Fixing up an iMac

#1 Sat, 5 Jan 2008 - 19:58 68kMLA

I have a bondi.

I removed OS X. I would like to put 9 on it again.

192mb RAM

G3 233

4gb StockHD

Stock CD ROM

The drive had 8, but it boots to a question mark thingie.

#2 Sat, 5 Jan 2008 - 21:39 68kMLA

HELP

Wont boot form 8 cd

The blinking missing sys folder icon freeses

WHAT IS WRONG

#3 Sat, 5 Jan 2008 - 21:41 68kMLA

What version of OS 8 are you trying to boot it from? The first iMacs shipped with a special version of 8.1. IIRC they won't boot with a standard 8.1 or 8.0 CD. You should be fine with 8.5 or above...

#4 Sat, 5 Jan 2008 - 23:58 68kMLA

normal OS 8 does not contain the ROM/Firmware file that the "New World-Macs" use, which in this case, would be an iMac. The reason is because OS 8 was released before there was such a thing as "New World ROM"

#5 Sun, 6 Jan 2008 - 00:04 68kMLA

8.6

#6 Sun, 6 Jan 2008 - 11:17 68kMLA

Try re-setting the PRAM and booting from the CD again. I'm pretty sure the Bondi iMacs boot from CD if you hold down the "C" key while the machine is being switched on and starting up.

#7 Mon, 7 Jan 2008 - 02:00 68kMLA

8.6

It is possible that a 'Full Install' or 'Retail' OS 8.6 CD does not contain the Mac OS ROM document in the System Folder that is the heart of the ROM-in-RAM needed for New World Macs. The Install CD for iMacs is orange, not green.

I shall have a look for you with Tome Viewer when I have a moment to do so.

de

#8 Mon, 7 Jan 2008 - 02:35 68kMLA

As it happened, TomeViewer was not necessary, because Mac OS ROM was in plain view in the System Folder on the CD of the iMac-specific OS 8.6 Install CD, the OS 9.1 Full Install CD and the OS 8.6 Full Install CD.

There was an earlier firmware update for iMacs that you may not have, although that may also be unlikely if you were previously running OS X from the the same MLB.

de