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David Lee · Apr 5, 2006, 07:53 AM

Maybe someone like Tooki (the eccentric admin) could help but I cannot figure thisone out. At work we have a mix of Macs and PCs and after updating from Panther to tiger my iBook cannot access all of the OS9 machines. It can access some, an iMac 333 running OS9.1 but not the file server running 9.2.2 (B&W tower) and I get a message saying (paraphrased) "Incompatible AFP protocol. You cannot access this server." Well I can access it from Panther machines, and I can access some even older systems, so what gives here?

Any help greatly appreciated.

OreoCookie · Apr 5, 2006, 08:37 AM

Check out this thread. 10.4 only supports AppleTalk via TCP/IP. I would guess you haven't enabled that on your server.

On another note, I would suggest you move your server to OS X which is much smoother in networked environments.

David Lee · Apr 6, 2006, 07:03 AM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

Check out this thread. 10.4 only supports AppleTalk via TCP/IP. I would guess you haven't enabled that on your server.

On another note, I would suggest you move your server to OS X which is much smoother in networked environments.

Unfortunately, other consideration preclude changing the server now. The one Mac I know I can connect to is running 0S9.1 and the TCP/IP setting on that machine is set to ethernet not Appletalk in the control panel. That is what you meant isn't it? The server is set to ethernet too. I tried setting it to Appletalk and got zilch. Back to ethernet so everyone else can connect to it. Next I will try specifying the IP addresss of the server. And check the various default settings on the iBook running 10.4.6, What a stupid problem this is, has Apple realy cut off connections to OS 9 systems? Here is Japan almost all of the design houses are locked into OS 9 due to font complications and printing companies that have not switched to OS X.

Thanks for taking the time to reply though.
Cheers

OreoCookie · Apr 6, 2006, 07:41 AM

Just because you need your workstations to still use OS 9 does not mean your server has to use OS9. OS9 is six years old by now, isn't it?

What software do you need for OS9 that cannot run under OS X (in Classic if you have to)?

David Lee · Apr 6, 2006, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

Just because you need your workstations to still use OS 9 does not mean your server has to use OS9. OS9 is six years old by now, isn't it?

What software do you need for OS9 that cannot run under OS X (in Classic if you have to)?

Thanks for the reply. It is not a matter of software, the other considerations are valid, having to do with the use of the OS 9 versions of illustrater - and Quark - and so on, using Japanese fonts get really screwy going from OSX saved files to OS 9 files and so on ad infinitium. So for now the server, which is not really a server, just a machine used by everyone for scanning and misc. tasks, has to stay on 0S 9, no option to change that now. But as I can not connect directly I have to copy files to another OSX Panther machine and then to the "server" for backup, which is a real pain in the you know where.

The inconsistancy is what is really getting to me, connecting to one OS9 Machine and maybe more and not to the machine I need to the most. Did someone say infernal combustion engines and computers were designed as instruments of torment for mankind? Or am I the first to think so? (hardly I imagine)

OreoCookie · Apr 6, 2006, 12:49 PM

Well, the thing is that you should get a `real' server or at least a NAS-type of device. You should never, ever have a workstation doubling as a server, in particular if you use an OS like OS 9 with no memory protection, etc. etc.

Instead of forcibly making it work, how about at least making your machine running 10.3 your new server?

The thing is that the protocol used here to connect to the Macs is very, very old (since OS9 shipped with Appletalk over TCP/IP, this is really ancient technology).

David Lee · Apr 7, 2006, 06:32 AM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

Well, the thing is that you should get a `real' server or at least a NAS-type of device. You should never, ever have a workstation doubling as a server, in particular if you use an OS like OS 9 with no memory protection, etc. etc.

Instead of forcibly making it work, how about at least making your machine running 10.3 your new server?

The thing is that the protocol used here to connect to the Macs is very, very old (since OS9 shipped with Appletalk over TCP/IP, this is really ancient technology).

Well, can't you get the issue of OSX vs OS9 out of your mind? As I have said, that is not the issue here. Of course OSX is a much better platform for a file server. I would love to install OSX on that machine, it would make everything easier for all of us in the office. However, that is irrelavant here. In fact, I have no control over that at all. The people in control are computer-blind, deaf and dumb. They do not have to use them either so they don't have to deal with OS9's problems nor do they have the experience you have to back up any decision on what system to use for what task. The question I originally asked was "why can I access one OS9 machine and not the others? Let's stick to that. Or call it a day, this is the last I want to here about OSX on that blasted server. No matter how ancient the technology is, it works to one machine and not others. As far as I can tell, the TCP/IP settings are identical (ethernet)

on both machines, but they are connected to the network on different hubs. Could that be involved?

OreoCookie · 08:00 AM

I don't believe the fact that they are connected to different routers is the problem.
I've told you in my initial post what the problem most likely is: 10.4 does not support AppleTalk, just AppleShare via TCP/IP. So instead of banging your head to the wall, just check the link provided below and answer the questions so we can narrow down on the possible culprit.

And are you positive that you have enabled AppleShare of IP (scroll down to Section 4 Troubleshooting) on the server?

Alternative solutions are to install Dave on the server and access it via Windows sharing.

David Lee · Apr 7, 2006, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

I don't believe the fact that they are connected to different routers is the problem.
I've told you in my initial post what the problem most likely is: 10.4 does not support AppleTalk, just AppleShare via TCP/IP. So instead of banging your head to the wall, just check the link provided below and answer the questions so we can narrow down on the possible culprit.

And are you positive that you have enabled AppleShare of IP (scroll down to Section 4 Troubleshooting) on the server?

Alternative solutions are to install Dave on the server and access it via Windows sharing.

Thanks for pointing me to that article. It is Sat here and I won't be able to check things out agian until Monday. Wiil post again after that.
I think I have the OSX machine sset up correctly, everything else works on the network, printing accessing other OSX machines, internet and mail access. Will check again on the appleshare of IP issue.
On the OS9.2.2 machine I assume I only have to worry about the TCP/IP control panel - set to ethernet. Is that right? Any special settings required in the file sharing panel? The machine seems set up correctly as most other connections - not sure I have tried all possible so I say most - are working.
Thanks again for the help.

OreoCookie · Apr 8, 2006, 03:51 AM

Have you read the article?
It is only the OS9 machine (the server) you have to worry about. That machine is quite probably not set up correctly to work with 10.4. The article states quite clearly that only AppleShare over IP will work with 10.4, yet older versions of OS X can still speak AppleTalk.