Weird OS X problem....

M

mushyosh

Registered
Ok here is the problem:

I have done a fresh install of OS X on my Titanium powerbook G4.

It mostly works OK except for 2 big things which are causing me grief:

1. For some reason there is no OS 9 installed. When I try to install it off the
OS X installation disc, it spits out the disk and says "This model of computer is not compatible with this disc" which has got to be wrong. I have no idea why it is doing this.

2. For some programs, when i try to install them to my hard disk I get a message half way through the installation saying that the program cannot be installed there because no system folder was detected. Then the installer program just quits and i am left with nothing installed on my hard disk. The message about not having a system on my hard disk is also wrong as the OS X system folder is there, does it mean it cannot detect the OS 9 one? THe programs i am trying to install aare OS X anyway, so why would they need to detect an OS 9 system folder?

If you have had this problem yourself, or if you are a Mac whiz then please let me know what is going on and how / if i can fix this. It is really starting to bug me as i have tried reinstalling, clean installing, erasing my hard disk, zeroing all data etc etc and nothing has worked.

Massive thanks to anyone that can help me.

:eek:
 
First off, Mac OS X's install CDs do not include Mac OS 9 for use in Classic. You need another source for Mac OS 9.

Second, some Carbon apps look for the Mac OS 9 system folder while installing. Some of these would like to see it but don't require it, others not only want to see it, they require it to finish the installation.

All PowerBook G4s came with Mac OS 9 in some form or another. Later versions had it as part of the restore CDs/DVD. This would mean you would need to restore your system from these disks rather than doing a simple reinstall.

IMPORTANT NOTE: For all reading this, at your earliest convenience make a disk image of your Mac OS 9 system folder and burn it to a CD. Future versions of Mac OS X may come with the Classic software, but none are going to come with the Classic operating system needed to run it. Apple assumes that your system came with it in some form or another. They have left the responsibility of keeping track of it to you. Having a backup on a CD for future reinstallation (copying it back to your hard drive) is going to save you a ton of head aches.
 
Go to Apple's software downloads.
Pick 9.2.1 AND 9.2.2. (in relevant language edition)
Download both.
The 9.2.1 will probably install nicely (if you have a newer system folder - you decide while running through the installation process that you would like to install a new System folder etc.)
After that you just need to restart Classic before running the 9.2.2 update.
Then you should restart the whole thing (just for good measure) and start Classic to have the ressources updated.
(If you have an original systemfolder you can now spend the long winter evenings moving relevant extensions and prefs over to the new one)
PS.: Throw out the finder of the now obsolete Systemfolder - but keep it somewhere handy - just in case you find out you are missing some of the above mentioned older extensions/prefs
Good luck!

John Philip
 
2. For some programs, when i try to install them to my hard disk I get a message half way through the installation saying that the program cannot be installed there because no system folder was detected. Then the installer program just quits and i am left with nothing installed on my hard disk. The message about not having a system on my hard disk is also wrong as the OS X system folder is there, does it mean it cannot detect the OS 9 one? THe programs i am trying to install aare OS X anyway, so why would they need to detect an OS 9 system folder?

Not being able to find the System folder sounds awfully OS9'ish. Maybe your apps are Carbonized or apps somhowdepending on OS9 sysfolder being present - what are you trying to install/version..?

John Philip
 
Originally posted by John Philip
Go to Apple's software downloads.
Pick 9.2.1 AND 9.2.2. (in relevant language edition)
Download both...
Click to expand...

Quick note, unless you have at least 9.1 installed (which mushyosh has already told us he doesn't), I'm not sure this is going to make any difference.

The problem here is that there is no Mac OS 9 (any version) system on his hard drive as he said that he erased his hard disk, zeroing all data etc etc. The 9.2.1 and 9.2.2 updaters aren't going to see a system folder any more than any thing else at this point.
 
Originally posted by RacerX
Quick note, unless you have at least 9.1 installed (which mushyosh has already told us he doesn't), I'm not sure this is going to make any difference.

The problem here is that there is no Mac OS 9 (any version) system on his hard drive as he said that he erased his hard disk, zeroing all data etc etc. The 9.2.1 and 9.2.2 updaters aren't going to see a system folder any more than any thing else at this point.
Click to expand...

The 9.2.1 "update" from Apple Downloads installs fine with the 'new Systemfolder' option - i.e. without previous system folder on the 'puter.
..but maybe this only applies to the 'Int'l English' and 'Dannsih' versions of the software, which I have been using to do this operation a number of times without probs.
So if you try the 'US English' version - and it does not work - justy use the 'Int'l English'

Kindest

John Philip
 
So this is news... but I have a couple questions before we send people running to get Mac OS 9 for free.

(1) I downloaded the International English version of 9.2.1 updater. The installer is a classic application and won't run with out a previous version of the Mac OS running. If someone does not have (as this thread's starter did not have) some earlier version of the Mac OS before Mac OS X, how would they run the installer?

(2) Assuming they are running from some CD or other boot device but can't use the system on that boot device for classic. When running the updater installer application on a drive with no previous system on it (like this thread's starter did not have a previous system), the installer stops and keeps you from continuing (see image attached). How are you getting around this?

It sure seems like what you described is not possible.
 

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Originally posted by RacerX
So this is news... but I have a couple questions before we send people running to get Mac OS 9 for free.

(1) I downloaded the International English version of 9.2.1 updater. The installer is a classic application and won't run with out a previous version of the Mac OS running. If someone does not have (as this thread's starter did not have) some earlier version of the Mac OS before Mac OS X, how would they run the installer?

(2) Assuming they are running from some CD or other boot device but can't use the system on that boot device for classic. When running the updater installer application on a drive with no previous system on it (like this thread's starter did not have a previous system), the installer stops and keeps you from continuing (see image attached). How are you getting around this?

It sure seems like what you described is not possible.
Click to expand...

Sorry - I stand corrected...with red ears..
However I just spend the time between our two posts to try out a few things on a couple of PB's.
One of the (successful) attempts was to simply copy the startup folder from an install CD (Assuming that you have a full version somewhere?).
And then run the updaters. Apparently it gives a full functioning sysfolder - although I have not been doing a lot of testing in this short period.

John Philip
 
I was going to suggest that... if you have a utility disc or something else that boots into OS 9, copy the System Folder from that disc to your hard drive, boot from it, and run your installers.
 
Do you have your Software Restore disk still? I you do try running it. You know start your computer, insert the disk and hold the "C" button down. the restore your software.

Otherwise I would recommend the above option of installing what you need onto an external disk if possible and maybe CCCing (Carbon Copy Cloner) it onto you PB.

Hope that helps. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
Originally posted by mushyosh
Ok here is the problem:

I have done a fresh install of OS X on my Titanium powerbook G4.

It mostly works OK except for 2 big things which are causing me grief:

1. For some reason there is no OS 9 installed. When I try to install it off the
OS X installation disc, it spits out the disk and says "This model of computer is not compatible with this disc" which has got to be wrong. I have no idea why it is doing this.

2. For some programs, when i try to install them to my hard disk I get a message half way through the installation saying that the program cannot be installed there because no system folder was detected. Then the installer program just quits and i am left with nothing installed on my hard disk. The message about not having a system on my hard disk is also wrong as the OS X system folder is there, does it mean it cannot detect the OS 9 one? THe programs i am trying to install aare OS X anyway, so why would they need to detect an OS 9 system folder?

If you have had this problem yourself, or if you are a Mac whiz then please let me know what is going on and how / if i can fix this. It is really starting to bug me as i have tried reinstalling, clean installing, erasing my hard disk, zeroing all data etc etc and nothing has worked.

Massive thanks to anyone that can help me.

:eek:
Click to expand...

Are you using a European OS X or something? Let us know that.

Also, your TiBook must have a System Restore CD/DVD... Not an OS 9 System Restore but an OS X one! Boot from it and then you will get the option to install the Classic support for use with OS X :)

The easiest method would be to find a Mac fella with OS 9 installed and get it via Target Mode (aka FireWire Mode) in a minute or two ;)
 
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