As CD/DVD drives and media ages, what you noted does happen. This is why I try duplicating that OS9 install media onto fresh media with a newer drive (something under 2 years old). Then I try that copy. If that fails I swap in a new DVDRW drive into the machine.
There are a few saves by cleaning the CD/DVD lens so always try that before replacing the drive.
Bob
<span id="INSERTION_MARKER"> I have an iMac DV Special Edition 400Mhz PowerPC G3 (Graphite) with upgraded 640MB RAM from 2000. It shipped with OS9. I later installed OSX (10.2.
around 2003 etc.
I had both OS9 and OSX all running perfectly. However, because my HD became full over the years with various software packages and versions affecting performance, I erased the entire HD and formatted it (Extended/HFS+ with OS9 drivers) to do a clean install of both OS9 and OSX. (Now before the criticism starts flooding in, yes, I know now that this was stupid and wreckless.)
Now I can only install OSX. The iMac does not recognise the original (orange cds)software restore or install discs that came with the machine. I even have the OS9.2 update disc (orange '9' on white cd) and the iMac does not recognise that either. I have repeatedly erased and formatted the HD to install OS9 in various ways but so far no luck.
Now before some of you start saying I should invest in new equipment, this is not my only mac, I also have a 2010 Macbook Pro. But I need to install OS9 on my iMac as well because I have some software packages that only run on OS9 eg SoundEdit 16.
So, is there a way to restore the original iMac software or set the machine back to factory default? You would think Apple would have covered this situation with a simple straight forward way to fix this. And I'm not the only one facing this problem as can be seen from postings on various forums. I am not familiar with Xtools or whatever it is called but I read somewhere there are 'packages' that restore the original factory settings. I also have the OSX Developer Tools cd that came with OSX. Is there any way I can use this perhaps to install OS9? Or is there is another way to install OS9? Please help me out. Any and all advice appreciated. Thank you.<span id="INSERTION_MARKER">

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