"Classic" in Mac OS X

[LeoTheLion89]

how do i know if "Classic" Mode is even installed on my mac i saw nothing in the installer DVD for Classic Mode os is Leopard PowerPC

[ElDiabloConCaca]

You need an OS 9 install CD to install and use the Classic environment.

The Classic environment never shipped with any OS X install CD or DVD. It's not an optional install that's included with OS X, it's a technology to allow those with a need for Classic applications to run them in OS X.

You'll know if Classic is installed if a Classic preference pane shows up in your System Preferences.

[DeltaMac]

I get to correct the esteemed EDCC. (doesn't happen very often )
Classic support is included in the default OS X install, up to OS X 10.5 (Leopard) when Apple removed that support.
Prior to 10.5, there is a System preference pane, which in later versions does not appear, unless you have an OS 9 System Folder that the system can see. That does mean that you need to have OS 0 installed, or a valid OS 9 System Folder can simply be available to your Mac. That pref pane allows you to control, and do limited maintenance of the OS 9 system that may be installed.
Again, Classic support was removed in 10.5 (Leopard), so if you need Classic, you will need to downgrade to an older version of OS X.

[MisterMe]

...

The Classic environment never shipped with any OS X install CD or DVD. ...

This is not true. MacOS X 10.0 shipped with the latest MacOS 9 CD. Having purchased MacOS 9 separately, I had mixed feelings about it. I seem to recall that MacOS X 10.1 also shipped with the latest version of MacOS 9, but that was more than a decade ago. My memory fades and I can't locate my discs to make sure.

[LeoTheLion89]

Again, Classic support was removed in 10.5 (Leopard), so if you need Classic, you will need to downgrade to an older version of OS X.

i do have a OS 9.2.2 CD and DMG image cant i just install inside OS X? or dual boot?

[DeltaMac]

Your eMac cannot boot to OS 9, and there's a 'catch-22' there. Think of this in terms of an emulator. You run the emulator, then run the installer for the guest system from within the emulator.
Problem is, you need the OS 9 system installed, before you can open the Classic environment. Your eMac is too new to boot to OS 9, therefore you can't install OS 9 that way.
Here's one way to do it.
Use a Mac that will boot to OS 9. A G3 iMac is great.
Copy the folders on the hard drive to a USB drive. The only folder that you need to make Classic work, is the one name "System Folder". Copy that folder to a USB drive. Then, copy to your eMac. You might need to restart. Open the System Preferences, and you should see the Classic pref pane. Open that Classic pane, and click the Start Classic button. You may need to select the OS 9 System folder from within that pane. OS 9 will boot into its own window, and you will have the OS 9-type menus on the top of the screen.
This all will not work with OS X 10.5 (Leopard). There's no Classic support, and it won't run. The only use for an OS 9 system will be if that Mac can boot natively to OS 9. A USB 2.0 eMac cannot.... (or you can downgrade to 10.4 - and Classic will work)
What do you need Classic for? There are some older apps that cannot work in Classic, and require a Mac booted natively to OS 9.

[ElDiabloConCaca]

I get to correct the esteemed EDCC. (doesn't happen very often )
Classic support is included in the default OS X install, up to OS X 10.5 (Leopard) when Apple removed that support.

That's what I meant -- Classic support is included all the way up to Leopard, but OS 9 itself is not included with any version of OS X... meaning you had to supply your own OS 9 CD, or you already had to have OS 9 installed on your hard drive. You can't get the Classic environment with a blank hard drive and OS X CD alone -- you need to supply OS 9.

...with the exception of OS X 10.0, apparently, which MisterMe corrected me on. I'm not aware of any other OS X release including OS 9 itself.

[oldmanmac]

On the OSX 10.3.2 install disks for Emacs ,You'll find OS 9.2 on the third disk with along with AHT.