# Can I install Classic on  iMac running  Panther?



## Belongia (Apr 24, 2004)

I have an 800 mHz iMac running Panther. My family wants to run some applications in Classic, but I  can't  figure out how to install  it without  erasing  my hard drive and reinstalling Panther as well. I have the original iMac software restore CDs,  including  one  for installation of OS 9.2. Unfortunately, it  requires that I boot with the install CD and erase the entire  drive  to install 9.2. Is there  any way I  can  install Classic  without losing my files or reinstalling Panther?


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## jobsen_ski (Apr 24, 2004)

did your mac originaly have moc os 9? if so the likly hood is that when you installed panther or any osX it just installed "over" OS 9 if you got to System Prefrences and select startup disk then you can switch back to OS9 I dont know if when you install OS 9 over OS X it keeps os X too? I would sugest just using clasic in OS X but this is only avalible if you still ahve os 9 installed (I THINK) have u tried puting the cds in and seing if clasics starts up (in os x) when you try to open them?


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## Noot (Apr 25, 2004)

OK if your machine shipped with 9.2.x, and 10.1.x or 10.2.x, you should be able to "Start" Classic from the Classic System Preference pane. Jobsen is right, you could boot to 9 to run the apps, and it would be wise to install the 9 apps to
the "Applications (Mac OS 9 )" folder anyway. That means booting to 9 via the "Startup Disk " system pref, then installing the app(s) in 9, then boot back to 10.3.x to run them in Classic.(Theres a "Startup Disk" control panel in 9's apple menu to get you back to OS X)

If your machine shipped with Panther, it may not be "dual bootable", but you can then install the 9 apps while started up in Panther. OS X will know enough to put them in the "Applications (Mac OS 9)" folder for you..

If your machine is dual bootable, but no OS 9 volume appears in "Startup Disk" or the "Classic" system pref, you could try a clean install of OS 9.2 from your 9.2 install CD. Instructions for a clean install are at the Apple support site. Just type "Mac OS 9: clean installation" in the search field.


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## DeltaMac (Apr 25, 2004)

If you erased your hard drive when you installed Panther, then you may have not installed the required OS 9 drivers for the hard drive. Which means you can boot to OS X, but cannot boot to OS 9. If you boot to your OS 9 install CD, you may find that the hard drive is not available to use. The good news: You just need to install the OS 9 drivers. The bad news: you will have to erase the drive to do that, requiring re-installing Everything. (back-up files first, or you lose it all)
If the hard drive is available as a choice for installing OS 9 when booted to your OS 9 CD, then all is good, just install OS 9 without erasing the drive. This won't affect the OS X installation, and you'll then be able to use Classic, or boot to OS 9.


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## Arden (Apr 26, 2004)

I haven't had the *good fortune* of actually trying this, but does copying the boot System Folder off the OS 9 install CD to your hard drive and trying to run Classic work?  If you can get Classic running at least, you can run the OS 9 installer.


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## DeltaMac (Apr 26, 2004)

Arden, you cannot run the OS 9 install from Classic, the installer requires the system to be booted from the OS 9 install CD. One exception to this: Your system may have Classic restore on the restore CDs or DVD that came with the system. In that case, inserting the restore disk while booted to OS X will bring up an installation window that will give a choice to reload Classic.


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## Belongia (Apr 26, 2004)

Arden said:
			
		

> I haven't had the *good fortune* of actually trying this, but does copying the boot System Folder off the OS 9 install CD to your hard drive and trying to run Classic work?  If you can get Classic running at least, you can run the OS 9 installer.



I tried that. After copying the OS 9 system folder, I was able to see it in the Classic pane of System Prefs, and Classic appears to start up when I select it. However, it just quits halfway through the process and  reverts back to OS X. Now I discover that I cannot even delete the OS 9 system folder that I copied from the install disk. I  get an error message saying that 'system files are in use' even though Classic never launches and I am working in Panther. 

I've been thinking about getting another hard drive, so maybe I should do that and install OS9 in a partition.


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## Cheryl (Apr 26, 2004)

First, verify and repair permissions using First Aid in the Utility folder (sitting in the Application folder in OS X). 
Restarting the computer in OS X should clear out any problems with "in use". 

By the way, once Classic has started, you really do not see a change in your desktop until you start a 'classic' program.


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## Belongia (Apr 28, 2004)

Thanks! That worked (sort of). I can open Classic now, and I ran an OS 9 game without any problem.  However, I tried to run some Spanish language software (Rosetta Stone) in Classic, and I got an error message saying "Quicktime streaming installation failed because it required Open Transport". Not sure what to do, since I already installed the latest version of Quicktime for OS9. Any ideas?


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## Arden (Apr 28, 2004)

Well, Classic is a good compromise, but it isn't perfect.  One of the issues with it is that many extensions don't load when you start the Classic environment, including those that have counterparts in OS X (network, 3D acceleration, etc.).  Hence, if Open Transport doesn't get loaded in Classic, you can't use stuff that takes advantage of it (Quicktime, Rosetta Stone, etc.).  It's good that Classic is working, but unfortunate that it's not completely functional.

P.S.  No, I do not like saying etc. a lot.


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## Noot (Apr 29, 2004)

Try booting to your 9.2 cd .... run the OS 9 installer, choose "add/remove>network & connectivity>modem software>open transport ....  click "ok" .... 

That should custom install open transport, if you've been careful to select only open transport ... there should be a minus sign beside "modem software", and a check mark beside "open transport" before you hit "ok". Nothing else should be checked. There should also be a minus sign next to network & connectivity.

I'd be booted to OS 9.2, and then to the cd before trying any of this ...hope it helps.


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## DeltaMac (Apr 29, 2004)

Running some older software that looks for certain parts of the operating system, in this case Open transport, may not work in Classic, even with this custom install. The files for Open transport are probably already there, but Classic does not use them. OS X supplies much of the communication to your hardware.  Some of your older apps simply may not work unless you reboot into OS 9, the software may expect OS 9 parts, and is 'confused' by what Classic provides through OS X.


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## Natobasso (Apr 29, 2004)

1. Check to see that you already have classic installed. For example, run a classic app in OS X and the little "9" icon should pop up in the dock.

2. If you installed Panther, then I think it follows that classic was installed as well, unless you told it not to when you did the full install.

3. As long as you don't delete your admin account in X, you can install Classic without deleting your preferences/etc. I am about 95% sure about this.


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## Arden (Apr 29, 2004)

Natobasso:  No, Panther does not install OS 9, just the drivers for OS 9.  You have to manually install it yourself.  But Belongia already has OS 9 installed, and Classic is running fine, just without certain extensions that OS X overrides.


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## Natobasso (Apr 29, 2004)

Ah, so the switch is complete. Now OS X is the master.


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## Cheryl (May 1, 2004)

DeltaMac said:
			
		

> Running some older software that looks for certain parts of the operating system, in this case Open transport, may not work in Classic, even with this custom install. The files for Open transport are probably already there, but Classic does not use them. OS X supplies much of the communication to your hardware.  Some of your older apps simply may not work unless you reboot into OS 9, the software may expect OS 9 parts, and is 'confused' by what Classic provides through OS X.



Actually, the extensions and control panels that OS X takes over is Control Strip, Energy Saver, File Sharing, Infrared, Monitors, Mouse, Multiple Users, Password Security, Trackpad. 
Limited functions are General Controls, Keyboard, AppleTalk, Date & Time, Memory and Sound.


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## DeltaMac (May 1, 2004)

Cheryl said:
			
		

> Actually, the extensions and control panels that OS X takes over is Control Strip, Energy Saver, File Sharing, Infrared, Monitors, Mouse, Multiple Users, Password Security, Trackpad.
> Limited functions are General Controls, Keyboard, AppleTalk, Date & Time, Memory and Sound.


That's a short list, add to that most video extensions, OpenGL, FireWire and most USB extensions, and a large variety of other extensions that may be used with OS 9, but will not load in Classic.
The point that I was trying to make is: Some OS 9 apps look for those control panels or extensions to be loaded, and that won't happen in Classic. for those few apps, booting to OS 9 will be required.


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