Switching startup disk from OS 8.6 to OSX.

Question

Hello,
I posted this issue once before however it became a long post and I thought I would start again so that I could focus the question more accurately and as well to indicate that some of these solutions might not work.
OK, Here is the issue: Against conventional practice, I am trying to use both OS 8.6 and OS X on the same computer but on different disks. The question is, how does one re-startup in OSX once one was previously in OS 8.6? The challenge is that OS 8.6 (unlike OS 9) is not very compatible with OSX in terms of being able to boot back and forth between the two systems.
Here are my three solutions. I am particularily interested in keeping the two OSes on separate disks (as in solutions 2 and 3 below) - which makes this a challenging problem - how do you boot back into OSX after previously being in OS 8.6?
Here are the three solutions:
solution 1 (if OS8 and OSX are on same partition)
Since 8.6's Startup Disk can't recognize Mac OS X directly, and the Blue and White G3 does not support the Startup Manager, rebooting back into Mac OS X is best done if both are on the same partition, since all you have to do is hold the X key to startup in Mac OS X. You won't be able to do so if they are on separate partitions. For good measure when you restart back into Mac OS X, repair permissions.
solution 2 (if OS8 and OSX are on a different partition)
If you want to be able to switch to OSX while booted to OS 8.6, you will need to update the Startup Disk control panel - the one in OS 8.6 can not recognize OSX as a valid boot OS.
You can download and install this replacement, which (in spite of what the info about it states) others have found also works with OS 8.6 -
Startup Disk 9.2.1 Document and Software:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120024
solution 3 (if OS8 and OSX are on a different partition)
I just found another way to reboot back into OS X from OS 8.6:
"To unbless (or make inactive) a system folder simply pull the Finder File out of it."
So, I suppose I could just unbless the OS 8.6 system folder by pulling the finder file out of the 8.6 system folder and then restarting the computer and it should find OSX.
But then I would have to put the finder file back into the 8.6 system folder if I wanted to reboot back into 8.6. I suppose I could so that from OSX
Summary of question:
Unfortunately I tried solutions 2 and 3 and both did not work on my beige G3 due to some issues which I am determined to troubleshoot later. In any case, could anyone think of another way boot back into OSX after previously being in OS 8.6?

Answer 1

The procedure for transferring files over Ethernet depends upon the exact operating systems involved. Recent Mac OS X versions have limitations as far as file sharing with older Macs is concerned.
One alternative method with fewer limitations could be to use a web server on the old machine. Personal Web Sharing (the Web Sharing control panel) may already be present on the G3 computer, or can possibly be added through a custom install. A router with a built-in multi-port Ethernet switch (LAN ports), with the WAN port disconnected from the Internet, can be used for a local setup. A web browser on the new computer would give access to files.
A utility creating compressed archives can simplify transfers.
Jan