# uninstall classic; howto?



## alexandr (May 6, 2004)

noticed that some of you mention that they no longer have classic installed on their system.. 
how do you remove this, and how much space will it clear?
is it an easy task, a matter of just clicking the right buttons, or is it something wich wasn't meant to do?

alex.


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## g/re/p (May 6, 2004)

You cannot "uninstall" Classic - it is a built-in feature of Mac OS X.


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## dlloyd (May 6, 2004)

Incorrect (partially). You cannot 'uninstall' the classic handling system built into OS X itself, but you CAN remove the OS 9 system software that powers classic, hence 'uninstalling' classic. I believe to do that, all you need to do is remove the System Folder (NOT 'System', 'System Folder') from the root level of your hard drive. I'm not *sure* about that though, there may be another that I can't remember, seeing as how I haven't used it for months.
If you still want Classic around, but don't want it using too much space, it is possible to install Classic on a disc image (really cool trick). I can help you with that too, if you want


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## alexandr (May 6, 2004)

please explain, as i have no knownledge whatsoever either about classic nor disc images etc. 
appreciate it!

how much space is there to gain btw?

alex.


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## dlloyd (May 6, 2004)

I think when I had a 1 gig classic disc image, it was about 300 mb unopened.
Which do you want to do, disc image or uninstall?


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## alexandr (May 7, 2004)

i guess i would like to keep it as a disc image, don't i? in that case i can always get it back somehow if i should make use of it later..

ale.x


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## Arden (May 7, 2004)

If you want to be rid of Classic, but keep it around somewhere as a backup, burn the folders *System Folder* and *Applications (Mac OS 9)* to a CD, then delete them.  If they take up more than 700 MB, burn them to two CD's, etc.  Deleting the *System Folder* will uninstall Classic officially, and deleting the *Applications (Mac OS 9)* folder will remove any Classic apps you have installed.


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## g/re/p (May 7, 2004)

I agree with you except for one point - you are still
not "uninstalling" classic, you are only disabling it.



			
				dlloyd said:
			
		

> Incorrect (partially). You cannot 'uninstall' the classic handling system built into OS X itself, but you CAN remove the OS 9 system software that powers classic, hence 'uninstalling' classic. I believe to do that, all you need to do is remove the System Folder (NOT 'System', 'System Folder') from the root level of your hard drive. I'm not *sure* about that though, there may be another that I can't remember, seeing as how I haven't used it for months.
> If you still want Classic around, but don't want it using too much space, it is possible to install Classic on a disc image (really cool trick). I can help you with that too, if you want


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## dlloyd (May 8, 2004)

Well, you are actually un-installing Classic. Classic is the OS 9 system software. The Classic Feature is the part of OS X that it used to make Classic work. I just wanted to make sure he understood that you CAN get rid of everything except the OS X handling features. 

At least, that's how I see it.


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## g/re/p (May 8, 2004)

You are mistaken - Classic is NOT the OS 9 System software, and 
your statement "The Classic feature is the part of OS X that it used to make Classic work" indicates that you really do not know what you are talking about.



			
				dlloyd said:
			
		

> Well, you are actually un-installing Classic. Classic is the OS 9 system software. The Classic Feature is the part of OS X that it used to make Classic work. I just wanted to make sure he understood that you CAN get rid of everything except the OS X handling features.
> 
> At least, that's how I see it.


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## RacerX (May 8, 2004)

_Classic_ is a combination of elements which includes the Mac OS 9 operating system software (the System Folder), the Classic Startup application and the TruBlueEnvironment.

The largest single component is the Mac OS 9 System Folder. Removal of the System Folder effectively disables _Classic_. Apple doesn't provide this component with Mac OS X (they stopped after 10.1) anymore. It is assumed that either your system came with it or you already own it separately.

Both the Classic Startup application and the TruBlueEnvironment are related to the original Blue Box environment. Classic Startup is almost the same as Blue Box (in that it is a rooted environment for the original Mac OS). Once startup has completed, Classic Startup hands the environment off to the TruBlueEnvironment which is integrated into Mac OS X (which is why Classic can run rootless).

Without a Mac OS 9 system folder on your system, _Classic_ (the total environment) can not function and none of the parts (Classic Startup or TruBlueEnvironment) well run. TruBlueEnvironment is an embedded feature, so finding/removing it would be completely impractical. Classic Startup resides in the CoreServices directory and it would be inadvisable for you to remove it, if you aren't using it then it has no effect on your system.

As for the history of "Classic" and how it looked, the rootless "Classic" environment I seem to recall coming into play in DP2, and as late as DP3 you still needed to run "Classic" from a disk image (like in Rhapsody). DP2 still had both the Classic.app and MacOS.app (like in Rhapsody), DP3, DP4 and Public Beta only had the Classic.app, and it was renamed Classic Startup.app and moved from the Applications folder to the CoreServices folder soon after that.

These images are from Mac OS X Developer Preview 4 (one from a few weeks ago, the other is almost two years old now).


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## dlloyd (May 8, 2004)

I guess we were both partially right then. Grep, there's no need to go biting my head off, it was a minor thing 

And Racer, I've never seen that Finder interface before, what is it?


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## RacerX (May 8, 2004)

dlloyd said:
			
		

> And Racer, I've never seen that Finder interface before, what is it?



The first image is me pointing out (using Photoshop) the "Classic" application that was included with Mac OS X. I had to get the size of the images down to post them.

I have a small screenshot section of my site here if you wanted to see better images of DP4... and DP2, DP3, Rhapsody and even Yellow Box for Windows. 

I was working on a write up on Yellow Box for Windows this week, and someone made a nice alternative interface for Windows using it (see below). It is actually quite functional (and Finder-like to a degree), I was able to avoid using the standard Windows interface most of the time I was working in Windows.


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## dlloyd (May 8, 2004)

You must have done some serious haxies or something. The Applemenu is in a different place, and the toolbar for the finder window is all different...


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## chabig (May 9, 2004)

dlloyd said:
			
		

> You must have done some serious haxies or something. The Applemenu is in a different place, and the toolbar for the finder window is all different...



That's how Apple was originally going to make it. They then moved the Apple menu back to its OS 9 spot after much user feedback.

Chris


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## dlloyd (May 9, 2004)

But he said one of those screenies was only a few weeks old. Aaahhhh, confused!


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## g/re/p (May 9, 2004)

yeah, sometimes i am too blunt and come across wrong - sorry about that.::evil:: 



			
				dlloyd said:
			
		

> I guess we were both partially right then. Grep, there's no need to go biting my head off, it was a minor thing
> 
> And Racer, I've never seen that Finder interface before, what is it?


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## dlloyd (May 9, 2004)

No problem! Me too.


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## RacerX (May 9, 2004)

dlloyd said:
			
		

> But he said one of those screenies was only a few weeks old. Aaahhhh, confused!



I reinstalled Mac OS X Developer Preview 4 to refamiliarize myself with it a few weeks ago. Unlike the Public Beta, DP4 doesn't have an expiration date.

The tool bar and (lack of) Apple Menu were features in flux at the time. Apple had dropped the Rhapsody-like Apple Menu after DP2 as I recall. The current Apple Menu wasn't put in place until 10.0 was released.

One of the Applications I was trying out was Stone Design's Create. I did this quick page layout using reports on the Cassini spacecraft on it's approach to Saturn.


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## dlloyd (May 9, 2004)

And why would you want to 're-familiarize' yourself?


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## RacerX (May 9, 2004)

Besides having a strong interest in the historical value of most operating systems (and I own a ton of operating systems), I specialize in servicing Macs... which run Mac OS X. I know of very few people who have as much experience (more than 10 years worth) with all versions of this operating system (NEXTSTEP, OPENSTEP, Rhapsody, Mac OS X). Knowing not only the core OS but also all versions and it's developmental history make me one of the most qualified people to service todays Apple systems. 

My Background in Mac OS X is only rivaled by my background in the original Mac OS (going back more than 15 years), and I don't take that for granted. It has helped me stay in a very good position in my profession (as an independent consultant). I know very few of my competitors who have that extensive a background... and I like it that way.

Though I, personally, wouldn't want to use DP4 as a daily OS, I do use Rhapsody (on three systems) daily along side Mac OS X (on two systems). DP4 represents a mid-point in the redesign of Rhapsody into what we know as Mac OS X.

And computer history is very much like most history... those who forget are doomed to repeat it. I'm just keeping my memory fresh for all of us.


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## dlloyd (May 9, 2004)

Yes, you're very impressive! (no sarcasm). Keep it up!


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## MacMuppet (May 10, 2004)

Just a feedback for the oroginal thread-starter; I deleted my OS9 System Folder and the Classic .dmg when I was having serious HD space issues. Had no problems at all and didnt need it again, although when I tried to get a Radeon card going in my old beige G3 tower (chipped and hacked to run Jaguar back when that wasnt so easy) I ran into a problem because the ROM upgrade I was trying to perform on the card would only run under OS9. Other than that though (and thats a pretty specific problem only for beige G3s I think) it was fine.


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## Kiwi Mike (Aug 5, 2004)

Hi Guys 
I have just got my NEEEW iBook G4 1Ghz with 14" screen etc waited five yrs to upgrade from my old original iBookman man what a differnt best !

I to want to get rid of OS 9 so reading from the above is it safe to just trash the OS 9 sytem folder and OS 9 Apps folder repair permission before and after and touch nothing else...??

Cheers and Beers


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## Cheryl (Aug 6, 2004)

Correct.  But before you do that, make sure you do not need any app in OS 9. I am assuming you want to do this to your original iBook. 

In your new iBook, you can not boot from OS 9. As long as you know you will Never, never, never use classic, go ahead.


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## Kiwi Mike (Aug 7, 2004)

Cheryl said:
			
		

> Correct.  But before you do that, make sure you do not need any app in OS 9. I am assuming you want to do this to your original iBook.
> 
> In your new iBook, you can not boot from OS 9. As long as you know you will Never, never, never use classic, go ahead.



Many Thanks .....


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