[rw]

When I got my iMac (500 Mhz), it came preloaded with an iTunes Sampler folder containing tons of music and other mp3s. A while back, I had to wipe my hard drive and re-install everything. I assumed (foolishly, I suppose) that the mp3s would either be part of the OS 9.1 install, or that they would be on one of the CDs that came with the computer. Neither seems to be the case. Does anyone know how I can get them back again? I suspect that they are hidden on the "Restore Software" CD, which I did not use, but there doesn't seem to be any way to get anything off that CD without wiping the HD again and re-installing with it. Am I hosed?

[Captain Obvious]

Sorry, you are out of luck. The iTunes sampler is a one time deal that is preloaded onto the HD when macs ship out. There is no copy of them on any of the discs.

[padimac]

If I restore my indigo 500 iMac with the 3 CDs, the sampler will be copied to the iTunes-Folder, so on my side the sampler is included on the Restore CDs. Perhaps there is a difference between international versions, I have a swiss edition :-)

[jcarr]

The difference is in the restoration mechanism.

rw's iMac came from the factory with about 600MB of MP3s (a 'Spoken Sampler' and a 'Tunes Sampler') on the hard disk, but with only a single restore CD. There is no way that the MP3s could have been included on the resotre or install CDs.

Newer Macs include a multiple CD restore mechanism that allows for more than 600MB or so to be resotred to the hard disk. This is required for those machines that ship with Mac OS X and Mac OS 9 pre-installed.

This also allows the iTunes sampler to be restored with the rest of the system. Unfortunately however the sampler has shrunk to only about 100MB of music only.

[jcarr]

Originally posted by rw:
<STRONG>...there doesn't seem to be any way to get anything off that CD without wiping the HD again and re-installing with it.</STRONG>

As a side note... you can copy stuff from the old single-CD restore CDs by simply mounting the DiskCopy image that is on the CD. Look in the 'Configurations' folder.

[rw]

Originally posted by jcarr:
<STRONG>rw's iMac came from the factory with about 600MB of MP3s (a 'Spoken Sampler' and a 'Tunes Sampler') on the hard disk, but with only a single restore CD. There is no way that the MP3s could have been included on the resotre or install CDs.</STRONG>

Actually, I have a slew of install CDs. In addition to the OS X and OS 9 CDs, there is an iMac Software Install CD, an iMac Applications CD, and four Software Restore CDs.

[padimac]

Originally posted by rw:
<STRONG>

Actually, I have a slew of install CDs. In addition to the OS X and OS 9 CDs, there is an iMac Software Install CD, an iMac Applications CD, and four Software Restore CDs.</STRONG>

I have the same CDs. These samples will only be installed when I restore from the 3 Software Restore CDs, and are hidden in one of the images.

[rw]

Originally posted by padimac:
<STRONG>

I have the same CDs. These samples will only be installed when I restore from the 3 Software Restore CDs, and are hidden in one of the images.</STRONG>

That's what I was afraid of. Thanks.