Can Mac OS 8.1 run on a SE/30? RASCSI/BlueSCSI image wanted
- Thread starter pfuentes69
- Start date
Answering myself... I saw this: https://lowendmac.com/2000/born-again-allows-installing-os-8-on-most-68030-macs/
I wonder if anyone did already such install and could share a RASCSI/BlueSCSI image. That would be really cool!
I'm pretty sure @DosFox1 on twitter has these (if you dont have the twitters I can DM him and point him to this thread)
Thanks!
So it happens that suddenly this became a hot topic and a guy just published a BlueSCSI image in 68KMLA
I'll play with this, but I'll also tell DosFox1, in case he has something nicer.
EDIT: DosFox1 doesn't have open messaging on TW
Looks like it's posted here too 
https://tinkerdifferent.com/threads...5-3-8-1-hda-image-for-rom-upgraded-macs.1025/
https://tinkerdifferent.com/threads...5-3-8-1-hda-image-for-rom-upgraded-macs.1025/
Thanks. It seems this is to make it "the hard way", but I'm lazy and if these images (the one above and this other one) I found work, I'll be happy enough.
Hopefully the Daynaport drivers will work on 8.1, as being online would be nice.
PS I love the disclaimer of that page...
I installed Mac OS 8.1 on my SE/30 with a Rominator II using the instructions posted here, and it worked just fine. https://metalbabble.wordpress.com/2...custom-roms-and-running-mac-os-8-on-an-se-30/
Curious, but how slow is it, and is there any reason to run 8.1 on it, other than because you can? 
I've had 8.1 on my overclocked LC III, and my stock Performa 600. In both cases, it was painfully slow. Not sure how its usable on a SE/30 with a 68030 at half the speed of either of those machines.
I don't see the benefit either, you actually lose support for older applications and drivers when going to 7.6x or above due to the removal of 24 bit addressing compatibility.
I don't see the benefit either, you actually lose support for older applications and drivers when going to 7.6x or above due to the removal of 24 bit addressing compatibility.
I’d say that “because we can” is our top reason for most things we do in this communityCurious, but how slow is it, and is there any reason to run 8.1 on it, other than because you can?
Totally agree!I’d say that “because we can” is our top reason for most things we do in this community
Btw, on my SE/30 with upgraded clean 32 bit rom I have SCSI2SD with 4 SCSI IDs, one of which is dedicated to a OS 8.1 installation. Works just fine.
In my case, it was mostly out of curiosity. I had never seen an SE/30 run 8.1, and it was kind of a hoot to see it running.Curious, but how slow is it, and is there any reason to run 8.1 on it, other than because you can?
I used the image mentioned above and it worked nicely
That image worths of deeply checking… it’s full of goodies!
That image worths of deeply checking… it’s full of goodies!
Curious, but how slow is it, and is there any reason to run 8.1 on it, other than because you can?
That, and 8.1 can read HFS+ disks. So an 8.1 partition to boot into if you want to access an external HFS+ SCSI disk is nice.
This is great, thanks! I've downloaded the file (thanks for creating this) - will be picking up a BlueSCSI in a week or so. I already have the ROMinator II chip.
Question 1: What is an .hda file? While i'm familiar with .img and .sit and .zip suffiixes, what is ".hda"? The file I've downloaded and opened (on Mac OS 10.15 machine) is titled "HD10_512 Macintosh HD Sys 81.hda". When I get the BlueSCSI, so I just drop this .hda file onto the SD card, and then pop it into my 68K host machine?
Question 2: How do I open/access this .hda (to move files I want on the 68K mac) while using my modern mac? Thanks!
Question 1: What is an .hda file? While i'm familiar with .img and .sit and .zip suffiixes, what is ".hda"? The file I've downloaded and opened (on Mac OS 10.15 machine) is titled "HD10_512 Macintosh HD Sys 81.hda". When I get the BlueSCSI, so I just drop this .hda file onto the SD card, and then pop it into my 68K host machine?
Question 2: How do I open/access this .hda (to move files I want on the 68K mac) while using my modern mac? Thanks!
Hi @LongAlphabet! 
According to this guide using BlueSCSI as written by @eric:
In this hard disk image file's name "HD10_512 Macintosh HD Sys 81.hda," the first digit means SCSI ID 1. The second digit is the LUN ID 0 and always zero. The 512 is the sector size. Generally, 512 is the norm.
Awesome!
The .hda is a type of a binary file created by certain software. For BlueSCSI, it is a hard drive image file that is read by BlueSCSI and mounted to the host computer's operating system.
Yes, that is correct. BlueSCSI uses a naming scheme that identifies some important things as it emulates the hard disk image file as a physical Quantum Fireball hard drive on the Mac.
According to this guide using BlueSCSI as written by @eric:
HDxy_512.hda
HD - Hard Disk
x - SCSI ID to attach to. 0-7 (though 7 on a Macintosh is the System)
y - LUN ID - Always set to 0.
512 - Sector size. Set to 512 if unsure. 256, 512, & 1024 supported.
In this hard disk image file's name "HD10_512 Macintosh HD Sys 81.hda," the first digit means SCSI ID 1. The second digit is the LUN ID 0 and always zero. The 512 is the sector size. Generally, 512 is the norm.
Use a Mac emulator, such as Basilisk for emulating 68k Macs.
Last edited:
@retr01 I've got a few machines - let me list the machines and the goals. The SE/30 A is a unique machine - it's the one I want to soup up and get running Mac OS 8.1 - just because I can! I have a TinkderDifferent member to thank for saving it - there's a short post about it actually! I've got a 128GB SD card that I could use for this...
The Classic II is a special computer - my parents bought as my family computer back in the day - I've managed to save the data from the external hard drive entirely, and, want to set it up again as, it was, so that it's a "nostalgic" time capsule. It's had it's logic board recapped by @Drake too!
Lastly, i've also got a Mac Plus that I'd love to use a DB25 BlueSCSI to have fun with, and, a IIci that I could use an Internal BlueSCSI inside. Also, be great to use as a way to move files between computers.
Core Computers I want to get BlueSCSI into:
The Classic II is a special computer - my parents bought as my family computer back in the day - I've managed to save the data from the external hard drive entirely, and, want to set it up again as, it was, so that it's a "nostalgic" time capsule. It's had it's logic board recapped by @Drake too!
Lastly, i've also got a Mac Plus that I'd love to use a DB25 BlueSCSI to have fun with, and, a IIci that I could use an Internal BlueSCSI inside. Also, be great to use as a way to move files between computers.
Core Computers I want to get BlueSCSI into:
- SE/30 - (DayStar 50mhz 030 Upgrade Card + RominatorII ROM) - Goal: get an Internal BlueSCSI running Mac OS 8.1 (will need 128MB RAM First)
- Classic II (10MB RAM + FPU) - Goal: get an Internal BlueSCSI and have it running exactly as it was as a family computer back in 1997 (I have the files backed up on Zip disks - OS is likely 7.1 or 7.5)
- Mac Plus (4MB Ram) - Goal: get an external DB25 BlueSCSI and use the Mac Plus "Mac Pack" 1000 Games and Apps to have it running for nostalic reasons (great for LocalTalk games, Bolo)
- IIci - (10MB Ram) - Goal: get an Internal BlueSCSI and have it up and running a version of system 7 (and more RAM later)
Last edited: