OS 9, Classic, Classic Support

I need to install OS 9 to do a firmware update in order to Upgrade my Digital Audio 733mhz processor to a Sonnet Encore 1.4ghz, I bought a disk , but it turned out to be an upgrade to 9.2 and not a full install. Whats the difference between OS 9, Classic, and this thing called Classic Support ? Which Disk is the right one ? Thanks.

OS 9 is a development of the old OS7 operating system from Apple in the 90s, that ran their computers

Classic refers to a Mac running OS X that loads up OS9 in a compatibility layer, in order to run older OS 9 apps without leaving OS X

Classic support refers to those Macs that can run OS9 in a software layer. In practical terms - Intel Macs do not have Classic Support - this feature was dropped in Intel Macs mostly because so few Intel mac users would ever need it.

Paul if you need the upgrade, look for a Mac OS 9.2.2 install disc and not a system restore or upgrade. Has your machine ever ran OS X in an y form? If so you should not need the firmware update?

Os X

I'm running Tiger with the latest updates. There doesn't seem to be 1 answer to getting this sonnet processor running. Some have had no trouble as long as their Boot ROM Version is 4.2.8f1 Others have said they had to do the Firmware update in OS 9 to get the processor running. So thats what I want to try next. I almost installed OS 9 from a disk, then I read it may erase the Hard Drive in doing so, so I didn't proceed. I am going to try to load OS 9 on a brand new Hard Drive when it arrives, don't want to take chances of losing everything on the HDD.