Booting Mac Plus with scsi2sd...

[WakelessFoil]

Here is an image of the temporary set up I have going. Under the SCSI2SD is the dead Quantum drive that once populated this enclosure. The still working power supply powers it with 5VDC through the molex adapter. You can also see the two SCSI ports wired to the internal connector. The mac is plugged into the lower DB25 port.

 

[Realitystorm]

Looks like there are a combination of things going on.   For working with my Mac Plus I used the DB25 adaptor: https://store.inertialcomputing.com/product-p/idc50f-db25f.htm and provided power via the USB connection.  I assume that's not an option for you to test with?  It would be good to rule out an issue with Quantum drive case.

I wondering with this setup you'd need a terminator on the back, or the reverse, the case auto terminates and that's the problem.

For writing the files, I've never used BalenaEtcher, so I'd have to test with my images.  I use DD as described on my site: http://www.savagetaylor.com/2018/05/28/setting-up-your-vintage-classic-68k-macintosh-creating-your-own-boot-able-disk-image/  see section 6 on the page.

It explains on that page that my images are bit / bit copies of the entire "drive" including the boot and partition tables, so when they are written to the beginning of the SD card they replace any formatting on that card.... if you did it right the card should look "unformatted" to your Windows/Linux/Mac OS after the image has been written to it.

For editing my 6.0.8 image, I use basilisk with my 7.5.5 image as the primary drive and my 6.0.8 as my secondary.   I do this because as you've likely read basilisk can't boot 6.0.8.  http://www.savagetaylor.com/2018/01/19/setting-up-your-vintage-classic-68k-macintosh-using-basilisk-ii/  see section 5 on the page.

For your tests, you can try following the instructions for DD and try again, but I think there is a good chance the issue is you old case / termination issue.  The DB25 adapter + usb power would be a good way to find out.

 

[WakelessFoil]

Looks like there are a combination of things going on.   For working with my Mac Plus I used the DB25 adaptor: https://store.inertialcomputing.com/product-p/idc50f-db25f.htm and provided power via the USB connection.  I assume that's not an option for you to test with?  It would be good to rule out an issue with Quantum drive case.

I wondering with this setup you'd need a terminator on the back, or the reverse, the case auto terminates and that's the problem.

For writing the files, I've never used BalenaEtcher, so I'd have to test with my images.  I use DD as described on my site: http://www.savagetaylor.com/2018/05/28/setting-up-your-vintage-classic-68k-macintosh-creating-your-own-boot-able-disk-image/  see section 6 on the page.

It explains on that page that my images are bit / bit copies of the entire "drive" including the boot and partition tables, so when they are written to the beginning of the SD card they replace any formatting on that card.... if you did it right the card should look "unformatted" to your Windows/Linux/Mac OS after the image has been written to it.

For editing my 6.0.8 image, I use basilisk with my 7.5.5 image as the primary drive and my 6.0.8 as my secondary.   I do this because as you've likely read basilisk can't boot 6.0.8.  http://www.savagetaylor.com/2018/01/19/setting-up-your-vintage-classic-68k-macintosh-using-basilisk-ii/  see section 5 on the page.

For your tests, you can try following the instructions for DD and try again, but I think there is a good chance the issue is you old case / termination issue.  The DB25 adapter + usb power would be a good way to find out.

Thank you for this advice. I will conduct more tests once I get back to my desk. I will post an update then.

 I tried using dd on my windows machine. However, it wouldn't do anything but repeat what I typed into the application. I successfully used disk util on my Macbook to write the image and still got the same results. I will add USB power and reconfigure the SCSI connection as to rule out any possibility of termination issues.

 

[sfiera]

For writing the files, I've never used BalenaEtcher, so I'd have to test with my images.  I use DD as described on my site:

BalenaEtcher is a substitute for dd. I used to use dd, but I always worried that I’d typo /dev/rdisk0 for /dev/rdisk1 and delete my system. BalenaEtcher only lets you select removable drives. It does complain that the image won’t be bootable, but that’s just because it doesn’t understand the Apple Partition Table format.

 

[WakelessFoil]

UPDATE: Progress was made!

I decided to test the SCSI2SD in my Macintosh SE/30. It worked! Used BalenaEtcher and the images that I got from Steve's guide. So I know the method of writing the images works. However the Macintosh Plus still failed to boot from it even with software termination turned off and USB power added. I suspect that it is the connection between the SCSI2SD and the DB25 port on the rear of the enclosure. I will have to order a 50 pin IDC to DB25 SCSI online. Unfortunately, there is no more in stock on the sites I checked. If anyone knows where I can find such an adapter please let me know! Thanks.

 

[WakelessFoil]

IT WORKS!

It turned out that the internal ribbon cable in my enclosure was at fault. I am not sure what was wrong with it as I have two Quantum drives that work fine with it. Regardless, I decided to solder a DB-25 connector to the board (not very well/lots of blobs :/) and use a DB-25 ribbon extension to maintain the mounted port on the rear of the case. I created a pretty rough mounting bracket out of an aluminum sheet. After all is said and done, I have myself a pretty nice mac plus set up. Next step is to get this computer online.

 

[dochilli]

With this solution you can surf in the net with compact macs. Bit with a plus this will be very slow.

https://www.macip.net/macippi/

 

[mraroid]

With this solution you can surf in the net with compact macs. Bit with a plus this will be very slow.

https://www.macip.net/macippi/

My long time dream has always been to have the ability to send and receive gmail from my Color Classic Mystic.  I have  LC 575 board installed, a SCSI2CF card for a hard drive, a full 68040, 128 MBs of RAM, 640 X 480 mod and a network card connected to my modern Lynksys router.   I am running 8.1 and 7.5.6.  I can use a browser and reach web sites that are made to support old time browsers.    But no email.  It was not clear to me if I set up and used the device and software in your link, that I could use it to send and receive gmail.    Is this possible?

Have others done this?  Can it be done?  Do I connect it between my Color Classic and my Lynksys  router?

Thank you for the post.

mraroid

 

[retroguy2019]

Hey Guys, I am here to report that not only booting a Mac Plus from an external SCSI2SD is possible, but also to inform that the "hack" to make the Mac Plus SCSI provide termination power works and it is VERY easy to perform. I detailed the steps in my blog, feel free to check! 

http://retroguy.blog/2020/01/14/booting-a-mac-plus-out-of-an-external-scsi2sd-card/

Cheers!

Marco

 

[Crutch]

Yes indeed that’s the mod (looking forward to checking out your video, cool). You may still need to tweak the Scsi2sd settings to get the Plus to see it on boot, though, as well documented elsewhere in these forums. 

 

[Crutch]

Nice video! I’d have liked to see a tour of your motherboard mod in the video also, for next time  

 

[tjjq44]

Thanks everyone for the update, I'll try that later when I'll have time