• Updated 2023-07-12: Hello, Guest! Welcome back, and be sure to check out this follow-up post about our outage a week or so ago.

System 7.1 not installing on Centris 650

I'm planning on selling my Centris 650 and to do that, I want to put a fresh install of System 7 on there. However when I put in the Install disk it tells me:

This startup disk will not work on this Macintosh model. Use the latest Installer to update this disk for this model. (System 7.1 does not work on this model; you need a newer version that does.)
However System 7.1 is installed on there now so I don't see how it could say that when it currently is running the exact version on the hard drive. What can I do to remedy this?

 

Apostrophe

Well-known member
You know, that is the exact message that my Centris 610 flashed up when it was turned on for the first time in 5 years. But I got OS 7.6 for it, and it installed just fine. To this day, it works perfectly.

Hope you get that OS installed on your 650.

-Apostrophe

 

Dennis Nedry

Well-known member
In your hard drive, open up the system folder and find the system enabler file inside. Copy this file into the system folder on your boot floppy. This should make the boot floppy magically start working.

 
In your hard drive, open up the system folder and find the system enabler file inside. Copy this file into the system folder on your boot floppy. This should make the boot floppy magically start working.
There doesn't seem to be a System Folder on the boot floppy.

 
I think this is the file you need. You will have to unarchive it prior to copying it to the system folder of your boot floppy:
http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English-North_American/Macintosh/System/Older_System/System_Enablers/System_Enabler_040_1.1.sea.bin
I already have the System Enabler. There just doesn't seem to be a System Folder on the Install floppy. I copied the System Enabler to the root of the floppy disk and now it gives me either one of the following two messages:

Sad Mac with the codes:0000000F

00000066
or

Not enough memory is available while using "System"
To temporarily turn off extensions, restart and hold down the shift key.
Does anyone know how to fix these error messages?

 

II2II

Well-known member
It has been a while since I used System 7.1, but I'm pretty sure that the install floppy has a System Folder. Since it seems semi-bootable maybe the folder got renamed. The System Folder will be the one with the System and Finder files.

 
No it doesn't have any folders at all. Just three files: System, Installer and Install FDHD. I checked for hidden files/folders but only one showed up and it was a file called Desktop.

 

Charlieman

Well-known member
Have you got a Run Me First disk from another version of System 7.1 -- for one of the models released after 7.1? If so, swap the system enabler on the Run Me First disk for the Quadra version.

 
Have you got a Run Me First disk from another version of System 7.1 -- for one of the models released after 7.1? If so, swap the system enabler on the Run Me First disk for the Quadra version.
No I don't have any copies of System 7.1 anywhere else.

It wounds like you have a bad install disk then.
I'll try re-imaging the install disks onto another floppy soon then.

 

Dog Cow

Well-known member
Do you still want to install 7.1? Version 7.5 and newer got rid of the enablers, so you'll have no problem with those.

 

II2II

Well-known member
I can't speak for the original poster, but some of us really, really, really like System 7.1. :D

 

tomlee59

Well-known member
With Gamba's slim-down procedure, 7.5.3's footprint is very similar to 7.1's, and you don't have to worry about whether you got the right enabler for a particular machine. You're left with about the same functionality as 7.1, a minty fresh feeling in your mouth, and slimmer thighs.

 

Dennis Nedry

Well-known member
It's perfectly possible for a disk to be bootable like this, with the contents of the system folder just poured into the root level of the disk. Technically the root directory is the system folder then. I'm not sure if Apple would have ever made a disk like that but I guess it's possible.

It sounds to me like the disk has been altered from its original state. I think a possible answer would be to find an image of the first disk for system 7.1 and write over your disk with it.

 
Do you still want to install 7.1? Version 7.5 and newer got rid of the enablers, so you'll have no problem with those.
These are actually the disks downloadable from Apple's server and since my Centris doesn't have a CD drive, I have to resort to floppy disk images. System 7.5 images aren't available on the Apple server and I've been highly unsuccessful in trying to get System 7.5.3 files on the Centris.

It's perfectly possible for a disk to be bootable like this, with the contents of the system folder just poured into the root level of the disk. Technically the root directory is the system folder then. I'm not sure if Apple would have ever made a disk like that but I guess it's possible.
It sounds to me like the disk has been altered from its original state. I think a possible answer would be to find an image of the first disk for system 7.1 and write over your disk with it.
As I said earlier in this post, these are the disks straight from Apple's server. Either way, I re-imaged System 7.1 and copied over the System Enabler and it seems to be working now, so thanks for all your help.

 
Top