I just got a new powerbook g4, and theres this game Ive always loved that I am dying to play on it and I've somehow managed to aquire the game after much searching, but it only runs on os 9 and i have os X and I bought my computer used from the mac store and was given to me as is without any proper documentation or CDS, so how can I either, a. get the proper classics file and folder setup without buying the cd or b. is there an emulation program I can use as a substitute for having the os 9 files, that is freeware? thanks much -T

The answer to both is NO Your thinking way too much like a PC or UNIX user. Classic is a copy of Mac OS 9.X.X installed on the HD, All macs after the dual/single G4's are not allowed by either their ROM, or not supported to boot from it. But it IS a full fledged OS installed right beside Mac OS X. Go on to eBay and find a copy of Mac OS 9.2.2, or find the original CD's for your machine on eBay. There is NO emulator except old 68000 emulators and such. But those are not needed considering the code to emulate the 680X0 is all ready built into the ROM, as with all apple PPC's. God I hate Mac OS X. Long live Mac OS 7.5.3!!!

Tarbush, have faith. I am a newly converted OS X fanatic - my 9.2 G3 Laptop (6 and a half years of faithful service) finally bit the dust about a month ago, I upgraded to a new G5 with Tiger, and am NEVER looking back (even though I remember not just System 7, but all the way back to the first all- in-one Mac, even the Apple IIs!!!) The 'Classic Environment' was not installed as a default on my computer - it needs a proper OS 9.2.2 folder (not just any old 9.x.x), which I had as a 2nd DVD with the computer. HOWEVER, I simply copied my old 9.2.2 system folder from my old laptop drive (removed from the laptop, and fitted into a €20 external case - this was a GODSEND!), and when I attempted to start an OS 9 program, Tiger found the old foler, updated the files it needed to, and off it went. The only problem was a slow startup (4-5 mins), with multiple 'Connection to Server failed' messages. BUT, clear out ALL references to your old system, like aliases, Apple Menu 'last used', preferences of programs looking for 'recent files', Sherlock aliases, and other things (look for other posts on this site), and you'll get a blindingly fast startup - mine takes about 15 seconds. I can only add, apart from one crash caused by a s---ty beta printer driver, in a desparate attempt to replace the Epson cheapy driver for OS X, I have had NO crashes in a month (which, after 5 new Macs in the last 14 years, is a first), am gob-smacked by pretty much everything, and am trying to convert EVERYONE I know to Tiger ;-) !! Mac OS X 10.4.2 Tiger kicks ass !!!!