creating a System 7.5.3 boot CD

I got a hold of a G3 that I need to downgrade from 10.3 to System 9 (so it will run some video capture hardware). My only problem is that I can't install System 9 until I update the "bios" (for lack of a better term). So I thought that I'd just boot up an older version and apply the update and then I can install system 9.

But I don't know how to make a system boot disk.

I have a CD burner on my G4, but I don't have Toast. Anyone have any suggestions on what I can do (short of ebay)?

ravenloft said:

I got a hold of a G3 that I need to downgrade from 10.3 to System 9 (so it will run some video capture hardware). My only problem is that I can't install System 9 until I update the "bios" (for lack of a better term).

Click to expand...

I'm not sure what you mean by " update the 'bios' " on the computer. There is really nothing to update here.
If you want to install OS 9 and you have the OS 9 install CD's all that needs to be done is to boot from the CD and just wipe the drive. Then you can install OS 9 without any issue. Making a disc to boot System 7 from is an unecssary step that won't help the issue.

Its actually a G3 firmware update that's required in order to install OS 9. The current OS is 10.3, but the firmware update won't run on 10.3 (sigh). So the only solution that I can think of is to go back to something prior to OS 9, install the update, then install OS 9.

The problem is that I don't have any experience making Mac boot disks (I just switched last year). I found the 19 part System 7.5.3 download from Apple, but I don't know how to make a boot CD.

A new boot disk or changing the OS won't affect the firmware. Once a firmware update is done, it is done and that is that.
Still, there is good news.
In order to run OS X, a firmware update had to be done. So, if it is currently running OS X, then the firmware update for OS 9 would not be needed as the current firmware supercedes it.
In other words, the firmware for OS 9 should not be needed as the current firmware version for OS X is fine for running OS 9.
You should be able to go about with the suggestion I made in my previous post.
Have you tried booting from the OS 9 CD and reformatting?
If you have, have you encountered any messages or problems doing so?

Yes. That's how I knew I had to do the firmware update. It seemed like a catch-22 actually. You can't install OS 9 without the firmware update, and the firmware update requires a Classic OS in order to run (doesn't run from OS X). So if I could just boot into any Classic OS (lower than 9), I could run it. But I only have the 9.1 CD. So I'm stuck with trying to find a way to boot with something else. Any suggestions?

To reiterate what D3v1L80Y said...

1. System 7.5 is too old for a G3. There is no way to boot a G3 into System 7.5

2. There is no need to update the firmware to run OS 9. Some machines needed a firmware upgrade to run OS X, but not OS 9.

Quite frankly, it makes no sense that the firmware to run OS X is installed, yet it asks for a firmware to run OS 9.
We can try something though, first do this:
From the Apple Menu, choose 'About this Mac' and go to the 'More Info...' button.
Then, when you are in the System Profiler, look for the 'BootROM Version' under Hardware Overview. It will show something like"4.9.6f0" or something similar.
Post back with the version yours shows and we can go from there.

:black:

Put the firmwear update on the floppy and boot with the OS 9 dics,copy the
firmwear update to the desktop and install it,it has its on installer.

Ok. My System Profiler keeps crashing when I try to bring it up. So that's a no go.

Also my G3 doesn't come with a floppy drive (which i kinda miss).

OK, try this to get the firmware version:

1. Shut down.
2. Start up and hold down the Command+Option+O+F keys.
3. The Boot ROM Revision should then be displayed at the top of the screen.

To get back to OS X, type "bye" and then hit the Return key.

1.0f5 BootROM is what i get.

It had been a while since I tried the firmware update. What actually happens is it is quite happy to run under OS 9.1. It gets all the way to the "go ahead and shutdown" prompt, and then it informs you that it can't write to the "system folder". This is b/c I booted from the CD, so the system folder is naturally not writeable.