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General discussion

NEW TO MAC , SHOULD I RELOAD OS 9

Jul 1, 2005 9:43AM PDT

Just got this used Mac and it has 9.1 OS on it, the previous owner says he got from the internet. This computer likely has all kinds of info, programs and files that would never use or want . So I was wondering if loading OS9 to get a fresh start would be a good idea. Will I have driver, loading or other problems etc.? I am using a borrowed PC at the moment to communicate this message.
The Mac is a 9600/200 and it has two hardrives, that is about all I know about it. I am having trouble navigating around on the Mac because it is so different and possibly because of some data, files or functions removed by the fellow who gave it to me.
Any and all help would be Really Appreciated. Thanks

Discussion is locked

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OS 9
Jul 1, 2005 10:49AM PDT

To redo the machine so that all the stuff actually belongs to you and so that you could be sure that everything was in place, you will need to purchase a copy of OS 9.2. This is available from the Apple store or from most of the mail order catalogs. MacMall, CDW, MacZone, etc.
With the install CD inserted, you will be able to install the OS with no problems at all. BTW, if the previous owner means that they downloaded OS 9.1, then you have a pirate copy.
Take a look and see how much memory this thing has. Go to the Apple menu, top left of the screen, and choose Apple System Profiler. You will get a comprehensive report of the stuff on your machine.
Let us know what you have and we can go from there

P

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Thanks mrmacfixit
Jul 1, 2005 12:06PM PDT

I do have the cd's here for MAC OS 9. What does BTW mean? The screen you mentioned says this
MAC OS overview finder 9.1 quicktime 6.0.3
CarbonL ib 1.5 multible users 1.3.1
Disk cache 6144k Virtual memory 202mb Built in 192mb
External L2 cache 512k Harware over view
Machine ID 67 Model PowerMacintosh 9600
Processor info PowerPC 604e
Machine Speed 200mhz
Is this what you had in mind?
Thanks for the assist...Jeff

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System Profiler
Jul 1, 2005 11:15PM PDT

Yes, I think we are in the right place. When you select System Profiler, a window will appear with a number of tabs across the top. The one we are interested in is the System Profile tab. This appears to be where you were at. You didn't look far enough down the screen or you didn't expand the items enough. you will notice that there are little triangles on the side, next to a main heading. For example, one such triangle is next to the heading, Memory Overview. Click on the triangle and it will point downwards and reveal more information. Click on the triangle that is revealed and you will see even more information about your memory, right down to the value of each RAM chip in each slot. So, armed with this new information, you can find a whole bunch of information in a very detailed form. The size of the two HD's would be handy to know. This information is under the Devices and Volumes tab at the top of the window. With 192MB of built in memory, you will be able to take this machine up to, and including, OS 9.2.2. If i remember correctly, the updates from 9.0.0 to 9.2.2 were free and are available at the Apple web site. More on that later.
If you really want to start over from scratch, and you are sure that there is nothing on the machine that you can't live without, then an initialize and install will put you back to square one. However, if you are not sure about what you would like to keep, you can do a "Clean Install" which will put a virgin copy of the OS onto the drive without replacing the old one. It will just rename the old one and leave it on the drive. All your data will remain intact but you will have to set the machine up to run the way you want it to.
What sort of Internet connection do you have for this machine?

Hope some of this helps, post back when you decide which way you want to go

P

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Thanks for the BTW tip and here is
Jul 2, 2005 5:09AM PDT

the specs you mentioned are,
BUILT-IN-MEMORY-LOCATION
'''''''''''''''''''''''''-A1-128MB TYPE DIMM
''''''''''''''''''''''''''B1-16MB''''''''''''
''''''''''''''''''''''''''A4-32MB''''''''''''
''''''''''''''''''''''''''A5-16MB''''''''''''
external L2 cache 512K
''''''''''''''' DRIVE 1''''''''''''''''''''''''DRIVE 2
VOLUME FORMAT MAC OS STANDARD (HFS) BOTH
CAPACITY''''''''''' 2G'''''''''''''''''''''''''''' 2GB
AVAILABLE'''''''''348.39MB''''''''''''''''''''''1.50GB
PERCENTAGE FULL''''83''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''25
WRITE PROTECTED''''NO''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''NO
FILESHARE''''''''''NO''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''NO

CD ROM DRIVE YES
DISPLAY CARD CARD TYPE- DISPLAY
' NAME- ATY,mach64
' MODEL- ATY,88800GX
' ROM# - 113-32900-105
' REVISION 113-32900-105
' VENDOR ID 1002
My connection type is one step above dial up, I think they said something about 128 something. Mine is $19.95 per month and high speed is $39.95 per month.
There is nothing I want on the machine and all I use one for is Cnet forums, email, Ebay, and some letter writing. I am not sure what is on the machine but the only program disc I have is the MAC OS 9 I told you about. What I want rid of, is any data on the machine and start from scratch.
Also I'm not sure of the two disc system and why or how the data is shared between them.

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two disks
Jul 2, 2005 8:12AM PDT

Open the machine up and see if there actually are two physical disks inside the machine. It could be just one with a partition. 2GB is rather small.
If there is only one drive in the machine, you can make the two partitions into one just prior to the install.

Let me know

P

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Can you tell me how to shut it off
Jul 2, 2005 8:56AM PDT

I know this sounds stupid but I don't know what to select to find the shut down menu. Then I will look inside at the configuration. Thanks

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On the keyboard
Jul 2, 2005 1:22PM PDT

It's the top right hand button. Press it and it will display the shutdown menu.
Or, go to the Special Menu, top of screen, and select shutdown

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Hard Drives
Jul 2, 2005 8:56AM PDT

The original configuration for this machine was with one 4Gb internal SCSI hard drive. The previous owner may have partitioned the drive to create two 2Gb drives. At 4Gb, it is hardly worth messing with the partitioning of the drive. Unfortunately, the drives are not the sort of ones that you will find in Best Buy or Circuit City. With the introduction of the Beige G3 machine, Apple started the move to IDE drives instead of SCSI. IDE drives are cheaper than SCSI and as the majority of machines use IDE, the price of new SCSI drives has risen. You can find them fairly cheaply in various places though.
Removing the partition is fairly easy and the rest of the install will follow as easily. If you decide to go for an Ethernet connection, via a router, to the internet, you will have to hunt around for an AAUI adapter. This converts this type of connector to a regular RJ45 type. They are still available.

P

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IDE vs SCSI
Jul 2, 2005 9:52AM PDT

I am not familiar with these terms, but I do know from removing the hardrive to check on it that it uses a ribbon cable hookup and another 4 wire plug in. Would you tell me what type the ribbon cable is? This machine has a ethernet connecter on the rear panel as well as a couple of round pin connecters , one female and one male.

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IDE and SCSI
Jul 2, 2005 11:20AM PDT

back in the day, all drives were either one or the other.
SCSI was generally faster and was used in Servers and High End equipment that needed speed. Using SCSI, it is possible to connect up to 6 devices, using one controller. Older SCSI devices use a 50 pin connector, hence the wide cable, to move data to a from the drive. Yours are the older 50 pin devices. Each device on the SCSI chain had a unique ID number. Your HD id is probably 3 and the CDROM is 5. Scanners are usually 6 and ZIP drives usually 5. Don't worry about that right now.
The IDE devices could only manage 2 devices per controller.(watch the posts in case I'm wrong) with the first drive being Master and the second being Slave. Most motherboards (Logic Boards) had two controllers for a total of 4 devices. These use a 40 pin connection, slightly narrower cable.
All this is not that important to you, yours are SCSI and that's all we need to know. The ribbon cable is a 50 Pin SCSI cable. In 1996, 4Gb was a respectable size for a SCSI drive in a consumer machine. For what you want to do, it is enough.
Your Ethernet connection is an old version called AAUI. It needs an adapter to connect to RJ45 equipment. It has two serial ports, both round, one for the modem and one for the Printer port. The Modem port may be covered depending on whether you have a Geoport modem installed. There is also another round connector which is for the keyboard. This is the ADB port.(Apple Desktop Bus) It is NOT PS/2
Do you need anything else before you start to redo this machine??

P

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Just A Couple Of Things
Jul 2, 2005 2:14PM PDT

What is a RJ45 equipment. At the moment I'm using a PC with a ethernet connection hooked to the Speedstream modem supplied by Bell Canada. I believe the card that was installed for this purpose was a 10/100 or something like that. Will I need this RJ45 connecter to make a internet connection on the Mac, which I have not tried yet.
Another term I don't know what a PS2 is. I have to correct what I said about the round connections on the back, they are both female, 9 pin, one with a picture of a telephone receiver and the other picture seems to be a printer.

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What is
Jul 2, 2005 11:30PM PDT

RJ45 = the type/size of the plug/socket. Use for most things Ethernet.
10/100 = The ethernet speed of the Network Interface Card (NIC) that was installed by Bell Canada. This card has an RJ45 socket on it.
The SpeedStream Modem is connected to the phone company using regular telephone wire and an RJ11 connector (the regular phone connector) It also has an RJ45 socket on it. The modem is connected to your PC with Cat 5 Ethernet cable which has an RJ45 connector on each end.
The modem & NIC can be described as RJ45 equipment. It's how it all connects together.
On your PC, unless you have a very new one, the Keyboard and mouse are connected to the machine via round plugs, and matching sockets on the PC, called PS/2. Another means of connection would be USB (Universal Serial Bus) Your Mac does not have USB, don't worry about it.
To connect your Mac to the internet, at the same time as the PC, you need a Router. You may also need an adapter to take the ethernet from the connector at the back of the Mac and convert it to an RJ45 type connector. RJ11=Telephone, RJ45=Ethernet (Telephone connector on steroids!)
But, before all of this goes way above your head, let's concentrate on what you are going to do with the Mac.
I already told you about the printer and modem ports.

Don't sweat the small stuff, and right now, it's ALL small stuff.
P

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THANKS FOR THE INFO
Jul 3, 2005 12:05AM PDT

It was very good, thanks it really helps. OK like you said lets concentrate on what my goal is, starting fresh.

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ONLY ONE HARDRIVE
Jul 2, 2005 9:31AM PDT

I shut it off by pulling the plug. Inside there is one harddrive and it says: QUANTUM 4.0 GB FBSTS 655-0471 *ML716C26A8LHA QUANTUM FIREBALL ST 3.5 SERIES made in Japan. So I don't have any idea why they show two hard drives on the screen except maybe your partition idea. Are hard drives this small the norm? I know that on the PC I am using it says I have used 7.64GB and I don't have a lot on it. Anyway is this info useful?

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(NT) (NT) BTW means By The Way
Jul 2, 2005 1:09AM PDT
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Starting Fresh
Jul 3, 2005 1:51AM PDT

Now that we have the configuration problem out of the way, let's move on.
With the machine running, insert the OS 9 install CD. Go to the Special Menu and choose Restart.
Hold down the "C" to start from the CD. Release the key when the Happy Mac appears. If this does not work for you, restart and hold down the Apple Key + Shift Key + Delete Key + 3. Release all when the Happy Mac appears. The background during start up should have a bunch of Cd's on it. Once booted, double click the CD icon on the desktop and select the Drive Setup. Choose initialize and it will assume that you want the whole thing as a single disk. Once you click the initialize button, ALL data will be destroyed.
Once done, you will now have a 4GB HD. Quite that program and open the installer. Follow the instructions and all should be well.

Good Luck

P

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DONE
Jul 3, 2005 3:50AM PDT

Install seemed to go OK except for a wireless mouse will not install because it says MOUSEWARE 4.0 USB MOUSE requires MAC OS 8.6 or later. It was working before and would OS 9.0 not be later than QS 8.6.
What has to be done after the install or am I ready to go.

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Wireless Mouse
Jul 3, 2005 4:03AM PDT

Well done on the install. Do you now only see the one drive on the desktop??
You now need the software (drivers) for the wireless mouse. There may have been another CD that came with the machine.
I'm wondering why it is called a USB mouse and you call it a Wireless mouse. If you have USB, it was obviously added later. you should see it at the back of the machine in one of those metal strip things. Not as a molded part of the machine like the printer and modem ports.
After the install, you will need to download any, and all, updates from the Apple web site. You will be going from OS 9.0.0 to OS 9.2.2.
If you still have the original mouse, the one with the round plug, you can use it by plugging it into the keyboard, with the computer turned OFF.
Keep going, you're doing well

P

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Re install and mouse
Jul 3, 2005 6:05AM PDT

the mouse was up and running before the new install and I have the install Cd for it, why it is called a USB mouse is likely because the sender part plugs into the USB port and it is still Plugged in. The sender is sitting on the desk not to far away from the wireless mouse. It is LOGITECH product for Mac 8.6 to 9.2.
I will try and get on line now and let you know about the updates.

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Can not get on the internet
Jul 3, 2005 6:28AM PDT

I plugged my Speedstream modem in and tried to get on the internet but it would not connect and told me to check my network connections and settings . I could not get out of this sherlock thing and now after trying, it is locked up and the pointer looks like a watch. Also these irritating balloons kept popping up where ever I moved the pointer.
I have a BELL CD for internet hookup would that work?

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Internet Setup
Jul 3, 2005 10:12AM PDT

Do NOT use the Bell Cd.
Everything you need is already on your machine, it just needs configuring.
First, go to control panels and choose TCP/IP.
Make the Connect Via = Built-in Ethernet
Configure = DHCP
and restart the mac
It should, given that the ethernet is working correctly, now connect to the internet.
I'm still a little concerned about the connection for ethernet. Are you sure that the hole is like a large phone connector? It should have a <=>, or something like that, embossed on it.

P

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OK I am on line
Jul 3, 2005 11:57AM PDT

I am in this forum , but on this machine I can only see one message at a time and I have to go next, next, etc. That is why I am answering you at the beginning message because it said 22 messages, so it is going to be along time to get to the bottom. The other problem I noticed was when I entered the Cnet.com address and every screen search after to get to this page it had 20 or so errors showing about protocol needed, but I got here regardless. Any suggestions

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WHAT IS
Jul 3, 2005 12:08PM PDT

the web site to update to OS 9.1. I am not even sure if I will see your message if it comes in, but I will wait a while. It is a fair operatioon moving the modem over and extending the phone wire across the floor. I am disabled and don't move to quick not the equipments fault

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THE CNET SCREEN IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
Jul 3, 2005 1:02PM PDT

on the MAC than the one on my PC. It does not have the big long yellow submit and review buttons and as I mentioned you can't see the string history. You have to go sequentially page down from the top. Why the difference

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On line
Jul 3, 2005 10:19PM PDT

First, well done with the On-Line achievement.
The version of IE that you are using is probably old and needs to be replaced. Check the screen resolution, via the Control Panels, to set the resolution to something smaller, if possible. Go Here:
http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English-North_American/Macintosh/System/
Now choose the 9.1 update from the list. Answer all the export questions and download it.
Go back to the site and choose 9.2.1 update. Repeat the answers to the export questions and download it too.
You probably need to run over to the Microsoft site to download the latest IE for OS 9 as well. The actual link is over 4 lines long so here are the cliffe notes for it. http://www.microsoft.com/mac/ will get you in the ball park. Click on Internet Explorer (on the left) and the, at the next page, and then click on the download section for OS 8.1 to 9.x Follow the instructions. It will download as an .smi file, double click it and another icon will appear on the desktop. Double click that and drag the IE folder to your HD. Remove any alias's/shortcuts that you already have for IE and create new ones based on the new IE application.
I'm not sure why you are seeing CNET like you are, still checking that one out

Good Luck

P

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OK will do
Jul 4, 2005 7:05AM PDT

I will get back to you as soon as I have completed these instructions. Thanks again for being so much help.

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(NT) (NT) No Problem, go enjoy the Holiday
Jul 4, 2005 7:50AM PDT
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WE HAD OUR HOLIDAY
Jul 4, 2005 9:26AM PDT

(Canada Day)on Friday. Some took both, but I will enjoy the day figuring out this MAC, bacause it is fun to me.

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I am finally back
Jul 19, 2005 10:56AM PDT

I have downloaded Microsoft 5.1.7 but cannot find it after I moved it to hard drive and don't know how to make it run or make a shortcut as you suggested. The OS9.1 that I installed seems to be functioning OK. The OS9.2 I don't want to try just yet because I am having so much trouble so far. I am getting frustrated trying to manuver and get things to work. I have tried the resolution idea and all that happens is the viewing area keeps getting smaller(doesn't fill the screen).
When I put in the Cnet address I continue to get several messages about not being supported by protocol as I mentioned before.
Help this is driving me crazy because I don't understand how a Mac works.

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Have a different view now
Jul 19, 2005 11:40AM PDT

I turned on MS-5.17 some how and the view of this site although different than my PC and completely different than MS-4.5, now shows the string contents. I still need advice on how to make a icon for MS-5.17 so I can manage to activate it with less problems.
Hope to hear from you soon.