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OS Install Question! Need Help Desperately!

wsteineker

wsteineker

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 17, 2001
727
0
Montgomery, AL
Ok, here's the deal. I'm trying to install a game (Diablo II), and I need a Classic environment to run the installer. Once the game's installed I'll be able to patch it to run natively in OS X via Carbon. I've only got OS X installed on my HD, and so I obviously need to install OS 9 to get the installer running. Here's my question. Can I just run the OS 9 installer and trust it not to overwrite the current system data? I've already tried to partition the HD using Disk Utility, but it says I'll have to reformat to partition. I'd really like to play this game, but I won't install OS 9 if I can't do it by simply adding on. Any tips here that I've just overlooked? Thanks for the help! :)
 
If you have an OS9-bootable computer, just toss the OS 9 install CD in the drive and hold down the "c" key while starting up. You'll be able to boot into OS9 off the CD and install OS9 that way. It won't touch your OSX stuff. BTW, install as little of OS9's files as possible since most of OS9's stuff is services that will be run on OSX if you use 9 in classic mode. You'll save time and disk space.
 
So you're saying that, during the install, when OS 9 asks me something to the effect of whether or not I want to go ahead with the install despite the fact that there are other bootable volumes on the drives and that it might cause an overwrite of some sort (obvious paraphrase) that I should say yes? If so, then I'm good to go. Thanks again for the help. :)

P.S. - Have any of you ever installed OS 9 AFTER installing OS X? Any warnings you'd like to issue?
 
I've installed 9 after X on about 5 different systems--never a problem. The 2 OSes don't even see each other--separate system folders. They don't have to be on different partitions or anything.

A lot of people seem to be ditching OS 9 to save space since they don't use it. Stuff comes up sometimes though and you'll need it. It only takes up a couple hundred megabytes so why not leave it there? If you want to cut bloat out of your system, delete all the Asian text stuff and printer drivers from OS X. That's my helpful hint for the day.
 
Do me a favor and copy and paste the entire text of what the Mac tries to tell you about other bootable volumes being on the drive. I don't think you have any cause for concern, but it's worth checking.

I've never gotten such a warning and I've installed OS9 onto an OSX system a couple of times.
 
Ok, here are all of the OS 9 install details. Hope this helps you guys figure everything out, because I'm absolutely stumped.

I boot from OS 9 cd, then select Mac OS Install. A window pops up asking me to select the target volume, and only my HD is listed in the drop down menu. I select my HD and the info box in the window says "This version of Mac OS 9.2.1 may not be installed over the system sortware on the currently selected volume. Press the 'Options' button to perform a clean installation."

I click the "Options" button and am taken to a new window. There is a check box with a message to the side which reads "Installs a completely new system folder that does not include your third-party extensions, control panels, or fonts. System software and applications preferences are reset to their default settings." I have the option of checking the box and clicking "OK", or clicking cancel, which I promptly do.

I hope all of this makes a little sense. I can't even remember the last time I had to install OS 9, and I'll guarantee you that it was never on the same HD as OS X. Again, I appreciate all of the help here. Thanks! :)
 
Clean Install is Required

Actually, if you install Mac OS 9 after Mac OS X, you MUST do a clean install. A clean install really isn't overwriting anything or reformatting your hard drive; all it does is creates a brand new system folder, like it says. I've done this at least 5 times without problems. My advice would be to go ahead with the clean install.
 
wrldwzrd89 is right. The installer is telling you it can't overwrite OS X so it has to create a new system folder. This is exactly what you want.
 
OK, more drama. I got OS 9 to install just fine, and then I rebooted into 9 because the Diablo II install didn't want to work in Classic (it wouldn't recognize the Diable II install cd). Once I rebooted into 9, however, my keyboard (Apple Pro Keyboard hooked up to USB on my Cinema Display) stopped working and my mouse (Logitech Wireless Mouse) would move the cursor on the screen but wouldn't click anything. I mean the keyboard won't even respond to me hitting caps lock or num lock (no green light). I can't figure out how to boot back into X, as my selected startup folder is OS 9. What can I do to fix this obvious problem? Please help!!!!! :(
 
Plug the keyboard directly into the USB port on the computer (not on the cinema display) and the mouse into the keyboard. Furthermore, you should be able to run the Diablo II installer in Classic. Worst-case scenario, boot from an OSX boot CD to change the startup volume.
 
Thanks man. I was thinking that I needed to do exactly what you said, but being terribly indesicive I wanted some confirmation first. I'll let you guys know how it works out. ;)
 
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