Notable TILs: System file damage, Type 41 error and more

Apple continues to post some especially relevant TIL files for troubleshooters:

#24436 Mac OS 8: System File Damage We have previously covered the issue of getting a "file is damaged" error message when trying to open the System file, with Appearance Extension 1.0.2 installed. Here is Apple's take on this matter: "This is caused by having Appearance Extension version 1.0.2 installed. Mac OS 8.1 installs version 1.0.1 and Mac OS 8.0 installs version 1.0. It is important to note that the System suitcase is not damaged. If you need to add or remove items from the System suitcase, you can do this by using the following work-around.

1. Option-drag the System file to the desktop.
2. Open the copy you just made and make the changes.
3. Close the window for the copy.
4. Drag the System suitcase from the System Folder to the trash.
5. Drag the copy from the desktop to the System Folder.
6. Make sure the System Folder is blessed by making sure the System Folder icon has the Mac OS logo on it.
7. Restart the system.
8. Empty the trash to delete the old System suitcase.

#24431 Mac OS 8: Error Type 41 This article notes that the Error Type 41 is not new and is not unique to Mac OS 8. However, it appears to be occurring with greater frequency in Mac OS 8.x. Here is what Apple had to say: "This error means "can't load the Finder." If you receive this error message it is likely that the Finder has been damaged. Deleting the Finder and reinstalling it should correct the situation. Performing a clean install of the system software is not necessary unless a simple reinstall of the Finder fails. Locking the Finder (in the "Get Info" window) may prevent the error condition from recurring. However, be aware that a locked Finder will cause some system software installations to fail. Upgrading to Mac OS 8.1 may help prevent one cause of this issue."

#30482 Apple CD ROM Drives: Support for CD-RW Discs Beware if you intend to use CD-RW discs that you create on drives other than the drive that created it. Apple writes: "The only drives that are qualified to read CD-RW formatted discs are the 24X drives that are in desktop Power Macintosh. PowerBook CD-ROM Drives and older desktop CD-ROM drives may read some of the discs but it would be unsupported and unreliable. CD-RW is really designed as a backup format for the machine with a CD-RW drive. If a customer wants to use CDs they made on other Macintosh units they should format the CDs as CD-R instead of CD-RW."

#24432 PowerBook 1400: Delays In Scrolling, Typing, Cursor Movement Question: I recently installed Mac OS 8 on my PowerBook 1400 with VST Zip drive expansion bay module. Now I am experiencing long delays with pull-down menus and scroll bars. Typing is also very slow and the cursor seems to stick and occasionally disappear. Is this a compatibility problem between machine and OS, or is it just my computer? Answer: This issue is resolved by updating the driver for VST Technologies' expansion bay Zip drive. You can download the software from VST's web site.

#24430 DOS Compatibility Card: Achieving 800 x 600 Resolution This discusses a problem where you cannot achieve the desired resolution when running Windows95. Apple states that it does not officially support Windows95 for the DOS card, but offers a possible solution.