HELP can't change back to Classic

[cathy1027]

I've used Classic for over a year. Today I selected the OS X to start up because I was curious and wanted to check out OS X. Turned out to be the biggest mistake of my day. I feel like I've tried everything to get back to my hard drive and I can not.

1) OS X won't boot up
2) OS Classic won't boot up

I held the Option key; but the only choice of systems is the OS X and it won't work anyway. What can / should I do? Who can help me?

I put the Disk Warrior in the disk drive but I couldn't use the Apple to get to the control panel. Then hopefully I didn't make a mistake by letting disk warrior to do its thing?!?

I have an Apple Hardware Test disk ... should I try that?
I tried the OS X disk but it just wanted to Install so forget that.
Then I have these iMac software restore disks 1 of 5 ... I don't want to do that. Help!!!

[DeltaMac]

Just boot to any CD that will get you to Startup Disk, your OS 9 install CD should do the trick. Just boot to that, go to the Apple menu and Control Panels, then choose Startup Disk. You can do the same with the OS X boot CD. When you get to the first installer screen (where you choose a language) then click on the Installer menu, and choose Change Startup Disk, and choose the OS 9 system.... Quit the installer to re-boot and you're back to business !

[cathy1027]

Oh how I wish it would be that simple. I did boot to the Startup Disk but the options in the Apple Menu were greyed out. No can do. Now what?

[chevy]

Back-up your disk and install again... sorry, no fun, but looks like the best and safest solution.

[dagaz]

What version of OSX are you using?

Try holding down the apple and s keys together straight after the startup chime. When you get to a command line prompt type "fsck -y" (or "fsck -yf if using 10.3). If you get the message **FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED** keep typing the fsck command until it tells you everything appears OK. Type reboot. Hopefully this will boot you into OSX. From there go Apple > System Preferences > Startup Disk and select your OS9 system folder to boot back into OS9.

NB: The option key will only let you choose your startup system when they are installed on different drives or partitions.

[Cheryl]

When you hold down the option key at boot up, exactly what is on the screen?

You should have arrows at either end of the window with the start up icons disks.
Once you select the disk, you should get a log in window. You need to select the user, then click on the log in button. You may need to type in your password.

[perfessor101]

When you hold down the option key at boot up, exactly what is on the screen?

The Option Boot only works when each OS is on its own disk volume. If you have OS X and OS 9 on the same partition, you will only see OS X.