Minimum Install

[beachycove]

What exactly does a System 7 minimum installation do? Does it leave out all the frills, such as they are, or does it leave out the code for other machines and install only what is appropriate for the target machine?

[Scott Baret]

You've got it exactly. You will only get the most basic fonts, extensions, etc. for your particular machine if that's what you choose. And yes, it works only on the target machine--so if you choose a minimal install for an LC you can't use it on a Classic.

[beachycove]

OK, I asked the wrong question, so will try again:

What is the difference between the "Install for this Particular Macintosh" installation option under System 7 and the default "Easy Install"? Do these amount to the same thing, or rather different things?

There is a reason for asking these questions. I would like to get System 7.5 (which I find very stable on 68k hardware) onto a powerbook ram disk (under Maxima with 32 MB ram in a PB 270c :b&w: ), but would like to know what the best way is of keeping the installation as small as possible, without stripping down to the bare essentials.

In short, what I want is a complete installation, but without ppc code, etc. Am I as well to opt for the Easy Install, or do I choose a custom installation and "Install for this Mac"?

[beachycove]

I discover that Gamba at http://home.earthlink.net/~gamba2/systab.txt says that the difference between a "For this Macintosh" and an "Easy Install" is the difference between 5.7 and 13.3 MB. That's quite a difference on a Ram disk. Assuming this is accurate, why is an easy install more than twice the size?

[II2II]

I can't speak for 7.5, but with 7.1 there were a couple of differences. The Easy Install would add stuff like printer support. Given that 7.5 supports a fair number or printers it would get fairly large fairly fast. I also seem to recall it installing machine specific control panels and extensions.

Given my very limited experience with 7.5, I seem to recall it installing PPC and 68k code regardless of the circumstances. If you wanted to get rid of that code, you would need to get a separate application to strip it.

For something like a RAM disk, it is probably best to over-install and strip out what you don't need. For example, install printer support then take out the PPDs (?) that you won't use. Let it install the "libraries" then remove the ones that aren't used by many programs (e.g. OpenDoc). Using just the installer may sound easier, but you have to keep in mind that you are doing something that the developers probably didn't design it for (after all, RAM was pricey in the past).