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OS 8 on a 5300c

TheMacGuy

Well-known member
I'm kinda of curious to try OS 8 on my 5300c, but I can't seem to figure out a way to get OS 8 on the PB. It is the only machine I have that will run a non-specific version of OS 8 (iBook) so I can't plug the HDD into my adapter and run it through USB to it. I looked up other ways, but it seems its either install it via an official Apple SCSI CD Drive plugged into an old SCSI HDD case, plug that into my HDI-30 to DB25 adapter, and run the install CD that way, or do it over the network.

Any ideas?

 

TheMacGuy

Well-known member
Answered my own question. Going to format a CF card in HFS+, clone an OS 8 disc to it via Disk Utility, use a PCMCIA CF card adapter to run the installer on the 5300c and install it onto the HDD.

If anyone has a cheaper way of doing this, please let me know. I figure this is going to cost me $30, which for me, is quite a lot (since my allowance is only $40 a month) for just an experiment. Plus, $30 could buy me quite a bit of vintage Apple things. }:)

 

bibilit

Well-known member
the only machine I have that will run a non-specific version of OS 8 (iBook) so I can't plug the HDD into my adapter and run it through USB to it.
I don't understand, the 5300 has an IDE hard disk, so you can pull the HD and use your adapter.

The other possibility will be to use the SCSI mode (old Target mode) but you should have another SCSI computer and a SCSI cable.

 

Byrd

Well-known member
Something like a $5 eBay PCMCIA CF adapter + and a < $10 4/ CF card is a good investment though for any vintage Mac portable computing, as it does make it so much easier to get software onto an older machine without having to search for SCSI cables, external drives and the like. It should also boot up off the CF card, but don't expect any earth-shattering performance from the CF device. Some disk operations are considerably faster and others not so :)

 

TheMacGuy

Well-known member
I don't understand, the 5300 has an IDE hard disk, so you can pull the HD and use your adapter.
I tried, but the USB bus doesn't provide enough power (even if I plug in the 2nd USB connector). Plus, the iBook will only run a special version of OS 8, so the only computer I could connect it to would be another 5300 (internally) so it can't be done that way.

Byrd: I only plan to use it to install the OS. I have heard some good and bad stories about the CF cards, so I figure it would be better to just keep the HDD in it.

I wonder, do they make a SD card PCMCIA adapter?

 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
A pairing of USB/SCSI Zip Drives is an inexpensive cross-platform SneakerNet solution for any but the very earliest of vintage Macs. Have you got a PB SCSI cable or adapter?

 

PowerPup

Well-known member
The second USB connector was plugged in a separate bus yes? (They can't be connected next to each other, otherwise they're drawing power from the same bus, least that's my understanding.) I've got an USB enclosure for a 2.5" IDE drive and have had to do some trial and error until I found the right configuration.

I did networking when I installed Mac OS 8.1 on my 5300c, using my PowerMac 6100 as the host for the CD and booting from a floppy disk. Sadly it doesn't look like you have any Macs that have the printer/modem port and a CD drive.

I think the cheapest solution would be to use a 3.5" to 2.5" IDE adapter and use an emulator such as Basilisk II or SheepShaver to install Mac OS directly onto the drive. I've booted up SCSI drives using a SCSI PCI card on Basilisk II. You just need to read the documentation and edit the config file manually to point to the actual drive. (Looks something like "\Device\Harddisk0\Partition0" under Windows. You can find the disk and partition info in Computer Manager under Disk Management.)

 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
That may be inexpensive, but it ain't easy! I'll second bibilit's SCSI Disk Mode solution if you have an adapter or cable for that. You ought to be able to install 8-8.1 from the 605 with a non-Apple ROM'd CD-ROM drive.

I see you've got the cable. Have you got a Parallel Port on an ATX box?

iOMEGA Zip Plus Drive 100: two stones, one bird. ;D

Another Zip PLUS

 

TheMacGuy

Well-known member
Have you got a PB SCSI cable or adapter?
I have the HDI-30 to DB25 converter, but no DB25 cable

The second USB connector was plugged in a separate bus yes?
Yep, I tried connecting the USB3 end to my MBP and the USB2 to my iPad's 10w power adapter. Drive would power on, but it would not be recognized. Maybe if I boot the Cube or Sawtooth into OS 9 it will work? But again, I need a computer to use to install OS 8 to the HDD.

I'll second bibilit's SCSI Disk Mode solution if you have an adapter or cable for that. You ought to be able to install 8-8.1 from the 605 with a non-Apple ROM'd CD-ROM drive.
Well, if I do SCSI disk mode, that would use the DB25 connector, so no SCSI CD drive could be connected. Also, how do I activate SCSI Disk Code?

Have you got a Parallel Port on an ATX box?
I'm sorry, but whats an ATX box?

 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
Standard form factor (ATX and its derivatives) desktop/tower PCs have the old fashioned parallel printer port alongside all the newer I/O options.

SCSI Disk Mode requires a switch on the adapter or a special cable with a missing pin that tells the PB that it's an external SCSI HDD when it boots.

There are a lot of different ways to do a SCSI chain with a CD in between the 605 and the 5300.

Post a pic of all your adapters and SCSI cables and we can try to figure out how to cobble it together. You've already got a non-Apple ROM'd CD, correct?

 
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