re updating firmware on a G3 B/W

Do you ever have one of those days?
I've downloaded the update and read up on what to do to update the firmware prior to installing Panther on a G3 B/W PowerMac. The hard drive that Panther is going onto already has 9.2.2 but this will be removed when I install OS X (through choice).
A final read of the instructions and I double click the firmware update icon on the desktop, the one that appeared there when I downloaded it.
The instructions said to do just that and things would happen automatically and then a message would tell me to shut down. This is all before doing the Programmer's button stuff.
But nothing happened except a new icon appeared.
Scared to interupt anything, I let it just sit there for half an hour before giving up and double clicking the new icon.
Inside, there was another readme file on how to install the firmware and a Firmware installer. So I double clicked on that.
A message then popped up saying that my firmware was up to date.
Errrrrrrrr. Mmmmmmm..... What's going on?
Has my firmware JUST updated with no need for the Programmer's button stuff?
Has my firmware been updated by a previous owner?
Why would a previous owner update the firmware and then NOT install OS X?
Is there some file I can go to in OS 9.2.2 that will confirm the firmware update 'cos if the update isn't REALLY done and I wipe 9.2.2 to install OS X, I'm going to be up whatsit creek without a paddle.
Cheers,
Steve

You don't need to wipe 9.2.2 to upgrade to 10.3 and I'd recommend against deleting 9.2.2. So I want to ask why do you want to delete 9.2.2?

And here is a post I made elsewhere I want to show here also cause it I think might help you out.

the8thark said:

Go here to determine what firmware you are supposed to have.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86117

And according to that apple article you will probably need to use system 9 through part of the process. And yes 9.1 should be ok. But I'd download 9.2 and 9.2.2 I think first from the apple site so you can use them when your in System 9. Then you can do the firmware thingy then.

And this is a little info I found by searching my imac's help file.

To determine if you need a firmware update, you may be asked what version of firmware (also called Boot ROM) you have on your computer. To view your computer's Boot ROM version, open System Profiler in the /Applications/Utilities folder.

Click to expand...

Hope this helps you.

Click to expand...

This should help I hope.

Hi, thanks for your reply.
This part will be especially useful.....
Quote "To view your computer's Boot ROM version, open System Profiler in the /Applications/Utilities folder." Unquote.

As for my reasons to delete 9.2.2 as I install Panther, I don't really have an answer. I simply thought getting rid of old stuff that I won't use would be a way of tidying up the hard drive space. I'm not a retro Mac game player so is there a need to keep an older OS?
Cheers,
Steve
ps ... if the firmware HAS updated properly, what version should it be?