Mac OS 7 floppy disks

Does anyone know where I can find original OS 7 floppy install disks? My old Powerbook 190 keeps saying that "The startup disk will not work with this Macintosh model, please update the drivers with an install disc.". I've had this computer running at one point but then it locked up one day, and gives me that message since. I'm very Mac/Linux savvy and i've tried most of the standard startup key combinations but i can't get it to let me choose a startup disc.
So, I guess I'm asking two things: 1) Where can I find original Mac OS 7 install floppies? 2) Does anyone know anything else I can try?

Hi,
A plain System 7 is not going to be enough in this case. The PowerBook 190 was delivered with System 7.5.2, including a special enabler. The original install floppies do not appear to be available for download (only a PowerBook 5300 System Software Update here for "British PowerBook 5300 and 190 Series Products").
However, you can use System 7.5.3 (US version here) instead.
Since the nineteen System 7.5.3 files (once decoded) are intended to be placed in a common folder on the hard disk, where they together constitute one large disk image, a separate startup floppy file would have to be downloaded. Disk Tools PPC (here) works with the PowerBook 190. Use the Make a Floppy command in the Utilities menu of Disk Copy 6.3.3 (on a Macintosh computer with a built-in 1.44 MB floppy drive) to create a sector-copied startup floppy from the NDIF disk image (the Disk Copy program is not used with the nineteen 7.5.3 files).
A CompactFlash memory card in a PC Card adapter for CF (similar to this example) can be very useful for file transfers (and, if reformatted to Mac and containing an appropriate system folder, even for startup purposes).
Jan

Similar Messages

I have a Power MAC 7200. It's hardware is failing. How can I get the old files off, so I can use them on a PC? This system will save to a 3.5 inch floppy disk.

My Power Mac 7200 is failing. I would like to be able to use old reports on my PC. How can I transfer them?
The Mac will save files to a 3.5 inch floppy disk.

You could write the files to a PC formatted floppy, you might be able to do File Sharing from it to the PC with an Ethernet cable.
How bad off is the 7200? Can we maybe fix it?

I need a floppy disk drive for old 3 1/2" disks. I have a PowerBook G4 Mac with MacOS X 10.4 operating system. What will work for me?

I need a floppy disk drive for old 3 1/2" disks. I have a PowerBook G4 with Mac OS X 10.4 operating system. What external drive will for for me?

Hi,
Providing that the old 3.5" floppies are 1.44 MB HD disks, you should be able to use a USB floppy drive.
However, if the disks are 2DD/DSDD in the 800K Mac format a USB drive is not going to work. In this case you would need a suitable semi-old Macintosh computer with a built-in floppy drive as an intermediary.
Jan

Migrating files on older Mac floppy disks to CD disks

Hi-was wondering what would be the best process to copy files that are on old floppy disks (circ 1991) that were originally formatted on Mac, to a CD. My husband happens to have a older PC with a floppy drive but it did not recognize my floppy disk. Is it best to purchase a Macintosh floppy drive? Or is there something else I could do to transfer these files to CD? I have a Mac Mini.
Thanks, Amy

Hi, Amy -
If your disks are DSDD (Double Density), your only option is to find or contract for older hardware that can read them. The last Apple machine that was capable of reading DSDD/Variable Speed disks had built-in floppy drives (i.e. the beige G3 era). If your disks are DSHD (High Density), then you have the option of attaching a USB floppy drive to your Mac Mini; but a PC isn't going to prove useful in either scenario.
If you don't have a neighbor or other volunteer to do the conversion for you, there are services out there that will for a fee:
http://retrofloppy.com
http://rich12345.tripod.com/disktransfer/index.html

Is there a way to view old floppy disks running Maverick?

Is there a way to view old floppy disks when running Maverick?

While there are older usb external floppy drives available I seriously doubt there are any current drivers to support them. If it is the floppy's content you want then an older pre Intel Power PC capable of running Classic environment (or mac OS9) could utilize the external floppy drive. Also consideration has to be given to the capacity of the floppies as 400k and 800k are not read by most of the later drives which would include the usb ones.

How do I get my MacBook Air w OS X Yosemite to read 2.5" floppy disks from my 512?

Legacy people help!!!! I have a Mac Book Air with OS X Yosemite and an external floppy disc drive but I can't get the MacBook to read any of my old disks--not even the program disks! How do I get it to read these disks (They were originated on a Mac 512 MANY years ago.) Trying to get my new computer to read my old disks very important data in Word 3.0 (Have original program disk)

You mean 3.5" floppy disks.
The problem is that the floppy drive in a Macintosh 512K was for 400K disks (a special Macintosh format).
http://support.apple.com/kb/SP187
A Macintosh 512Ke could use 800K.
http://support.apple.com/kb/sp188
An external USB floppy drive is not capable of handling 400K, nor 800K. There are also software limitations with modern computers.
Do you still have the Macintosh 512K? Do you have access to another Macintosh computer with a built-in floppy drive (if yes, please post back with the model and operating system)?
Jan

I've got a system 7.1 folder that contains a disk tools.image how can i put this on a floppy disk?

I got myself a PowerBook 165 that has a moved file in the system folder thats stopping it from booting up. I downloaded a system 7 disk tools.image off the internet but the only thing is that I don't know what to do know. I got a usb floppy drive that I use sometimes for my pc stuff but sice mac os 10.8 dosn't have support for HFS I can't copy the image on to the disk. I also have a imac from 2000 that can read HFS files and write them but when ever i try and use disk utility to copy the image over to the floppy disk it always gives me an error. Can someone please help me? I really want my PowerBook to work again.

Was that on the G3 iMac, under Mac OS 9.2 or 10.4?
Is StuffIt Expander installed and active? If so, you could check whether the StuffIt Expander preferences are set to mount images (choose not to instead).
Anyway, download the Network Access Disk 7.5 file (preferably when the machine is running Mac OS 9.2). Use StuffIt Expander to decode the MacBinary (.bin). The self-expanding archive (.sea) will probably open automatically (otherwise, double-click on the .sea file). Locate a Network Access.image file inside the resulting Network Access folder.
Now, try Disk Copy 4.2 under Mac OS 9.2. Do not double-click on the image file. Instead, launch the Disk Copy (4.2) program. Choose to Load Image File, and select and open the Network Access.image. Then, click on the Make A Copy button. It may or may not be possible to create a floppy this way through a USB drive.
If Disk Copy 4.2 does not work, try Disk Copy 6.3.3 (Mount Image under the Image menu) with the Network Access.image file. The mounted image will be called Network Access. Insert a floppy in the USB drive before you choose Make a Floppy from the Utilities menu in Disk Copy 6.3.3.
If the above does not work, again mount the Network Access.image file using Disk Copy 6.3.3. Open the mounted image (Network Access). Inside is a System Folder. Open this System Folder and remove all files from the three folders Apple Menu Items, Control Panels and Extensions (throw them into the Wastebasket/Trash, do not forget to empty the Wastebasket/Trash). The size of the System Folder is now somewhat smaller. Try to drag-copy the System Folder onto an empty (freshly Mac-formatted) 1.44 MB floppy disk in the USB drive. This may or may not work.
Otherwise, you may want to test the Mac OS X dd procedure (the LowEndMac article).
Alternatively, you may want to use an old Windows PC with a built-in floppy drive (and Aladdin/StuffIt Expander and WinImage).
Jan

Where can I buy an external floppy disk drive for my Macbook?

where can I buy an external floppy disk drive for my Macbook?

You can find them on eBay http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=usb+floppy+drive&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksi d=p2045573.m570.l1311.R1.TR2.TRC1.A0.Xusb+floppy+drive+for+mac&_nkw=usb+floppy+d rive+mac&_sacat=0

Putting pictures on System 7.1 with floppy disk created on Windows PC

Hi all, I have a Quadra 605 on system 7.1 that I've been experimenting with, would like to get some pictures transferred onto it. I tryed using apple file exchange which is on the Quadra to read a Windows DOS formatted disk with some pictures on it. I was able to copy the files from the disk to the hard drive on the Quadra using file exchange, but when I click on the icon to try to open the picture, I get a message that it can not be opened because the application program that created it can not be found. Is there something else I need to install on the Quadra to open a JPEG image or is there another way to go about doing this? I will not be able to connect the quadra to the internet, all I have is the floppy disk drive, there is no USB port either. Also, I have an iMac on system 9.2 that I copied some pictures to a floppy using the external floppy drive on the iMac. It would open the disk on the Quadra without using file exchange, but it wouldnt open the icons either - I would get the same message that the application program that created it can not be found. Anyhow, I have the iMac on system 9.2 that I can use as well if need to be.

An appropriate 68k version of the shareware program GraphicConverter could be one possibility.
http://www.lemkesoft.com/content/207/download-old-versions.html
An older web browser could be another. Try to open the file from within the application (via the Open dialogue); do not just double-click on it.
However, if not already available, one problem would be to transfer a program to the Quadra 605 if the file size is over 1.4 MB.
Some compression utilities can segment larger files for transfers on multiple floppies, but that would require compatibility on both sides.
Another way could be to use a null-modem cable between a DB-9M serial port of a Windows PC and the MiniDIN-8F Modem Port of the Quadra. The null-modem link can be created by connecting a PC-style DB-9F to DB-25F null-modem cable together with a normal Macintosh DB-25M to MiniDIN-8M hardware handshake modem cable. Normal communications software can be used on both computers (for example, the communications section of ClarisWorks on the Mac, and HyperTerminal on the PC). Do keep a Mac program file downloaded onto a PC in its encoded/compressed state (that is, hqx, bin or sit) until on a Macintosh computer.
Jan

G4 floppy disk

Hello ,
I have an old version of Cubase VST [4.1],and I would like to use it with my G4 ,just to have fun. Because this software has a protection system with a floppy disk ,I need to use a floppy disk drive with my G4, to authorise my hard disk for use with Cubase VST.
Would it be possible to connect a pc floppy disk drive? It happens to have one sitting.Could I use a pc cable,or do I need a special cable to connect it ?

Would it be possible to connect a pc floppy disk drive?
Only if it is a USB drive. Albeit special Mac driver software may be needed, many of the USB floppy drives (connected to a normal USB port) are usable for both platforms.
Please note that a USB floppy drive cannot handle 800K Mac-formatted floppies (only 1.44 MB).
Also, even if a USB drive would be compatible, do not automatically expect a program on the floppy disk to work with the G4. You may face both hardware and software limitations.
Jan

Format Floppy Disk

A friend of mine who is running OS X (Panther) asked me how he would format a floppy disk using his external (USB) floppy drive. I have not been able to find how to do this. The disk utility does not broach this subject. Is it possible to do this or must one be content to just manually erase files?
iBook G-4 Mac OS X (10.4.4) 1.33 GHz, 768 MB memory, 60 GB HD, iPod Shuffle

Kurt,
This is news to me. Can I ask then...
I have a Macintosh Classic I got from eBay. All is good, but the Finder is password protected, and there is no way to get it.
I don't have the install floppies, so I downloaded System 7.0.1 image. It contains images for each of the floppies.
Will I be able to buy this drive and write the images at all?
Beavis2084

External Floppy Disk Drivers

Hi all, Can anyone tell me if I buy and external floppy disk drive - compatible
with Mac... will it transfer photos to my Mac if the floppy were created on
a Windows computer?
-or-
If I put the floppy disk photos on a CD-R using a Windows computer... will
the photos on the CD transfer to /or/ be readable by my Mac computer?
-or-
Am I just wasting my time with this and I should just throw the windows created floppy disks away. I no longer own a windows computer (it died)
and all I have is my new iBook. But, I would really like to figure out how
to trasfer the photos created on my deceased Windows computer and
stored on floppy disks over to my Mac computer. I have tried one (supposedly) Mac compatible external floopy disk drive... when I loaded
the (Windows created) floppy disk, my Mac was not able to view the
photos.
Thanks in advance for your help with this! ~~ HoundDogg
iBook G4 // PowerBook6,7 Mac OS X (10.4.7)

You will probably be able to use an external floppy drive to transfer the photos to the Mac, and you can do this with a CD-R. Some floppy disk formats are not supported on all platforms, and 800KB Mac floppies cannot be used in an USB floppy drive.
(15164)

The Floppy Disk Drive

I tried to insert my floppy disk into the super drive on the right hand side of my iMac G5 but it didden't mount?

SuperDrive on a Mac G5 is for hard media such as CDs and DVD. Floppy discs denote an older style of recording media, which typicaly held no more than a megabyte of information, as opposed to a CD/700mb or a DVD/4.7gb. In any event, if you are having an issue with a CD or a DVD not showing up on the desktop when inserted, the first thing to do is to check (will be in your dock) System Preferences>CD/DVD. Use the menus there to select what applications media will open with. Also, go to Finder>File>Preferences (top of the screen menubar) and check the box which will allow media to appear on the desktop.

Floppy Disk Drive for Mavericks

Hello
Does anyone know of an FDD for a mavericks mac? I would like to create boot disks for an old mac. Is this a good method to consider? I am not sure how else to go about this. If there is an alternative, whatever it might be, please let me know.
I apologise for posting here but this relates to older machines in a way.
Thanks in advance.

The original system for a PowerBook 2400c/180 was 7.6.1. Other supported systems (according to Apple's technical specifications) were 8, 8.1, 8.5, 8.6 and 9. You would need to purchase an appropriate Apple system CD. Ensure that it is a retail disc (for all models), not a disc for a certain (other) machine.
You can use one of the Apple CD-ROM drives above, providing that you have the proper HDI-30 cable. See the manual for details about connecting SCSI devices and about booting from a CD.
If necessary, and if the already installed operating system is working (and you can navigate the Japanese menus), you should at least be able to create a Disk Tools PPC floppy on the PowerBook. Use the Disk Copy 6.3.3 program (the Make a Floppy command under the Utilities menu) for this. I assume that you have the external floppy disk drive for the PowerBook.
www.info.apple.com/support/oldersoftwarelist.html
http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/System/Mac_OS_8.1_Update/Disk_Tools_PPC.img.bin
http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English -North_American/Macintosh/Utilities/Disk_Copy/Disk_Copy_6.3.3.smi.bin
One may also want to try to modify a Disk Tools PPC to hold CD-ROM software, thus allowing a CD to be read when the computer is running from the floppy disk system.
Additionally, since the computer in question has PC Card slots, an inexpensive PC Card adapter for CompactFlash and a CompactFlash memory card can be very useful for file transfers. In certain PowerBook models, such a CompactFlash card (reformatted to Mac) can even act as a startup disk (if it has an appropriate system folder).
Jan

PowerBook G3 "Wallstreet" freezes when floppy disk is inserted

Hi!
I'm new to the Mac world. I am using a PowerBook G3 "wallstreet" as my entry level mac. I use it more on word processing and uses floppy disk for file sharing on Windows PC.
Recently, my mac freezes whenever I insert a floppy disk. I reinstalled the OS thinking that it might solve the problem.
I need solutions for this problem badly since I am working on my thesis. Thanks in advance

nydge,
Welcome to the Discussions.
You may not have the File Exchange Control Panel properly setup, but I would head over to the MacOS 9 Discussions for some expert advice.
http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=669

Mac OS 7 floppy disks

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for