How to upgrade iMac G3 from Mac OS 9.2.2 to Mac OS X

Just now got a iMac G3. It has enough RAM and with all fancy stuff for which are needed for a upgrades based on their calculations. Right now the system is running on Mac OS 9.2.2 perfectly. I want to upgrade it to OS X so that I can use upgraded programs and some additional apps. My friend told me that it is not possible for you to directly upgraded Mac OS unless you upgraded to 10.0 (Cheetah). You cannot directly update in like that manner. My problem is, I couldn’t able to get Cheetah anywhere. In some online sites I can get either a .ISO or .DMG file for download but my iMac cannot currently read .ISO or .DMG files. So is there any other way to upgrade the system.

It is not possible for you to upgrade OS 9 to OS X directly. But you can install any versions of OS X alongside OS 9. It doesn’t matter, if you put both OS on the same volume without partition the drive and can be used both whenever you need to boot into it. Downloads of initial versions of OS X (any version) are not available. However if you want to install Cheetah (10.0.x), you have to get a disk for it. After that only you can download the updates for later versions. The best option is to buy a retail copy rather than looking for downloads and all. Before the update, always make sure that your system is compatible for that update. Check the System requirements. It should match. Also see if your iMac needs a firmware (Boot ROM version in System Profiler) update. You can get the Mac OS X firmware updates from the official site.

You cannot seamlessly upgrade from OS9 to OSX. You must always install a fresh OS X and migrate the files from OS 9 if needed. Is the intermediate step from 10.0 to 10.1 is not really. Both are full-fledged stand-alone operating systems. There was just time for customers to upgrade CD 10.0 to 10.1. For your iMac G3, depending on its type, you can install Panther or Tiger but before that you must check if the firmware is good. To install OS 9, you need a CD or USB drive. Reformat HDD and install the latest version 9.2.2 Panther which we can find on CD. Since it is a "classic", that will not allow you to boot from it. If your iMac 350 mmz2001, theoretically, it can only support Mac OS 10.3.9 Panther. The firmware update, you can make download at the Apple Web site.

You cannot update from OS9 to OSX, the operating systems are completely different. Although you can install OS 9 Classic environment or as OS9 and OSX on a plate and have also run different operating systems, but you cannot upgrade from OS9. Inform yourself at the manufacturer can write here or what programs you need. Because the programs from OS 9 to OS X cannot be reused. It is convenient if you work OS X and OS 9 on same one partition. Most users usually use 2HDDs for different OSs but it would be better if you install the same HDD. Either you can install it on a Single partition or two separate partitions. There is also the classic OS, an automatic software update. Usually you have to activate it but it is possible manually. Open the System Profiler and see times below the tabs, system extensions and control panels to see if you can find the function. Then see if it is active. If not set, check corresponding mark.

I want to upgrade an iBook PowerPC G3 500MHz from Mac OS 9.1 to Mac OS X 10.3.6 but for some reason I have got unknown error after a few seconds at boot. The same thing happened to the CDs that came on a MacBook Pro 15 ". I have a copy of Mac OSX Server 10.4 (pirate), is whether to recognize, however when I restart and let down the "c" to run the cd, it appears Apple's apple and the spinning wheel, but there remains more than 40 minutes without showing any progress. I am investigating what version of OS X would be right for this and of course where I could get it or download it as well as it should copy it (a special format). If anyone out there has any link or tutorial that can help me update the OS 9.1 to OSX is welcome.

Moving from Mac OS 9 to Mac OS X

• Choose Control Panel from the Apple menu. Then Double-click on the Startup Disk. When you open the Startup Disk, you can see the volume or hard disk volumes in a list that also includes network disk. You can ignore the network disk in relation to this document.The current boot volume is shaded. If different volumes of hard disk are different versions of Mac OS are shown in the Version column. In many cases, both Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X will be installed in the same volume.
• Click the triangle next to each volume to show that contains system software. Note that there may be more of a boot option listed in the volume "main unit" which has installed Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X.
• Select from the list Mac OS X from which you started.
• Click Restart.

Moving from Mac OS X to Mac OS 9

• Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu
• Select Start. Boot panel appears with the current System folder shaded. The text under the scroll bar also indicates the selection (Figure 3).
• Locate the lock button. If the lock button appears as a closed padlock, click on the lock to make changes. Enter a name and administrator password and click OK.
• Click on the icon in your System Folder of Mac OS 9 volume from which you want to start. If there are several options available, move the horizontal scroll bar to see additional options. In the Folder icon in the Mac OS 9 System display a "9" gold if you are in the same volume as Mac OS X.
• In Mac OS X 10.1 or later, click the Reset button. You will see a confirmation dialog box. Click Save and restart the computer. Note: In versions of Mac OS X prior to 10.1, the reset button does not appear. Instead, choose Restart from the Apple menu.

To start a Mac on an installation CD, it must meet two conditions:

• The CD should contain an OS installation compatible with the Mac in question.
  
• The CD in question must be acceptable to the Mac CD or a CD that came with the Mac (or a CD that came with the same type of Mac), or an installation CD sold separately said reference CD containing a full installation and universal. This CD should not be either a CD upgrade, or a poorly made copy of an original CD.

If these conditions are met, simply insert the CD into the Mac, restart the Mac while holding down the C key during startup time, this button can be released as soon as we found that the Mac good start on the CD. Under these conditions, it works even if a higher version is already installed on the Mac, the restriction being that you can never settle on a Mac, an OS version lower than the version that had settled upon delivery Mac. The internal program memory ROM refusing this type of installation. Another important yet. It is always of paramount importance to its firmware update on all delivered with Mac OS 8 or OS 9 before installing a version of OS10. This is particularly important for the G3 iMac.