Obtaining a (legal!) copy of Mac OS 9.1

Question

Hello there,
I am trying to source a copy of Mac OS 9.1 for my beloved Macintosh Performa 5200, which I would like to eventually give to charity. However, if I can get Mac OS 9.1 on there before I do so, that would be great, because then the machine will be running the most up to date version of the Mac OS that it will support.
I have had a look here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1835
which informs me that this machine will not run Mac OS 9.2.1 (or any subsequent versions). This site:
http://lowendmac.com/ppc/performa-5200.html
has also been quite useful.
However, trying to source a legal copy of Mac OS 9.1 has been much harder than I expected. Does anyone know of somewhere I can source a copy of Mac OS 9.1 cheaply? I'm based in London, England UK. The reason for me wanting to keep costs down is because I shall shortly be giving this machine away. My Performa 5200 is currently booting System 7.5.3. I contacted Apple Support via telephone, but Apple Legacy wasn't able to help me. One thing I haven't done is pop in to my local Apple Store to ask their advice, which is something I shall do if I cannot obtain a copy via this discussion group.
Many thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Hi Don,
First, thanks very much for the response and the help. Seemed to me like what you said made sense so I attempted to reboot from the OS9.0.4 Software Install disc and reinstall.
Booting up worked, but the OS would not recognize my hard drive and kept asking if I wanted to Initialize it or Eject it (I continually opted for Eject). The software installation began but failed just when it was about to end because, the error message said, the volume wasn't a valid disc (or something like that) and then the icon for the hard drive disappeared from the desktop. Rebooting didn't help -- I could get the mac to boot off the 0S9.0.4 Software Install disc but could not get the DVD OS to access the hard drive. I knew it had to be there, because I hadn't asked the computer to erase or write over anything. I also couldn't access OSX on reboot. The only thing I could do was reboot using the OS9.0.4 disc to boot from.
Without access to internet to inquire further, I opted to do the following (and now have a whole new set of problems on my hands to ask about):
I installed OS9.0.4 onto my hard drive from the Software Restore disc instead -- I know you said not to, but I could boot off of that disc as well, and -- for whatever reason -- it would at least allow me to install onto the hard disc (not sure why it could "see" the hard disc but the Software Install disc could not -- even on repeat tries).
In any case, what the process did was take my existing hard disc (which I had named Barbarella) and "cloak" it in a new OSX Macintosh HD "environment". I ran the 9.1.5 updater and then my OSX update discs and performed the recommended software downloads/installs to bring the OS back up to OSX 10.3.9.
At least this installation of OSX can access Classic. But now I have to "get rid of" the older OSX installation and apps and reinstall them (yuck) or bring all my existing OSX apps into the new environment somehow. I tried using the "new" Apple Mail to import all my stuff from the Apple mail I had installed on Barbarella and it only picked up most of the messages and didn't acquire any of my Sent messages.
What's the best way out of a situation like this? Have I made an irrevocable error?
Thanks, very much, by the way for the help. I am otherwise at a loss.