Member Avatar for susanmstewart

I am running OS9.2 on my new G4. OS10 is also on the computer, but I don't want to go through the headache or expense of upgrading all my software to run on OS10.

Just purchased Macromedia Dreamweaver MX. Unfortunately, it only runs on OS10.

Can I alternate easily between the 2 systems without rebooting so that I can use Dreamweaver when I need to without changing everything over to OS10?

Thanks for any help!

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Short answer: you can keep both operating systems on the same machine and switch between them, but you cannot run an OS X–only program while booted natively into Mac OS 9 without rebooting. On PowerPC Macs there is also the Classic environment inside OS X that lets many Mac OS 9 applications run as if they were programs in X, but Classic is not a way to run OS X apps from inside OS 9.

As suggested, many people keep both OSes available — here is how that actually works and the practical limits. To change which OS is in control you either pick a startup volume (System Preferences -> Startup Disk) and restart, or hold the Option key while the machine boots to choose a one‑time startup. If you want OS 9 apps to run while you are in OS X, enable the Classic environment in OS X (requires a valid OS 9 System Folder on the same startup volume). Classic will not, however, provide the full set of hardware drivers and some OS 9 extensions will not work there.

For and anyone with printer/scanner issues: the visible printing features come from the driver the running OS is using. The active OS is the one that talks to USB devices; you cannot have one device fully driven by two OSes at once. If the OS X printing interface lacks options you had under OS 9, either boot natively into OS 9 (so the OS 9 driver is used) or hunt for a native OS X driver or an updated PPD/driver (vendor site or community drivers). Scanners likewise need a driver for the OS you boot into.

Practical tip: keep shared data on a partition both OSes can read, install drivers for each OS when available, and use the Option-key boot for quick switches. If switching becomes too frequent, consider consolidating to the OS that supports the software and hardware you use most.

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Member Avatar for sasha

What headaches? My Mac runs 9 and X and there is no problem anywhere. The appropriate OS is opened up for whatever app I run. The machine shipped with Jaguar and was upgraded to Panther with no problems. Or perhaps I don't understand your question

Member Avatar for hasset

I have a similar problem and question. My G4 Mac has two start up disks: Mac OS 9.2.1 and Mac OS X 10.2.3 on the hard drive. I have an epson printer (stylus 1270) that worked well on OS 9. When my daughter put OS X on the computer (classic), we had to get a new plug in for my printer. Epson doesn't make plug ins for printers to use on OS X. The plug in came from Apple and it is in the Print Center. There are fewer things to select in the Print center set up. For instance, I no longer can select Photo Enhance or to get sepia. All the art work I used to print when I only had OS 9 looks just awful when I use my printer on OS X. I am wondering if I could select OS 9.2.1 for start up and then put my printer back on that one and still use it that way. I have a new Epson scanner that works fine on OS X. Both the printer and scanner are on USB bus 1. Would both have to be on OS 9.2.1? I don't know much about computers and my kids who work on the computer for me are out of town for extended times. I am afraid to change too much without asking someone. Is a printer called an application? Thank you, Hasset

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