How to reinstall OS9 on Graphite iMac DV SE 400?

3DMonkey · #1 January 19th, 2012, 12:59 PM

Hello All

I have an iMac DV Special Edition 400Mhz PowerPC G3 (Graphite) with upgraded 640MB RAM from 2000. It shipped with OS9. I later installed OSX (10.2.8) around 2003 etc.

I had both OS9 and OSX all running perfectly. However, because my HD became full over the years with various software packages and versions affecting performance, I erased the entire HD and formatted it (Extended/HFS+ with OS9 drivers) to do a clean install of both OS9 and OSX. (Now before the criticism starts flooding in, yes, I know now that this was stupid and wreckless.)

Now I can only install OSX. The iMac does not recognise the original (orange cds)software restore or install discs that came with the machine. I even have the OS9.2 update disc (orange '9' on white cd) and the iMac does not recognise that either. I have repeatedly erased and formatted the HD to install OS9 in various ways but so far no luck.

Now before some of you start saying I should invest in new equipment, this is not my only mac, I also have a 2010 Macbook Pro. But I need to install OS9 on my iMac as well because I have some software packages that only run on OS9 eg SoundEdit 16.

So, is there a way to restore the original iMac software or set the machine back to factory default? You would think Apple would have covered this situation with a simple straight forward way to fix this. And I'm not the only one facing this problem as can be seen from postings on various forums. I am not familiar with Xtools or whatever it is called but I read somewhere there are 'packages' that restore the original factory settings. I also have the OSX Developer Tools cd that came with OSX. Is there any way I can use this perhaps to install OS9? Or is there is another way to install OS9?

Please help me. Any and all advice appreciated.
Thank you.

oldmanmac · #2 January 19th, 2012, 11:49 PM

A quick fix might be to find an external firewire drive and see if you can install to that.

3DMonkey · #3 January 20th, 2012, 04:42 AM

Thanks. I will have to purchase one for this purpose.

**fryke** · #4 January 21st, 2012, 11:32 AM

If you can't boot from the system 9 CD, that won't fix the problem.

3DMonkey · #5 January 24th, 2012, 11:12 AM

What can I do then?
Please don't tell me this is not fixable.
I love this machine and to have it back the way it was with dual boot up capabilities will keep it even more extra special for me, especially all these years later.

DeltaMac · #6 January 24th, 2012, 12:00 PM

You said in your first post that the OS 9 installer CDs are 'not recognized'
What do you mean by that?
Do you mean that the disks don't even mount?
Or, that the CD is simply ejected after you insert it?
Try this, then come back with the response:
Insert your OS 9 installer CD, then shut your iMac off (don't wait for the disk to mount, just do a shutdown with the CD in the drive)
Then, start again while holding the C key.
Does your iMac boot to that installer CD?

If it does boot to your OS 9 installer, then you still may not be able to install OS 9 directly - to a Mac that already has OS X installed. I have seen this happen quite a few times.
You CAN then install OS 9 to an external hard drive.
When that install is complete, you can do a simple file copy of the OS 9 System Folder to your iMac's internal hard drive, if you really want to have OS 9 on the internal hard drive.

3DMonkey · #7 January 24th, 2012, 12:42 PM

DeltaMac

When I start up pressing down 'c' with the OS9 cd inserted, it ejects after a few seconds.
It also displays a gray screen with a 'no' icon.

But in OSX, the cd mounts on the desktop so the files can be seen.

dodge2461 · #8 January 29th, 2012, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3DMonkey

DeltaMac

When I start up pressing down 'c' with the OS9 cd inserted, it ejects after a few seconds.
It also displays a gray screen with a 'no' icon.

But in OSX, the cd mounts on the desktop so the files can be seen.

Have you tried setting the Mac OS 9 disc as the startup disc? Here's how you do it:
Go to system settings
Click on startup disc( On OS X 10.1 it at the top in the bar, but i'm not sure for anything after that)
Make sure the disc is inserted
If it's bootable, it will show up next to the OS file(s)
Click on it
Then the little notification will come up and ask if you want to restart.
Click yes

you won't have to hold down C, the Computer will try to boot from the CD
I hope it works.