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test222 · Apr 13, 2006, 09:13 PM

Hey, I'm completely new to this forum and I wasn't exactly sure where to post this, so sory if it ain't in the right place. If its not the right place, just move it...
So here's my problem:

I have a much older macintosh. I have a "Macintosh TV", here's a link with a bit of info:
http://www.lowendmac.com/500/mactv.shtml

I'm a PC user and I'm really lost. The owners manual is nowhere to be found. With this thing, the mouse plugs directly into the keyboard and the keyboard plugs into the rest of the computer. One of my problems is the wire that goes from the keyboard to the computer is gone. Lost. Like the manual, nowhere to be found. All I'm really using it for is the TV, and it was working fine until today I moved it. I plugged it in and started it up, but during the loading it stopped. In the middle of the screen there's what looks like a picture of a white floppy disk with black outlining. In the middle of the disk theres a question mark ( ? ) and its blinking. Nothing happens after this. Whats wrong? What do I do? Someone told me that I need a disk or something but all I have is the computer. Is there a way to download the files that I need, if I need any? Remember, this is an old mac. I think it came out in 1995.. Not sure though. Please help, its driving me insane!

Nai no Kami · Apr 13, 2006, 09:42 PM

The floppy with the question mark implies that the machine does not has a bootable volume. Probably something with your System went wrong. Mac OS 7.6.1 is the latest OS you can install on that machine. You can download Mac OS 7.5.3 from here and then update it to 7.5.5 if you don't have the original OS disks.
You could also try and reset the PRAM by holding Command (apple key) + Option + P + R at startup. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't.
Also, if you manage to boot your Mac, check if the time and date settings don't stick between restarts: if they don't, the internal battery is dead, and it could cause further problems.
You could also try to get some Mac OS on CD. The maximum Mac OS that machine can withstand is 7.6.1.

test222 · Apr 13, 2006, 09:47 PM

Thanks so much. I'm not sure if I understood all of it, but at least 90% so thanks plenty. The idea about Apple + Option + P + R wont work, because like I said earlier: The keyboard isn't hooked up to the comp. About the higher OS version, which one do I pick? Thers about 15 diffrent options. How do I get them onto the mac? Also, once I put them in how can I do anything if the mac or mouse arn't hooked up?

test222 · Apr 13, 2006, 09:58 PM

Oh, problem solved.. kinda. I got the mouse working.

Catfish_Man · Apr 13, 2006, 10:41 PM

That helps... running a comp without a keyboard is still hard though.

CharlesS · Apr 13, 2006, 11:22 PM

You need an ADB cable to connect the keyboard to the Mac. Searching around for "ADB cable" should find you one somewhere. Maybe eBay.

andgarden · Apr 14, 2006, 12:00 AM

IIRC, You can use an S-Video cable in place of ADB.

subego · Apr 14, 2006, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by andgarden

IIRC, You can use an S-Video cable in place of ADB.

Yup.

CharlesS · Apr 14, 2006, 12:21 AM

Originally Posted by andgarden

IIRC, You can use an S-Video cable in place of ADB.

Wha? Does that really work?

Damn, I wish I had an old Mac around so I could try that.

Person Man · Apr 14, 2006, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Wha? Does that really work?

Damn, I wish I had an old Mac around so I could try that.

Yes. You have to use a four pin S-Video cable, but it works. For a while I had to extend the reach of my 7600 keyboard with an S-Video coupler and an S-Video cable. Works like a charm.

test222 · Apr 14, 2006, 09:40 AM

Yep. They're all right. It works perfectly. But that still doesn't fix the floppy disk thing. What do I do now? And how?

test222 · Apr 14, 2006, 12:47 PM

Well? No answer? I know some of you can help me. What do I do now? Please help, I'm desperate!

CharlesS · Apr 14, 2006, 03:30 PM

Well, you wouldn't have gotten very far without a working keyboard.

Anyway, the blinking floppy means that it didn't find a boot disc. Normally I'd suspect the OS on the hard disk went bad and needed to be reinstalled, but I'm not sure why you'd get this immediately after moving the computer. Could be a coincidence, though. If you got the computer with the OS already on it and you didn't reformat/reinstall it yourself, it's very possible that the OS could be very old and crusty.

In any case, what you probably need is to reinstall the OS. Since you just got the Mac, it wouldn't hurt to reformat either. You'll need the System 7.5.3 installer, which you can get for free from here. (yes, you need all 19 parts). Unfortunately, the 7.5.3 install image doesn't include a System Folder, so you'll also need a boot disk. The 7.5 Network Access disk is supposed to be suitable for this purpose and is available here.

So, what you need to do is:

1. On another Mac, download the 7.5.3 installer and the 7.5 Network Access Disk images.

2. Burn part 1 of the 7.5.3 installer discs to a CD-R using either Disk Utility or Toast. If all 19 parts are in the same folder, I think you should end up with a CD with the 7.5.3 installer on it.

3. Image the Network Access disk to a floppy disk. This part is tricky because modern Macs don't have floppy drives. Either find a Mac with a USB floppy connected to it or an older beige Mac with a built-in floppy drive. Use the Disk Copy application in OS 9 to copy the image onto the disk. (in the OS X Disk Copy app, it might be possible to do this with the Restore tab as long as you elect to erase the destination. I'm not sure about this, though).

4. Anyway, once you've got your boot disk and 7.5.3 installer, start up your Mac with the Network Access floppy in the floppy drive and the 7.5.3 installer in the CD-ROM drive. You should now be able to open Drive Setup and reformat the internal hard disk. After you do this, install 7.5.3 on it and you should be set.

test222 · Apr 22, 2006, 09:59 AM

Sorry I took so long, I was busy. Thanks for your replies.
Anyways, you said to burn the files onto a CD, and to downoad then with another mac. Well, i dont have another mac, and I dont think the Mac I have has a CD drive. Those two problems conflict with about every step, what do I do?

CharlesS · Apr 22, 2006, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by gakor

Sorry I took so long, I was busy. Thanks for your replies.
Anyways, you said to burn the files onto a CD, and to downoad then with another mac. Well, i dont have another mac, and I dont think the Mac I have has a CD drive. Those two problems conflict with about every step, what do I do?

The Mac TV has a CD-ROM drive, although it's one of those really old caddy-loading ones, which may seem a bit strange. That great big rectangular slot on the front is the drive, and it should have a CD caddy in it, or one should have come with the Mac. The caddy is basically a removable tray for the drive - I think the original idea was that you'd get a whole bunch of them and encase your CDs in them, and then you could insert them like floppy disks. It didn't take off, obviously. If you don't have a caddy, you'll have to find one, which could be difficult these days (eBay, maybe?).

As for getting another Mac to make the CD, do you live near a university? You could use their computer labs if they have one and they allow you to burn CDs. At any rate, we need a working computer in order to get Internet access to download and burn that CD.

test222 · Apr 24, 2006, 05:20 PM

Okay, thanks. But I'm still having the problem with the other mac. Can I just use a normal PC? I dont see what diffrence it would make... it's not like I'm downloading another file.
Anyways, I'm going to try this. Tell me if thers anything else I should know.

CharlesS · Apr 24, 2006, 05:32 PM

You may have trouble mounting the .smi image containing the 7.5.3 installer on a PC, which is why I recommend using a Mac.

Also, I do not know if there are any programs for Windows that can write the .img image containing the boot disk onto a floppy.

test222 · Apr 24, 2006, 05:49 PM

I have to write it as image? I just pasted the file onto the floppy. This wont work? If not, how do I do it diffrently?
It says its a BIN file..

CharlesS · Apr 24, 2006, 05:59 PM

That won't work. You need to image the file onto the disk. You can do it on a Mac with the Disk Copy app in OS 9 and earlier, and Disk Utility in OS X. I have no idea if you can do it or not in Windows, but my guess would be that you can't. Simply copying the .smi.bin file onto the disk will not work.

test222 · Apr 24, 2006, 06:05 PM

So I also have to image the OS files onto the disk, right?

CharlesS · Apr 24, 2006, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by gakor

So I also have to image the OS files onto the disk, right?

You need to image the .smi file onto a floppy. The .smi file is an image of the disk which contains all the files needed to boot, and which also has the boot blocks set up so that the disk will be recognized as a boot disk.

For the CD with the 7.5.3 installer on it, it doesn't matter. You can just mount the images and copy the files onto a CD with that one (but not on a PC, because Windows would probably strip the resource forks, hosing everything).

test222 · Apr 24, 2006, 06:29 PM

Every file that I downloaded (the 19 OS ones, and the one for the floppy) are all BIN files. Where are you getting .smi?

wataru · Apr 24, 2006, 07:06 PM

Worst thread title ever, by the way.

CharlesS · Apr 25, 2006, 03:20 AM

Originally Posted by gakor

Every file that I downloaded (the 19 OS ones, and the one for the floppy) are all BIN files. Where are you getting .smi?

StuffIt Expander will turn those .bin files into the file types that you need.

On a Mac, anyway. On a Windows machine, the resource forks will get mangled. You have been warned.

test222 · Apr 25, 2006, 04:18 PM

Okay, so pretty much the only way I can do this is with another working mac. I get you, I understand, but I have no access to any newer, good, working macs with access to internet and floppy drives.

Yeah, the title... I'd change it but I cant.

CharlesS · Apr 26, 2006, 03:20 AM

Originally Posted by gakor

Okay, so pretty much the only way I can do this is with another working mac. I get you, I understand, but I have no access to any newer, good, working macs with access to internet and floppy drives.

Yeah, the title... I'd change it but I cant.

Like I said, if there's a university nearby, they've probably got a computer lab with a few Macs in it. If you're lucky they could have some USB floppy drives as well. You should check it out at least.

Dark Helmet · Apr 26, 2006, 03:18 PM

I love these highly descriptive titles. I am surprised he got this much help.

qnxde · Apr 27, 2006, 03:40 AM

Try whacking the Mac a few times on the side when it's on - maybe the HD has died or has stiction issues. Not too hard though