Found a handy VNC server for os9 (apparently works in os8 as well)

[adingley]

Just sharing, as I thought this was super-handy. os9VNC works really well so that I can run an old os9 powerPC Mac in another room and VNC control it from my modern Intel (and Apple Silicon) Macs via the native VNC "Screen Sharing" client software on those newer machines.

A quick google search turned up a thread on the Macintosh Repository site — [Link pasted here] and after throwing the app onto the os9 Powerbook G4, and after putting their sysExtension into the extensions folder (and rebooting once) — this machine is now controllable on my home network without any issue. One caveat is that "⌘-clicking" doesn't pass through to the os9 machine, so there are some mild annoyances from time to time as I try to do slightly fancier things in finder or other apps, but it works well enough that this ocassionally-used Powerbook doesn't need to take up real-estate in my creative space if I don't want it to.

If I could also figure out a networked solution for remote-triggering the power-button... like some Arduino-based solution that would mimic the external "pro keyboard" power button functionality, then I could make it completely remote all the time with true elegance.

Just passing it along in case anyone else is like me and has a semi-often need for a classic Mac running pre-OSX apps that require a machine to boot-in os9.

 

[eyoungren]

Just sharing, as I thought this was super-handy. os9VNC works really well so that I can run an old os9 powerPC Mac in another room and VNC control it from my modern Intel (and Apple Silicon) Macs via the native VNC "Screen Sharing" client software on those newer machines.

A quick google search turned up a thread on the Macintosh Repository site — [Link pasted here] and after throwing the app onto the os9 Powerbook G4, and after putting their sysExtension into the extensions folder (and rebooting once) — this machine is now controllable on my home network without any issue. One caveat is that "⌘-clicking" doesn't pass through to the os9 machine, so there are some mild annoyances from time to time as I try to do slightly fancier things in finder or other apps, but it works well enough that this ocassionally-used Powerbook doesn't need to take up real-estate in my creative space if I don't want it to.

If I could also figure out a networked solution for remote-triggering the power-button... like some Arduino-based solution that would mimic the external "pro keyboard" power button functionality, then I could make it completely remote all the time with true elegance.

Just passing it along in case anyone else is like me and has a semi-often need for a classic Mac running pre-OSX apps that require a machine to boot-in os9.

I used to use OS9VNC at my old job. It allowed me to control a PM 7200 with OS 9.1. I used that Mac as an Applescript server, which would move proofs around to the appropriate department, file email attachments by date, process photos (via Graphic Converter) and convert PC EPS images of newspages into Mac EPS images with previews (so I could drop them into QuarkXPress).

OS9VNC was a vital part of that. Otherwise I actually had to go over to the Mac itself and make any AS edits I needed.

It may also interest you to know that the same people made OSXVNC and later VineServer.

 

[adingley]

It may also interest you to know that the same people made OSXVNC and later VineServer.

oooh! very cool. No need for either of those other apps at this time, but one never knows.

 

[eyoungren]

oooh! very cool. No need for either of those other apps at this time, but one never knows.

The 'cool' factor about OSXVNC/Vine Server is that it has a system service feature. Rather than having to wait for your Mac to login as with standard screen sharing, it installs a system service that loads on boot. So, if you issue a restart while logged in via VNC you automatically reconnect once that service loads and you can see the end of the boot process and the login screen.

That's equivalent to OS X's Remote Management I think, but cool nonetheless.

 

[galgot]

Just sharing, as I thought this was super-handy. os9VNC works really well so that I can run an old os9 powerPC Mac in another room and VNC control it from my modern Intel (and Apple Silicon) Macs via the native VNC "Screen Sharing" client software on those newer machines.

A quick google search turned up a thread on the Macintosh Repository site — [Link pasted here] and after throwing the app onto the os9 Powerbook G4, and after putting their sysExtension into the extensions folder (and rebooting once) — this machine is now controllable on my home network without any issue. One caveat is that "⌘-clicking" doesn't pass through to the os9 machine, so there are some mild annoyances from time to time as I try to do slightly fancier things in finder or other apps, but it works well enough that this ocassionally-used Powerbook doesn't need to take up real-estate in my creative space if I don't want it to.

If I could also figure out a networked solution for remote-triggering the power-button... like some Arduino-based solution that would mimic the external "pro keyboard" power button functionality, then I could make it completely remote all the time with true elegance.

Just passing it along in case anyone else is like me and has a semi-often need for a classic Mac running pre-OSX apps that require a machine to boot-in os9.

For Remote Desktop, I've found Timbuktu works much better (fast) than VNC on MacOS 7 to 9. Alas last version working on modern Mac OS runs on 10.11 El Capitan... after that, yes only VNC.
I have a BasiliskII with System 7.6.1 emulator on my MacBook Pro for running Timbuktu now...

Are you looking for a way to power off your OS9 PowerPC Mac remotely ?
Cause there is Shutdown controller. Tho it needs to be triggered by a emulator from your modern Mac...

Also, I remember doing that with Cron Manager, it's a cron port for Classic Mac OSs , it check in a specific folder if there is a alias of any app to run at a specified scheduled time. So you set up a FTP server on the Mac (say with NetPresenz), you can upload an AppleScript telling the Mac to power down , Cron Manager with find it and shut it down.