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PowerBook 540C; how do I install 8.1?

glossywhite

glossywhite

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 28, 2008
1,120
2
Hi. I have a PowerBook 540C with NO network access, NO cdrom and I have NO floppy disks but I wish to install Mac OS 8.1 - can I remove the HDD and copy the installation image/folder/whatever to the Desktop of it's HDD from my eMac and install that way?.

VERY old tech, so I'm a little lost, but extremely proficient in what I do. Please... HELP!!

Thanks - I would LOVE to upgrade from the 7.5.5 that it currently runs (and blatt out all the extranneous data that the previous owner left on it).
 
D

darngooddesign

macrumors P6
Jul 4, 2007
17,943
9,484
Atlanta, GA
Don't bother with 8.1.

8.6 was the last best OS before 9.2.2.

Poke around on 68kmla and see what they suggest for you. Its been a while since I set up my 2400 and Duos. I think I just found a used CD Rom o install from.

PS. Get your hands on RAM Doubler and Speed Doubler while you're at it.
 
glossywhite

glossywhite

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 28, 2008
1,120
2
mbpnewbie said:
buy an external cd drive for the install
Click to expand...

I think you miss the point here; It's a technical challenge question, and I am certainly not willing to spend vast amounts of money (>£5-10) on such an old machine. There *must* be another, less defeatist way of installing 8.1. Thanks.
 
D

darngooddesign

macrumors P6
Jul 4, 2007
17,943
9,484
Atlanta, GA
Like I said, ask around on http://68kmla.net/forums/.

I don't think 8.6 was offered of floppies, but those may exist online somewhere. You can download some legacy OSes from Apple, but I don't know if 86 is legacy enough. Odds are its online somewhere else.

This has less to do with being defeatist and everything to do with your having to spend some money to get the necessary drive or adapter (if all you have is a SCSI drive then you can't complain about spending money on a SCSI adapter).

If you don't have any older machines running Tiger or earlier then you're going to have to buy more stuff. I don't even think the Newer tech drive adapter kit comes with the necessary SCSI cable. If you don't have the PB > SCSI adapter (I can't remember if the 520/540 series used the smaller SCSI port) then you'll need that as well to connect an external drive. You might have to spend money on a larger drive anyway because there are a lot of cool pre-OSX games out there.

Check those forums and see if anyone local to you has the kit you need. It might only cost you a couple of pints.

Face the fact that you will have to spend some money to get really old tech working. Its alright because except for the 550C, the 540C was the best of the pre-PPC laptops. My duo still has the "Ready for PPC upgrade" sicker still on it.
 
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