New to Mac and need some help

[kwng]

Oops sorry for the fast typing. I am very grateful for your guys help and my interest in Mac is rising fast. I particularly noted your advice with great interest, nixgeek on TCPIP and Appletalk (and PPP?). I have Appletalk in the powerbook and has activated it but I do not it is for. TCPIP is not setup and I'll look into that if I had the ethernet connection up. I had used PPP before but it was not used now I think.

Well, let's not do too much. My main aim is to access internet and clean up the HD which has a other ppl files and I am not sure which one is working which is not. I like to start fresh which I think I can then learn better. I noted symphonix (thanks) for http://www.info.apple.com/support/ol...twarelist.html but the warning
of it may do harm if improperly installed and the large amount files just knock me out. So how to start fresh, in a safe way. In windows, I would fdisk the HD, format it and install the windows (via CD if XP or diskette by diskette if 3.1 or 95). Then I would install softwares. What about Mac?

From another perspective, a safer way would be upgrade which nixgeek advised. In windows, the windows will detect that your OS is older and will advised you on upgrading (probably inserting certain diskettes and not all).
What about Mac? Oh, where actually MacOS files sit?

Sorry again for the long query and I typing this while browsing the jag website in which I am also learning.

Thank you again.

[mosx86]

Originally Posted by kwng

Oops sorry for the fast typing. I am very grateful for your guys help and my interest in Mac is rising fast. I particularly noted your advice with great interest, nixgeek on TCPIP and Appletalk (and PPP?). I have Appletalk in the powerbook and has activated it but I do not it is for. TCPIP is not setup and I'll look into that if I had the ethernet connection up. I had used PPP before but it was not used now I think.

Well, let's not do too much. My main aim is to access internet and clean up the HD which has a other ppl files and I am not sure which one is working which is not. I like to start fresh which I think I can then learn better. I noted symphonix (thanks) for http://www.info.apple.com/support/ol...twarelist.html but the warning
of it may do harm if improperly installed and the large amount files just knock me out. So how to start fresh, in a safe way. In windows, I would fdisk the HD, format it and install the windows (via CD if XP or diskette by diskette if 3.1 or 95). Then I would install softwares. What about Mac?

From another perspective, a safer way would be upgrade which nixgeek advised. In windows, the windows will detect that your OS is older and will advised you on upgrading (probably inserting certain diskettes and not all).
What about Mac? Oh, where actually MacOS files sit?

Sorry again for the long query and I typing this while browsing the jag website in which I am also learning.

Thank you again.

Okay, if you're using System 7.5 then Open Transport is definitely installed and you should have no problems networking it. For Ethernet connections you need to configure the TCP/IP control panel. For dial-up connections you need to configure the TCP/IP, PPP and Modem control panels.

Appletalk is a protocol that essentially finds other computers on your networks and allows them to communicate (over simplified). It's great if you're talking to other Macs as file sharing is very easy to set-up. Since your other computers are PCs that throws a wrench into things. You either need to get your PCs to talk Appletalk or get your Mac to talk windows file sharing. Someone already mentioned a product called Dave. I've never used it, but I understand it works well.

The operating system on Macs older than Mac OS X (ie system 6 through system 9) is generally in a directory at the root level of the hard drive called "System Folder." I say generally, because you can actually name it whatever you want. Look for a little happy mac face on the folder icon. Inside this folder, probably the most important folders your concerned with at this time is the Control Panels folder. Inside here you'll find the TCP/IP and other control panels. When you get up to speed some other folders to note are the Extensions folder (drivers in a nutshell) and Preferences folder (where applications store their preferences).

You can definitely reformat the hard drive and start over. To do so, however, you must boot the computer off of an installation disk or CD. When you bought this machine did it come with the installation disks?

If you have the installation disks, or manage to get your hands on them (I'd recommend System 8.1 over System 7.5--I always had problems with 7.5) you boot your computer of off them. (if they're floppies, just put the first floppy in before starting up the machine and the computer should automatically boot off of it -- if a CD, put the CD in, reboot and hold down the 'C' key until you get the happy mac icon).

Once booted there should be a disk formatting utility that for the life of my I can't remember the name. But you don't necessarily need to format the disk. Unlike Windows, on the classic Mac OS you can have multiple systems installed on the same partition. There should be an option when you run the installer to do what's called a clean install. What this does, is it takes the old system folder and renames it 'previous system folder.' It then creates a new system folder. This way any fonts and applications on the host don't have to be reinstalled (though their preferences may need to be transfered to the new system folder).

While typing this up I came across this page with directions on how to do a clean install with system 7.5.

Anyway, hope I'm somewhat coherent. Have fun!

[kwng]

Thank you very much mosx86. Your advice is very helpful. I do not have access to CD drive so I am kind a limited. I also do not have any Cds or diskette for system. I also made an error earlier about the system info, it's a MacOS system B1-7.5 not beta as I mentioned earlier. I think I need to access internet first. I have checked the TCPIP setting and I think I know how to set it up but I need hardware first (AAUI-15 transceiver, I think). I found a few at ebay but very high postage cost. Anyhow I am still watching them. I also need some info on the printer port. Everymac.com says that the powerbook has a serial (std) printer port. I hardly think it is std one as it not a 9 pin or a 25 pin type of serial port I knew. Again it looks like ps2 port.
I have seen an adaptor for this printer on a powerbook 520c for sale in ebay but I do not know what it is called. Anyone knows about this printer adaptor or what is it called? I was wondering whether it is a serial to serial or serial to parallel adaptor. As everyone knows, nowadays printer comes with parallel port and usb port. A parallel port adaptor would be helpful.

Thank you again.

[nixgeek]

There used to be a software package for older Macs like yours that included an adapter.

Just found it: PowerPrint Serial-to-Parallel

[kwng]

Thanks again your help. Well, I think the software is great but is there any freeware? I am currently thinking of spending some amount on the hardware for transceiver for AAUI-15 to RJ45 and scsi cd drive (which inevitable). I cannot afford software at the moment as most of this hardware and software is due to problem of incompatibility or obsolete technology. I also noticed the new MAC is more compatible with current devices (with USB, etc.), will also perform much better and it is worth the spending (as it will last for years). I hope you would understand.

[nixgeek]

Totally. If you can't use a computer, then what good is it? I understand. If you can, I would recommend something like the Mac mini. Yeah, the Intel Macs have been announced, but the Mac mini is coming down even further from it's $499 price and will do a lot for you in the coming years. And when Intel is more established on the Mac side, you can take the money you saved with the Mac mini and purchase yourself a nice 2nd or 3rd generation Intel Mac. But don't get rid of the PowerBook 520c (unless, of course, you want to hand it over to someone like me... ). It's a great machine that can do a lot despite its age, and once you have that Mac mini it will be much easier to make the media to install a newer OS on that 520c.

[kwng]

No I am not getting rid of it but I am trying everything within a minimum budget to get it do some basics i.e. browsing, word processing, etc. but most important, to get some experience and knowledge about Mac. I reckoned if I encountered a Mac anywhere at least I don't find myself lost . There is not many ppl use Mac in UK unlike US. As I am writing, I am reading some of your good advices and from others on installing some Mac softwares and may attempt to update Mac System 7.5. Have you done this before i.e. upgrading from 7.5 to 7.5.3 (am I right?). I have downloaded 19 bin files from apple history website which I think indicate upgrade files of 7.5 to 7.5.3. I have also downloaded iCab in SIT format and Nixus writer (nw) in 5 files (bin). Perhaps you can elaborate a little on how I should start to install nw bin files. These files are in my windows based PC. I would start by copying them to 5 diskettes. Then well, are they binary files (executable), i.e. just double click them and they will run or are zipped/archived and need to unzip. Do copy all the 5 bin files to the Mac HD or I can install diskettes by diskettes similar to installing in win3.1 or win95. As for SIT files, I think they need Stuffit to expand them after I copy them into the Mac HD. What happened after expanding is probably a number files will be out. Then what? Just put them into a directory (which I will create) and run them?

Well, I'll try it first and if any advice comes in, I'll be glad to hear.

Thank you again.

[kwng]

Sigh! .. what a frustrating night. Nothing works. Need more help over here.
I followed the advice of Jaghouse.com but nothing works. One of my main problem is I need to download softwares from internet via PC and then transfer to floppy before moving into Mac. According to Jaghouse.com, I need to download those binhex type then copy into FAT floppy then to Mac.
My powerbook can read those PC formatted floppy and can copy these files
into its HD. However, my powerbook do not have stuffit or binhqx. So I cannot expand them at Mac. Anyone knows how I can get stuffit fit into floppy. Well, I will continue to try. By the way, I do not have stuffit in bin hex. Any recommendation on where I can get stuffit 5.xx caused I have tried Jaghouse.com but his link ain't working.