One Last OS9 Disc Question

[JB3]

I hope this is not off topic, but there appear to be several others, like myself, still having to deal with a System 9 computer with a disc in need of cloning prior to moving to Tiger.

I have a G4 (AGP Graphics) that I need to bring online with Tiger. But it currently is running 9.2.2 with some very important software that I would like to archive and be able to return to, if necessary, after installing Tiger.

From previous posts, I detect that cloning the 9.2.2 disc with all of its supporting software by using target disc mode and SuperDuper! on my Powerbook to an external firewire drive may or may not achieve what I would like...a reinstallable, or preferably a 'bootable' disc of this 9.2.2 hard drive in the G4 on an external firewire drive...in fact, in one post I believe you recommended using a system 9 solution for this.

Outside of Silverkeeper, I know of no other program that is still available to do this job in 9. Will Apple's own Disc Copy software create a fully bootable clone or only a disc image that could be reinstated. (And does it copy invisible files to the image?)

Do you still feel this might best route to archive this disc?

Thanks...J

[dnanian]

SuperDuper! is more than happy to copy an OS9 volume, and keep it bootable, as long as you're running from OSX... also, please ensure that you format with OS9 drives included!

[TMay]

JB3

If I can add a few things to Dave's reply. I do this all the time, and have since way earlier versions of SD. As Dave says, it works fine.....but

Often the resulting cloned OS9 volume will NOT be bootable without some tinkering. The newest version of SD seems to have improved this, but it's still not 100%.

I would recommend that after cloning, while running under OS X, with Classic running, you rebuild the desktop on the cloned OS 9 volume (via the options in Classic preferences.) Also, blessing of the System folder didn't always occur under earlier versions of SD. Currently, v. 2.1.1 seems not to have this problem any longer, but can't hurt to make sure.

Lastly, do a "get info" on your source OS 9 volume, and observe the status of the "ignore ownership on this volume" box. If it is unchecked, and your OS 9 source volume is functioning well, great, no problem. If however it is checked on the source, and if your volume will not fuction well with it unchecked, then you have a last step. You will need to re-mark it on the clone each time, since SD sets it unchecked and does not re-check it afterwards. (This is not a bootability issue, but will become an operational issue on the clone if it is on the source.)

OK, this is what works for me with a Quicksilver G4 2001 (original) machine, 867 mhz and external 2 1/2 firewire drive, 60 gb, 7200 rpm, Oxford 911 chipset. --Ted--