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I need System 7 for use on my Color Classic?

Hello Apple Community -


I've fired up my old Macintosh Color Classic and it has the hard drive but has been completely wiped down to the bones. I need to find the ENTIRE collection of System 7 image files to stick on floppies that my Color Classic can directly boot into.


I've seen a whole bunch, but the only issue is they have to be mounted while already inside the operating system. I need image files I can somehow put onto a floppy and make it so my Color Classic will directly boot into them.


Cheers,


~Nick

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8), No iSight camera, PowerPC G5 2.0GHz

Posted on Dec 7, 2013 7:43 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Dec 7, 2013 9:11 PM

Hello Nick,


You need minimum System 7.1 and a special enabler for the computer in question.


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


System 7.5.3 (no enabler required in this case) is available for download from Apple.


http://www.info.apple.com/support/oldersoftwarelist.html#system


(System_7.5.3_01of19.smi.bin ... System_7.5.3_19of19.part.bin)


However, as you apparently have noticed, this is not a conventional floppy-based system, although it is possible to transfer the individual files on 1.44 MB diskettes. The idea is to put all nineteen files on the hard disk, decode the .bin, mount the large disk image and launch the installer.


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/System_7. 5.3_Info.txt


With a computer with an empty (but properly Mac-formatted) hard disk, you could use a Network Access Disk 7.5 as a startup floppy. If the system folder of the floppy then is drag-copied to the hard disk, you would have a temporary operating system (this would free the floppy drive for subsequent file transfers). The Network Access Disk 7.5 download contains a Disk Copy 4.2-style disk image, which can be handled by Disk Copy 4.2 (the Make A Copy button) or 6.3.3 (the Make a Floppy command under the Utilities menu) on another pre-1998 Mac. Methods for handling such a disk image on a Windows PC and on (at least certain) Mac OS X computers have been described as well.


http://www.info.apple.com/support/oldersoftwarelist.html#util


Jan

4 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Dec 7, 2013 9:11 PM in response to T0XiiC IVIAGICZ

Hello Nick,


You need minimum System 7.1 and a special enabler for the computer in question.


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


System 7.5.3 (no enabler required in this case) is available for download from Apple.


http://www.info.apple.com/support/oldersoftwarelist.html#system


(System_7.5.3_01of19.smi.bin ... System_7.5.3_19of19.part.bin)


However, as you apparently have noticed, this is not a conventional floppy-based system, although it is possible to transfer the individual files on 1.44 MB diskettes. The idea is to put all nineteen files on the hard disk, decode the .bin, mount the large disk image and launch the installer.


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/System_7. 5.3_Info.txt


With a computer with an empty (but properly Mac-formatted) hard disk, you could use a Network Access Disk 7.5 as a startup floppy. If the system folder of the floppy then is drag-copied to the hard disk, you would have a temporary operating system (this would free the floppy drive for subsequent file transfers). The Network Access Disk 7.5 download contains a Disk Copy 4.2-style disk image, which can be handled by Disk Copy 4.2 (the Make A Copy button) or 6.3.3 (the Make a Floppy command under the Utilities menu) on another pre-1998 Mac. Methods for handling such a disk image on a Windows PC and on (at least certain) Mac OS X computers have been described as well.


http://www.info.apple.com/support/oldersoftwarelist.html#util


Jan

Dec 9, 2013 5:25 PM in response to Jan Hedlund

Hi Jan! Thanks for the reply.


I've downloaded all 19 parts of the System 7.5.3 download you linked me.


My only issue is, the hard drive in the computer is shot. The Quantum LPS drive's got the head park lock locking mechanism jam.

After I replace the hard drive with another one, can I boot up using the Network Access Disk and from there format the drive and install 7.5.3?


One last question,


How would I create these install disks? As you said I can't just drag the 7.5.3 files onto a floppy. Is there a Windows program I can use to properly put these on the floppies as I don't have access to an actual Classic OS?


Cheers,


~Nick

Dec 11, 2013 10:53 AM in response to T0XiiC IVIAGICZ

Hi Nick,


>After I replace the hard drive with another one, can I boot up using the Network Access Disk and from there format the drive and install 7.5.3?


It depends on whether the SCSI hard drive has an appropriate basic formatting or not. If yes, you should be able to boot from the Network Access floppy and initialise the hard disk via the Erase Disk command under the Special menu. If not, you would need a disk tools floppy with a suitable formatting utility.


Apple HD SC Setup 7.3.5 is a formatting utility for hard drives with an Apple logo (that have not been reformatted by a third-party application). For other hard drives, a third-party program (such as Lido 7.5.6) would be needed.


http://www.info.apple.com/support/oldersoftwarelist.html#util


It is possible to modify a Network Access floppy to hold a small utility like Apple HD SC Setup 7.3.5. However, this would normally require access to a fully working old (approx. 1991-1997) Macintosh computer.


>Is there a Windows program I can use to properly put these on the floppies as I don't have access to an actual Classic OS?


You would need a Windows program (something like TransMac) that can handle Mac floppies (1.44 MB) on a PC. Download all nineteen files in the MacBinary (.bin) format. Keep the files as they are. Do not attempt to decode or decompress anything on the PC. Copy the files one at a time onto Mac-(re)formatted 1.44 MB HD diskettes. Then move the floppies to the Color Classic (once it has a temporary operating system).


On the Color Classic, place the nineteen files in a common folder. Now, use StuffIt Expander to decode the MacBinary (.bin). Do this by dragging each transferred file onto the StuffIt Expander icon, or by opening each file from inside the StuffIt Expander utility. If you do not have a proper version of StuffIt Expander for the old Mac, you may want to try this:


Download the MACDISK.EXE file from the following web page onto a PC (capable of running a DOS program).


http://rrzs42.uni-regensburg.de/Macintosh/files/macftp.html


Next, prepare an empty PC-formatted 1.44 MB HD floppy via the FORMAT A: command under DOS or the "full" formatting option under Windows. Do this even if the floppy had been formatted earlier.


Run the MACDISK.EXE (DOS) program on the PC. Follow the instructions on screen. The result will be a Mac-formatted (sic!) floppy complete with a ready-to-use StuffIt Expander 4.0.1 installer for Macintosh.


Jan

Dec 11, 2013 2:02 PM in response to T0XiiC IVIAGICZ

>How would I create these install disks? As you said I can't just drag the 7.5.3 files onto a floppy.


Please note the difference between the System 7.5.3 files and the Network Access Disk 7.5 file.


The nineteen System 7.5.3 files are merely parts of one large disk image. You can drag-copy these the nineteen .bin files onto 1.44 MB floppies, thus making it possible to transfer the files to the Color Classic hard disk.


The Network Access Disk 7.5 download contains a disk image which has to be written to a floppy (sector copy) using a special disk image handling program. On another older (1991-1997) Macintosh, the program in question would be Disk Copy 4.2 (or 6.3.3).


It is also possible to write the Network Access Disk 7.5 disk image to a floppy on a Windows PC or on a Mac OS X computer using special sector-copying techniques. Since you do not have another old Macintosh computer, you would have to investigate these alternatives. Having a boot disk is absolutely necessary. See the links below for additional information (once again, only of interest for creating a Network Access Disk 7.5 bootable floppy).


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5546633?answerId=23801121022#23801121022


http://lowendmac.com/brierley/08pb/classic-mac-boot-floppy.html


I should add that I have not tested the Mac OS X procedure.


Jan

I need System 7 for use on my Color Classic?

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