🚀 go-pugleaf

Matt Wilson <matt@zamboodle.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> Rebecca and Rowland <real-address-in-sig@flur.bltigibbet> wrote 
> > A working boot disc.  System 6.0.8 is what you need, but how to get it
> > is another matter - do you have any sort of physical access to a working
> > Mac?
> > 
> > ftp://ftp.apple.com/dts/mac/sys.soft/                    Sys 5.0 - 7.0.1
> > 
> > is a pointer to downloadable disc images of 6.0.8 - they're in BinHex
> > encoding (hqx) and need to be decoded to be of any direct use.  Decoding
> > them on a PC will lose the resource fork which is a Bad Thing.
> >
> 
> Ok, I can get access to a 'Power Mac' from the marketing department at
> work,
> but this doesn't have internet access, whereas I do from my PC.
> 
> Can I download the file to the PC, save it to floppies (PC format which
> apparently
> the Power Mac can read OK) and get that to decode it without the pesky PC
> corrupting it?

Just so long as you just download the files on the PC and don't do any
decoding, you'll have no trouble - stick the files on a PC disc, copy
them onto the PowerMac's HDD, drop them onto StuffitExpander, and all
should be fine.  You'll also need DiskCopy 4.2 (NOT version 6.anything),
and when you use DiskCopy to create real discs from the disc image
files, make sure you use freshly-formatted floppies that have had no
files put on them (not even ones you've deleted).

these urls should get you DiskCopy 4.2; ftp1.info.apple.com (etc) ought
to work too.

<ftp://ftp13.info.apple.com//Apple.Support.Area/Apple_SW_Updates/US/Maci
ntosh/Utilities/Disk_Copy_4.2.sea.hqx>
<ftp://ftp13.info.apple.com//Apple.Support.Area/Apple_SW_Updates/US/Maci
ntosh/Utilities/Disk_Copy_4.2.txt>

> And what does the Mac need to decode the file?  It's equivalent of 'Winzip'
> I suppose (which the PC versions says can decode HQX). 

You need something like StuffitExpander on the Mac to decode and
decompress the files - it's *probably* already on it (Find File from the
Finder's File menu should help track it down).  If not, you either need
to jump through hoops, or you can pick up any Mac magazine with a cover
disc of any sort and it'll have StuffitExpander on it.

> > It certainly is - but note that System 6.0.8 (the most recent OS you can
> > run off floppies) is really rather old so not a lot of modern software
> > will run - quite a lot of current(ish) software is too big to fit on
> > floppies even if it *can* run under System 6.
> 
> So long as it can accept words and save them I'm not fussed about the age -
> I presume there's an equivalent of 'wordpad' or 'write' on the Mac.

You can do quite a bit better - SimpleText is the nearest equivalent to
those, and it's not *terribly* useful as a WP, but there are other
applications that can be found.  Ask again when you've got the thing
going.

> > ftp://ftp.iele.polsl.gliwice.pl/pub/software/emulators/emul8.bydnet.com.
> > pl/Macintosh/HFSexplorer111.zip
> 
> Downloading as soon as I finish typing this.

Do tell if it *does* let you work with 800K Mac discs - I'm told that it
does, but I'm not sure I believe it.

> > Anyway, check the case: if it says `FDHD' or `SuperDrive' anywhere on
> > it, you've got a Mac with 1.4M floppies.  The 800K Mac format uses
> > variable rotational speed, but the 1.4MB format doesn't.
> 
> Nope the label say dual 800k floppies.  

:-/

> I've also had a look inside once I made a tool to get to the top two screws
> (they're in a deep hole!) and cleaned out the dust.  Low and behold the
> main PCB is dated 1987, as is the date code on the case.  Anyway, it has
> four 30pin SIMMs - the memory on the label at the back says it's 1Mb, so I
> presume 4x256k=1meg.

It might already have 4MB fitted to it - the label on the outside of the
box tells you what the machine was made with.

> I happen to have four unused non-parity 70ns 1meg SIMMS out of an old 386
> PC - will they go in OK to upgrade it?

If they're 30 pin SIMMs, they should be fine.  I think a 1987 SE is
probably kitted out with resistors that need fiddling with, rather than
the jump leads fitted to the later models (all subsequent Macs
autodetect the RAM fitted - not the SE, though).

According to the Apple Memory Guide,

Memory Information
DRAM Speed 150 ns
SIMM Type 30-pin
Soldered DRAM None
Number of SIMM Slots 4
Supported Sizes in MB 256K, 1
Maximum DRAM 4 MB
Virtual Memory No
Soldered VRAM None
Number of VRAM Slots None

Note: For a 2.5 MB configuration, clip one
lead of the resistors and move the resistor out
of the way so it can be reinstalled if
necessary.

DRAM Configurations
1 MB - Install four 256K SIMMs.
- Leave resistor R35.
- Remove resistor R36.

2 MB - Install two 1 MB SIMMs
(Slots 1 & 2).
- Remove resistor R35.
- Leave resistor R36.

2.5 MB - Install two 1MB SIMMs
(Slots 1 & 2.)
- Install two 256K SIMMs
(Slots 3 & 4).
- Remove resistor R35.
- Remove resistor R36.

4 MB - Install four 1MB SIMMs.
- Remove resistor R35.
- Remove resistor R36.

> And out of interest I note from nosing on the web that you can add a
> hard-drive to it.  SCSI I presume.  There is a large shrouded IDC type
> connector on the PCB as well - could it plug into there?  Or is it
> external?

You can fit a SCSI HDD inside an SE - getting it formatted for a Mac is
a different matter.  Best to ask on uk.comp.sys.mac when the need
arises. 

(there's a SCSI connector on the case too, so you could use an external
HDD if you wanted to).

> > Does that HP have a serial port?  
[snip]

Rowland.

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