can i install system 7 on a zip drive?

Hello,

A Zip drive can be connected to a Macintosh Plus. The following web page has further information about this:

http://www.vintagemacworld.com/pluszip.html

System 7 requires at least 2 MB of RAM. In order to connect a 68000 processor machine to the Internet, you should really have the maximum amount of RAM, though (in this case 4 MB).

An older Internet FAQ could possibly be of interest to you:

http://www.knubbelmac.de/spiegel/mac-internet-faq-2002-12.html

You may also need access to another appropriate approx. 1991-1997 Macintosh computer (with a floppy drive for both 800K and 1.44 MB) to be used as an intermediary for software downloads.

System 7.1 came on 1.44 MB floppy disks, which cannot be used directly on a Macintosh Plus. A full US System 7.0 on 800K floppy disk images contained in a larger self-mounting image (.smi) is available for download from Apple:

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

http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/System/Older_System/System_7.0.x/System_7.0.smi.bin

Jan

>I will try to install system 7 directly from the link you gave me (I will use TransMac for Windows to build floppies, as this is my only "classic computer").

Unfortunately, a Windows PC and TransMac are not able to handle the special 800K Mac format on DSDD/2DD diskettes (only 1.44 MB on HD diskettes). This is because the 800K Mac format requires a floppy drive with a variable speed (a PC floppy drive does not have this, and can thus only work with a 720K PC format on DSDD/2DD).

A 3.5" DSDD/2DD diskette has one square hole (with a write-protect tab). An 3.5" HD diskette has two square holes (one with a write-protect tab and one without). Also, there is an HD mark on the HD diskette.

So, you will have to locate another semi-old Macintosh computer (from the period approx. 1991-1997) if you wish to decode and mount the self-mounting image and then create properly sector-copied 800K disks from the individual disk images. There are many models to choose from. Preferably a machine running at least System 7.5.3, with both built-in Ethernet and a CD-ROM drive.

In order to create floppies from 800K disk images, the Disk Copy 4.2 utility (the Make A Copy button) is used.

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

Jan

>if it is possible to write files on my intel mac using a usb zip? (i'd have to buy 2 zip drives that is...)

In principle, it is possible to write files to a Mac-formatted Zip disk via a USB Zip drive connected to a modern Mac (or even a PC, with an appropriate utility for the handling of Mac disks). These files could then be read on an older Mac through a SCSI Zip drive. However, in reality it is much more difficult. For example, Mac OS X 10.6 and later cannot write plain HFS (Mac OS Standard), only HFS+ (Mac OS Extended). Plain HFS is needed for machines prior to Mac OS 8.1. You could possibly use a Windows PC with something like TransMac for plain file transfers on a Zip disk, but it is not possible to run Mac programs there or mount a slef-mounting image.

The best way would really be to look for an inexpensive (System 7.5.3 or later) pre-1997 desktop Mac with Ethernet and a CD-ROM drive. That would allow you to decode MacBinary and BinHex files, decompress StuffIt archives, mount .smi files, move files from 1.44 MB to 800K Mac floppies, modify floppy disks, et cetera. Have a look at the models at, for example, lowendmac.com to begin with.

Jan

>Actually, is there a way to connect the two macs?

You could get some ideas from the web page below.

http://www.applefool.com/se30/

Generally speaking, files can be shared in many ways. Operating system differences lead to compatibility issues, though. An FTP server/client setup can often solve compatibility problems.

However, for your Macintosh Plus we are talking about an earlier stage, where system software and various other programs have to be installed first. A suitable intermediate machine is required for this.

Jan