Re: How to obtain an older version of Mac OS (i.e. 9.1 or something like
that) from Damien Calloway (from "PCI PowerMacs" Digest #1766):
Depends on what model(s) of Power Macintosh you have; Which one(s)?
Mac OS 8.1 bootable Full Install CD-ROM (IF supported on your machine)
Mac OS 8.1 ("Bride of Buster") has a small footprint and small RAM
requirements, and is popular with folks who don't need the newest USB
1.x and/or FireWire support (Yes, you can add Extensions to enable USB
1.x and/or FireWire support under Mac OS 8.1 through Mac OS 8.5/8.5.1
("Allegro"/"Allegro Update") , but it takes some research to find out
which PCI cards with USB 1.x and/or FireWire ports can be made to work
and it often can requires some user tweaking or hacks).
Mac OS 8.6 bootable Full Install CD-ROM - HARD TO FIND (IF supported on
your machine);
Note: Two builds were issued: The first (simply listed as Mac OS 8.6)
supports the 601, 603, 603e, 604, 604e, G3 and "YIKES" G4 machines and
was sold in retail under the names "Mac OS 8.6" and "Power Macintosh
G3"; The second listed as version 1.0 was a *Special* 8.6 Build for
"SAWTOOTH" G4s (with the ROM in Software Install the "SAWTOOTH"
motherboard needs to run). Named "Power Macintosh G4" aka "Mac OS 8.6
for Power Macintosh G4, iBook, and iMac (Slot-loading) computers",
before APPLE blocked Mac OS 8.6 booting on newer machines via a patch to
prevent updated and/or user-altered builds from functioning. Very
strangely, APPLE now refuses to sell, and/or allow other vendors like
Sun Remarketing <http://www.sunrem.com/nosoftware.html> to sell the full
release of Mac OS 8.6. Only the Update file to update Mac OS 8.5.x to
Mac OS 8.6 is now available from APPLE via download, or on CD-ROM (to
the great dismay of many users).
Mac OS 8.6 ("Veronica") is the most used Mac OS in my MUG, is the most
backwards compatible of the more recent Mac OS versions, is not a RAM
pig like versions of OS 9.x.x (not to mention versions of OS X), BUT you
need to run a fix for the FOND bug the installer can cause (see: "Mac OS
8.6 Corrupt FOND Bug"
<http://sciencequest.org/support/computers/mac/repair_topics/application_specific/os8/font_bug_8.6.html>).
Be forewarned that APPLE is quite actively pushing software companies to
NOT make their Mac OS products OS 8.6 through Mac OS 9.1 compatible, but
only Mac OS 9.2.2 and OS X 10.2.x compatible (see the new Bare Bones
Software: "BBEdit 7.0", for one of a few examples of this unfortunate
practice).
Mac OS 9.0 bootable Full Install CD-ROM - Mac OS 9.0 ("Sonata") was an
incomplete release (like a number of "Rhapsody"/OS X builds) that was
originally known as "Mac OS 8.7" (check all the names of all the alpha
a& beta releases if you doubt this); Get Mac OS 9.0.4 ("Sonata Update")
bootable Full Install CD-ROM if your software isn't 9.1 and/or
9.2.1/9.2.2 compatible.
Mac OS 9.1 bootable Full Install CD-ROM - Mac OS 9.1 ("Fortissimo") is
still available from some vendors, including (I think they still have
it) Other World Computing (aka OWC); Note that you should extract the
newer OpenGL 1.2.4 or higher Extensions from a Mac OS 9.2.2 Full Install
CD-ROM, as there are unresolved problems/bugs with the OpenGL 1.2.2
and/or 1.2.3 Extensions in earlier versions of Mac OS 9.x.x.
Mac OS 9.2.1 ("LimeLight") and 9.2.2 ("Limelight Update 1" or "LU1")
bootable Full Install CD-ROMs - Mac OS 9.2.1/9.2.2 is only officially
supported by APPLE on most machines that natively shipped with G3 or G4
CPUs; You can install it via Mac OS 9 Forever.com's "OS 9.2.x for Old
World Machines" <http://www.os9forever.com/os92x.html>, and you'd need
both the bootable Mac OS 9.1 Full install CD-ROM and 9.2.x update or
full install disks.
APPLE states:
Customers in the United States who use Mac OS 8.6 or earlier and have a
Mac OS X-compatible computer may purchase a copy of Mac OS 9 by calling
the Apple Store at 1-800-MY-APPLE. Customers in other regions should
contact the Apple Store as applicable.
What this really means is that you can buy a copy of OS X, and then
using a PDF document you D/L from APPLE's site
<http://a1328.g.akamai.net/7/1328/51/44a61c509372cb/www.apple.com/macosx/upgrade/pdf/MacOS92_Upgrade.pdf>,
you can send in an addition payment (requires that proof of purchase of
the Mac OS X 10.2.x "Jaguar" be included), and get the Mac OS 9.2.2
bootable Full Install CD-ROM.
Unfortunately, APPLE is actively working to get all Full Install builds
of Mac OS 8.1 through 9.2.2 CD-ROMs removed from retail sales (with only
replacement copies to be available from APPLE for registered users, and
who knows how long that will be for); Ironic that the most anti-Mac OS
(as opposed to OS X) force in the World today is APPLE (rather than
Microsoft), and the most pro-Mac OS force is the 25+ million Power
Macintosh users running Mac OS 8.1 up through Mac OS 9.1 (and/or Mac OS
9.2.2 via "Mac OS 9 Forever.com - OS 9.2.x for Old World Machines"
<http://www.os9forever.com/os92x.html>) on machines that originally
shipped with 601, 603, 603e, 604 & 604e CPUs, that are now generally
upgraded with G3 or G4 CPU upgrades, bigger SCSI or ATA I.E.D.E. hard
disks, RAM upgrades and VRAM (via PCI Video cards).
-Martin Totusek
--
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