot up correctly. However, if I shut down from OSX and restart in OS9, I get the message ‘your computer did not shut down properly’.
3. If I am in OS9 and select OSX as the start-up disk and click ‘Restart’, the computer shuts down instead of restarting. If I then push the start up button on the front of the tower, the computer begins to start up but then shuts down after about 30 secs.
4. If I am in OSX and it freezes and I am forced to start it up with the button on the front of the tower, I do not get the message ‘your computer did not shut down properly. Disk First Aid will repair'.
5. In OSX, Microsoft Word often freezes and I cannot exit the programme so I have to restart the computer forcibly.
6. I cannot print from OSX, only from OS9.
7. In OSX, in Outlook, if I attach a document from the Classic Environment to an e-mail, the recipient cannot open the attachment. I can move the document to the OSX desktop, but then I can’t print it without putting it back in the Classic Environment and going back to OS9 to print.
8. In OSX, the CD drive won’t close when I press the ‘close’ button. It does however close in OS9.
I would welcome urgent advice on how to handle these problems.
Many thanks, Suzie.
G4   Mac OS 9.2.x  

Answer 1

Hi,
I have a G4 bought in 2001. It operates fine in OS9,
but I recently got broadband, which isn’t compatible
with OS9.
What kind of 'broadband'? Broadband should be compatible with OS 9. I know I used it when I had OS 9. What problems were you having.
Therefore I had to start using OSX
Which version of OS X? If you're using the version which shipped with your G4, that might be 10.0.x... which is Not Ready For Prime Time. In fact, 10.0.x is little more than a joke and is unusable. 10.1.x was at least usable, if slow; 10.2.x was a nice system. 10.3.x was much better, and 10.4.x better still.
I hope you have enough RAM. Running 10.1.x with less than 256 MB is not going to be enjoyable; ramp that up to at least 512 before trying 10.4.x.
and I
have had nothing but problems since. Here is the
list of problems:
1. Internet Explorer regularly freezes or quits.
MSIE on OS X isn't very good. Get Firefox, or, if you have the right version of OS X, Safari.
I
have tried to download both Safari and Firefox but my
computer won’t open or install a ‘.dmg’ file.
Save the file to disk, open it with DIsk Utility.
When I
click on ‘get helper application’, a window opens to
show my Internet Plug Ins folder, which is empty.
I suspect that you're using 10.0.x and are finding out why that version is NRFPT.
2. If I shut down OSX, then start up again, the
computer appears to boot up correctly. However, if I
shut down from OSX and restart in OS9, I get the
message ‘your computer did not shut down properly’.
I suspect you had Classic open, under 10.0.x, and didn't close it before shutting OS X down. This was not a good idea in 10.0.x.
3. If I am in OS9 and select OSX as the start-up
disk and click ‘Restart’, the computer shuts down
instead of restarting. If I then push the start up
button on the front of the tower, the computer begins
to start up but then shuts down after about 30 secs.
I'm not sure what that is, but I suspect 10.0.x is misbehaving.
4. If I am in OSX and it freezes and I am forced to
start it up with the button on the front of the
tower, I do not get the message ‘your computer did
not shut down properly. Disk First Aid will repair'.
You've got directory errors. Run Disk Utility or buy Disk Warrior and run that.
5. In OSX, Microsoft Word often freezes and I cannot
exit the programme so I have to restart the computer
forcibly.
Which version of Word? I suspect that you're using either 98 or 2001 under Classic. If that's the case, and you're running 10.0.x, it's not Word that's the problem, it's Classic, and the fix is to get a newer version of OS X.
6. I cannot print from OSX, only from OS9.
Which printer are you trying to use? And do you have the Printer Center set up?
7. In OSX, in Outlook, if I attach a document from
the Classic Environment to an e-mail, the recipient
cannot open the attachment. I can move the document
to the OSX desktop, but then I can’t print it without
putting it back in the Classic Environment and going
back to OS9 to print.
This wasn't clear. You should be able to have a doc open from OS X or Classic, no problem. And if you can print in OS 9, you should be able to print in Classic.
8. In OSX, the CD drive won’t close when I press the
‘close’ button. It does however close in OS9.
It shouldn't do that.
I would welcome urgent advice on how to handle these
problems.
Many thanks, Suzie.
G4   Mac OS 9.2.x