Someone was messing with my Power Book 2400 and moved an OS file from its library location. Now I can't shut it down. So it looks like I need to reinstall the OS. I have the disk but it's a CD. This little guy only takes floppies -- via external drive. I've looked on eBay, but no floppy version of the OS. What do I do now?
I don't think there ever was an OS8 version on floppy disks.
What is the error message? Can you move the file back into place?
What is the alert message you received? Exact wording if possible....
I have to get my computer back from the techies (who couldn't fix it) to give you the exact message. It was something to the effect that some file was no longer where it should be, but it wouldn't let me go to wherever it is now to move it. Instead it says to start it up from the startup disk. Unfortunately that's on a CD and neither I nor the techies had a CD player with the connection needed to talk to my 2400 (pre USB, after all). I'll get the computer back tomorrow or day after and relay the message.
I have the computer back now. The message is:
The Finder could not start up because the following system library could not be found:
Appearance Lib
To start up, use the CD or floppy disks that came with your computer. To start up from a DC, hold the "C" key while startingup, or consult the User's Guide that came with your computer.
So, I can't move the file because I can't go past this message.
What do you have on hand for computer resources there? Obviously something other or else you wouldn't be able to reply to us, but also not a CD drive. What do you have on floppy disc, or on CD for Mac operating systems? Do you have another Mac with a floppy drive?
Since you don't have the optional optical drive for the PowerBook and we know that OS 8 was never available on floppy disks, was the computer networked when OS 8 was installed on its hard drive? There's a downloadable "OS 7.5 Network Access Disk," designed to fit on a 1.44 MB floppy disk, but you need at least OS 7.6 (the version that shipped with your PowerBook) to boot it. If you had the OS 7.6 Disk Tools floppy disk (which shipped with both the floppy disk and CD-ROM installer versions) and there was enough space to copy the OS 8 "Appearance Lib" file from the installer CD's System Tome ("TomeViewer" is required to extract it), your problem would be solved.
I have a Mac Mini, which has an internal CD drive. I have an external floppy drive for the 2400 that came with it and another USB one (to transfer files from the 2400 to my Mini).
I have the original CD in OS8 that came with the 2400, which always was a mystery to me since it didn't come with an external CD drive. As I recall the OS (called SSW then) was already loaded.
I don't have another Mac (with or without floppy). The Mini is my everyday Mac, which I use with a Cinema Display. Actually I haven't used the 2400 in years... I just charge it up from time to time so it doesn't die, in case I ever want to use it again. It's stayed alive all these years; it's a shame to have to give it up just because my dodo friend decided to mess with it.
The store I took it to said their CD drives were USB and so couldn't communicate with the 2400. The Apple store doesn't deal with older equipment.
Since you don't have the optional optical drive for the PowerBook and we know that OS 8 was never available on floppy disks, was the computer networked when OS 8 was installed on its hard drive?
I don't know what you mean by "networked."
If you had the OS 7.6 Disk Tools floppy disk (which shipped with both the floppy disk and CD-ROM installer versions) and there was enough space to copy the OS 8 "Appearance Lib" file from the installer CD's System Tome ("TomeViewer" is required to extract it), your problem would be solved.
I don't have the original floppies any more.
By networked, I mean connected to a LAN with other computers. Unless the hard drive had been physically removed from the Powerbook or the computer was connected to a network, the only other option for installing OS 8 would have been via an external CD-ROM drive.
If you don't mind spending $10 (USD), this individual is selling the OS 8 Disk Tools 2-disk set. Typically, one disk is designed to boot a 68K Mac and the other disk boots a PowerPC Mac. The latter is the one you need, but whether the seller would split the set is anyone's guess. I know nothing about the seller, and found him with a Google search for the Disk Tools floppy. If there's available space left on the Disk Tools disk, you could copy the Appearance Lib file. Unfortunately, you need to be running a pre-OS X version of the Mac OS to use "TomeViewer" and extract the file from its System Tome.
Have you tried booting the PB with Extensions Off? To do that, start it up, immediately press the Shift key, keep it held down until you get the Extensions Off message.
If this works, you should be able to look around for the AppearanceLib file and drop it back into the Extensions folder inside the System Folder.
It may be that the Extensions folder itself was pulled out of the System Folder - this will result in an inability to boot. The solution is to get the machine booted somehow and put the Extensions folder back into the System Folder.
That's certainly worth a try, because it does seem unlikely that the individual zeroed in on the AppearanceLib file and moved/deleted it. The greater probability is that the folder in which it resides was relocated from its location in the System Folder in one broad move.
I got as far as Extensions Disabled and a bit more booting and then the same awful message.
Jeff, I don't mind spending the $10 (actually the guy that caused all this grief will pay) but I'm not entirely clear on what to do after booting from the DiskTools disk.
If you can find a way to create a sector-copied floppy (the Make a Floppy command from the Utilities menu in Disk Copy 6.3.3) on an older Mac with a built-in floppy drive (or possibly a somewhat more modern computer with an external USB floppy drive, running an appropriate early operating system), there is a Disk Tools PPC file available for download from Apple.
http://support.apple.com/kb/TA25969
Also, a standard CompactFlash memory card in an inexpensive PC Card adapter for CF can be very useful. The PowerBook 2400 has PC Card slots, and can thus read the CF card. The CF card can be reformatted (they are normally supplied in a PC format) to Mac. If necessary, it is possible to copy the contents of (for example) an entire CD to a CF card. Data can be written to the CF card from a modern computer through a USB card reader. Some PowerBook computers do even allow you to start from a system folder on a CF card in a PC Card slot.
Jan
Jan, You helped me indirectly.
My head, overwhelmed from the technicalities, ifs, and the maybies you suggested, suddenly popped out a recollection of someone here from something like 5 years back who was a long-time avid Mac person. I sent him an email to see if he had the necessary CD drive and he said he did. Whoo hoo!! I just have to wait for hiim to return from the Philippines. No problem. So maybe in a week all will be well.
Thank you all for your valiant tries.
Where can I find OS8 installation floppies
