Q: Macintosh SE startup Problem (diskette and a interrogation sign)

Carlos,

No, a PC floppy drive does not have the ability to work with the variable speed needed for the 800K Mac format (a PC-formatted 2DD/DSDD disk is 720K).

The Disk Copy 4.2 utility is for Mac only.

Jan

>I have found a Macintosh LC III

Yes, that would be fine. You will need an appropriate Mac monitor (and of course an ADB mouse and a keyboard).

It would be easier if the computer is supplied with system software. If not, it is possible to at least create a bootable Network Access Disk 7.5 (Mac) floppy directly on a Windows PC.

Jan

For this purpose, the Power Macintosh 7200/120. It has both a CD-ROM drive and Ethernet. This means that you could more easily transfer files from a PC (an iso CD-R should work fine), or you could connect the 7200/120 to the Internet via the LAN ports of a router.

http://support.apple.com/kb/sp347

In this case, make sure that you get a system software CD (see the supported system versions under the link above), since a bootable floppy for this computer cannot be created on a Windows PC.

Jan

That appears to be an old link to the System 7.5.3 software. That system software can now be found here:

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

System_7.5.3_01of19.smi.bin

System_7.5.3_02of19.part.bin

etc to

System_7.5.3_19of19.part.bin

(see the System_7.5.3_Info.txt file for details)

Yes, you could per se burn the nineteen files (as they are, MacBinary encoded .bin) onto an iso CD-R, and transfer them to the 7200/120. However the Mac must then contain an operating system with at least the necessary CD-ROM extensions. The System 7.5.3 download does not produce a bootable floppy nor a bootable CD. The idea is merely to transfer the nineteen files to the hard disk, decode them (using StuffIt Expander), and carry out the installation. The nineteen files together constitute one large disk image.

So, unless the 7200/120 has an operating system on the hard disk, you would need an appropriate original bootable system CD. This could be either a machine-specific disc (probably 7.5.3) for this very computer or a System 7.6 to Mac OS 9 generic retail CD (for all Macintosh computers). It must not be a CD for another specific computer (such as an iMac).

Jan

EDIT: The link in your second message is unknown to me (it appears to be a Spanish version of the same 7.5.3 system).

Addendum

I should add that System 7.5.3 can only be used on a hard disk that is formatted HFS (Mac OS Standard), not HFS+ (Mac OS Extended). The same is true for System 7.6 and Mac OS 8.0.

An HFS+ (Mac OS Extended) formatting would require Mac OS 8.1 or later.

At least the first two monitors should be OK to use with the 7200/120.

http://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/0/MA737/en_US/0340012APM7200UGRV2.pdf

Jan

The first two monitors ought to work with an LC III, but would in this case be limited to a fixed resolution of 640 x 480 (without a video adapter).

With enough RAM installed, System 7.5.3 can be used with the LC III.

http://support.apple.com/kb/SP209

If necessary, it is possible to connect the SE, LC III and 7200/120 to a LocalTalk network via the printer ports (the SE may need additional RAM and System 7.0).

Jan

Carlos,

1. Which operating system does the LC III have (se under 'About This...' from the Apple menu)?

2. Does it have a PC Exchange control panel (in the Control Panels folder in the System Folder)?

3. Do you have StuffIt Expander on the LC III? If not, please post back for instructions about how to get a working version (via a Windows PC). This is a necessary utility.

4. Are you using a Windows PC (with a floppy drive) for downloads from the Internet?

5. Go to the Apple site instead:

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

Disk Copy 4.2 is under the following section:

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

The direct link is:

http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/Utilities/Disk_Copy/Disk_Copy_4.2.sea.bin

6. You will find System 6.0.8 (800K) under the following direct links:

http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/System/Older_System/System_6.0.x/SSW_6.0.8-800k_Disk1o f4.sea.bin

http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/System/Older_System/System_6.0.x/SSW_6.0.8-800k_Disk2o f4.sea.bin

http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/System/Older_System/System_6.0.x/SSW_6.0.8-800k_Disk3o f4.sea.bin

http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/System/Older_System/System_6.0.x/SSW_6.0.8-800k_Disk4o f4.sea.bin

7. Alternatively, if the Macintosh SE has 1 MB of RAM or less, System 6.0.3 (800K only) can be found here (direct links):

http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/System/Older_System/System_6.0.x/SSW_6.0.3_Disk1of4.se a.bin

http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/System/Older_System/System_6.0.x/SSW_6.0.3_Disk2of4.se a.bin

http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/System/Older_System/System_6.0.x/SSW_6.0.3_Disk3of4.se a.bin

http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/System/Older_System/System_6.0.x/SSW_6.0.3_Disk4of4.se a.bin

8. Real 2DD/DSDD diskettes (not HD) will be needed in order to create 800K disks.

Jan

Addendum/correction

7. A Macintosh SE would have 1 MB of RAM minimum.

8. If you do not have access to real 2DD/DSDD for 800K right now, a piece of tape can be wrapped around the corner to cover the extra square hole (the one without a write-protect tab) in an HD diskette as a very temporary solution. The magnetic materials are not the same, and this may or may not work (and if it works to begin with, it may not work a few minutes later).