How to Install Mac OS 9 on Apple Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio)

[Shawny.C]

I am looking forward to install Mac OS 9 in my damn old Digital Audio G4 tower. But it looks like I am under slight issues. So far I have tried different discs to install Mac OS 9.0, 9.1, 9.2 but one of them allowed me to install OS. When I boot from the Mac OS 9.1 CD, I can get only "Welcome to Mac OS 9.1", then there is a bomb screen saying an unimplemented trap. Even on other version also, I am getting same error. I don’t want to try with image files since I don’t have any idea about whether they will read or not. So far I am trying on with the retail version discs and with an original OS X package. If anyone have good suggestions?

[Ryder Allen]

First of all you need to use a freeware MacTracker in order to identify the best Mac suitable. I assume that your PowerMac G4 "Digital Audio" is of a 2001 model. You can check this information by comparing all data available in “About this mac" on your Mac and data which you got from the MacTracker. It is really a Mac G4, then assume that it is a really has a 1.5 GB of RAM spread over 3 locations. Probably a bar of 128 MB + 512 MB. So if you have three locations, the best would be to add a third 1 GB module. If not available, then remove the 128MB card from and add two 512 MB bars. To update the firmware, if it is not useful the Mac will tell you when you started the installation procedure. Be sure to insert the package. Print before starting the process.

[intoxicating]

First step for you is to identify exactly what your Mac is. To do this, download and install MacTracker on your PC (as this software does not know Mac OS 9), then search on the database for your Power Mac G4. I would go for the Power Mac G4 Digital Audio model which was out in 2001 because it is the only one that runs at 466MHz frequency. If it's it, then you will have to do a firmware update before any upgrade to Mac OS X 10.4 is the maximum version that it will accept. For RAM, 640 MB is enough at first. Find a Mac OS X 10.4.x (x ranging from 0 to 11), also called Tiger. Apple has given names to different feline version of Mac OS X, namely:

• Mac OS X v10.0 (Cheetah) - March 24, 2001
• Mac OS X v10.1 (Puma) - September 25, 2001
• Mac OS X v10.2 (Jaguar) - August 23, 2002
• Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther) - October 24, 2003
• Mac OS X v10.4 (Tiger) - April 29, 2005 - PowerPC - Support Intel after 10.4.4
• Mac OS X v10.5 (Leopard) - October 26, 2007 - PowerPC / Intel
• Mac OS X v10.6 (Snow Leopard) - August 28, 2009 - Only on Intel Mac

[The$Tourist]

First of all, check that the Mac does or does not require an update of its program. (This program is called internal firmware for Mac PowerPC and Mac Intel for EFI). Also make sure the Mac is not affected by an update of the program's internal DVD drive (Superdrive. The type of installation disc must be a set of valid CD or DVD for your Mac. There are several original Apple disks. First, the CD or DVD included with the Mac, either:
The installation disks available with any Mac OS computer. These discs are mostly gray. They contain Disk Recovery Software, may be supplied separately from installation discs for Mac OS and which contain applications of iLife. So it is also possible for you to restore iLife using the installation disk.

• Disks used to launch a test of physical condition of the Mac. This is called an Apple Hardware Test or "AHT". Again, the test AHT often starts from the installation disc.
• Disk upgrade from one version of Mac OS to a higher version. It was a question in this case disk added to the contents of the box Apple or on request from Apple, when a Mac was shipped with a version of Mac OS already replaced by a new version on the latest Mac. These installation disks are most often named "Upgrade CD" or "DropKit CD", or similar name.

[Upendra]

As far as I know that the installation discs are only usable for the exact model of Mac they were accompanying the delivery of the Mac. They can be used to install on another Mac model. When installing Mac OS were provided on CD, hard AHT, Restoration software were often separated, since the Mac come with installation DVD, usually everything is grouped together on one DVD. Besides that, there are the so-called universal CD or DVD, allowing the installation of Mac OS, iLife or on any Mac, as long as it matches the minimum requirements. In most cases the installation disk universal Mac OS, are black or very dark, and carry a big X in silver. These discs are sold separately and are not provided with a Mac at the factory. The license you must agree to when installing the Mac OS.

The destination drive must be formatted as Mac OS Extended Journaled, in any format UFS. If your Mac OS is already on such a volume, you must use a specific procedure to retrieve the files. Of course, either the format MS DOS (Fat 16 or Fat 32) or NTFS are not valid for installing Mac OS 10. The latter being the format used for Windows. So, if installed on an external drive, first format it as Mac OS Extended (Journaled), since almost all hard drives are preformatted trade in MS DOS or NTFS. If necessary to reformat the disk using the options of the Disk Utility otherwise at the time of the creation of or partitions, you should choose the Apple partition scheme (Apple Partition Map) for PowerPC-based Macs and the GUID partition scheme for Intel Macs

[Menominee]

I think that you will need a grey machine-specific disc for the PowerMac G4 "Digital Audio" in order to install Mac os X or later. They are compatible with your G4. Whenever you boot from the installation disk, Go directly into the disk utility, select the volume and then go to Partition. In the scheme of volume which is only one partition. There you need to format the partition into "Mac OS X Extended (Journaled)" and see the button "Options ...”. You will see a new Windows now. There you have to select "Apple Partition Map" and then OK. Again go back to the previous window to choose your "partition". Now you can continue with the installation. Make sure the installation DVD is for PPC and better retail version.