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Level 1

45 points

Powerbook 1400 does not read floppy disks or CDs

I am beginnig to think I should dump the contents of my Powerbook 1400 and reinstall an earlier OS.

I have had this Powerbook (1400c/166) from new and it has 9.1 installed (mostly...it seems!).

I duig it out and got it going again and tried to open its old SCSI Discs initially without success. The CD Drive boots and flashes but nothing at all appears on screen regardless of whether I insert original PB1400 Install CD or not.

The Floppy drive doesnt make a sound and no disk inserted comes up on screen.

I suspect I went a step too far installuing 9.1. While I have a SCSI Drive to dump to I am thinking of going back to OS 8.n - Again I have disks. Do I need a specific enabler?

My PBs only contact with the outside world is via Kingston Ethernet PCI card and link which works fine if a bit slow (for an MBP R/D user ;-) but I am wondering if I should get a USB/FW PC card which migfht allow me to connect my new Mac Superdrive or my older Formac CD/DVD drive.

Any thoughts guys...?

Colin in UK

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10), iMac + iPod + iPhone 4s 8.1+ Pismo +Time Capsule

Posted on Feb 2, 2015 7:38 AM

19 replies

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

22,255 points

Feb 6, 2015 10:10 AM in response to ColinY

Colin,

>SATA to SCSI converters are possible?

Yes, they exist (SCSI to SATA), but are expensive (£150 or so), and you would probably run into difficulties with drivers etc.

>I put a SCSI flash drive on the 475

There are CompactFlash adapters for a SCSI bus, but the same applies here (expensive and maybe driver issues).

Better would be to use the PC Card adapter and the CF card only between the Pismo and the PowerBook 1400. That should allow you to make the CF card bootable, transfer files, make backup copies, reformat the internal PB 1400 hard drive, install a new system on the PB 1400, reformat any SCSI drive connected to the PB 1400, use the PB 1400 as a link (SCSI disk mode or LocalTalk) to the LC 475, etc.

Jan

ColinY Author

Level 1

45 points

Feb 6, 2015 10:52 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

Hi Jan

You make me feel I am going down the right road!

I had though that I would buy a 68040 for the LC475 but I had thought it was just a matter of changing the chip. It seems not. I also want an internet connection for it but am waiting to see if that has to be 10BaseT...

Your advice on the costs of the IDE<>SCSI and SCSI<>Flash are what I have been finding too.

Having got the 475 working and recognising the replaced intenal disk I'll let it alone and focus on getting the PB and its Rodime until I have the flash etc through and as you say can get both moving ahead, as long as the Rodime will be recognised. Its almost empty now so I can drop off what I have on it and reformat etc on the 1400, then if the drive with the 475 and 1400 either sdie in a SCSI daisy chain can share the data from the internal drive and the OS. Its all getting sorted.

Easy q, for you - the Pismo was a gift from my daughter in Holland. It is running 10.4.11 in English but without Classic 9. I have an old LaCie floppy drive which is USB but will run on 9 not 10.4. Annoyingly the Classic CD comes up in Dutch! I speak the language well but not that well - how do I change it, please?

Colin

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

22,255 points

Feb 6, 2015 12:50 PM in response to ColinY

Colin,

regarding languages, the following discussion could perhaps be of interest.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/550728

>I also want an internet connection for it but am waiting to see if that has to be 10BaseT...

With System 7.1, MacTCP would have to be installed separately. System 7.5.3 (which was downloadable from Apple as late as last year) on the other hand contains the necessary TCP/IP software. With "classic networking" chosen in the Network Software Selector, the MacTCP and Network control panels would be visible and active. With "Open Transport networking" selected, TCP/IP and AppleTalk control panels would be used instead. If a network card is installed, Ethernet could be used. The Ethernet cable can be connected to one of the LAN ports of a router. Not many web browsers are available (iCab is one, the text-based WannaBe another). It is possible to run the LC 475 as an FTP server (through the now free NetPresenz).

>Having got the 475 working and recognising the replaced intenal disk I'll let it alone

So, I assume that the formatted capacity is below 2 GB then.

Jan

ColinY Author

Level 1

45 points

Feb 6, 2015 3:54 PM in response to Jan Hedlund

Jan

Thanks. It seems that I can use my UK English OS 9.0 Disk to do the job.

Much appreciated... again!

Colin

Powerbook 1400 does not read floppy disks or CDs