Can't Startup from a different disk

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blacknacho

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I just got a LaCie firewire drive, and I'm trying to start up from it so I can optimize my internal HD. I have formatted it correctly, installed a system folder on it (OS 9), it is recognized on the desktop, etc.
However, I have tried switching the startup drive in the control panels, and that doesn't work (it just starts using the internal drive).
Also tried holding down the option key when restarting, but no icon for the firewire drive comes up to choose to start from, only the regular internal drive.
I have never been able to start from a cd, either (like the Norton Utilities 'bootable' cd).
Help!
 

rman


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Since we don't have enough informations, to give a solution, here are the questions.

What type of hardware are you working on and how old it it?

Are you trying to boot OS 9 on the firewire disk?

Is the OS load on the firewire disk a complete bootable load?

If it is OS 9, do you have the latest startup extension?
 
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blacknacho

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More information about my problem

I am using a 2001 iMac G3 with OS 9.2.3.

I am trying to boot OS9 on the firewire disk.

I don't know if the OS on the firewire disk is a complete bootable load. What is the proper way to ensure this?

I'm not sure if I have the latset startup extenion. How can I check this?

Thanks for your help!
 

rman


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You are running OS 9.2.2.

Did you copy your working OS 9 from your system disk to the external disk? If so, you should have a bootable OS.

If you run software update, it will check for available updates. I believe the startup disk control panel is at version 1.8.

You are unable to boot from a bootable CDROM by holding the C key and start the boot process (holding the C key until the happy Mac appears)?
 
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blacknacho

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further information

oops, you're right. 9.2.2.

Should I just copy the whole system folder from my internal disk?

I just updated the OS about a month ago, but I'll run the software update before I try again, just in case.

No, I can't get it to boot from a cd by holding the 'c' key -- It just uses the regular OS from the internal hard drive.
 

rman


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I would copy all of the system folder to the external drive and then try again.

I am just not sure you can boot from an external drive.
 
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i have not been able to install os on to my usb drive
 
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Badger

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According to an Apple technote all Macs with built-in firewire (there are 2 exceptions noted) should be able to boot from firewire BUT the external disk may not be bootable. This is the link: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58606.
To boot from a CD try putting the CD in the drive and when it appears on the desktop use the startup control panel to select it as the startup disk then restart.
Badger
 
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blacknacho

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already tried that

the reason why i'm posting this to begin with is, when i select a different startup disk in the control panels, it doesn't startup from the disk i select: i can choose either a cd or the firewire drive in that panel, but when it restarts it just uses the internal drive. same with holding down either the option key or the 'c' key. neither one works.

many sources tell me i should be able to start up from this hard drive: apple, LaCie, and the Mac store where i bought it. no one, however, can give me any useful advice about how to make it happen.

i agree that osx is great--i want to install it, but i badly need to optimize my internal hd first!
 
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blacknacho

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I did it!

It finally worked! Thank you rman and everyone else for your advice!

If anyone else has this problem, here's what I did:

1 - Updated my drivers to the latest version using "software update"

2 - Copied my main system folder onto the empty firewire drive

3 - Moved my optimizing utility onto the firewire drive (just copying it didn't work - the computer kept wanting to use the version on the internal HD, and therefore couldn't completely optimize it that way)

4 - Selected the firewire drive as my startup drive in the "startup" control panel & restarted

all essentially the way it's supposed to work, only it wouldn't before for me...


:D
 
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Good job! I am so glad I don't have to get the e-mail archives on how my bro did it!
 
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Sounds like, All those experts only know Mac OSX... Mac OS 9 is nothing like OS X :p


In future, you might like to try this...

1. Insert the Mac OS 9 Installer CD into your drive, Press and Hold C when you power up.

2. Once the Mac has started, go into the Disk Tools and open the Drive Utility, before you Initialize the new drive, be sure to check the box that says 'Install Mac OS 9 Drivers'.

3. Now your disk should be prepared for OS 9... continue with the install, choosing your external drive as the destination.
 

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