Mac OS 9.x - to - 10.x upgrade ... HELP?

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PowerBook :: Mac OS 9.2.2 -> 10.3 upgrade...
HELP?

Planning to do Mac OS 9.2.2 to 10.3.3 upgrade on
Powerbook G3 500MHz (Pismo) ...

After using MacOS since 1984, on five different
Macs... I am now going to bite the bullet and upgrade
my PowerBook (Pismo) from OS 9 to Panther...
(sweat pouring from brow...) OK, I am FINALLY
ready to take the plunge this weekend!   I want to do
a CLEAN install on a NEW internal drive. I do NOT
want to lose my old data or apps! (I am running
LOTS of OS 9 apps now... obviously.)

ODD, when I called Apple tech support for some
help, they said they "cannot support" my upgrade?

They referred me to an Apple Support Dealer for help
($$$).

I bought the Panther CDs at Fry’s, which should
come with 90 days AppleCare support... but Apple
says it cannot point me to any help or suggestions.

Meanwhile, the Panther documentation says almost
NOTHING on this situation... clean installing on new
drive... restoring old drive contents later... with Mac
OS X and Mac OS 9 partitions...

I just need a COOKBOOK/ recipe/ checklist... some
guidelines? Apple has nothing to offer... it seems.

HELP???

Now have 384 MB RAM, and will put the OLD 12 GB
internal drive into the NEW external case, then use
the new 40GB drive internally.   

Ideally, I think I may want to partition my new 40 GB
internal drive to prep for booting OS 9.2.2 / OS X /
Linux ... someday...

I have made a backup of my 12 GB drive on an
external drive -- it seems OK, but it seems
PowerBook does not support booting from an
external USB drive...

I have the original PowerBook Mac OS 9.0.2 install
CD, and downloaded the Mac OS 9.1, 9.2.1, and
9.2.2 updates from Apple ... do I really need to start
with OS 9.0.2 and go up to 9.2.2?

Objective: Boot the new internal 40GB drive directly
into Mac OS 9, or Mac OS X. A third partition for Linux
(someday) and/or a DATA-only partition. (I do not
want to repartition later...)

My current 12 GB Mac OS 9.2.2 internal drive is 95%
full. The new 40 GB drive has 9.0.2 installed and
works OK as an external drive, but I cannot boot from
it as an external FireWire drive... I can reformat that
drive as soon as I make sure it is also backed up.

Questions:

1. Partition size recommendations...
     a. 12 GB Mac OS 9 partition? to hold old drive
image...
     b. 15 GB Mac OS X partition? for new stuff...
     c. 10 GB data -- or maybe Linux -- partition?

2. Procedure recommendations...


HELP... Any resources out there? Suggeestions?

-- Geo