Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Just finished repairing a G3 Walstreet
- Thread starter Garyed055
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
AFAIK the last operating system that Apple released on floppy disk was System 7. If it's of any use, they can be downloaded here.
I could be wrong, but given the number of floppies it would take to house a segmented install (if one even exists) of Mac OS 8+, the size of which is at least ~250 MB... well, I doubt there is such a thing. Anyway, I haven't heard of it.
What I would do instead is this:
Your Wallstreet supports PCMCIA/Cardbus via a PC Card slot (maybe even two slots? don't remember) in its side. I'd get a PCMCIA to CF (Compact Flash) adapter, and at least a 1 GB CF card. Then I'd download whichever install of OS 8/9 that you like from here. Use whatever means you can to get it on the CF card (maybe a USB to CF adapter), then plug the CF card into your Wallstreet's slot via the PCMCIA to CF adapter.
Your Wallstreet should be able to boot from that; you may need to select it by holding down the option key at startup.
I could be wrong, but given the number of floppies it would take to house a segmented install (if one even exists) of Mac OS 8+, the size of which is at least ~250 MB... well, I doubt there is such a thing. Anyway, I haven't heard of it.
What I would do instead is this:
Your Wallstreet supports PCMCIA/Cardbus via a PC Card slot (maybe even two slots? don't remember) in its side. I'd get a PCMCIA to CF (Compact Flash) adapter, and at least a 1 GB CF card. Then I'd download whichever install of OS 8/9 that you like from here. Use whatever means you can to get it on the CF card (maybe a USB to CF adapter), then plug the CF card into your Wallstreet's slot via the PCMCIA to CF adapter.
Your Wallstreet should be able to boot from that; you may need to select it by holding down the option key at startup.
There was definitely no floppy version of OS 8.0 onwards and the Wallstreet cannot boot any System 7.x version. An external (SCSI) CD drive is useful when working with older Macs if you can get one (or a Wallstreet CD drive module, which it would have come with when new), alternatively temporarily moving the hard drive to a Mac with a CD drive or another means to get an OS onto it eg FireWire Target mode would be an option. Or if you have any working OS on it already then you should be able to copy over an already-installed OS 8.x/9.x System Folder via network to a second hard drive partition from the running one...
I don't think the Wallstreet came with FireWire. I believe that was first introduced into the PowerBook line with the Pismo, which was a couple revisions downstream from the Wallstreet.
FireWire capability can be added to a Wallstreet via the Cardbus slot, and you might be able to use Target Disk Mode that way...if the Wallstreet's firmware even supports Target Disk Mode, which I don't know.
Oh yes I meant if you had another Mac that supported Target mode (or that had a working CD drive) that you could temporarily drop the hard drive into - the Wallstreet won't have Target mode in its firmware even if using an upgrade card.
Oh I see, you mean the other way round. Yes, that should work. You'd still need a FireWire card for the Wallstreet (as you pointed out); I think that's why it didn't occur to me at first. I forgot entirely about using another Mac's optical drive via TDM - nice work there
The PCMCIA to CF Adapter Card is the way to go. They are typically very cheap. If I understand correctly, the adapter card simply re-routes the pins as the CF interface is based on PCMCIA, so there is are bridging ICs or Mac-specific firmware. With this in mind, any brand adapter should work.
This is where having another PowerBook G3 (Lombard or Pismo) or G4 (Ti or Al 15” or 17”) will aid in getting files across to the Wallstreet via the CF card.
My PDQs can also comfortably boot from the CF card, which makes it a handy restore / utilities drive.
This is where having another PowerBook G3 (Lombard or Pismo) or G4 (Ti or Al 15” or 17”) will aid in getting files across to the Wallstreet via the CF card.
My PDQs can also comfortably boot from the CF card, which makes it a handy restore / utilities drive.
Thanks everyone I checked and the PCMCIA to CF adapter and the USB to CF are both cheap to get ahold of so ill go that route ASAP. Its great to get this old warhorse up and running I had to do a complete system board replacement and I felt like that scene in Frankenstein wanting to shout IT'S ALIVE when I heard the boot Chime
thanks again
Gary
thanks again
Gary
I had a similar issue, where I had a Wallstreet with a dead CDROM module. Rather than drop $30-$40 on another one, I waited for a parts machine to pop up on eBay and snagged it ($40 shipped). This helped twofold: I got a CDROM module, and spare parts in case my machine needed any repair. This came in handy when my display hinges eventually failed.
It's great to revive any old Mac, but an old tank like the Wallstreet, Well done! They are solid little Macs. I have a PDQ with dual batteries installed and boy is it a lead weight!
The Wallstreet does have Target Disk mode. Just that it is SCSI Disk mode. The only viable alternative to an internal optical drive would be an external SCSI drive: Either optical, Zip or Jaz or via Target Disk mode to another suitable Mac. You could install MacOS via any of these but the CF solution is cheaper, easier and quicker.
Will the Wally/PDQ go into regular old 'T-key' Firewire TDM if there is a Firewire PC Card installed?
Last edited:
TDM is a function of the firmware of The Wallstreet coupled with the hardware that accompanies it. That would exclude USB, FW, APFS etc. As far as the PC slot is concerned, this has support for IDE baked in, which is why you can boot from it with CF cards. Anything else needs drivers.
Just bought the PCMCIA to CF card and the CF to USB adapter off Ebay so when they get here I should be ready.
Gary
To expand a little on this, that is a function of the firmware and not even all Macs with Firewire built in can do it(I'm looking at you, B&W and Yikes!).
Ok
The USB CF card reader arrived today and I created the Boot disk on the CF card. Now when the CF adapter card for the walstreet arrives do i use the option key at booting?
The USB CF card reader arrived today and I created the Boot disk on the CF card. Now when the CF adapter card for the walstreet arrives do i use the option key at booting?
The Wallstreet doesn’t have the option-key multi-boot feature, so you want to use the combo; command-option-shift-delete which instructs the Mac to ignore the internal hard drive at boot.,
Thanks
I hope this works this laptop was a gift from a special friend. I was so surprised when the original system board failed, Luckily The walstreet is one I'm totally familiar with every part.
Gary
Hi
I tried downloading the OS files but they end in TOAST how do i open these to a CF card?
Gary
Well that's a good question. Sorry, I didn't see that they were .toast files, it seems that all of them are. I haven't had occasion to use something from the Macintosh Garden that came as a .toast file, so I'm afraid I have no experience to share.
There's some discussion of using .toast files in the comments section below the previously mentioned link with the OS downloads. There's more discussion here. However, it seems these solutions are going to require some mucking about in ImgBurn on Windows or Toast on a Mac. How you proceed depends on what hardware & OS you have available.
Another option you might try is MacOS9Lives. If you register an account there (it's free) you'll get access to their downloads, which might come in a friendlier format (I'm not sure, because I don't have an account there myself).
Well after going to two different macs I managed to make a bootable CF card but soon as the OS 9 logo appears am error box comes up saying
The system software on this disk only works on the original media. not if copied to another drive
Gary
Not sure which image you downloaded, but sounds like you may have got hold of an image from one of the "grey" machine-specific discs. There are some non-specific OS downloads on that page. There's one for 8.6 that's the 9th file down on the list; and one for the "Net Boot Install" of OS 9 which is the 16th file on the list. If those are in fact what they say they are, then you shouldn't encounter the same problem by copying them to other media.
EDIT: It just occurred to me that the problem may be that the OS install image requires a CD drive. If that's the case, and the other Macs you're using are capable of booting natively into OS 9 (not talking about Classic Mode in OS X), then you may have better luck using one of those Macs to install the OS from the image you downloaded onto the CF card (might require burning the image to CD first). Then, you'll have a working installation of OS 9 on the CF card for your Wallstreet to boot from.
Last edited:
Well tried about 6 different image files and all say the same thing Will only work from Original CD. I registered at OS9 lives but haven't been approved yet
Gary