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Author Topic: CD-Rom Nostalgia  (Read 1599 times)

MigMac

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CD-Rom Nostalgia
« on: December 23, 2024, 01:49:24 PM »

One of the little pleasures I have with MacOS9 is to revisit or discover Cd-Roms. Some are very basic, like the Marvel Comics series, others are incredible pieces of creativity: https://macintoshgarden.org/games/the-little-prince => delicate graphics and animation, clever navigation = a true gem.

I've downloaded many from the Garden. Are there other sources/archives? I'm looking for Cosmos in French or English, there's a Spanish version at the Garden: https://macintoshgarden.org/games/cosmos-planetas-spanishespa%C3%B1ol
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Hardware = vintage station: Pismo 400 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (region free) - Pismo 500 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (on both Pismos volumes with MacOS9.2.2, MacOS9.2.1, MacOS 9.0.4)


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MigMac

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Re: CD-Rom Nostalgia
« Reply #1 on: December 25, 2024, 01:07:07 AM »

 ??? ??? first time something works with an emulator but not with real hardware = big frustration

this lovely cd-rom (a curious game) works perfectly with Sheepshaver (MacOS 9.0.4) but freezes on my Pismo on a 9.2.1 volume  :-\ :o. Quicktime issue? 9.2.1 too recent for this CD-rom (published in 1996)? I have some cd-roms older than that, they work fine.

Weird, I'll try running it on other volumes with different sets of extensions


Alice in Musicland: https://www.abandonware-france.org/ltf_abandon/ltf_jeu.php?id=5853
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Hardware = vintage station: Pismo 400 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (region free) - Pismo 500 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (on both Pismos volumes with MacOS9.2.2, MacOS9.2.1, MacOS 9.0.4)


Emulators: MacOS9 App - Sheepshaver

robespierre

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Re: CD-Rom Nostalgia
« Reply #2 on: December 25, 2024, 12:08:48 PM »

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MigMac

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Re: CD-Rom Nostalgia
« Reply #3 on: December 26, 2024, 08:49:56 AM »

Thanks for the links. A lot of reading though and I really don't know what I should be looking for to solve the issue, provided it is related and an actual fix possible.
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Hardware = vintage station: Pismo 400 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (region free) - Pismo 500 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (on both Pismos volumes with MacOS9.2.2, MacOS9.2.1, MacOS 9.0.4)


Emulators: MacOS9 App - Sheepshaver

Jubadub

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Re: CD-Rom Nostalgia
« Reply #4 on: December 26, 2024, 12:38:18 PM »

Thanks for the links. A lot of reading though and I really don't know what I should be looking for to solve the issue, provided it is related and an actual fix possible.

The solution would be to use Mac OS 9.0.4 on the real hardware to run whatever you aren't able to, OR to patch the problematic executable so that it no longer has that issue.

That is, assuming compressed resources are the problem.
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MigMac

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Re: CD-Rom Nostalgia
« Reply #5 on: December 26, 2024, 01:15:41 PM »

The solution would be to use Mac OS 9.0.4 on the real hardware to run whatever you aren't able to, OR to patch the problematic executable so that it no longer has that issue.

1) then maybe I could try to install 9.0.4 on a volume (external FW cause there's no way I'll downgrade 9.2.1 on the internal HD)

2) patch? beyond my skills/reach

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Hardware = vintage station: Pismo 400 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (region free) - Pismo 500 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (on both Pismos volumes with MacOS9.2.2, MacOS9.2.1, MacOS 9.0.4)


Emulators: MacOS9 App - Sheepshaver

Jubadub

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Re: CD-Rom Nostalgia
« Reply #6 on: December 27, 2024, 12:21:43 AM »

then maybe I could try to install 9.0.4 on a volume (external FW cause there's no way I'll downgrade 9.2.1 on the internal HD)

No need to downgrade, you can easily keep two tiny partitions to boot each OS. Something like 2 GB for Mac OS 9.2.1 and 1 GB for Mac OS 9.0.4. Then a third partition for all your apps, files, etc.. This structure really helps.

(By the way, I believe your Pismo can take a 128 GB SSD, in case you aren't using one already, which I would highly recommend. It would simply fly and be very spacious. And make the laptop lighter, draw less power, less prone to data loss etc. etc.. If you will reformat anything, installing such an SSD now would be the best time.)

Incidentally, why Mac OS 9.2.1 and not upgrade to Mac OS 9.2.2? There's no single known benefit to 9.2.1, but there is a few known benefits to 9.2.2, such as some extra software compatibility.

Before anything else, though, you should confirm Mac OS 9.0.4 indeed takes care of your issue, because the cause could also be something else that won't be addressed that way. So keeping 9.0.4 on an external drive, at least temporarily, certainly can help to test.
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MigMac

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Re: CD-Rom Nostalgia
« Reply #7 on: December 27, 2024, 01:03:24 AM »

Thanks for your help.

I will install 9.0.4 on a volume asap and see if the Cd-rom game works.

Regarding 9.2.1: actually I have just one volume with 9.2.1, others are 9.2.2, I might apply the 9.2.2 update to that one volume, everything works fine on it though.

SSD: several users highly recommended that, like you did. The problem is I'm a zero at repairing/tinkering/manual work (I sweat when I have to change a light bulb). And there's no one in my area who could do the job for me. There's one technician who is supposed to deal with vintage stuff 25 miles from my place but when on the phone he displayed questionable knowledge about OS9, the last version being 9.9 according to him  :( ::) ;D ;D
« Last Edit: December 27, 2024, 01:29:12 AM by MigMac »
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Hardware = vintage station: Pismo 400 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (region free) - Pismo 500 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (on both Pismos volumes with MacOS9.2.2, MacOS9.2.1, MacOS 9.0.4)


Emulators: MacOS9 App - Sheepshaver

Mat

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Re: CD-Rom Nostalgia
« Reply #8 on: December 27, 2024, 07:03:35 AM »

MigMac, it's never too late to start something new. Especially a new HD/SSD is quite simple, and well documented. We could also guide you thru such a process:

https://de.ifixit.com/Anleitung/PowerBook+G3+Pismo+Hard+Drive+Replacement/27?lang=en

Belive us, programs will start double as fast and it really makes sense to put in a SSD. Even you can do it in one Saturday afternoon!
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MigMac

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Re: CD-Rom Nostalgia
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2024, 08:20:21 AM »

I've found a technician who could do the job provided I bring the SSD, the correct adapter (which I don't know of... ) and the guide you posted (he's been away from G3s and G4s for years). I'll think about it and will probably take the plunge in the (near) future. :)
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Hardware = vintage station: Pismo 400 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (region free) - Pismo 500 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (on both Pismos volumes with MacOS9.2.2, MacOS9.2.1, MacOS 9.0.4)


Emulators: MacOS9 App - Sheepshaver

MigMac

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s a r
« Reply #10 on: December 27, 2024, 08:33:26 AM »

Before anything else, though, you should confirm Mac OS 9.0.4 indeed takes care of your issue, because the cause could also be something else that won't be addressed that way. So keeping 9.0.4 on an external drive, at least temporarily, certainly can help to test.

That's weird. No way I could install 9.0.4 on any volume, I got a message like "this software cannot run on this computer". Only 9.2.1 and 9.2.2 iso seem to work ??? I have no idea why, maybe it is related to some firmware upgrade? That Pismo is second-hand, dual boot (9.2 + 10.4 Tiger), idk.

I have a volume which I use for tests on a second FW drive. There I installed manually the contents of a Sheepshaver disk, added a 9.2 Rom and replaced a few key files (Finder, System Resources etc). As a result I managed to boot, got various error messages but the Cd-rom Game works fine. My current bet is that it might be a quicktime issue: that SShaver disk has Quicktime 4.

Mh, I'll perform another test: I will install a clean 9.2.2 system (from Macos9 Lives drag&drop .img), remove manually anything related to QT6 and add all the QT4 files/extensions and see what happens. 
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Hardware = vintage station: Pismo 400 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (region free) - Pismo 500 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (on both Pismos volumes with MacOS9.2.2, MacOS9.2.1, MacOS 9.0.4)


Emulators: MacOS9 App - Sheepshaver

Bolkonskij

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Re: CD-Rom Nostalgia
« Reply #11 on: December 27, 2024, 08:40:18 AM »

If my memory serves me right, you do need an installer version of 9.0.4 for the Pismo, MigMac. Check out the Mac Garden for a "Pismo OS9 installer".

As for the SSD - well, as we discussed on Hotline before - DO IT! It's absolutely worth the effort.
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MigMac

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Re: CD-Rom Nostalgia
« Reply #12 on: December 27, 2024, 08:46:26 AM »

If my memory serves me right, you do need an installer version of 9.0.4 for the Pismo, MigMac. Check out the Mac Garden for a "Pismo OS9 installer".

As for the SSD - well, as we discussed on Hotline before - DO IT! It's absolutely worth the effort.

I will. On top of an SSD disk I suppose I have to acquire an adapter, right? The interface surely was IDE in the Pismo era, what would you recommend for both: SSD and Adapter
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Hardware = vintage station: Pismo 400 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (region free) - Pismo 500 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (on both Pismos volumes with MacOS9.2.2, MacOS9.2.1, MacOS 9.0.4)


Emulators: MacOS9 App - Sheepshaver

MigMac

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Re: CD-Rom Nostalgia
« Reply #13 on: December 27, 2024, 11:26:48 PM »

1) set up of MacOS 9.0.4 on a FW volume was successful with the Pismo Install iso from Macintosh Garden

2) the cd-rom game "Alice in Musicland" (really a charming thing) works fine so it was indeed a 9.0.4 vs 9.2 issue: that compressed resources problem (or quicktime version?)
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Hardware = vintage station: Pismo 400 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (region free) - Pismo 500 + 1 FW Drive + 1 FW DVD Writer (on both Pismos volumes with MacOS9.2.2, MacOS9.2.1, MacOS 9.0.4)


Emulators: MacOS9 App - Sheepshaver

Jubadub

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Re: CD-Rom Nostalgia
« Reply #14 on: December 28, 2024, 02:22:04 AM »

[...] it was indeed a 9.0.4 vs 9.2 issue: that compressed resources problem (or quicktime version?)

Most likely!

Had it been a colors display issue (which it is not), it could instead have been an issue of using Mac OS ROM file version 8.8 or later (instead of 8.7 and earlier), which is known to affect 3 programs (games): The Labyrinth of Time, Yoot Tower, and Uncharted Waters II. OS versions accidentally get blamed for this issue, but even Mac OS 9.2.2 plays all of these correctly with Mac OS ROM v8.7.

Glad you got it going.
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