Hi Bob,

I have the same model, just 15". Hang on a little bit, I'll find the OS 9 disc and upload it for you

I have the discs for the very first model iMac G4 - can't remember spec.

The Apple Premium Reseller (that I always use) didn't have the PMG4 MDD I wanted in stock, but they agreed to order it for me and let me take away the boxed iMac that day to tide me over until the MDD arrived in 3 days, I burned a copy of the discs.

Any Mac OS ROM after the one ou need will be fine. Don't know the correct version, but I'd put up an OS9.2.2 (from the MDD, v9.5.1, and the eMac 9.2.2 disk images also around have v10.1.1.

Here you go: (approx. 380 MB)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=CR6RLGM8

The disc image is in a .zip. Just unzip and burn it onto a CD. Good luck (I know how desperate one can get looking for those old machine-specific OS 9 discs.. just check my "in search of eMac 9.2.2" thread..

Let us know if it works.

The 17" iMac G4 came out 6 months after the 15" iMac G4, so the Mac OS ROM in the upload might work. The sold alongside each other for another 6 months, so it may be 50-50.
Let us know the version of the ROM file in this upload. I know the v9.5.1 MDD ROM will work, and the v10.1.1 eMac ROM will also work, but it's always nice to get the correct one.

Do you have any of the restore discs for your iMac ? I just wonder if the copies of the restore discs I have for an iMac G4 (which was on sale at the same time as my MDD was out) - with all the extra software, Bugdom I think and others - would help you. It all depends on the Mac OS ROM version you need to get the iMac booting OS9, so let us know which version is in Bolkonski's upload. I think there ar 6 restore discs.

bumping this old old thread. Does anyone have the full set of restore discs (with all the software etc.) for the original iMac G4? I just got one but I had to install a generic OS 9.2.2 when I'd much prefer having the complete original setup - just for the heck of it, really, since I always wanted to own one of these, back in 2002..

if anyone is willing to make disc images and share, I can create an FTP account on my web server, and then I would also share these images forever on my KDX server (to "share the wealth", as they say). I can see why sheepmyshaver123 is always seeking out copies of every possible System Restore CD..

Edit: I was able to find iMac Applications Recovery
part 1: http://www.mediafire.com/?mv2hyjnytcm
part 2: http://www.mediafire.com/?exm1qz3z0dz

But that's just for some of the applications. I'd also like the System Restore discs, though!

I have a G4 System Install CD of 9.2.1 which has worked on all hardware I have tried (MDD Tower G4, eMac G4, iBook 12" G3). It is the perfect Universal installer.

If you are interested, I will send you a copy or two.

PS. It is a bit scratched up, so I hope I can do a disc dupe... fingers crossed TIGHTLY.

PPS. hmm, dunno if you really need the System Restore CDs, doesn't that just copy a disc image back to the hard drive, wiping the entire partition? At least it is the right system, but mine with the correct localised 9.2.2 update should be exactly the same?

???

The original iMac G4 was released in January 2002. The original 17" iMac was released in July 2002.

When I went to buy an original MDD (released August 2002) I also got a 17" iMac. Although the iMac is long gone, I still have images of the six install and recovery CDs. So with that you get OS9.2.2, OSX 10.1.4, the usual apps and a few games.

Is this your iMac, or do you have the earlier 15" monitor version ?

I have the original 15" , very first one. However, that sounds close enough - yours was still within the first few iMac G4s that allowed booting into OS 9 and thus surely has the proper software. It's probably exactly (or 99.9%) the same CDs, most likely Indeed, it has to be 9.2.2, I tried booting from a retail OS 9.2.1 install CD, but it always froze upon loading into Finder. I had to use a 9.2.2 System Folder from here! haha

No problem, it's in the upload queue (to MegaUpload) behind VPC v3 and a few MacWorld cover CDs. So you may only get one cd per day.

No problem, that's awesome man! Thanks in advance for this help.

STOP PRESS:

Toast reported disc errors while imaging my CD. CD image refuses to mount at all. Sorry about that chaps.

In hindsight, I believe this was the RETAIL copy of OS 9.2.1, as the original disk was not a drab grey, but a vibrant OS9 themed wonder!

It certainly isn't a recovery disk...

PS. The disc still works, there are just some unreadable parts, probably among the extras...

Grrr, after 2 days and 5 attempts, I managed to get Disk 1 (of 6) successfully uploaded. I think if I quit firefox between uploads (which removes all the temporary stuff) it works.

Get Disk 1 here.

disk 2 will have a shot overnight.

jeez, crazy. thanks! Will download and also toss it on my server as well - I already added the VPC 3.0 you uploaded last night

I'm on a roll. Disk 2 here.

Awesome, thanks man! Will download shortly.

Apologies, I hadn't prepped the files last night before retiring. Trying disks 3 and 4 overnight tonight.

Disc 3 here.

Disc 4 uploaded but doesn't show in my MU FileManager. Tonight.

awesome, thanks *grabbed 'em*

About 8 attempts at disc 4 last night. I get about 300KB uploaded and then it stops.

Try again tonight. Might have to try a new MU account to see if I've reached some sort of limit.

Well, disk 4 uploaded first time this morning. Get it here.

Ah wow, crazy. Thanks so much for all your efforts. Yeah that's really weird that it would stop like that so many times. I suppose something like MediaFire is always an option, if necessary. Or I can create a temp FTP acct on my web server if needed, just let me know... will do whatever I can to help!

I checked disc 4 by downloading it again, it might be a dodgy upload. I got Stuffit errors when Itried decompressing the download. If you download them and try to uncompress them, do any give you errors ? I'll re-up it after discs 5 and 6.

MU seems to be the best for downloads, and I'll got nearly 100 disc images already up there. Also hoping that we can create a page here for all 6 disc images when they're finally all up.

Well the curse of Stuffit strikes again. Can you check that all the disc images you've downloaded so far can actually be unstuffed ?

I checked the stuffit-compressed disc image I uploaded (disc 4), it doesn't uncompress. I'll upload it uncompressed tonight - it's only 10% larger. Really important you check the first 3. I think Disc 1 will be fine, I usually test it, but then I've assumed that they'd all be OK. Checked Disc 5 and Disc 6 - they uncompress fine.

CD 2 decompressed fine, checking CD 3 now.
Are you using Stuffit Expander, or that free "The Unarchiver" for OSX? Unarchiver is pretty unreliable in terms of decompressing Stuffit archives.

Edit: Yup, CD 3 decompressed just fine as well. I'll try CD 1 and 4 as well.

Edit 2: CD 1 decompressed fine.

Edit 3: Yeah, Disk 4 fails to decompress. Weaksauce

thanks, just the one bad egg. I re-uploaded Disc 4 uncompressed here.

Disc 5 either today or tonight.

Can I make an assumption that these discs contain the entire original contents on the HDD. ie: Mac OS X 10.3, System Folder 9, iLife?

That appears to be a lot of discs!

Yep, that's why they're called the restore CDs. OS9.2.2, OSX 10.1.4, all the OS9 and OSX apps that came with it. There's a few games, Otto Matic might be one of them.

This is for the very first iMac G4's so there's no OSX 10.3. Also understand that unless you're clever with the OSX installer, you won't be able to run "restore" these to anything other than an early iMac G4.

Because of the Apple content and the OSX content, these aren't really here as abandonware, it's more to help out an iMac G4 owner.

Yeah, it's lots of discs and that's what makes bertyboy a very generous fellow Mac user!! Of course as I said I'll share these discs on my KDX server forever so as to "share the wealth". Actually soon enough I'll be ripping my old Performa restore CD (yes, just one CD rofl) and a PowerMac G3 CD to share up.

Actually that reminds me that once I can find my parent's old MO drive I should be able to recover some very old stuff I had on my original Hotline server in ~1998 ... pretty stoked to see what I had backed up!

I have a single-layer Leopard DVD that I would love to upload - I gotta sort out the KDX problems first tho (like ACTIVATING it!)

Disc 5 of 6.

Finally, Disc 6 is here.

Thanks so much, man. I will test these all and ensure they read properly and all that good stuff. Hmm, I think it's time for a full restore on the iMac! haha I had already loaded OS X and OS 9 but, I'm just too curious to see the system as it was originally sold/released.

@amatecha

Can you upload the Performa restore CD and the Power Macintosh G3 CD images to the megaupload?

Yeah, once I repair the Performa CD - it's that one you requested a long time ago, I just haven't had the chance to repair the scratches on the disc yet. Have to find some brass polish ("Brasso") to buff away the scratches on the disc.

I downloaded Disks 1 through 6. For my iMac 800mhz 17" M6498/(M8812LL/A) these disks do not successfully boot. The startup screen starts and progress bar begins moving, but the computer switches to a black screen before any extensions even show up.

I would speculate that only the 1st disc has to boot. I haven't had a chance to burn the images and test the discs yet, though. Can't erase my stuff yet cuz I'm having people over tomorrow and they will want to play the games on the iMac. Yes, seriously! hahahah

Sounds like my issue may be that those disks came with Mac OS ROM 9.1.1 rather than the 9.5.1 that my computer requires.

Darn. Here's the Mac OS ROM v9.5.1 from my MDD - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=AUABFUFB.

If you can temporarily copy the dmg parts to your internal hard disk while booted in OSX, and mount the whole image, you'll be able to drag the OS9.2.2 System Folder from it to your internal hard disk. Then replace the Mac OS ROM file in it with the one linked above and you're in business.

Sorry, it's not elegant, but it'll get you a fully working OS9.2.2 to boot from - assuming the internal HD has OS9 drivers installed.

Thanks for all the things you've provided. Installing that ROM you provided did not get things working for me. Through another forum someone linked me to another post where you posted your entire 9.2.2 folder. Downloading and install *that* folder has allowed me to successfully boot OS9 on my iMac. Thanks a lot.

Hi!
Could anyone please upload CD2 again, it fails to download and I need it badly for my iMac? :/
Thank you!!!

EDIT:
LOL, managed to download it after trying many times over last several days! :)

Can you mirror it all to mediafire? It was unavailable in my archive, and I cannot access to Megaupload anymore.

Thanks for the upload! I've been hunting for these for a while now and finally found this thread. I suppose I should be good and upload the same set for the Power Mac G4 Digital Audio I have. (That I managed to track down a physical set after much searching, too.)

I downloaded the 3 disc.
The remaining three discs.
Megaupload then became the site of the U.S. police!!

Can anybody with the disks be so kind to reupload them on mediafire or something...
Or even better create a torrent for it...

Thanks a million in advance. I'd really like to run os 9 on my iMac G4

Have you checked this list of resources for Mac OS?

http://x704.net/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=5623

------------------------------
Nothing disappears without a trace!

All links to megaupload are inactive:( maybe someone could upload to mediafire?

Does anyone who downloaded the six disks I put up want to offer to upload half, say disks1-3 ?
I'll start to upload disks 4-6.

could you please upload cd with OS 9.2 install for now? that's what I need most...

A complete set of G3/G4 Install/Restore discs from an iMac G4 Flat Panel are here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?315vwcwj9tngx

Be sure to download and read the RTF file so you can see if they're compatible with your model.

Can you reupload Mulder? I am not the MediaPro user to download large files.