Network OS 9.1 to OS X 10.5.8 and various Windows computers

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Level 1

9 points

Network OS 9.1 to OS X 10.5.8 and various Windows computers

Finally got an old PowerMac 6500 to talk to the internet. It took some time to find a network card and drivers.

But, I'm stumped as to how to get it to talk to the other computers on the network.

No server, just a router.

At this moment, the only Windows computer is a netbook with Win7 Starter, as the Windows desktop is down for repairs. When it's back up and running, it's a multiboot machine, it has Windows XP Pro, Vista Ultimate, and eventually Windows 7 Ultimate.

What do I need to do to the PowerMac so everybody plays nice?

Thanks.

iMac - Intel based, Mac OS X (10.5.8), 4 GB RAM, 1 TB hard drive

Posted on Apr 17, 2010 6:03 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

22,207 points

Apr 18, 2010 2:57 AM in response to snowshed

Hi,

For an overview regarding Windows and Mac OS 9 file sharing, this article could perhaps be of some interest.

Because of the complications with a network involving Mac OS 9.1, Mac OS X 10.5.8 and various Windows computers, one way may be to use FTP. That would mean an FTP server on at least one machine, and then connections via dedicated FTP clients or plain web browsers. Your Power Macintosh 6500, for example, should be able to use the now free NetPresenz server.

Another possibility could be web sharing (HTTP), which is part of many operating systems.

Jan

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Answer 2

Apr 18, 2010 9:20 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

When a Mac shares its files, it is referred to in the literature as a server, regardless of whether it is running Mac Server Software. OS 7.1 Personal File Sharing was still referred to as a server, because it was implementing that function.

The most capable computer (able to accommodate the most different protocols) will be your 10.5.8 Mac. You can connect a 6500 running OS 9.1 to it by using this procedure:

On the Older Mac: open the Chooser and select AppleShare. Your 10.4 or 10.5 Mac will NOT appear in the right-hand pane, because it does not speak AppleTalk File Sharing protocol. But do not despair!

It can speak IP protocol, if you ask it nicely. So click on the "Server IP Address" button on the bottom of the right pane, and enter the IPv4 Address of the 10.4 or 10.5 Mac.

The login screen that appears is sent to you from the 10.4 or 10.5 Mac. Enter a Username and password that is valid on the 10.4 or 10.5 Mac. Choose the drive(s) you want to mount, if there is a choice, and they will appear on the desktop of the Older Mac as shared Network Drives (Drive Icon with a cable coming out the bottom).

Drag whatever you like to the newly-mounted drive. It will appear on the 10.4 or later Mac. Try to resist the temptation to drag your whole drive all at once. Move smaller batches in a thoughtful way, and you should have no problems.

TA23008- Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger: "Connection failed" error when connecting to an AFP server

http://homepage.mac.com/car1son/os9xnet_nfilesharing.html

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Answer 3

snowshed Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 19, 2010 10:40 PM in response to Jan Hedlund

Jan,

Thanks for the link to the article. I've got it printed out, along with a couple others I've found.

I've not tried it yet, as I'm headed out of town for a few days. But when I come back, I'll see if I can get the PowerMac to talk to my netbook with Win7 Starter. I've only been partially successful in this endeavor getting the netbook to successfully share everything with the iMac. I'm suspecting a Leopard issue, as I've had the same problems with a couple Win7 desktops. And neither I nor my nephew can find any Win7 settings to be out of whack. 🙂

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Answer 4

snowshed Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 20, 2010 8:00 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Hi, Grant,

Thanks for the information.

It works........ sort of. :: sigh ::

But, I'm leaning towards the issues being a Leopard problem. Without posting details, I am thinking this for the following reasons:

1. Some folders that I have flagged as shared under Leopard will not open on my Win7 netbook. I have the same issue with Win7 at my inlaws' house. I assumed, at that time, that the issue was with Win7. That was my first exposure to Win7 and assumed it was something I did, or didn't do. Now, with the netbook, I've got the same problems. My nephew (who is very much into Windows) and I cannot find a single thing, on the netbook, that is set wrong or that I've missed. On the inlaws' Win7 computers, the sharing across their network works perfectly, as it does with my nephew's Windows computers.

2. Under OS 9.1 on the PowerMac, Leopard "stuff" did open automatically, although not quite the same as you've written, if I understand your post correctly. I don't know if it's lack of knowledge or not, but folders marked as shared under Leopard are placed on the desktop. This is not something I want.

3. Sharing flags under Leopard seem to be sometimes ignored when accessing a Leopard folder under either Win7 or OS 9.1.

4. In the Leopard forum, I've have a question as to why a folder name showed up garbled, and wanted to know why. No answer, but I did find a workaround that got me the folder contents.

All of this, as well as talking to Windows computurs on the network, may have to wait until the fall to solve. I'll be returning to my summer job shortly, as a steam locomotive engineer. That is my dream job! LOL

Plus, I'm also in the middle of rebuilding the Windows desktop that is part of the network.

But for the moment, I can used the old sneaker network and a thumb drive to get files where I need them. It's just a pain, since all computers are not in the same room.

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Answer 5

Apr 20, 2010 9:51 AM in response to snowshed

I think the main issues are differences of frame-of-reference.

Mac OS X does not happily accommodate the sharing of random files or folders. When you log in using a regular user ID, it wants to share ONLY the Public folder. To get access to a lot more, Apple articles suggest that you can log in using an Admin ID.

If you have managed to selectively share additional items, but do not have at least READ access to their enclosing folders, it will not show you their enclosing folders. You will get the folders to which you have access, "as if they were drives", which would be as free-floating icons on the desktop.

I do not know why OS 9 gets better access to Mac OS X files than Mac OS X, but I agree with you that it does.

I take advantage of Group access privileges on the Mac to allow files to be read by members of the Admin Group, then log in as a member of that Group. This allows me to have access to of all of a user's files to do backups, for example.

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Answer 6

snowshed Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 20, 2010 10:24 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I am fortunate enough to be in position being the administrator everywhere except the White House! LOL That's because, on my computers, I am the only user. Just cannot teach those cats how to read and write. 🙂

As a result, I don't have to selectively log in anywhere, I get logged in as the administrator. And in all locations, the administrator has full control. On the netbook, "Everyone" has full access to everything.

I need to do some reading on file sharing for OS 9, to see if selecting COPY in the sharing dialogue box works as I think it does.

It'll have to wait a couple of days, though.

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