Mac OS9 on Al 1.25 15" PowerBook G4

[owaters]

I have just spoken to Apple on the phone and they have told me that my PowerBook is incapable of running Mac OS9!!!!!! Well, they have said it won't boot from a Mac OS9 CD therefore it cannot be installed.

There must be a work around for this? Anyone?

 

[Zammy-Sam]

Try this link to macrumors forum. I didn't read it, but maybe they tell how to "hack" the firmware..
Good luck!

 

[owaters]

Try this link to macrumors forum. I didn't read it, but maybe they tell how to "hack" the firmware..
Good luck!

Hmmm, had a read through and doesn't seem to be much help. Thanks anyways though

Does anyone else have any ideas?

 

[fryke]

No. Apple has made sure that you won't use OS 9 on that machine (and all other newer machines). It's not only that the firmware might have some settings that actively disable OS 9 from booting, it's also that OS 9 has not been updated in a while and just doesn't "know" your type of machine. You can't expect a three or four year old operating system to know anything about newer processors, graphics cards, motherboards etc. And even if you _could_ trick your PowerBook into booting the thing (OS 9), you'd still lack drivers for most of its hardware features. That wouldn't exactly make a 'working solution' in my opinion.

1.) Get used to using OS X.
2.) Use old applications in Classic.
3.) Replace older applications with newer versions that support OS X or with replacement software that does.

 

[owaters]

No. Apple has made sure that you won't use OS 9 on that machine (and all other newer machines). It's not only that the firmware might have some settings that actively disable OS 9 from booting, it's also that OS 9 has not been updated in a while and just doesn't "know" your type of machine. You can't expect a three or four year old operating system to know anything about newer processors, graphics cards, motherboards etc. And even if you _could_ trick your PowerBook into booting the thing (OS 9), you'd still lack drivers for most of its hardware features. That wouldn't exactly make a 'working solution' in my opinion.

1.) Get used to using OS X.
2.) Use old applications in Classic.
3.) Replace older applications with newer versions that support OS X or with replacement software that does.

Righto. I am completely used to OSX now, and I only wanted to run classic to play some old games which are not supported in OSX and don't run correctly in Classic. However, it looks like I may as well throw them up on eBay now. Ahh well. Thanks anyways

 

[Randman]

What do you mean they don't work correctly in Classic? What games?

 

[RacerX]

I have just spoken to Apple on the phone...

That must have been an interesting phone call.

All Apple systems designed and released after January 2003 have been Mac OS X only systems. The only exception was the Dual G4/1.25 which was actually first released in August 2002 which Apple kept selling for a while.

New Apple hardware not working with old Apple operating systems is not a new thing. The only reason for having any over lap period with Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X was to give developers time to get Mac OS X native software out.

I would suggest trading your PowerBook with someone who has a PowerBook G4/1 Ghz (released November of 2002) that is in good condition if you really need Mac OS 9.

A new PowerBook is an expensive item to be buying without knowing what it is you are putting all that money down on.