G4 clean install help

I am a newb to macs. I just got a G4 Dual 1 GHz (mirrored-drive doors) on ebay and it came with the HD wiped clean. now i need to install OS 9.

I dont have an Apple keyboard. I have a normal usb keyboard and mouse plugged in. I got the cd in the drive, which I had to put in by manually opening the door with the emergency release (there is no eject button on the drive... brilliant). I tried to boot w/ the CD (holding the C key)... nothing.

The keyboard does not even seem to be responding (Num lock does not light up, etc.)

Please help end my pain.

Have you tried the F12 function key? It is assigned the task of opening and closing the CD/DVD tray on third-party keyboards which are missing a dedicated Eject key.

It might not work at start up if your keyboard requires drivers to be loaded to be recognized.

I thought of the F12 key as well, but I don't even think the boot process gets far enough to allow me to use a 3rd-party keyboard. Thanks for the suggestion though. :teen:

A friend of mine has an Apple keyboard, I will take my rig over there and see if it makes a difference. I will post an update if this works.

I never tried a 3rd party keyboard on my Mac, but even on the original Apple keyboard the NUM-lock doesn't light up. It does light up though when I connect the Apple keyboard to a PC.

Another hint:
To eject the drive's tray, press the mouse button (the left one if you have a 2 button mouse) while booting.
Then put in the CD, and after a little moment, it should boot from the CD (if the CD is bootable, of course)

I have a nice Logitech USB keyboard hooked up to my G4 Tower. It will not boot the Mac from the a CD by holding down the C key. I have to use my stock Apple Keyboard for that.