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Proper way to multi boot vintage macos
Posted by: Cedsrepairs on 2023-02-12 23:26:00
Hey everyone

Lookig for advice on how to have multi macos versions on my vinage powerbooks.
Macos is very different from msdos in the way it's able to install multiple copies of itself on the same partition (startup disk can be a folder in certain versions of macos)

However this is not "airtight" and you often end up installing stuff on the wrong macos

What would be the recommended way to have, for example
on a pb 100 ; macos 7.01 and macos 7.1

Do I simply put multiple scsi id ? Is there maybe kind of a multiboot software ?
Posted by: Byrd on 2023-02-13 00:22:12
Multiple system folders - named as the System + a utility such as System Picker should work.

System Picker - Macintosh Garden

System Picker allows you to choose which System Folder to boot from, if you have 2 or more System Folders on the Macintosh startup disk. Top DL: System Picker version 1.1a3 from 1997 (from Apple Dev CD, Oct 1998). 2nd DL: System Picker version 1.0b11 from 1991. 3rd DL: System Picker version...
macintoshgarden.org macintoshgarden.org

Why OS 7.01 and 7.1? I'd consider 7.1 a big bug fix of 7.0 and have never come across the need for 7.0
Posted by: Cedsrepairs on 2023-02-13 00:25:23
Well I have a variety of laptops and I just try to load them with the OS that was "period correct", i the case of my pb100 i'd like it to have like 608,701 and 71
Maybe 701 and 753 for my PB180, etc
So to load them with both what was "stock" and what was "updated".
Maybe i'm just weird too 🙂 🙂
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-02-13 01:47:04
The ideal, if you're using and SD card thingy that supports multiple ids, is to create multiple disks with different IDs.

Second best is to partition the drive, but this can glitch a little on old machines and OSes. This manifests as the machine not booting from the partition you selected. This is solved by using the right disk driver and version of "Startup Disk". But is a problem when System 6 is involved.

Least good is multiple Systems on one partition. This can cause unpredictable behaviour and instability... sometimes... but I do do this on some machines (with System Picker). The issue is that some software picks up the wrong System Folder sometimes I think? If you try yo use System Picker and multiple partition, System Picker "unblesses" (disables) all but one System in an irritating way that you have to manually fix.
Posted by: Cedsrepairs on 2023-02-13 01:58:15
Yes I have a SCSI to SD, in the 2,5 format for my powerbooks

There's a lot to learn however, I recently discover that ID5 or 6 are kinda to be avoided if you want to add external peripherals ( Asanté EtherTalk, ZIP drives, or plain direct link with scsi ) as all of this is often using ID6 (sometime you can't change it, like for the asanté micro) or ID 5.

So I'm gonna reflash my CF avoiding these IDs, while still keeping 4 differents "drives" for different needs ( iso/floppy images, OS1, OS2, data)
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-02-13 02:07:26
Yes I have a SCSI to SD, in the 2,5 format for my powerbooks

There's a lot to learn however, I recently discover that ID5 or 6 are kinda to be avoided if you want to add external peripherals ( Asanté EtherTalk, ZIP drives, or plain direct link with scsi ) as all of this is often using ID6 (sometime you can't change it, like for the asanté micro) or ID 5.

So I'm gonna reflash my CF avoiding these IDs, while still keeping 4 differents "drives" for different needs ( iso/floppy images, OS1, OS2, data)
It doesn't really matter because you could always change it later, but it is best to avoid 3 too, it is the default for CD drives. Zip drives can switch between two settings, so just don't use both... I've never owned a scsi ethernet device.
Posted by: Cedsrepairs on 2023-02-13 02:15:48
Thanks, super useful feedback, just in time before I redo my CF.
I need to get these right as I need to take the laptops apart to edit de CF card, so, trying to make it right the first time.

So I should avoid 3,5 & 6.
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-02-13 02:18:16
So I should avoid 3,5 & 6.
And 7, if that isn't obvious 🤣
Posted by: Cedsrepairs on 2023-02-13 02:29:09
So that leaves me with 0,1,2 and 4.

I'll do just that 🙂 Thanks for the much appreciated feedback on the CDROM drives, I don't have one yet but it's in my short term "completely useless junk that is expensive but I feel I need very much" list.
Posted by: Cedsrepairs on 2023-02-13 02:57:59
As you mentionned ethernet adapters, it's important because in the case of HDI30 based ones , there is no setting (it's ID6) and if this conflicts with one of the partitions of your drive/CF card (which of course it does for me) you've got a floppy with a question mark at boot time.
Posted by: Cedsrepairs on 2023-02-13 03:23:11
@Phipli do you know if, when trying to make a direct connection between two HDI30 powerbooks, you need a SCSI-DOCK connector on one end only, or on both ends ? I suppose on one end makes more sense ?
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-02-13 03:32:13
@Phipli do you know if, when trying to make a direct connection between two HDI30 powerbooks, you need a SCSI-DOCK connector on one end only, or on both ends ? I suppose on one end makes more sense ?
Not certain sorry, @croissantking would probably know. I don't have much PowerBook experience.
Posted by: avadondragon on 2023-02-13 05:24:06
@Phipli do you know if, when trying to make a direct connection between two HDI30 powerbooks, you need a SCSI-DOCK connector on one end only, or on both ends ? I suppose on one end makes more sense ?
You just need the dock connector on the PowerBook you want to use as an external drive.

Note: I'm not sure what happens when you have multiple SCSI ID's set up on the internal SCSI bus on such a machine. The PowerBook only presents itself as a single SCSI ID when in dock mode. This is something I've been meaning to experiment with.
Posted by: Cedsrepairs on 2023-02-13 05:27:20
Interesting. I'll soon know for sure (waiting for the connector).
Posted by: mikes-macs on 2023-03-09 11:56:34
With my PowerBook 520c with the HD30 on dock mode, I use the PowerBook Setup Control Panel to set the internal hdd id to what I want. It lets you choose in software.
Posted by: kkritsilas on 2023-03-10 01:41:32
I have a sort of similar question, but in my case, it is with regards to setting up 9.2.2 and OSX 10.4.X on a Pismo. Do I create a partition for 9.2.2, and install 9.2.2, then another partition for OSX for 10.4.11, and install that, or do I create a partition for OSX10.4.X first, and install that first, and install 9.2,2 on its own partition afterwards? What I would like is to be able to boot either into OSX 10.4.X, or into 9.2.2 directly (by holding down the ALT key) directly, and to be able to run Classic mode under OSX10.4.11. Is it advisable to put user data into a separate partition?
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-03-10 02:48:53
I have a sort of similar question, but in my case, it is with regards to setting up 9.2.2 and OSX 10.4.X on a Pismo. Do I create a partition for 9.2.2, and install 9.2.2, then another partition for OSX for 10.4.11, and install that, or do I create a partition for OSX10.4.X first, and install that first, and install 9.2,2 on its own partition afterwards? What I would like is to be able to boot either into OSX 10.4.X, or into 9.2.2 directly (by holding down the ALT key) directly, and to be able to run Classic mode under OSX10.4.11. Is it advisable to put user data into a separate partition?
It doesn't really matter as long as you create the two partitions first. Either order will work.
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