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Transferring files to PowerBook 180c

Hi everybody. I just acquired an old PowerBook 180c with only a floppy drive for removable storage and I'm wanting to know the best way to transfer large-ish (in terms of floppy disk capacity) files to it. I have acess to a PowerMac G3 Blue & White with both OS9.2.2 and Tiger on it, however I only have a USB floppy drive which OS9 doesn't seem to recognise. I'm wondering if there's a piece of software that's compatible with both Tiger and Classic Mac OS that I can use to split up games/programs into volumes that are small enough to fit onto a floppy (like WinRAR and 7Zip have fuctions that allow you to split to multiple volumes) and then re-combine them on the PowerBook.


ANy help would be appreciated!

PowerBook, Mac OS 8.6 or Earlier

Posted on May 30, 2013 3:02 PM

17 replies

May 31, 2013 7:31 AM in response to Community User

Hello,


Disk Copy 6.3.3 (at least when running under certain operating systems) has the ability to segment a large disk image. Basically, it is the method used for the nineteen files (US) System 7.5.3 download. This could possibly be one idea to look into in your case (the USB floppy drive may or may not be a problem).


support.apple.com/kb/DL1262


http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/Utilities/Disk_Copy/


http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/System/Older_System/System_7.5_Version_7.5.3/


Another idea could be to set up a null-modem connection between the PowerMac G3 Blue & White (a USB-to-serial adapter is needed there) and the PowerBook 180c. If necessary, a similar method can be used from a PC (which may have a built-in serial port), but any downloaded Mac program files must be kept encoded (MacBinary or BinHex) or compressed (StuffIt) for protection until on the PB 180c.


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4974860


Jan

Jun 1, 2013 4:21 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

Addendum


A quick look at 00cmp-abstracts.txt below shows a number of shareware utilities capable of segmenting/splitting files. These programs were typically intended for System 7.x computers (like the PowerBook 180c), but you may want to carry out a few experiments to see whether they would work with Mac OS 9 as well.


http://ftp.funet.fi/pub/mac/info-mac/_Compress_&_Translate/


BTW, since you mentioned that the USB floppy drive was not recognised under Mac OS 9, from where are you going to transfer floppies? Is the USB drive OK under Mac OS X (10.4.x), or do you have access to a PC (perhaps even with a built-in floppy drive)? If necessary, it should be possible to create compressed archives or segments using Mac OS 9, and then transfer the resulting small files to another platform to be copied to floppies there (additional MacBinary or BinHex encoding may be needed first).


Jan

Jun 1, 2013 7:37 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

The USB floppy works under Tiger, but not OS9. Tiger steadfastly refuses to restore the images to a floppy, and of the compressed files I can transfer to the PowerBook via floppy (i.e. sit files) don't do anything. I've tried various versions of Sutffit Expander (up to 4.0.2) and none of them acknowledge that my sit file exists.


Nothing seems to be working.

Jun 1, 2013 8:23 AM in response to Community User

Some compressed .sit files require a more modern version of StuffIt Expander (such as 5.5). I do not know whether this could be the problem here, though.


If you try the following for a basic transfer and MacBinary decoding test:


Download a simple utility like Disk Copy 4.2 to your Power Macintosh G3 Blue & White. Keep the file exactly as it is (.bin). Do not decode anything. Copy the file onto a floppy. Move the floppy to the PB 180c. Drag the .bin file onto the StuffIt Expander icon in order to decode it (or open the file from within the utility, do not just double-click on the .bin file). The result should be a self-expanding archive (.sea), which does not require StuffIt Expander. Does the transfer work OK thus far? When unpacking the self-expanding archive, do you get a properly operating Disk Copy (4.2) program?


http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/Utilities/Disk_Copy/


Jan

Jun 1, 2013 9:24 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

As far as Stuffit Expander 4.0.1 is concerned, Disc_Copy_4.2.sea.bin doesn't exist. I can't extract it.


If I can only get one thing on the PowerBook, I want it to be this. But the .sit file isn't recognised by any of the versions of Stuffit I've been able to get onto the PowerBook, and uncompressed it's too big to fit onto a floppy disc.


http://macintoshgarden.org/games/rescue

Jun 1, 2013 10:14 AM in response to Community User

If an unaltered downloaded Disk Copy 4.2 .bin file cannot be decoded (when dragged onto the StuffIt Expander icon or opened from within this utility on the PowerBook 180c), something may be wrong with the StuffIt Expander program. This is (normally) an uncomplicated transfer.


Please note that you should see a special StuffIt Expander program icon, not a generic one. If there is merely a generic icon, see this article:


http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2344


If you have access to a Windows PC with a floppy drive, you could create a Macintosh disk containing a ready-to-use StuffIt Expander installer for Macintosh:


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4974860?answerId=21898244022#21898244022


Jan

Jun 1, 2013 10:43 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

Just tried that and it's exactly the same as before. StuffIt Expander refuses to recognise the files exist when I run it and click FIle>Expand, and dragging the compressed archive onto it does nothing either. It doesn't even try.

Jun 1, 2013 11:35 AM in response to Community User

OK, then the files appear to have been damaged in transit. You are absolutely sure that nothing has been decoded on the downloading computer?


One could of course transfer files on PC-formatted 1.44 MB diskettes from a Windows PC. However, in order to read PC disks, a PC Exchange control panel (part of System 7.5.x) must be installed and active on the PowerBook 180c. If the PB 180c is running System 7.1, you have to manually install an Apple File Exchange program instead (on the Tidbits system floppy). Which system version is on the PB 180c? Usually, a floppy transfer like this is not complicated. Just keep all files unaltered (.bin for the Disk Copy 4.2 test download).


Alternatively, TransMac or a similar PC utility would allow Mac-formatted floppies to be used on the Windows PC.


Jan

Jun 1, 2013 11:35 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

I'm wondering if the OS just needs to be reinstalled, there are some screwed up file associations (like sit files being associated with StuffIt Expander 1.5.1, even though I removed it) and I've never had this much trouble getting something to work on a Mac, though I've never used anything older than 7.5 till now. I'm having trouble finding a version of 7.1 that will install on it, it just says that it needs a newer version.

Jun 1, 2013 12:09 PM in response to Community User

Have you tried starting the PowerBook 180c with Extensions Off (hold down the Shift key during startup)? Any change? Also, although it should not make a difference, you could try resetting the PRAM (and rebuilding the Desktop, see the article above). Has the file system been verified by Disk First Aid?


http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379


The PowerBook 180c needs System 7.1 AND a special System Enabler. Apple does not provide System 7.1 for download.


http://support.apple.com/kb/TA47341


System 7.5.3 is available for download from Apple (see link above), but the transfer question must be solved first. Also, it is much easier to create a startup floppy on the PowerBook 180c. If you have not done this yet, you may want to test a Disk Copy 4.2 and Network Access Disk 7.5 download and floppy transfer via a PC.


http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/Utilities/


Jan

Jun 1, 2013 12:07 PM in response to Jan Hedlund

Rebuilding the desktop file repaired StuffIt to the point that I could drag and drop the Disk_Copy_4.2.sea.bin and it extracted it. However the Rescue.sit archive still refuses to do anything.

Jun 1, 2013 12:19 PM in response to Community User

OK, then it should be possible to transfer and decode/decompress most files. If a .sit file possibly requires StuffIt Expander 5.5, you may have to locate/download/transfer/decode this version. I am not sure that 5.5 will run under your existing PowerBook 180c operating system, though. If not, download/transfer/decode/decompress Disk Copy 4.2 and Network Access Disk 7.5. Create a sector-copied floppy from the Network Access disk image (the Make A Copy button in Disk Copy 4.2) on the PB 180c. Start the computer from the Network Access floppy, and try to decompress.


Jan

Jun 1, 2013 1:01 PM in response to Jan Hedlund

I found a copy of StuffIt Expander 5.5 and somehow managed to install it, despite the warnings of OS not supported and lack of RAM. It took over 10 minutes to extract rescue.sit, but I'm finally up and running with my favourite game. Now all I need to do is upgrade the RAM and the OS to 7.5.3. I don't suppose you'd know of a place that sells RAM upgrades for it? A quick eBay search turned up nothing, and the site I used to buy old Mac parts from has gone.


Many thanks for your help, it's much appreciated!

Transferring files to PowerBook 180c

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