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upgrading to newer OS on Powerbook 5300 with only floppies

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kobayashimaru

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Hi.

I don't know if early PowerPC is okay on this forum. If it isn't, I'm sorry

I have a Powerbook 5300c (but it has a mono screen) and I want to be able to use it for "light computing," as a word processor and maybe some very light internetting. I've got an old Orinoco 802.11a/b card that I might be able to get working. Problem is the OS. It is currently running 7.5.2. I would like to get the latest software I can get on there, which is OS9.1. Only issue is the lack of a CD drive. Is there some way I can install 9.1 from floppies?

TIA
Joe
 
Not that I can see, but an alternative would be to get yourself a cheap ethernet card for it, boot from a System 7.5 Network Boot floppy, connect to a different Mac via AppleTalk that's sharing the OS 9.1 CD, then install it over the network.

It'll take a long time, but should work.

Alternatively, if you have a second Mac with SCSI and a CD-ROM, you can connect that Mac to the PowerBook as if it where a SCSI CD-ROM.

Turn on the Mac, insert CD-ROM. Shut down the Mac, but don't eject the CD. Connect the Mac to your PowerBook with a SCSI cable. Turn on the PowerBook. Now turn on the Mac. The CD-ROM should mount on the PowerBook.
 
I agree with olePigeon.

An external SCSI CD option is definitely the easier, but obviously requires a SCSI CD drive and an enclosure. Both are useful beyond just the PB 5300 (which is why I have them), but if you don't have other Macs, it might be a cumbersome solution. You'll likely have to boot with "C," though to force it to boot from the CD-drive. If that doesn't work you can force it to boot from a particular SCSI ID # (Ctrl-Command-Shift-Delete-# I think, but check me on that).
 
Just copy the install files from the 9.1 CD to a CF card using a PCMCIA adapter on a machine that has a CD drive. Then, you can install it from the CF card. That's how I installed most of my old Powerbooks. Make sure that you format the CF card with HFS, not FAT.
 
That's probably your best bet. Just need a cheap card slot CF adapter. Looking on Google real quick, it appears that the 5300 is IDE based. You could also replace the internal HDD with a CF card using a cheap IDE to CF adapter. Would probably make it faster.
 
Also be sure it's a CF card and not an SD (or other) card adapted. I have had very weird luck with SD cards in 5300s, but that may just be a fluke. In theory that should work, though. You can also just install an OS to the card - idk about OS 9 but I'm not sure why that would specifically not work. [And then boot from the PCMCIA card, I mean. I don't find that all too convenient, though.]

Additionally, since I see no specs listed, keep in mind that you still need the RAM to run OS 9, and it'll run pretty slowly. For most internet stuff there isn't a real advantage to OS 9 (32mb) versus 8.6 (24mb) or even really 8.5 (16mb). I think those RAM requirements are correct.

[*Also... I don't think there are any hardware differences, aside from the screen, between a 5300c and a 5300 - or cs, for that matter. I think the only model-line difference is with the cs, and there probably only with the processor. Could be wrong. Just a pedantic point!]
 
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8.6 is not much faster than 9.x, as it's actually using the same code base. 8.5 on the other hand is much faster, but not very stable. If you want a fast and stable OS, go for 8.1. The last version that was also available on floppy disk, by the way. ;)
 
The problem in this case is probably going to be Classilla. Obviously ClassicHasClass can offer more info than I can, but I don't think it will run on 8.1. It will on 8.6 and I think I've run it on 8.5.
 
Timo W. said:
8.6 is not much faster than 9.x, as it's actually using the same code base. 8.5 on the other hand is much faster, but not very stable. If you want a fast and stable OS, go for 8.1. The last version that was also available on floppy disk, by the way. ;)
Click to expand...

Actually, no. Although they both have the same, more advanced nanokernel at the lowest level, the 8.x kernel has several important differences from the 9.x kernel particularly with respect to networking and AppleEvents. Also, 8.1 won't run a lot of things that 8.6 can, including and especially CarbonLib-based apps.

Classilla requires at least 8.5, but the minimum supported version is 8.6 because even 8.5.1 was just too buggy.
 
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