[cantdecide]

Hi everyone,
I have a big issue now! I lost my iBook MacOS 9 CD and now I need to reinstall it. How could I do it? Can I borrom from friends or whatever? If it is possible, would MacOS9.1 CD do the trick?
Thanks.

[cantdecide]

Can anyone help me with information on whether Apple do sell the 'packaged CD set'? I am looking at buying a new set since can't do much without it.
Anyone who has some information on this, please let me know.
Thank you.

[pjskelti]

From a legal stand point, no disc, no licence. No licence, means no use.
So, yes you could borrow a friends, but it's not legally the right thing to do. The alternative is to get a new copy of OS 9 either via Apple, a reseller, or good old eBay.

[Earthling7]

No CD- no licence. Not true.
A licence to use software has nothing to do with having the CD at hand or not. You can buy volume licenses for most major software. You get the right to buy it on 10 or whatever computers, but you get only one set of CDs. Similarly, most OEMs (in the PC world) sell you a license to use Windows. The OS is pre-loaded and you get a sticker to prove you are allowed to use it. However, you get no CDs.
You can also buy a CD kit without a license. I sold an MS Visio (a 1000+ euros) disc kit to a company for 30 euros recently. They own several licenses. If you buy just those CDs, you are NOT allowed to use the software because you don't have the license.
If you buy a software and lose the CD, you are allowed to borrow or even download the software, as long as you still have the license to use it. So, lose your CDs, you can re-install from a different set of discs. Sell it on and you are not.
So, if you lost the CDs but haven't sold it on, by all means try to get the software from a friend or something. You already paid for the license.

[pjskelti]

Please, do me a favour!
I'm well aware about site licences, but let's stick purely with the problem at hand - a single user with a single Mac without the original CD to hand.
I also notice your and recent ex-Windows user, who's crossed over - been there, done that many years ago. The point being, this ain't anything to do with how Microsoft choose to sell their OS, either to the end user directly or to an OEM (Dell/IBM/Sony/Alienware/etc).
If I was generalising, then fair doos, but my reply was purely an solely in reponse to the specific problem the originator posted about.

[joetaxpayer]

pjs - if OS9 was the original install on this model, and the user didn't buy it second hand (with the original owner having sold the discs) would the presumption be that since this laptop came with the OS, the owner is still entitled to it? I pose this as a question since I really don't know how convoluted this gets.
I do know Apple frowns (as does Ebay) on original disc which came with the machine being sold seperately, or for a machine to be sold without a set of discs.
JOE

[pjskelti]

The ownership issue is a simple one - your usage of the OS on a Mac is based around you being in actual possession of the origianl discs supplied, or retail discs bought.
In respect of selling OS discs - yes, you're prefectly entitiled to do so, as you own them, but in doing so, you give up the right to use the OS that those discs provide and any subsequent updates.
In other words, I've an iMac that came with Jaguar (let's say), and I buy Panther today. 3 months from now, I buy a newer Mac (used/ brand new) which comes with Panther discs. I decide to sell the iMac - I can either leave Panther installed or go back to Jaguar and sell Panther separately. If I do the former, I should provide the buyer with the Panther discs, for him to legally be entitled to use Panther. I can either sell the Jaguar discs or just inc. them in the sale as well.
If I were to sell Panther separately and inc. only the Jaguar CDs, then the user is legally obliged to remove the Panther OS and install Jaguar, which is the only discs he has.
Of course, that's the way it SHOULD be done, to keep everything legit, but often times there'll be sellers and buyers doing what they shouldn't.

[joetaxpayer]

Ok, I'll propose an absurd (but possible) scenario;
I'm at school. My parents call to say the house burned down. My frat brother who is in pre-law, says, 'bummer, dude, now you have to go buy all the software you left in your bedroom closet at your old man's house, including the Mac OS"
Do I have this right? No CD, no license? Right?
JOE

[pjskelti]

Precisely! Why wouldn't you?
The "argument" trying to be made is akin to saying "I lost my entire CD collection, shouldn't I just be able to keep the mp3s" - the answer to which is yes, but only if you have backup CDs or replace with new ones.
Wonderful thing house insurance, along with contents coverage!
What ever way you try to justify it, you can't. The EULA pretty much says (I'm paraphrasing here) "You are allowed to install and use the SW provided on this disc until such times as you no longer retain ownership of the disc". Ownership meaning in possession of.
So, with that in mind, like CDs and DVDs, you should keep in a safe place or make a copy of your discs in the event of such an unfortunate situation.

[cantdecide]

Wow, should I apologise for starting a wrong topic? I didn't expect such 'heated' debate with the OS CDs.
Just 2 more questions, hope u can help me answer this.
1. Does MacOS license 'tie' to the CD or some sort of paper (like MS) or the machine (assuming the OEM/bundled license)?
2. Does AppleCare cover MacOS, especially MacOS CDs? I like to know abt this as mine is still under the 3-years AppleCare plan.
Cheers.

[pjskelti]

Nothing to apologise for! "It's all good", as they say in Yankee speak!! /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
The licence belongs with the CD, which contains the OS. The HW is purely a medium to enable you to make use of the OS. So, no CD, no computer usage unless another OS is being used e.g. Virtual PC, but then why bother as it's limited to g4s and runs like treacle off a spoon!
Applecare covers the HW and telephone support, and if an optical drive ate the OS CD and chewed it up without spitting it out, then you'd ikely get a replacement disc (it's not your fault), but not if you're careless with your handling or possession of the CD.
Think that clarifies the usage of Apple OSes on Apple computers, and concludes this "debate"! /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[cantdecide]

OK, thanks for your information. I guess there goes my CDs for my own mistake and carelessness in 'don't know where the heck did I store that CDs set'.
No choice but to check with local Apple center to see how else could I get the MacOS9 installed on my iBook now. Better prepare 'a fat wallet goes in, a slim-down wallet comes out' /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[pjskelti]

You could easily pickup OS 9 on ebay for a pitance.

[drmbb]

In reply to:

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If it is possible, would MacOS9.1 CD do the trick?

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Ignoring any legal arguments over where you get CDs for a reinstall - Yes, OS 9.1 will work to get classic back. You should then upgrade (to 9.2.1, then to 9.2.2) via software update, since 9.2.2 is the recommended version for the classic environment.