where can i find os 8?

[f-matic]

howdy all,

i'm thinking of purchasing an old powerbook 2400, just for fun really... anyhow it has os 9.1 installed which i think would be fairly heavy for such an old computer (180mhz 603e, 80mb ram) so i'd like to put os 8 on it if possible.

my first question: it doesn't come with a cd-rom, just a floppy. is there such a thing as a boot floppy for os 8? or is it possible to make one?

second: where could i get it? i s'pose ebay is the obvious answer but i'm so burned on ebay in general that i'd really prefer to go elsewhere. any suggestions?

thanks,
np

[TEG]

My Suggestion would be to do a net install (install over a network), or find an external CD Rom for it. And if you need OS8, I have an extra here.

TEG

[FattyMembrane]

if you wait long enough, you will probably be able to download it from apple (i think you can download up to 7.5.5 at the moment). some computer bargain bin may have a copy, but people still try to charge outrageous ammounts considering its age. if you want a boot floppy, go here http://home.earthlink.net/~gamba2/bootdisks.html for just about every mac boot floppy available. there's a booter for 8.1 that worked fine on my 6100 but it is totally stripped (looks like os6, all monochrome icons, etc) and does not have any kind of installation software (it's only 1.4 megs after all).

[eyelikeart]

I've got system discs that go back to 7.5 I believe...

I'd be happy to give u a copy of one of my OS 8's...

[f-matic]

thanks guys for all the help! i think i'm going to track down a scsi cd-rom for the thing, they seem pretty cheap. and TEG, i would like to take you up on the offer of the os 8 discs... i'll send you a PM.

best,
np

[Doctor Q]

For those who don't have a friend willing to donate a copy, at www.poweron.com (http://www.poweron.com/) you can buy:

* Mac OS 8.0 for $50, which you can update to Mac OS 8.1 with Apple's free download (http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English-North_American/Macintosh/System/Mac_OS_8.1_Update/).

* Mac OS 8.1 for $60.

* Mac OS 8.5 for $100, which you can update to Mac OS 8.5.1 for free with Apple's free download (http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English-North_American/Macintosh/System/Mac_OS_8.5.1_Update/). I believe you can also go to Mac OS 8.6 with this download (http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English-North_American/Macintosh/System/Mac_OS_8.6_Update/).

I didn't shop around for better prices, and I've never dealt with PowerOn myself. I'm just passing along what I heard in a discussion group.

For Mac OS 7 (System 7), you can freely download System 7.5.3 (http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English-North_American/Macintosh/System/Older_System/System_7.5_Version_7.5.3/) and the free update (http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English-North_American/Macintosh/System/System_7.5.5_Update/) to System 7.5.5.