Problem solved: OS X / 9.2.2 boot drive switching

[ragbor]

Seems like I was the only one out here unable to boot from OS X on a dedicated partition until, with help from Apple support and you, I got it sorted out.

Top to bottom slot order in my brand new G4/800:
ATI Radeon 7500 stock video card
HD core card
empty
Adaptec 3940 dual SCSI card
Fuse card

After creating 3 partitions on the 40 gig internal drive, 10gig for OS X, 3 for 9.2.2 (with Pro Tools installed there) and the remainder for storage, wouldn't boot in OS X from the drive or OS X install disk.

Pulled HD core. No boot.
Pulled Fuse. No boot.
Pulled 3940. Booted!
HD core back in. Booted.
Fuse back in. Booted.
3940 back in. No boot.
Hung a terminated drive off both channels of the 3940. Guess what. Booted.
Took one drive off one channel of the 3940. No boot.
Ah ha....Mr. Mac don't like unterminated idle SCSI cards!

Here's the procedure Apple recommended to install OS X and 9.2.2:

Remove all cards (except display card).
Boot off OS X disk.
Ignore Language prompt and click on the Installer menu at top of screen.
Open Disk Utility.
Select the Erase tab.
Check the box: Install OS 9 drivers.
Use OS Extended format only.
Partition drive however you see fit. (At least 3 gigs for OS X, at least 1 gig for 9.2.2. I did 10gig/3gig/25 gig).
Continue with OS X installation on the 1st partion.
Reboot off 9.2.2 disk and install it on the 2nd partition.

Viola. Worked perfectly for me. Swaps boot disks like a mofo now. No freeze. Note: the spinning OS X color ball WILL freeze for 10 to 20 seconds after it appears but will resume it's spin and continue booting so don't freak.

I followed by putting all the cards back in, installing PT HD, OMS, etc. by the book. Taking the sage advice of Tweakhead and Digi Web Admin, I also turned off indexing within Sherlock (Command F to open Sherlock, Menu Bar->Find-> Index Volumes, uncheck all boxes next to drives under Use Schedule) and switched off the memory startup tests (hold Option + Command when opening Memory Control Panel and switch off Memory Startup Tests).

Everything works. I guess that means it's time to release PT in OS X.
[img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Many thanks to all here who helped me.

[Tweakhead]

Wow, that's a cool tip about removing all the cards, and then rebooting from the OS9.2.2 restore CD.

I could not for the life of me get the OS9.2.2 Restore CD to install without having OSX on the partition. I eventually just copied over the OS9 stuff to the other partition.

My friend is going to be stoked that the Adaptec SCSI card works too. Great tip about making sure that all SCSI branches are terminated too.

Thanks Ragbor. It's nice when people freely exchange their tips and workarounds here. That's what this place was built for.

[shadowbox]

Good news ragbor!

Could you clarify something? You installed OS 9.2.2 from the 9.2.2 boot CD you got with your G4 not the software restore discs, correct? Just curious.

[ragbor]

That's right, Chris. I used the single 9.2.2 install disk and the single OS X disk that came with the G4/800. Not the Software Restore 5 disk set.

[ragbor]

This site does indeed rock, thanks to you, Tweakhead, and other generous, informed folks. Such attitude is contagious. Long live DUC.

I should qualify the use of the Adaptec 3940 SCSI card. It works well as a means of copying stuff from drive to drive, but not as the messenger for session work. It just can't handle the data bursts. At least it co-exists in HD on the 9.2.2 system.