First Download: The OS 9 Helper application
Second Download: Extras needed if you have a PowerBook 2400, 3400 or
Kanga
Mac OS 9.1 can be found [here][1].
Mac OS 9.2.1 and 9.2.2 updates [here][2].
Text below taken from the "ReadMe" file:
### What does OS 9 Helper do?
OS 9 Helper allows you to install 9.2.1 or 9.2.2 on certain "Old
World" Macs that Apple has decided to drop support for. OS 9.1 is the
final version that Apple allows to install on anything previous to the
Beige G3.
### What are the benefits of installing 9.2.x?
Apple touted 9.2.1 as a minor update to 9.1 that added "better classic
compatibility". However, the performance improvements that were added
in 9.2.x are clearly noticeable once you install it. In particular,
the Finder is incredibly responsive, and Open Transport networking is
vastly more stable. However, the four most important reasons for
installing 9.2.x are:
1\. Compatibility with ATI's latest drivers. ATI dropped support for
OpenGL versions lower than 1.2.2. (9.1 has 1.2.1). See these notes on
ATI's drivers for some more hints.
2\. You can't run DVD Studio Pro 1.5 or 1.2.1 without 9.2.2. See my
Pro page for more info.
3\. You can't run Final Cut Pro 3 without 9.2.2. See my Pro page for
more info.
4\. Full compatibility with first and second generation iPods.
### What OldWorld machines does OS 9 Helper work with?
See the compatibility matrix (screenshot).
The second download (3400KangaExtras.sit) is the Apple Sound Manager
extension from Mac OS 9.1.
It's needed to enable sound on the PowerBook 2400, 3400 and G3 "Kanga"
after updating to 9.2.1 and 9.2.2.
### How do I install 9.2.x?
1\. Download OS 9 Helper.
2\. To be safe, back up your 9.1 System Folder before proceeding with
the update just in case something goes wrong.
3\. Have a copy of the Mac OS 9.2.1 Updater.smi , and Mac OS 9.2.2
Updater.smi files downloaded. If you put them on your desktop, OS 9
Helper will automatically recognize them, otherwise you will be
prompted to locate them. There are links to download these files from
within OS 9 Helper.
4\. Unstuff the .sit if it isn't already unstuffed and open the
application.
5\. Select your localization from the language popup list.
6\. From the Installation Settings box, select the "Install Mac OS
9.2.1", or the "Install Mac OS 9.2.2" radio button. You can't skip
straight to 9.2.2, you must install 9.2.1 first.
7\. Press the "Begin Installation" button. OS 9 Helper will
automatically mount your .smi file (if it isn't already), and make a
copy of it on your desktop. It will then patch the necessary resources
and the Mac OS installation program will automatically start. Install
as normal.
### FAQ's:
I keep getting "Big System Morsels" errors when I try to run the
updater, what's going on? This is random and unexplainable. It occurs
as well with supported installations and Apple is aware of the issue.
The solution just seems to be to try again.
My computer locks up during the boot process/showing the desktop, what
do I do? If you have a G4 upgrade card installed, make sure you
install your G4 Upgrade software onto your test disk before restarting
with it. Your machine will hang when displaying the desktop otherwise.
G3 cards are not affected. Note that it is normal for your machine to
automatically reboot twice if you install XLR8's software, this is
because it needs to load its Virtual Firmware into NVRAM.
I keeping having random lockups, what is going on? Using OS 9 Helper
while booted into 9.2.x, select the 'Install OldWorld FireWire
Support' option. This patches your FireWire Support extension with a
fix that applies to a timing issue that OldWorld machines have. Super-
genious kby's explanation (for the tech-savvy) can be found here.
### A bit of history...
On the day that Apple released the 9.2.1 update, I posted a messaged
to a Macfixit Forum thread asking for anybody who was willing to help
work on a crack for this. Scott emailed me back and we stayed up most
of the night hacking away with ResEdit and MacsBug. After exchanging
15 or so emails, we had it mostly narrowed down to 3 resources that
needed to be added/modified for 9.2.1 to work. Scott nailed the
breakthrough the next morning, and we were finally able to get 9.2.1
to boot on our Powersurge machines. Hastily, we posted the patch with
little testing. It soon became apparent that more work was needed, as
drag and drop support was not enabled. A few days later Scott and I
narrowed it down to an obscure line of hex that was in a different
physical address location than it was in 9.1, and the problem was
solved. Soon thereafter I returned to college, and Scott faded away as
well. But faithful forum posters kby, kenny, and the Toz took up the
slack and began making more and more improvements to the patch. They
have pretty much done the bulk of the patch work since 9.2.2 was
released, and an excellent job they have done. After a while, I got
sick of the patch method and decided to make this a little bit more
commercially viable and easier to understand. Thus OS 9 Helper was
born. Over the next year or so I hope to evolve the utility to have
more and more functionality.
Compatibility
Architecture: PPC
[1]:
http://macintoshgarden.org/apps/mac-os-91-91-update
[2]:
http://macintoshgarden.org/apps/updaters-?-mac-os-9-international-english
