os x on unsupported box

Q

QuadrupleJ

Registered
I was wondering if you guys could help me out. I have a 9500/120 that I am trying to put OS X on to use as a file and internet server. So far using XpostFacto (and Unsupported Utility X) I have been unable to get it to successfully install. I have got it to begin the installation but after some progress it eventually comes up with an error saying that the installation failed and to try again.

The system is a PowerMac 9500/120 48MB RAM, 2*9GB SCSI HDD (one for X), 1*700MB SCSI HDD and no other third party peripherals.

After this failed many times, I decided to try to copy X on from another computer over the network with it booted in 9. I copied over all the files (including all the hidden X ones like /etc, /dev, etc) were all there, as well as making sure all the symbolic links were correct. A number of files seemed to copy over incorrectly due to the long file name issues (their names were truncated) but these were not critical files.

This method worked better and the machine booted up to the point where it tried to start the login application. Reaching that point gave this error scrolling continuously down the screen:

Apr 7 21:31:04 leviathan init: can't exec window system '/System/Library/CoreServices/WindowServer' for port /dev/console: Exec format error
Apr 7 21:31:14 leviathan /System/Library/CoreServices/loginwindow.app/loginwindow: (ipc/send) invalid destination port : initCGDisplayState: cannot map display interlocks.
Apr 7 21:31:24 leviathan /System/Library/CoreServices/loginwindow.app/loginwindow:kCGErrorFailure : CGSNewConnection cannot connect to server
Apr 7 21:31:34 leviathan /System/Library/CoreServices/loginwindow.app/loginwindow:kCGErrorFailure : CGSNewConnection cannot connect to server
Apr 7 21:31:45 leviathan /System/Library/CoreServices/loginwindow.app/loginwindow: kCGErrorInvalidConnection : CGSGetEventPort: Invalid connection

The system is able to be booted when the /etc/ttys is changed to force it to boot into the console, however I would really appreciate being able to load aqua.

Any comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanx,

J

PS. I was able to load darwin 1.3, but that didn't really solve my problem as I basically don't know what i'm doing with just the CLI :).
 
Instead of trying to install X on an unsupported machine that will be super-slow running it, why not install YellowDog Linux or LinuxPPC? I've installed both of them, and they work well. Of course, I never tried to use them as servers. . . .

Sorry I can't be any help. . . .
 
OS X on a 120 MHz machine? No...
You may get it to work, but it will be a little slow :p
The first thing I'd do is to put 128 MB RAM or more in it.
 
I installed X 10.0 and then updated to X 10.1 on the above machine fine with the same util you used.

OS X performance is unusable (about the same as VPC 5 on OS X right now!) maybe a little better than that.

However, Ethernet (10Base-T on those old machines) is rapid when used as MySQL and PHP server and Filesharing AppleTalk - the UNIX underpinnins of OS X are very rapid even on the old machines - so just boot up the machine, leave it running all day (it isn't allowed to SLEEP - it causes BAD things on those machines!!) and remotely FTP to it or use Filesharing to edit directly on the server.

I make all my PHP sites that way now - it's fantastic. Better than doing PHP/MySQL locally because it saves processor cycles.
 
Yeah, I know it will be slow, but since it's a server I don't actually ever have to touch it, so slowness of interface is fine. I tried putting LinuxPPC on there ages ago and had problems. Maybe I'll try that again. Unfortunatly I don't have a copy of Yellow Dog so I can't try that.

The thing that annoys me is that it *should* work, but it just doesn't! :mad:

Does anyone know if you can get AFP (or appletalk) file sharing going with the various Linuxes? Or Darwin for that matter (since that actually installs). Cause as a file server it's kind of useless if I can't do that...

Oh, and RAM is stupidly expensive for that computer in Australian dollars. Something i'd rather not resort to if I could help it.

Anyway, thanx for your help.

-J
 
You can always just install Darwin...

Also, check out Suse.com... They have a PowerPC Linux distro that you can download... But I am not sure if it'll work with your machine.

-B
 
I _did_ install darwin, but I don't know what I'm doing and so I can't set it up. There's no easy GUI like os X :p I also don't know if you can get file sharing between other macs and darwin to work. Anyone?

Thnx,

-J
 
OtherWorldCOmputing sells 128 MB DIMMs for Power Macintoshes for $ 37.95 (USD). That's really cheap :)
 
I would REALLY recommend taking a serious look at YellowDog. As a rank amateur I was able to set it up, and that was using YDL 1.0. It's now at 2.0, and I'm sure the UI has improved a lot, considering that it's heavily based on RedHat Linux, and I think RedHat has really improved its UI recently. And the price is definitely right!
 
1. Wipe the drives with OS 9.1 CD - start up off CD
2. Turn off Mac - take out CD
3. Turn on Mac - Zap PRAM [Command-Opt-P-R until chime]
4. Turn off again - and leave no power for 5 minutes (just in case)
5. Turn on, no CD and wait until the Flashing Question comes
6. Bung in the CD and hold Option normally works or restart
7. Install 9.1 and only 9.1
8. Get OS X CD (10.1 Update modified to full 10.1 CD would be best but if you only have 10.0 and the update 10.1 they'll do - worked for me)
9. Run Unsupported util X on 9.1 and press install X
10. Now insert X and follow normal install - BUT don't use the wipe destination command coz you won't be able to start up - you need 9.1 in there too.
11. Now restart, should go into X. But if not use unsuppored X to restart the mac in X
12. Install OS X update if you have to to 10.1 and don't go any further - the updates have System Checker files in them - I managed to tweak a few but gave up at 10.1 coz it all works as a server fine.
13. Set Energy Saver X to NOT SLEEP for system and HD, monitor sleep is OK - it causes big crashes apparently.

That's it!

If you modify the 10.1 update CD to full 10.1 test it on a Supported machine as a start up CD - otherwise it will never work anyway!!

Or just use fully Apple CDs - they always work.

If you have any problems post to this thread and I'll come back to help.

Good luck.

PS. It takes about an hour to install X on my 7300. And about the same to update from 10.0 to 10.1. I have not tested my patched 10.1 CD as a direct install on the 7300 but my 10.1 Patched CD worked fine on my G4. It's only one checker file removed and burnt using Toast 5 so I don't see why it wouldn't work.

The machine will be great as a server - I promise. It's the best thing I've had on my 7300 - instead of dumping it it is being used everyday.
 
Okay, thanx guys. When I get some free time I'll have a go at that X thing again. If that still doesn't work then I'll investigate various flavours of Linux and let you know how I go.

-J
 
I think the key to your problem is XPostFacto (formerly OS X Unsupported Utility). I have OS X running on a PowerMac 7600/120, which runs just fine. Of course the interface is slow, but that's not why I installed X. I want to use it to play with qmail and NFS on it, which is CLI-driven, and therefore should be plenty fast.
 
Originally posted by QuadrupleJ

Does anyone know if you can get AFP (or appletalk) file sharing going with the various Linuxes? Or Darwin for that matter (since that actually installs). Cause as a file server it's kind of useless if I can't do that...
Click to expand...

Every GNU/Linux distro I have ever used shipped with some version of Netatalk, a pretty comprehensive AFP, PAPD, DDP server package. There are two source forks, the original U of MI tree and Adrian Sun's asun tree. I always used asun, because it used to be much more functional, but I don't keep up with the current states. There are many versions, with many different bugs. OS X compatibility has been problematic, but seems to be mostly working now. Configuration is reasonably simple. Take a look on Sourceforge.
 
Originally posted by DominikHoffmann

I think the key to your problem is XPostFacto (formerly OS X Unsupported Utility). I have OS X running on a PowerMac 7600/120, which runs just fine. Of course the interface is slow, but that's not why I installed X. I want to use it to play with qmail and NFS on it, which is CLI-driven, and therefore should be plenty fast.
Click to expand...

What do you mean my problem is XPostFacto? Can you install X without it easily? Is there some alternative? How did you put it on?

Thanx,

-J
 
he didn't read that you already used that utility. my guess is that 48 megs of RAM is not enough for the installer even. 64 meg WAS minimum when 10.0 was released. they said, you needed 128 from the beginning, but i had it running on my ibook with 64 at the time. netatalk on linux - even the newest versions - still give me a strange error when copying to the server most of the time. half of the time it works. not good enough. i'd just use mac os 9.1 on that machine as a file server. if you need an ftp- or webserver, too, look into netpresenz 4.1 if it still works.
 
Muahaha, I am invincible!

OS X 10.1 now works on the 9500. With a 120MHz 604 and 48MB RAM. Bah to all who said to upgrade :p

Basically I had to take the HD out, put it in a beige G3, install X on it from there and then put it back. Booting into X via XpostFacto was then no problem :)

I can't believe I didn't think to do that earlier.

Anyway, thanx to brickhouse it's a nice little file and internet server.

And much thanx to all those who offered suggestions :)

-J
 
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