how to copy enabler to system folder

System 7.0 is not enough. System 7.1 plus the appropriate system enabler would be needed for a PowerBook 180c.

Hello,

Yes, I was referring to the (nineteen files US version) System 7.5.3 consisting of one .smi file and eighteen .part files (that is, after having used StuffIt Expander to decode the .bin). Each individual segments is small enough to be transferred on a 1.44 MB floppy. No need for a Disk Copy utility here. Just copy all nineteen files to a common folder on the PowerBook 180c hard disk (it is better to keep the .bin as it is during all transfers, and then carry out the decoding on the PowerBook 180c). When you have the nineteen decoded files in the folder, double-click on the first (.smi). This will mount the entire image. The installer can be found inside the mounted image.

If you had created a Network Access floppy, you could of course transfer all nineteen System 7.5.3 files from another pre-1998 Macintosh computer to the PowerBook 180c via a simple LocalTalk link (instead of using floppies). Just connect the two computers using a standard Macintosh printer cable (MiniDIN-8M to MiniDIN-8M) between the printer ports. Then use the Chooser on the PowerBook 180c to connect to the other Mac (AppleShare/AppleTalk).

As mentioned earlier, System 7.0 (or 7.0.1) will not work at all with a PowerBook 180c, even if you add the system enabler in question. System 7.1 (which was not free) will work, though.

You may want to try the following procedure:

If you have an original set of (retail) System 7.1 disks, you could use Disk Copy 4.2 to duplicate (make an exact sector copy) of the (first) Install floppy. Typically, the (first) Install floppy did not have a System Folder. Instead there was an Installer, an installation document and a System suitcase directly on the base level of the floppy. If so, do not attempt to place the system enabler in the System suitcase. Instead, place the enabler next to the System on the same base level. Do not try to modify a System 7.1 floppy on a modern Mac (nor on a PC). Use a pre-1998 Macintosh computer with a built-in floppy drive, running System 7.x, or Mac OS 8.x or 9) for all modifications.

Now, duplicate the System 7.1 Disk Tools floppy, too (using Disk Copy 4.2). This floppy probably has a System Folder. If so, place the system enabler inside this System Folder. Next, boot the PowerBook 180c from the Disk Tools floppy with the enabler. Manually drag-copy the System Folder from this modified floppy onto the empty hard disk.

Finally, boot the PowerBook from the (first) Install floppy. Do not use an easy install. Choose a custom install for all Macintosh computers.

The problem is that old Macintosh files consist of two parts (one resource and one data part). If you try to use such a file on a PC running any operating system, the data part will be seen/handled correctly, but the resource (which is important for applications) may be lost/damaged. As long as a Mac application file is encoded (MacBinary or BinHex), it is protected, but as soon as you try to decode the file, it will be damaged if handled on another platform. Even if Ubuntu (and other Linux distributions) can handle HFS (at least with some extra packages installed), the operating system as such can not work with Mac applications. The exception for a PC could be a Macintosh emulator, but that is a different matter. A modern Mac has the same problem with older Macintosh applications. You can read/write Mac disks on a Windows PC if a program such as TransMac or HFVExplorer is installed, but that does not mean that you can run applications (nor necessarily safely modify disks).

So, the easy and safe way of handling decoded older Macintosh application files, and modifying Mac floppies, is to use a pre-1998 Mac computer with a built-in floppy drive, running System 7 - Mac OS 9. The aforementioned Disk Copy 4,2 utility needs this as well.

However, if absolutely necessary, it is possible to completely create a Network Access floppy (link above) on a Windows PC, if a special technique is used (this as long as a downloaded disk image is used without modifications). In this case, one would use StuffIt/Aladdin Expander for Windows to decode the downloaded .bin (which is an exception to the general rule never to decode on a PC). After that, a Network Access image file (inside a folder) can be written to a floppy using a PC utility such as WinImage. Post back if you need more information about this. With a working Network Access floppy, you could boot the PowerBook 180c, drag-copy the System Folder to the hard disk, and then carry out floppy modifications on that same computer.

There is also a special way of using a Windows PC to create a floppy containing a ready-to-use StuffIt Expander installer for older Macs. Post back for details, if of interest.

It all depends upon in what form old Mac application files appear on another platform. If they have been encoded MacBinary (.bin) or BinHex (.hqx), nothing will happen to them when travelling through a Linux or Windows computer. This means that one can safely download files on a Linux or Windows PC, and then transfer the files unaltered to an old Macintosh machine, and finally carry out the decoding (via StuffIt Expander) in an old Macintosh environment.

The same is true for files merely compressed under an old Macintosh system, using (for example) StuffIt (.sit). Even the data inside a self-expanding StuffIt file (.sea) may be protected while on a PC, but the self-expanding capability will be lost (due to the loss of the resource fork). The .sea must then be decompressed through the use of StuffIt Expander on the old destination Mac.

Certain (uncompressed) Disk Copy 4.2-style disk images may also be unaffected while on a PC. This makes it possible, in some cases, to use WinImage or dd there.

So, it really depends on what you have inside any PC-compressed file, and how that has been handled earlier. Sorry, I cannot be more specific.

Anyway, since you have a Performa running System 7.5, you should be able to handle all older Mac files, and create and/or modify older Macintosh floppies. For file transfers of properly protected files (such as .bin) from a PC, PC-formatted floppies can be used (if the PC Exchange control panel is active on the Performa). I assume that you have access to StuffIt Expander 4.0.1 (and possibly 5.5) as well as the Disk Copy 4.2 utility on the Performa. The Performa could also be the file server for a PowerBook 180c running from a Network Access floppy (or a temporary system folder drag-copied to the internal PowerBook hard drive from the Network Access disk). With the correct cable/adapter, the PowerBook could even act as an external hard disk for the Performa (SCSI Disk mode).

Jon,

Just a few comments and questions.

>the enabler being put at the root level of the floppy and not in the system folder/suitcase

The enabler is supposed to be at the root level of the floppy if there is no system folder, just a System suitcase. If on the other hand there is a System Folder (as in the case of a 7.1 Disk Tools floppy), the enabler must be placed inside the System Folder (not suitcase).

>when I boot from the install floppy I get the message that "This cannot be installed on this system etc" message.

Would it be correct to assume that the install floppy is from a general System 7.1 (not 7.0, 7.0.1 or 7.1.1) set of disks? If yes, did you click the custom install button? Did you then choose the option for all Macintosh computers? Have you tried to install directly onto an totally empty hard disk to begin with?

>If I boot up the powerbook from its hard drive after copying the system folder from the the network access floppy onto it and then launch the installer on the floppy

The drag-copied System Folder from the Network Access disk is primarily of interest for transfers of the nineteen System 7.5.3 files. Have you tried to copy the system enabler into the System Folder of the 7.1 Disk Tools floppy (which should have a System Folder), and then to drag-copy this System Folder to the hard disk?

If you do not know for sure that your System 7.1 files are OK (there was no free Apple download for System 7.1), I would suggest that you install a fresh System 7.5.3 instead.

Addendum

Since you are able to at all boot the PowerBook 180c from the install floppy, it appears as if this disk at least has an adequate system.

Hello Jon,

Good to hear that it is working now.

Regards,

Jan