n00b in need of tips please (osX install)

Hi guys, wondeirng if you can give me some tips before i begin...

I just purchased an imac g3 400DV (standard apart from 320m RAM)

It came with the original OS 9 install. Ive updated that to OS 9.2.2 but I am going to buy panther and install that instead but thought id try and get some advice first (being as i am a PC user trying to enter the mac community and have little or no real knowledge of macs)

When i go to install, is it just a case of sticking the disc in and away we go? i think i read that you restart and hold down c(?) to boot from the disc, is that correct?

and once the installation starts, what should i expect to see? will it give me formatting options like other OS's (xp etc) or will it simply install right over the top? im just curious as i hear you guys talking about classic running too? im taking it that 9.2 also runs inside of osx? I know that some imacs etc come as 'dual boot' systems with both installed, is this how mine will be after installation of osx?

sorry to drone on wth all the boring beginner crap, i just dont wanna make a hash of it. if my pc goes down then fine i can deal with it, but if the mac dies then i wouldnt have a clue!

thanks in advance for any help

jon

You hold down c if you can not get into your current OS to boot from cd. Since you have OS 9.2 all you need to do is put in the cd.

its very self explanatory and there are no complicated format options.

The only real option you have during the install is what type of install you would like to do. Myself included the the most popular choice for installing a new hard drive is the Clean Install option. This is like reformatting your mac almost so you have a fresh computer. If you can back up everything you need I recommend you do this.

Upgrade just does what it says. It upgrades the system by rewriting files on top of current system files.

Archive and Install creates an archive of all of your current files in a folder and creates a new system set up.