I'm wondering if I can install OS 10.3.9 (how many steps will that take??) and still be able to restart into OS 9.2.2. I have seen others who have claimed to have them on the same computer and working fine. I'm leery, though. I thought that 10.2.8 (which is what I am running now) was the end for OS 9.2.2. Any help? Thanks!

PowerMac G4 Mirror Drive DP 1.0 Gz.
1.75 GB RAM
4 250 GB HDs

need any other info?
Thanks again!

"dual booting" os 9 and os x is possible so long as you install correctly and your computer is old enough to support booting OS 9.

You need to install 9 first, THEN intall (add) OS X. If you try to install 9 last, it will disable OS X.

Computers after about the mid release of the quicksilver powermac g4 cannot boot os 9 anymore. You didn't say what model of mac you have so I don't know what you are trying to do. No G5 or intel can boot os 9.

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You need to install 9 first, THEN intall (add) OS X. If you try to install 9 last, it will disable OS X.

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I'm not sure that this is totally correct. If X is installed first, with the option to install OS 9 drivers, wouldn't it be possible to install OS 9 later and have it boot normally?

If you format the drive with 9 drivers, install x, and then use the package installer that came with the computer to install classic, then yes it should boot.

Though it seems more frequent that either they did not install the drivers, or they don't have that restore package since they upgraded by buying a retail os x disk. If they try to use their os 9 install/restore disk to get 9 back, it will nuke os x. That's why I recommend burning those two folders from a working machine, it's the simplest and most available method to install classic (not necessarily bootable 9) on a mac that has OS X on it already.

Of course if it lacks 9 drivers, you will be reformatting. (would be neat if partition magic would install 9 drivers for you without reformatting? should be within its realm of design? if it doesn't already do this, they should get a feature suggestion)

First let me say I'm sorry it took so long to reply. Things are crazy here!
Virtual 1: What I have is a PowerMac G4 Dual Processor 1 Ghz. Mirror Drive Door desktop unit with 1.75 GB of RAM, 1 80 GB internal (main) drive, 3 250 GB internal drives. I already have OS 9.2.2 and OS 10.2.8 installed on the main drive. (The unit came with both OS 9 and OS 10 on it, I just upgraded OS 10 to 10.2.8) What I wanted to do was upgrade to OS 10.3.9 and still be able to use the "startup drive" control to shift between the two systems. I wasn't sure that it would still work. From what I'm seeing from you guys, it will. All I want to do is upgrade OS 10.2.8 to OS 10.3.9. Does that sound like it will work? The drive is already set up with OS 9 drivers, obviously, as it works fine now. I just wanted to upgrade OS 10 so that I could use newer software, etc. So...?
By the way- jchuzi: Apple says to install OS 9.2.2 BEFORE installing any OS 10. Don't know why. I found that out when I installed it on my sister's Mac.
And...Thanks to all of you for the help! And to MacFixIt for being there!

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By the way- jchuzi: Apple says to install OS 9.2.2 BEFORE installing any OS 10. Don't know why. I found that out when I installed it on my sister's Mac.

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If you plan to actually boot into 9 (to be distinguished from using Classic, which is an OS X emulation of 9), you must install OS 9 drivers. This can only be done when you reformat the drive. Installing OS 9.x.x automatically does this. Then, you can install OS X afterwards. You can work around this by using Disk Utility on an OS X installation disk to format the drive, provided that you check the box to install OS 9 drivers. If you do that, then you can install X first and 9 later.

If the drive is formatted without installing OS 9 drivers, the only way to be able to boot into 9 is to reformat, which erases all data.

You can easily upgrade from 10.2.8 to 10.3.9. For tips, read Upgrading and Updating Safely.

OS 10.3.9 and OS 9 are compatible. Our iMac G3 was configured in a way where there is one partition with about ~ 4 GB and another partition with ~ 15 GB. OS 9.2.2 and a few old OS9 programs are on the small partition, and OS 10.2.8 was on the larger partition. I did an archive and install (with user settings preserved) to upgrade the 10.2.8 partition to 10.3.9. Classic runs fine, and the machine can boot either into 9.2.2 or into 10.3.9. Obviously O 9 drivers were installed when the drive was partitioned.

Because the OS9 and OSX operating systems reside on separate partitions, I can hold down the option key when booting and I get the choice to boot into OS9 or OSX, no need to change the Startup Disk Preference Pane.

Hi, I run a small non profit company that was donated a Power Mac G4 (AGP Graphics) with OS 9.2.2 installed. I have the install disks for OS 10.3 and I have been trying to install it.

I double click the Mac OS X Install Disk - I open the folder "Welcome to Mac OS X" then click the "Install Mac OS X" icon. This opens what seems to be an installer application that says:

"Click the button below to restart your computer and begin the installation process."

I click "Restart" and get the message:

An error occurred.
"Startup Disk was unable to select the install CD as the startup disk. (-2)"


Does anyone know what I need to do?

What install disks do you have for 10.3? Are they full retail disks bought from Apple, or are they install disks that came with another computer? If they are disks that came with another computer, they will not work.

If they are full retail disks, there might be several reasons why the computer won't boot from the installers. Your computer might have a third-party non-Apple CD or DVD drive in it. Your computer might have a firmware hack designed to prevent the computer from booting from CD. Can you put the CD in and hold down the C key on the keyboard as you start the computer up to make it boot from the installer disk?

"Can you put the CD in and hold down the C key on the keyboard as you start the computer up to make it boot from the installer disk?"


That worked. Thanks so much!