Mac OS 9 Lives

Mac OS 9 Discussion => Hardware => Topic started by: Click on June 14, 2021, 12:01:26 PM

Title: Virgin Machine Boot Open Sesame?
Post by: Click on June 14, 2021, 12:01:26 PM
How does one insert a OS installation DVD to boot a new machine with no OS already present?  Is there a keyboard command on bootup that causes the tray to eject so that the DVD can be mounted for the OS install?
Title: Re: Virgin Machine Boot Open Sesame?
Post by: Mat on June 14, 2021, 01:55:18 PM
How does one insert a OS installation DVD to boot a new machine with no OS already present?  Is there a keyboard command on bootup that causes the tray to eject so that the DVD can be mounted for the OS install?

CD/DVD tray eject at startup works by holding down the mouse button when powering up.
Booting from CD works by holding down the "C" key, alternatively you can hold "ALT" and see all systems and network that can be used for booting.

I'd suggest to get an nice Mac OS 9 shortcut overview for an easier life.
Title: Re: Virgin Machine Boot Open Sesame?
Post by: Click on June 14, 2021, 04:15:59 PM
Thanks, Mat.  I have the MacOS9 Missing Manual by Pogue, but could not find that mouse down on startup command under "Startup" or "Eject" sections. 

I did find the mouse down command in an excellent key command summary here http://www.silentway.com/mac-tips-ultimate-shortcuts-guide-mac-os-9.  The list that I had been using from apple https://support.apple.com/kb/TA43845?locale=en_US does not have the mouse down eject either.

Thanks for the info.  I had tried the C down during boot without result on my MDD.  I'll give the mouse down a try next. 
Title: Re: Virgin Machine Boot Open Sesame?
Post by: zefrenchtoon on June 15, 2021, 07:59:31 AM
Hi

Some explanations about the "mouse down" trick.
This is a legacy from the days of floppies.
It was the "trick" to eject a floppy at startup time when a floppy was stuck in the drive.
This was due to the fact that the Macs did not have an "eject" button on the floppy drive.
Since then, it is used to eject CDs as well.