Unable to Update software on an iMac Tangerine DV (400 Mhz) -

Question

Hello guys,
I´ve recently been given a iMac DV (they were doing a backroom clearance in my office) and I have decided to upgrade it and update it in order to be able to run mac ox X.
Right now it´s running OS 9.0 . I know I have to do the firmware update 4.1.9 , and before that I´m suppossed to update the system at least to 9.2.
I´ve tried to install those updates I´ve downloaded from the apple website, but it have been impossible.
When trying to run the" Update.smi" on the mac os 9 I always receive an error type "-39". After downloading several times and trying different versions, I realized there was nothing wrong with that file.
Later on I opened the smi (I mounted the image on my MBP) and copied all the files into a folder. When trying to open them in the OS 9, they are not recognized and I´m prompted with the "wich application should open this file".
Summing up..... I reached a point where I have no clue on what to do to be able to update the system.
Any help on this issue will be really appreciated.

Answer 1

This article indicates that you need to be running 9.1.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75130
"The iMac Firmware Update 4.1.9 will only run on iMac computers with lot-loading CD or DVD drives running Mac OS 9.1 or later from a local drive. If you are using Mac OS X you must boot from a local Mac OS 9.1 or later writeable partition (not a CD, or network disk) prior to following the update instructions."
You can download the updates from the Apple site.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1387?viewlocale=en_US
Bringing G3 iMacs and Other G3 Macs into the Tiger Age
http://lowendmac.com/macdan/md07/1207.html
You need to figure out the level of your firmware before installing 10.2 or greater. ( The PC name for firmware is BIOS. ) Installing 10.2 with a down level firmware will most likely make your iMac unusable and difficult to fix.
Figuring out what level of firmware you have?
1) Mac OS 9.x or 8.x, you need to use the Apple System Profiler.
Apple -> Apple System Profiler
2) Mac OS X, use the System Profiler.
Apple -> About This Mac
click on the More Info... tab
click on Hardware
read the Boot ROM Version
3) Open Firmware, boot into Open Firmware.
Power on your iMac while holding down commandoption+of
The first output line contains the firmware level. Mine reads:
Apple PowerMac4,1 4.1.9f1 BootRom built on 09/14/01 at 13.18.04
Copyright 1994-2001 Apple Computer Inc.
Some machine may not contain the firmware level but some other number which can be translated to the firmware level.
On my machine, I have 4.1.9f1.
What firmware do you need?
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86117
For tiger, you need 256meg of memory. For panther, you need 128 meg of memory.
Message was edited by: rccharles