Issues Booting MacOS 9 on Power Mac G4 450 DP

[gobabushka]

So I am having the strangest issue booting MacOS 9 (Any Version) on my PM G4 450 DP. It looks like it loads the rom file (From the hard drive (known good install booted on an iBook over FW), a known good os 9.2.1 CD, (tested on the same ibook), or from the os 9 install on the same ibook.

I have tried installing from cd, from both the startup manager and holding down c, resetting the PMU, open firmware reset (reset-nvram, set-defaults, reset-all), I have also replaced the battery with a brand new one.

I have also tried booting from cd and from USB with the DVD Drive, ZIP drive, and hard drives completely connected to no avail. I am completely at a loss here.

I say it looks like it loads the Mac OS ROM File because it doesnt show a blinking folder, but a blinking disk question mark. Also when it loads through open firmware, it shows its loading an elf binary. Either way it gets as far as the blinking disk, then the hard drive spins down and thats where it sits.

Now, it will load and run Tiger just fine. However I need os9 because I want to play with my orangepc card. Does anyone have any suggestions here, I have been googling for days, and have gotten nowhere. Thanks!

 

[adespoton]

Have you tried with an OS 9 install specifically for the 450 DP? The Mac OS ROM files are not all built equally. So you could be loading the ROM file and then it still can't address the hardware and load the System file, so it loops back.

It came with Mac OS 9.0.4 installed though.

Have you tried creating a partition on the internal HD, booting it in target disk mode, and installing to that partition (custom install for all Macs) from your iBook?

 

[gobabushka]

Nope, I tried the original restore disk, I tried the OS9 boot USB, which does boot on my iBook, and I tried a system folder I found on the original hard drive to no avail.

Also as suggested I tried a fresh install over FireWire to the G4 from the iBook

 

[CC_333]

When you installed OS 9 to the hard drive over FW, did you check that OS 9 drivers were installed on the Power Mac's drive? The Mac OS 9 installer should update the driver when you install, but maybe it didn't update correctly, causing it to get corrupted somehow?

Can you use another, blank hard drive (with the one containing the Tiger install disconnected) and install to that?

c

 

[gobabushka]

Update: I fixed it. It was the Dell Multimedia Keyboard I was using. I unplugged it, and then the darn thing started booting. I think I might have also heard it laughing. Then I had no video once it loaded the finder. It was the monitor I was using. I also would up switching to my Digital Audio with a Dual 1.8 Gigadesigns upgrade in it that I forgot I had.

I was beside myself LOL. But now it's booting and I can Finally move on to the whole reason I dug this thing out of storage. My OrangePC 530 PCI card. Thank you guys for the suggestions, and I hope to post some positive updates about this little sojourn.