Is there something like ADTPro for early 68K Macs?

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CheshireNoir's picture
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Is there something like ADTPro for early 68K Macs?

Hey All,

I have an SE/30, and I plan (long term) to get a BMOW FloppyEmu to aid file transfer. I don't have an ethernet card yet, and I understand they're pretty rare.

I was wondering if there was a low cost solution to get files from PC to this generation of Mac with either easily available "off the shelf" bits and pieces, or alternatively something that can be made up with readly available electronic components?

 

I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron, so some sort of "Mac Serial to PC Serial" doodad that'd simply allow me to squirt files across to the Mac would be awesome.

 

(I mean, as a "worst case scenario" I guess there's some sort of terminal program and Zmodem, but I'd prefer something a bit less fiddly from the software side)

 

Anyone got any suggestions while I wait for the FloppyEmu?

 

cheers!

 

Chesh

 

 

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Networking cards for the SE

Networking cards for the SE/30 were usually Arcnet. I have an Arcnet card in my SE, which may also have Etherne, but IDR; and I may have a spare, but even connectivity to moren PCs via Ethernet is not fun. You don't have something as simple as Samba on System 7: Serial connectivity software did exist, and you could in fact netork an Apple //gs and a Mac via AppleTalk, and boot the //gs from the Mac using this painfully slow method, with file sharing between the two! Please be specific as to if you are using System 6 or System 7, if you want more details on setting up AppleTalk over serial. 

 

Another option is SCSI->Ethernet: http://www.applerescueofdenver.com/products-page/networking-cables-and-adapters/scsi-to-ethernet-adapters-external/

 

If you are lucky, you might find something local, but these were never common addons. Even if you have one, you need supprt for AppleTalk/EtherTalk on both ends, and you may need drivers. I do not think that you can use this approach, at all, under System 6. 

 

Mre informaton:

http://www.applefool.com/se30/

 

One long-winded process involves running a more modern (e.g. G3) Mac between the SE/30 and whatever else you want.  Remember that you can grab images on the G3 (or smething like a PM 9600) and then use DiskCopy 4.2 to make a real disk out of images. True file networking reuires an FTP server on the SE/30, which does exist and can run over serial. 

 

P.S. Keep in mind that you can mount a SCSI CD-ROM to the SE/30 and read CD-Rs, if you have System 7. 

 

Also note that the Floppy Emu only works with disk images, not with loose files, so for the situation that you describe, it is not ideal. You would need to put the files into a disk image, then copy tat to the SD card, then boot up the machine and mount that single image. Sneakernet with a PPC Mac is frankly easier. 

 

With regard to AppleTalk on Windows, I suggest the SheepShaver tools:

https://www.emaculation.com/doku.php/appletalk_for_sheepshaver_windows

 

I anything bette exists, then I am unaware of it. 

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Thanks for that, Timelord

Thanks for that, Timelord.

Supremely helpful, as always.

 

I'm currently using System 6, but that should only be for a week or two, as I have 8MB of 30 pin SIMMs wending my way from another Aussie Mac enthusiast. Then I'll be able to go up to System 7.

 

I'm also investigating using an external SCSI HDD as a solution (I'm working on a x86 system running Windows XP, with SCSI and a FDD to aid in transfer) but I might just end up looking at using a terminal program and using ZTerm or the like to get the files across.

 

The FloppyEmu is for use with both the Mac AND with my growing army of  8 bit Apples. I'm planning on purchasing the ROM-inator II which will apparently allow me to use the FloppyEmu as a HD20, which looks like it could be my "end game". Not that I have a HUGE number of applications to install on this system. It's mostly for retro games.

 

Cheers!

 

Chesh

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CheshireNoir wrote:Thanks for
CheshireNoir wrote:

Thanks for that, Timelord.

Supremely helpful, as always.

 

I'm currently using System 6, but that should only be for a week or two, as I have 8MB of 30 pin SIMMs wending my way from another Aussie Mac enthusiast. Then I'll be able to go up to System 7.

 

I'm also investigating using an external SCSI HDD as a solution (I'm working on a x86 system running W

I'm going to suggest having one volume with 6.0.8 and another with 7.0.1 or 7.1 on it. System 6 with Multifinder, IMO, runs better on the SE series in general. 

 

I had forgotten that the SE/30 lacks HD20 support. I used to have an SE/30, but the base SE was my core machine for many years, and I tended to have three HDDs on it: The internal SCSI drive, and external HD40, and an external HD20 from my 512Ke that I transaferred when I migrated to the SE. I need to take a look at the card in my SE and report on it, when I get a chance. I did run System 7 on the SE/30, but it is nowhere near as fast as SYstem 6.0.8 on the samehardware, andon a originalSE, System 7 was bloody wretched. I recall installing it, then rolling back to 6.0.8.

 

Keep your eyes open for accelerator cards for the SE/30!

 

Anyway, you may want System 6 for some of the programmes once you have them on a suitable volume. Remember that you can also make some disk images and transfer files via floppy emulation, too. As long as you prepare all of the floppy images first, it mayn't be as longwinded as networking to get those files across might be. 

 

 

 

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Might work

So I don't know if this is going to be helpful or not.  But since you mentioned ADTPro, if you have access to an Apple II with a 3.5in drive, you can use ADT to write Mac 800k disk images (depending on the format of the disk image).  The actual floppy format is interchangeable between all Apple computers, so ADT can write for any Apple computer, including the Macintosh.  The only limit is that Apple IIs don't typically support 1.44Mb drives.

 

Another method I've used is to copy files onto a 1.44Mb USB floppy connected to a PC and then copying them to my Mac hard-drive to build a proper Mac-formatted (and even bootable) disk.  I've done this with a PowerBook 180 and a Mac SE before, and I believe that the SE/30 came with a high-density floppy drive and can read IBM formats if you're running System 7 or above.  

 

Forgot to mention, you can use Sheepshaver or BasiliskII (both classic Mac emulators) to create ADTPro compatible disk images if needed.  I'm not sure about Mini vMac though.

 

 

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DistantStar001 wrote:So I don
DistantStar001 wrote:

So I don't know if this is going to be helpful or not.  But since you mentioned ADTPro, if you have access to an Apple II with a 3.5in drive, you can use ADT to write Mac 800k disk images (depending on the format of the disk image).  The actual floppy format is interchangeable between all Apple computers, so ADT can write for any Apple computer, including the Macintosh.  The

 

All SE/30 models have a Superdrive. 

 

We used to call this 'Sneakernet', and sure, you could do that, but you need to be able to write the diskettes on the PC side. 

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If you have the right

If you have the right extension (I think it was called PC Exchange, iirc), or a late enough version of System 7, you can read PC floppies directly on your Mac.  However, the PC filesystem will just give you generic binary files since it doesn't know anything about the resource fork.  However, there were some programs that you can drop files from PC disks onto and it will restore the resource forks.  Maybe Stuffit Expander was able to do this?  I can't remember exactly; it's been years.

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ZModem for the Win

I ended up using a Terminal application on the mac.

 

I wrote it up here: https://ilike8bits.wordpress.com/2020/10/25/serial-a-quick-update/

 

Cheers!

 

Chesh.

 

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