# Apple A/UX (Apple's old Unix Software)



## theCaptain (Nov 8, 2001)

Just got a copy of Apple Unix.  I cant explain to you how cool it will be to mess around with this ancient OS.  This must be some kind of collectors item.  I am going to install it on my old 6200 series Performa.


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## RacerX (Nov 9, 2001)

Yeah, it is great. I have it running on a Quadra 700. I bet more people would have used it if it hadn't been $800 when it was new. Do you have and screen shots of your? Here is mine.


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## AdmiralAK (Nov 9, 2001)

u guys are making me jealous 
I have the OS but it is not installed lol.

Hey racer, didnt NeXTSTEP cost $800 (non student version) initially ?
Why did lal these unixen cost so much ???


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## RacerX (Nov 9, 2001)

It had to do with the licensing of Unix (or BSD in the case of NEXTSTEP), the whole thing was way out of proportion with the rest of the OS market. When Linux became a viable alternative, everyone sorta woke-up and slash the prices on the licensing. For a while it looked like the different flavors of Unix were about to price themselves out of existence with Linux being free for the most part (perfect price for students who would become the future admins).

Also, NeXT had signed a settlement with Apple stating that they would not complete head to head, so NeXT was trying to complete with Sun in the low end workstation market (just above Apple's high end design systems in price).


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## Solaris (Nov 9, 2001)

A/UX is SVR4 isn't it? I wonder what real advantage BSD (OS X) has over SVR4 (Solaris, Linux)?


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## RacerX (Nov 9, 2001)

And don't forget that Irix is based on SVR4 also.

The best way to characterize what A/UX uses would be SVR2.2+. The foundations are SVR2.2 with some libraries and extensions from R3 and R4 and the filing systems and NSF from 4.2/4.3BSD.

As for advantages for BSD, filing system and NSF are the top of most people's list. The main reason for Apple going with 4.4BSD was that NeXT use 4.3BSD in the original Mach kernel as the interface layer (though for NeXT it may have had something to do with the high price of licensing System V).


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## AdmiralAK (Nov 9, 2001)

Who developed the Mach kernel ?


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## RacerX (Nov 9, 2001)

It was developed at Carnegie Mellon University in the mid 1980's. One of the people who worked on it was a graduate student named Avie Tevanian (who is currently Senior VP of Software at Apple now).

You can find more on it at: 

http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/project/mach/public/www/mach.html


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## thedbp (Nov 10, 2001)

I don't care how it gets to me ... perhaps i can set up ftp to my Mac OS X box at a specified time, but I NEED THIS OS - This is exactly what I have been looking for for this 6300 I just purchased for $10.  I was going to use NetBSD but I'd rather use an all-Apple solution if possible.  How can I procure a copy?


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## kilowatt (Nov 10, 2001)

I seccond that. I'll even setup the ftp server. Gotta have that. I nearly had a heart-attack when I saw that rather classic-looking os looking all unix-like. WOW. 

So let me get this straight, because I get this mixed up frequently:
A/UX - Apple's unix
AIX - IBM's unix

right or what?

PS: So would a/ux include compilers and stuff? And how is the gui handled, in comparision to the x window system and mac os x?

man, I have alot of questions!


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## RacerX (Nov 10, 2001)

You can download images of the install CD and floppy to "replace damaged copies you already have" at:

ftp://ftp.geo.tu-freiberg.de/pub/incoming/

The Mac enviroment is classic System 7.0.1 (I'm using Aaron to get the Platinum theme you see in my screen shot), it comes with Apple's X Windows client called MacX (though I haven't actually used it for anything yet) which can run in rootless form (at least I know version 2.0 could). There should be all the libraries needed to compile apps and there are still a few binaries floating around out there. Apple had some of the manuals in pdf form a couple years ago (they still might, but they have been doing some house cleaning lately). Ideal systems are 68030 with 68882 FPU or 68040 (not the 68LC040). Apple never updated it to run on PPC systems, so only pre PPC systems can run it.

As for AIX and A/UX, yes AIX is IBM's version of Unix, but Apple use that version on the high end work servers they used to make (because IBM made sure that it ran great on PPC systems). If you have ever seen one of these in action you most likely saw Apple's MAE (Macintosh Application Environment) running to let them run Mac apps. Apple made it Unix only and I think there were versions made for both AIX and Solaris (under OpenWindows), but it was very expensive.


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## AdmiralAK (Nov 10, 2001)

so can AIX run on an Apple branded G3  
And where can I find AIX for my OS collection ?   I have had A/UX for a long time now he he


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## RacerX (Nov 10, 2001)

I don't know.  The last system that I saw it run on was an IBM 604e system. I think their is also some problems with compatibility of the motherboards. The Network Server 500 and 700 series were never able to run any version of the Mac OS (someone in another forum ask if they could run any version of Mac OS X Server, I told him I didn't think so).

It is the same reason that you couldn't run NEXTSTEP for 680x0 systems on Macintosh hardware, or the MacOS on NeXT hardware. I believe Apple licensed the motherboard spec from IBM specifically for those systems.

I did see a AIX system from IBM running with a 604e/200 (I think that was the clock speed) on ebay a few month ago. I dont remember the price though. I have never thought of looking for AIX by itself, but Im sure you could find it.


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## Jim Paradise (Nov 11, 2001)

Was there any software for A/UX?  I've always been curious about this OS (thanks RacerX for the screenshot!) and would love to load it up on an old system...  but what could I do with it (since I'm not really good with unix geekiness)?


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## AdmiralAK (Nov 11, 2001)

Just came back from ebay, wow! AIX costs A LOT !!! 

I just re-read you post, and my Performa has a 68LC040  cant load A/UX on it... oh well 

Hey racer X, I am thinking of becoming the PDA counterpart of you   I wonder if I could network up PDAs like you have your desktops he he he ;-)

Admiral


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## RacerX (Nov 11, 2001)

Jim,

Yes there is software out there, mainly because A/UX has System 7 running on it. I have Word 5.1a, Theorist 1.0, Mosaic and MacDraw 1.0 installed and all run great. You could think of it as a super stable version of System 7 if you didn't use any of the unix stuff. There is even a free version of Eudora mail server and a web server app called httpd4Mac (if you didn't want to deal with Apache)that should be able to run on it if you wanted it to do some server duty. Both are easy to use (and free) and you don't need to play with the unix stuff to much (actually these should work nicely on almost any 7.x Mac). I'll see if I can find my copies of them and check if they work on A/UX.

Important thing to note is that it has two systems folders, one to boot the system and then start A/UX, and a second designed to run on top of A/UX after it is started. If you are going to change anything (add extensions or put aliases in the Apple Menu) make sure you are using the correct system folder or you won't see the changes.

Admiral,

You can actually pull the 68LC040 out and replace it with a 68040 (not a job for the faint at heart). The two are the same, only Motorola turned off the FPU for the "LC" version so they could charge less and to cut down on the overall heat it produced.

As for networking, didn't I see a Newton commercial that had people sending info back and forth across a board room table on a couple Newtons? I still have to spend some more time with the one you gave me, but it really seems like the sky is the limit with it. I'm completely impressed.


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## AdmiralAK (Nov 11, 2001)

Well, My Perform 635 is just  gathering up dust in my storage area   Some experimenting at teh end of the semster might be in order.

So, do I need to buy a whole new 68040 chip or is there a way to modify my LC040 to make it into a regular 040 ?


As for the newton, newtons can communicate with each other, beaming mostly.  There are ethernet cards out there as well to bring em into a network (someone actually made a web server out of a newton with a regular out of the box newton, no special mods he he).  I was wondering if I could create some netwoek between a Newotn 2100, a zaurus Linux Pda, a Psion Revo (or 5mx) and an iPaq he he.


Admiral


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## RacerX (Nov 11, 2001)

Basically Motorola cut the path between the FPU and CPU on the 68LC040's before encasing them. So yeah, you'll need a new one.

The web hosting on a Newton sounds like fun, I'll have to look into that.


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## AdmiralAK (Nov 11, 2001)

dang, oh well, maybe I will play around with it before it bites the dust (for good) 


As for the newton take a look here:
http://homepage.mac.com/LightyearDesign/Software.html#NewtonOS



Admiral


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## thedbp (Nov 12, 2001)

This is an awesome thread.  Just had to mention that.

As far as hardware goes for a/ux, what size HD would u need as a bare minimum?  RAM?  I think I have a machine that would be fairly good at this, a Quadra660 w/ 52MB of RAM and 700MB HD.  Would this make a good lightweight server?  I also have an LCIII with ethernet, 32MB of RAM, and 160MB HD.  Would it be worth putting it on there too?  I also have a Centris660 w/ 24MB RAM and a 270MB HD with a 1GB external.  How would that fare?  I'm just full of questions!!!!!!  and as soon as Anarchy is done d/l'ing the images, i'll be chock full of answers 

zeb


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## RacerX (Nov 12, 2001)

As for minimum hardware, Apple says the with the minimum install you should be able to run it on a SE/30 (68030/16MHz, 68882) with 8/80 (you would be missing alot of stuff though). I'm running it on a Quadra 700 (68040/25MHz) with 24/500. I would personally put the lower end at and 68030 with FPU or 68040 with at least 16/200. It should work great on all of the Centris 650, Quadra 610 and 650 systems as long as you have the Enabler for those systems that works with System 7 (I think you can still download those from Apple because you can still download System 7.0.1). As for the 660 and 840 series systems... I don't know. Those were very special systems that put them beyond the other Quadras and almost in the same league as the first generation Power Macs. I would guess that because 3.0.1 supports the Quadra 800, that it would also work with the 660 and 840 systems. But again, I really don't know for sure.

As for the LC III systems, they didn't have the 68882 FPU. The Mac IIsi had a card that you could get to add one, but I don't remember if the same was true for the LC systems.

(Note: the Centris 610 has a 68LC040 and would need to have it replaced with the 68040, which is what the Quadra 610 came with, in order to run A/UX).


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## thedbp (Nov 12, 2001)

After finding a great FAQ about this OS online, I discovered that none of the AV models are supported, so both my Centris and Quadra 660 will be useless for this, as will my LCIII.  And the only other Macs I have are all Power Macs.  I can't believe I have this many Macs and not a one that will freaking run this OS ... but oh well, I have it on disk for the collection at least   And I can't believe I missed refurb madness' free 68K sale...


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## theCaptain (Nov 12, 2001)

If you can find some roms of a system that will run this OS, fire up a mac emulator such as Bassilik 2 and then install A/UX through this emulation.  I believe their is a Bassilik 2 version for Unix so you can probablly recompile it to run A/UX is OS X.


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## kilowatt (Nov 12, 2001)

I took the 68040 out of my dad's Centris 660av when we upgraded it to a 100mhz chip.

The 68040 from the centris worked flawlessly in a Pareforma 636cd. It ran at 33mhz, and the FPU was noticed in system 8.1 (system profiler). 

Now, I have both computers and a PowerMac 660AV. I'd love to put something extremely rare on them all... like next or a/ux. Any ideas?


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## Red Phoenix (Nov 12, 2001)

> _Originally posted by theCaptain _
> *If you can find some roms of a system that will run this OS, fire up a mac emulator such as Bassilik 2 and then install A/UX through this emulation.  I believe their is a Bassilik 2 version for Unix so you can probablly recompile it to run A/UX is OS X. *



Excellent idea. One can install Basilisk  II with Fink, so I might just give this a try...


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## nixgeek (Jan 18, 2004)

Tried it....used a Mac ROM I found online of a Quadra 650.  Didn't work.  I'm gonna try getting the ROM from my actual Quadra 650 and see if that works.

Of course, it will be installed on my Quadra 650.     I just need to back everything up.


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## nixgeek (Jan 19, 2004)

Ok, here's the rundown.

I installed it by first booting off of the floppy and then having the system access the installer on the CD-ROM drive.  I selected the Easy Install and went ahead and loaded everything.

After being asked to reboot, the system acted a bit funky in that it booted, but then gave a message that the system had fixed all the inconsistencies and needed to reboot again with the fixed kernel.  OK, then...I went ahead and rebooted again only to be greeted by the System 7 message saying that my system was too new and that System 7 wouldn't run on that system (Quadra 650).

After rebooting a few times, the geek in me decided to hit the programmer's button on the box and hit "G" to continue.  Startup continued successfully and I was greeted with a desktop.  I launched CommandShell and played a bit with my Linux expertise, but didn't get too far.  Networking was a bust since I couldn't edit the Network Control Panel settings (I found out from AppleFritter.com that it's set to Read Only and that you have to change it with the "route" command).  I tried to see about enabling "ae0," but it was nowhere to be found in the /dev directory.  Weird thing is that I could see my AppleTalk share from the Win2K box I have up, but when I tried to access is it would crash the system.  

After a bit, I got bored and decided this was a fun blast-to-the-past, but it was time to try something else....like NetBSD/68k.  Still working on getting that installed... 

AU/X was interesting to see, but not too functional for me at the time (I know I probably could have REALLY done a better job at getting it useful, but it's kind of hard when your 2-year-old wants to play with you....and he will always be my main priority...   )  Maybe another time in the future...


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