G4 mac switched to OS10, so I cannot use FCP 2.0 anymore. How do I switch back to classic?

I have a G4 Mac and have been happily editing video for about 5 years using final cut pro 2.0 that operates on OS 9 (classic). Then without any prompting, my computer switched over to OS 10 when I turned it on the other day, and it won't let me switch back to OS9, thus I can't get access to final cut pro 2.0. HELP!

Don't confuse "booting to OS 9" with "running under Classic". FCP 2 won't run on Classic (which is a subproces running behind OS 10), you must boot into OS 9.

I don't know what voodoo caused your computer to "switch over to OS 10 without any prompting", but I'll assume that this is a machine with both operating systems installed on it normally. To boot into OS 9, go into System Preferences, either from the blue Apple menu or the icon in the dock, and select "Startup Disk". The system will look for valid operating systems and make icons for them, click on OS 9 and the Restart button. Things should look familiar after that.

Scott

Hi Scott. I just tried those steps you suggested:
1. blue Apple menu
2. select "startup disk"
and from there it only shows operating system 10.0.4. No sign of classic

But If I click on the blue apple menu, there is an icon for 9.0 (classic), but when I click on that it says "there is not a valid system software to start classic". Any suggestions?

I dont think G4s boot into OS9. If it isn't available in the start up control panel then you cant boot into it. I dont remember if FCP 2 runs in Classic but I guess it does if you say it always has for you. Is there a "System Folder" folder on your hard drive? If so that is classic. Why not just double click the FCP 2 icon and see if it launches Classic.

Michael Horton
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I've tried several times to double click on FCP 2, but it won't launch anything. Just get error message "there is not a valid system software to start classic".

Then you may need to get a copy of OS9.2.2 and re-install that. Will only work with 9.2.2

Michael Horton
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G4s have no trouble booting OS 9, if it is installed on the machine.

I'm having trouble understanding how this machine suddenly switched over to OS X and there is no OS 9 any more. Has someone else been using your machine? That OS 10.0.4 is a very old version, not installed recently.

Please, let's distinguish "OS 9" from "Classic". It's been said many times that FCP 1 and 2 will not run under Classic, which is just a shell from OS X, it can only run if you boot OS 9.

I think Mike is right, OS 9.2.2 needs to be reinstalled. Then it will boot to OS 9. Don't call it Classic.

Scott

It sounds like OS 9 system folder got hosed.(Maybe) You need to find a way to reboot into OS 9 it depends on your G4 an older one you should be able to hold down the option key on a restart and when you see the OS 9 system folder click on it and then hit the arrow button. If you don't see the OS 9 system then you need to reinstall it. OS 9 has been dead for over 5 years it may be time to upgrade if you can. You may be able to launch classic and select the OS 9 startup drive in the control panels as suggested. It's been so long since I have really used it I forget some. I may have to go fire up an iMac to check it out.

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Dean

"When I see you floating down the gutter I'll give you a bottle of wine."
Captain Beefheart, Trout Mask Replica.

G4s boot into 9. Almost all of them did. I know Apple eventually did some hardware lockout voodoo but I know a 2002 quicksilver G4 will boot into 9. If it is not available in the start up control panel that's because it's not seeing a valid OS 9 system folder.

A lot more had to be happening here than a system magically switching to OS X.
Has a drive died recently? Are all your drives mounting in OS X? You could of had OS 9 on a drive that died and that might have forced the CPU to boot into OS X if that was the only valid system drive it could find. Shot in the dark though.
10.0.4 IIRC was the OS X that shipped with the G4 dual boot install disks.


Wierd

ak
Sleeplings, AWAKE!

I dunno Andrew. G4s were first to ship without capability of booting into OS9. I just doint know which ones. I imagine this one that cressy has does but my ol' G4 PB doesnt do it.

Michael Horton
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>>G4s were first to ship without capability of booting into OS9

I think you're confusing this with G5s. My G4 PB does an OS 9 boot just fine, although I have no reason to ever want it to

Scott

i had a g4 (2002 quicksilver) and used to cut in OS9 on fcp3. my OSX never worked right. anyway.

i agree with the above that os9 folder is hosed. that would make sense as:

a) the computer 'decided' to boot to OSX - which means that OSX was the only OS the mac could find

b) it's not in the startup disc folder.


i assume that you have the discs that came with the computer. if so, you will have os9 and will need to reinstall it. that goes for fcp2 as well. HOWEVER - find your files and back them up somewhere FIRST - aka project files docs etc.

unfortunately i have no idea how to reinstall os9 back on to a pre-shipped dual boot system. check apple website. then call them if need be.

fp

p.s.

if you DO call apple or read up on it, stop using/thinking the term 'classic'. you're going to confuse everything. classic is the 'faux' pared down os9 that is in OSX. os9 is what you have been cutitng in.

unless i am confused. to clear things up: your mac BOOTED in OS9 and you were TOTALLY in OS9 for the last 5 years. You NEVER worked on FCP in OSX....? correct?

fp

A little more background: I bought this G4 from promax in 2001.....preinstalled with both OS9 and OS X.......final cut pro 2.0 running on OS 9. I've never done anything on this computer except edit video (FCP) and occasional made a few CD's using iTunes........it's never even been connected to the internet.....and no, nobody besides me has used this computer as someone suggested in the thread. And it really did switch to OS X without me telling it to. I wouldn't have known how to do that even if I wanted to. I don't consider myself to be a "mac" person.......as I said, I only use it to edit video......

I have all the original disks. If I want to start from scratch without worrying about my saved existing video projects on the hard drive, can I do a "Software Restore" and expect that to bring back the original settings to when I bought the computer in 2001?

SUCCESS!!

I did a re-install of OS 9.2.1 with the original disk.........then did a re-install of quicktime.......then did a re-install of final cut pro 2.0.......and I'm back in business! All my saved video projects were lost in the process, but I had already dumped them to tape anyway......I'm good to go. Thanks for all the great input in this thread. I learned a lot today.

cressy