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Absolutely bizarre UI problem on a 7.6.1 Install

3lectr1cPPC

Well-known member
So, I’m going to keep this short. I installed a fresh copy of 7.6.1 on my PB 5300ce recently, and after installing a bit of software, all of sudden, somehow, all the UI is using OS 8 platinum styling. I’ve attached an image below. I have absolutely no idea how this could possibly have happened, but nonetheless here we are. I don’t mind it TOO much, but if there is a quick fix I would love to hear how.
IMG_4318 - Copy.JPG
 

Fizzbinn

Well-known member
Check your Extensions, I’m pretty sure the Extension Manger Control Panel let’s you enable only the original 7.6 Extension set through a menu option. You can then look at what was added. My guess is something you installed somehow included the 8.x Appearance Control Panel?
 

3lectr1cPPC

Well-known member
I disabled the Appearance Extension using the Extensions Manager and now the 7.6.1 styling has returned! Thank you very much!

But how did this happen?
Well, earlier I was using a CF card to transfer over the essential software I need on any new OS install. (Stuffit and Toast). What else was on this CF Card? My OS 8.1 Rescue drive. I'm guessing that somewhere along the line, one of those installers somehow managed to move the appearance extension from the OS 8 system folder on the CF card to my internal hard drive. How this could have happened I don't know, but it's the only idea I've got.

At least now I know how to make 7.6.1 look like Mac OS 8. I guess that's useful to know, right?
 

KGLlewellyn

Well-known member
Some software written after the release of Mac OS 8 requires the Appearance Manager extension to be installed, this in turn adds the Apple Platinum UI to System 7.6.

You may face incompatibility issues with that software you installed if it’s relying on the Appearance Manager to operate correctly.
 

3lectr1cPPC

Well-known member
I didn't notice any issues, but shortly after fixing this issue the left hinge broke off the bottom half of the computer, and after taking it apart to investigate, the display now has problems. It might be a while before I can have it up and running again. When I do, I guess I'll report any problems.
 

jessenator

Well-known member
Some software written after the release of Mac OS 8 requires the Appearance Manager extension to be installed, this in turn adds the Apple Platinum UI to System 7.6.
There's a version of TechTool Pro that does this, for one example—the only one I know of off-hand, anyway—even though it can be used on a wide year range of Macs.

you heard it here first, folks, hinges require the appearance manager
😄


Everyone has spoken, but I'll just reiterate what's been said: generally when in doubt, backup and then clean install. I bought and traded a 7200 to CoryW and it had a 9.0 installation with ALL kinds of stuff in the system (far and beyond a vestige of Appearance Manager) which took a full five minutes to boot. You don't want to accidentally trash undocumented/unarchived drivers, etc., hence my backup rule. Not always applicable, but all the same, a good practice where feasible to just de-junk the system.
 

3lectr1cPPC

Well-known member
you heard it here first, folks, hinges require the appearance manager
😂😂😂
Yeah, I’m just getting the white screen that normally shows up before it initialized, but it just stays there. I can here it booting, but the display stays blank. It chimes, I can use the interrupt combo to make it crash and sound the death chime. It’s just the display that’s dead. I think it’s an issue inside the display housing, hopefully just a loose cable.

I generally do take backups, but reinstalling whenever I have a problem means writing a whole set of system floppies (I don’t have a SCSI CD-ROM drive, or enough floppies to keep a set around) which is a 2 hour long ordeal.
 
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