can install os 9 after os x?

[photoshop48]

I have a machine where I've been using osX only. In fact, OS 9 isn't even installed. There are some things I would like 9 for though. Is it possible to install OS9 now that I have an OSX only machine, or should I format the drive and start over?

[chemistry_geek]

I think Apple's documentation states that if you want Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X on the same hard drive or partition, then Mac OS 9 needs to be installed first.

I have two hard drives in my computer, one is an aftermarket UltraSCSI and the other is the default UltraATA it came with. The UltraATA has always (and only) had Mac OS 9 on it and the UltraSCSI has only had Mac OS X. I don't think it matters which one is installed first if you're going to use a two hard drive configuration. I had to remove Mac OS 9 from the UltraATA hard drive due to a batched update session. I went without Mac OS 9 for about 4 months until I HAD to have it installed again. After installing it again, I just selected the hard drive where Mac OS 9 was located and Mac OS X launched Classic without any problems.

[Maximus]

Being a unix newbie, I took the advice of a friend who claimed to know all about Unix, though I really knew she didn't, because her ex-boyfriend was a major computer guru. When I was having some small problems with OS 9, early, after 10.2 was released - she recommended that I simply reinstall OS 9.

I did that.

It didn't cause me much problem in OS X. I'm pretty sure files are messed up, but OS 9 runs fine in OS 10. At least for my regular use. I have found no particular problems there.

The real problem comes when you want to boot up in OS 9. I don't need to do this anymore. However, I have an older Powerbook. When I did this, I had the hardware based DVD player in my Powerbook, and you could not use the OS X DVD player with that DVD player. So, in effect, I gave up playing DVD's. Since then, I transferred the hard drive to a reconditioned old powerbook with the software based DVD player. I can watch DVD's in OS X now.

The point of this is, it probably will cause you problems in booting up in OS 9 directly, but not using classic within OS X. I would guess that the reason for this is completely security related. If a hacker could simply install OS 9 to get complete access to your computer - then that would be a serious hole in the security of OS X.

I still intend to fix this, but backing up is also an additional wrinkle with the additional file information that needs to be copied when critical system files are backed up. I have to buy one of the back-up software programs - I'm not going to use the various scripts printed here - I simply am not that confident about my unix skills.

I hope this was vaguely helpful with regard to this question.

[RPS]

I had the exact opposite. Booting in OS 9 works perfect, in fact, I use it mainly, and Classic won't work. There, I thought I'd share.