10-06-2005, 05:27 PM

i've finally switched!!!

i've only had the mac mini for a few days, but i've been researching on OS X and OS 9 for a while.

i know, OS 9 is old, but i like the look of it better than OS X.

if i bought a set of OS 9 cds from ebay or something, would the install work on the mac mini? if so, how do i install OS 9?

if i can't, is it possible to get a theme of some sort to make OS X look like OS 9?

thx!

10-06-2005, 05:34 PM

Panter has a Mac OS9 part but does not make like the whole OS9, how cna u like OS9 looks more then OSX and OSX is stabler, faster,spotlight, works with new tech ect. BUT to toeach is own( do ot think OS9 install disk would work on Mac Mini

10-06-2005, 05:38 PM

It is IMPOSSIBLE to run OS 9 and down on a mini. To get OS X to look like OS 9 I would suggest taking a look at ShapeShifter (http://www.unsanity.com/haxies/shapeshifter)

10-06-2005, 05:41 PM

OS 9 can run in its classic form on the mini (which is what comes with it) but you cannot use OS 9 as a boot system.

10-06-2005, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by Benjamindaines

It is IMPOSSIBLE to run OS 9 and down on a mini. To get OS X to look like OS 9 I would suggest taking a look at ShapeShifter (http://www.unsanity.com/haxies/shapeshifter)

ShapeShifter is awesome... Using Sweet Slumber Theme, like American McGee's "Alice"

I've seen a couple themes that look like OS9, I believe.

10-06-2005, 05:48 PM

I'm not even sure Mac Minis can boot into OS 9 these days.

I have kept my Power Macintosh 7200/90 for this very reason, it boots OS 8.6 which looks the same as OS 9.x btw - and it runs all my classic applications. (Such as Word 5)

That said, you might think OS 9 is a good idea, until you're greeted with the Finder Bomb :flower: or bombs of any kind.

I'm not aware of anything that adapts OS X to look like OS 8.0+ (which has the same style as OS 9 inherited from Copland...)

I know a G4 eMac I used to use at work would boot OS 9, but that was an older 800MHz model.

Vicky :flower:

10-06-2005, 10:16 PM

okay...

i'm gettin the idea that i can't boot into OS 9....

but now you've got me wondering: why wouldn't it work? i mean, they've had older G4 models (like 800mhz) that had OS9, and the mac mini (mine came with 10.4 Tiger), and it's a G4 too, only at 1.25hz. what's the difference? why wouldn't OS9 work on the mac mini?

10-06-2005, 10:25 PM

OS9 or earlier will not boot on the mini and the last revision G4's either. You might like the look of OS9 better, but trust me, it's not the OS that OSX is. Not in the least. To me it's like formatting my PC and going back to Windows 95/98. That is something I just could not do even though it would install and work.

I could give you many reasons why OS9 and before is not a great OS but some seem to upset some people so I will pass.

10-06-2005, 10:25 PM

The difference is the whole rest of the hardware is more advanced and OS 9 was frozen so no new updates are being made it it so it supports the newer hardware.

10-06-2005, 10:47 PM

thx everyone!

but just as a side note, i did like windows 98 better than xp.

i tried that shapeshifter thing, and it's okay, but its only a trial version, and i thought it was kinda laggy, but it just may be me...

so, is there any perminant way to make os x look like os 9?

10-06-2005, 11:07 PM

Shapeshifter is permanent; if what you're asking for is a free way, there is not. What do you mean by 'laggy' exactly?

10-06-2005, 11:28 PM

you know: it felt like it was running slower than it was supposed to be.

but just to clarify, there is absolutely NO way to run OS 9.x.x on the mac mini? i don't mind buyin an OS 9.x.x disc from ebay or something. in fact, i found an OS 9.x.x restore CD on ebay. would it work with the mac mini?

10-07-2005, 05:17 AM

Originally Posted by platinum

you know: it felt like it was running slower than it was supposed to be.

but just to clarify, there is absolutely NO way to run OS 9.x.x on the mac mini? i don't mind buyin an OS 9.x.x disc from ebay or something. in fact, i found an OS 9.x.x restore CD on ebay. would it work with the mac mini?

If you wish to experiment; do not under any circumstances use a restore CD from another Mac, you will more than likely really screw things up. That CD will be customised to the hardware of the Mac its the restore CD for and likelihood it won't work, and cause nasty problems.

Also bear in mind OS 9 is about five years old and whilst I can see your point about the user interface (e.g.: italics for alias', icons spaced closer together in the old Finder etc.), bear in mind you will be severely limited to what applications you can run.

You will not for example be able to use any of the iLife suite on OS9.

You will not be able to run the latest versions of Adobe's, Microsoft's, Macromedia's, Corel's... etc. and most modern freeware will not run on OS9.

OS 9 and earlier is a completely different Operating System here compared to Mac OS X. We're certainly not talking what Windows 98 was to Windows 95. In some essences we're not even talking what Windows NT/2000/XP is to Windows 9x! They are very different systems, and you will miss out on a lot of the fantastic software written for OS X.

I consider myself a power user, and admittedly I do like OS X's layout and look (wish it was a bit more consistent at times but anyways), but iLife is a consumer app and I find iPhoto a real joy to use, organising all my photos, creating slideshows and burning them - it's great fun and to miss out on some of the best computer software for the sake of operating system aesthetics -- would be a shame.

What I suggest to you, is to perhaps go on eBay and search out and old Power Macintosh, not a Performa 5xxx as they were nasty machines (but all in one...) such as what I have a 7200, or ideally a 7300 and run OS 8.x or 9.x on that. That way you will not spend very much at all, you will have a old Mac OS machine which you can gauge whether you really like it, and if you do, you can install some pre-OS X apps on that. E.g.: I have Word 5 on my my 7200.

If this isn't an option, then maybe you would want to try Basilisk II, the Mac OS X version to emulate an old 680x0 Macintosh from 1994 and earlier on your Mac Mini, which will run up to OS 8.1 (looks the same as 9.x), but again, even more limited for software options.


Either way you will need at least OS 8.6 for USB functionality (though only at 12Mbit/s - USB 1.1, you will need OS X for USB 2, 10.2 rings a bell..) and Mac OS 9.0.4 (iirc) for Firewire 400 support.

In summary, give OS X a chance and if you don't like it, stick with using Classic and purchase older OS 9 apps which you can launch such as MS Office 2001/98/4.2.1, Photoshop 7 for OS 9 and earlier and so forth, that way your apps will have the older OS 9 'Copland' look, but you will still have OS X compatibility.

if you have the room, get an old Power Macintosh, you can pick them up for peanuts, I got offer a 7300/180 the other week for £5 with keyboard, mouse and 16" apple monitor - shame; I'd of taken it but I have no room. (It also had 256MB of RAM!)

i think you do have a point for those who do want something without the eye candy... :flower: That said, I prefer the OS X interface to the older OS, but I still love System 7.x's and OS 8/9's look.

And sorry for repeating what everyone else said last night - I got distracted half way through replying, came back, finished and found you had excellent answers already :flower:

Vicky

10-07-2005, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by platinum

but just to clarify, there is absolutely NO way to run OS 9.x.x on the mac mini? i don't mind buyin an OS 9.x.x disc from ebay or something. in fact, i found an OS 9.x.x restore CD on ebay. would it work with the mac mini?

You got all the answers you need, but to clarify:
No, there's no way you can boot a Mac mini with OS9, not even with original retail disks.

The last mac that was able to boot in OS9 was the PowerMac G4 MDD (late 2003, without FW800). Every Mac that came out after that modell, and even most Macs that were sold at the same time, are unable to boot in OS9 due to hardware that is not supported by OS9.
Even the PowerMac I just mentioned has a special customized version of OS9, you can't install a retail OS9 on it (I tried it myself on mine).

You can use Classic mode, but it won't give you the GUI-look you want.
Or, as Vicky said, get an older Mac from eBay (I would suggest one with at least a G3 though...). You can find some cheap ones...

But OS9 is definitely not the system you want to use...it's more than looks that make the difference between 9 and X.

10-07-2005, 11:58 PM

thankyou very much everyone!

you'v been really helpful
(now i wouldn't get this many helpful replies on a windows forum, hehe)