PowerBook 180 software issues

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2012, October 17 - 4:13pm

atariangamer

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Joined: 2012 Feb 8

PowerBook 180 software issues

Oh look...I've come back.

Yes, after quite some time and an OS downgrade later, I've decided to get back to my PowerBook and make it a little nicer. First up, the specs: PowerBook 180, 120MB HD, 14MB memory, B&W screen, OS 7.1.1, and the latest and greatest: SCSI ZIP drive and a singular working disk.

Because the computer has quite a nice hard drive and memory, I was wanting to load some programs on it, mainly just M$ Word and a game or two. I have no gap bridging Mac to help turn floppy image files into physical disks, so I wanted to see about mounting them. I figured I would need Stuffit Expander, Disk Copy, and some image files...But every thing I've tried thus far won't work!

I wanted to get an opinion on this, because I've found that I can write disks by putting the img files through HFVexplorer and copying them to floppy disks (this is on a Windows machine). But I can also extract the disks into folders on the ZIP Disk and just straight copy them to the hard drive on the PB. But I know in some cases, like the M$ Word, the installation disks are all that's there, multiple ones. I just thought that mounting all the images and letting it install would be best.

That's kind of what I need help with. I got some programs on disk image, sometimes multiple images, and I want to install them without having to go through a Windows PC to write floppies. My primary transfer method is PowerMac G4 w/ OS 9.2.1 via ZIP to the PowerBook 180.

Any suggestions?

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2012, October 19 - 5:48pm

24bit

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Joined: 2010 Nov 19

Hello again!
Seems I dont quite understand the problem.
You do have a SCSI Zip dirve an can transfer your floppy images from the G4 to the PB, right? Either mount all floppy images the installer needs with DiskCopy on your PB - this will work sometimes, or write the images to floppy on the PB and run the installer from real floppies. Some installers need a floppy to be physically changed.

2012, October 24 - 5:22am

atariangamer

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Joined: 2012 Feb 8

Okay, sorry for the delay in reply.

That's the weird thing, Disk Copy isn't working. 4.2 won't open most of the disk images from the site here (unless I'm doing something wrong), and 6.3 won't even launch...I'm getting alot of weird errors. I've got the computer at home, but I can get it tomorrow and mess with it some again.

2012, October 24 - 8:25am

24bit

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Joined: 2010 Nov 19

I dont recall exactly when or with which MacOS DC6.3 was introduced. MacOS7.1 will maybe not run DC6.3. You might try 6.1 or creating DC4.2 images from the stuff you got with your G4. There is an option in DC6 for creating DC4 images.
BTW, DC6.2 is working for me in BasiliskII, MacOS7.1.
http://ubuntuone.com/36H9h4EoY45RQRYD4qOXvs

2012, October 24 - 8:43pm

atariangamer

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Joined: 2012 Feb 8

Ah, cool! Now...where is DC6.2? All I've found (on this site and with a cursory Google search) is 4.2 and 6.3.3

Trying to run the HyperCard 2.1 Disks using DC6.3.3 results in:

Sorry, a system error occurred.
"Disk Copy"
bad F-Line instruction

And then it makes me restart. So I guess it doesn't work on the 68030 in my 'Book? or I could just be stupid, I chose a heck of a computer to dive into 68k Macintoshes. My main experience is OS 9 and the G-Series...

2012, October 24 - 9:52pm

(Reply to #5) #6

MikeTomTom

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Joined: 2009 Dec 7

This is from the "Quick Reference" doc that accompanies Disk Copy 6.3.3

System requirements and supported features

Disk Copy requires System Software 7.0.1 or later and is a 'fat binary' for both PowerPC and 68K-based Mac OS compatible computers. Macintosh Application Environment 3.0 Update 4 or later is also supported; A/UX is not supported. Disk Copy features extensive Balloon Help and supports Drag and Drop (requires System Software 7.5 or later), AppleScript, PlainTalk Text-to-Speech, Navigation Services, and DigiSign digital signatures.

I can run this on a Mac SE on SSW 7.0.1 or higher, so I'm thinking your issue with Disk Copy is elsewhere. As in what condition it was in when you introduced it to the PB 180.

2012, October 25 - 2:42am

atariangamer

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Okay, I downloaded the package of all the Disk Copy versions that's on the site here, unStuffed it on my PowerMac G4, then transferred it to a ZIP Disk, which then gets read.

I've already gotten quite a few files to and from the 'Book via the ZIP, so its not a bad disk...

2012, October 25 - 3:00am

(Reply to #7) #8

MikeTomTom

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Joined: 2009 Dec 7

Is your zip disk HFS formatted?
Anyway, if you have the room on your PB 180, transfer the Disk Copy archive to your PB 180's hard drive and unstuff it on the 180's drive.

2012, October 26 - 8:40pm

atariangamer

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Yes, the disk is HFS standard formatted. OS 7 complained about it when it was HFS+, so I reformatted it using the PB, so all is good there.

Okay, thought I would try that when I got back to the Mac, and what do you know but the Disk Copy archive...contains an IMAGE FILE OF THEM ALL. Even worse, the official Apple download contains an SMI for 6.3.3, which I can't run because I don't have Disk Copy. So, I tried ShrinkWrap, and it exploded even worse, talking about traps and error type 8. So I tried copying the full disk image folder over (not just dragging the visible items) of disk copy, got rid of the ones I knew wouldn't work, and they still give me bad f-line instruction.

Its not just one image: its all of the images I've tried. with 32 bit addressing off (and on). I also just tried imaging one of my programs (AccessPC 2.0, the only disk my PB came with), and it gives me the bad F-Line...what's up? Do I have a dead Mac? (or at least one that won't mount Disk Images?)

That's what's weird, I've gotten a few other Mac OS 7 era programs (namely Word 5.0, Lode Runner, and Missile Command) working like a charm...

! just thought of one thing...that AccessPC thing? It came with a SCSI driver to help it detect PC drives (I reckon). I didn't have to load Iomega's official driver this time around, it automatically mounted. Could that be conflicting with something? I shouldn't think it would, but its so crazy now, I wouldn't be surprised.

Edit: Replaced 'xxx 7' by 'Mac OS 7' - IIGS User

2012, October 26 - 11:16pm

(Reply to #9) #10

MikeTomTom

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the official Apple download contains an SMI for 6.3.3, which I can't run because I don't have Disk Copy.

The SMI is an executable Disk Copy image, ".smi" stands for "Self Mounting Image" and it doesn't require Disk Copy to be installed on your Mac. All you (should) need to do is double-click its icon to mount it on your desktop.

Are you refering to this official Disk Copy 6.3.3 located at Apple Support? Its the file named "Disk_Copy_6.3.3.smi.bin" on that linked page.

Try moving that ".bin" intact, over onto your PB 180's hard drive. Don't extract it from the ".bin" until it is safely on the PB's disk. Once extracted from the bin, you can double-click the ".smi" to mount it. There is something obviously not working right here and I'm just trying to eliminate some possibilities.

That copy at Apple support is 100% OK so if that fails. Disable AccessPC as it really could be the culprit as you suspect.

AccessPC IIRC, was around early on before Apple had their own "PC Exchange" and it wasn't to be trusted. Its possible that its interpreting any attached drive as something it needs to "Maccify" the contents of. You should be able to move ".bin" or ".sit" over though. At present you should be wary of attempting to work with files if they're on that zip disk. Move files to a PB's hard drive folder 1st before extracting their content, to eliminate that possibility of corruption happening on the zip disk

2012, October 27 - 8:24pm

#11

atariangamer

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Joined: 2012 Feb 8

Now it works! Thanks for all the help!

I got the official Iomega drivers onto the 'Book and deleted all traces of the AccessPC software, and as a precaution, still put the all the compressed files onto the hard disk before extracting and running. But all my Hypercard disks and Word disks are mounting now.

Thank you so much, hopefully I won't run into something this bad again...But I'll definately know where to come if I do!

2012, October 28 - 1:57pm

#12

Ilovetheoldones

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Joined: 2012 Jun 3

" I chose a heck of a computer to dive into 68k Macintoshes. My main experience is OS 9 and the G-Series..."

I know how that feels, I picked a Macintosh SE with an 800k (or so I thought) drive.