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| Author | Resurrecting a Performa 400 (Read 20699 times) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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vtcessnapilot
2 MB  Posts: 2 
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on: October 25, 2006, 08:56
Well folks, I finally dug my first Mac out of the closet and tried to boot her back up for the first time in years. All went well until it searched for a system folder... all it does now is flash a disk icon with a question mark. I've seen this type of thing before, so I tried everything I could; all the fans, drives, etc. power up and seem to be functioning, but it cannot find the system. I've even tried reseating the HD data and power cables to make sure there was a good connection. I really want to mess around with all of the old games and applications from my childhood for old time's sake, but I can’t seem to find a way to get it to boot! (strange, considering it worked perfectly when we put it into storage). Things are made a little more difficult with troubleshooting, since the 400 only has a floppy drive, with no modem or ethernet ports. I do have a functioning Mac IIsi, if that can help with anything… I even tried swapping the drives in the computers to narrow down possible hardware problems, but the Performa’s drive still blinks at startup. Thanks in advance to anyone who may be able to help! |
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dpaanlka
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1024 MB Posts: 1646
Reply #1 on: October 25, 2006, 09:03
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If it can't find a System Folder.... then there isn't one on there. There is no hardware problem. You'll have to find a copy of System 7. You can download 7.0.1 or 7.5.5 floppy disks from Apple, and create them on your IIsi. Mac OS 7.6.1 must be purchased on eBay or elsewhere if you want to try using the newer system.
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vtcessnapilot
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2 MB Posts: 2
Reply #2 on: October 25, 2006, 09:12
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The strangest thing is that the computer worked perfectly when we boxed it up, system folder and all, but now it doesn’t want to boot. I know something’s there, but I’m not sure how to see it. I suppose what I'm looking for is some sort of floppy-based OS repair disk for system 7. Any ideas on if something like that can be found? If that doesn’t work, is there any way to hook up this hard drive as an additional drive in another system 7 Mac and transfer the data I’m looking for?
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Ursa
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16 MB Posts: 28
Reply #3 on: October 25, 2006, 10:33
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If your IIsi can go online, I'd download System 7.0.1 from Apple: http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English-North_American/Macintosh/System/Older_System/System_7.0.x/System_7.0.1.smi.bin Within the 7.0.1 download there is a Disk Tools diskette image. Make yourself a Disk Tools diskette and see if it can mount/verify/repair your Performa 400's drive. Note that the Performa 400 supports up to System 7.5.5 only, and with its 16MHz 68030 processor, might be happier with 7.0.1... Good Luck!
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dpaanlka
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1024 MB Posts: 1646
Reply #4 on: October 25, 2006, 15:58
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Performa 400 can run 7.6.1 according to EveryMac
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chale4
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2 MB Posts: 3
Reply #5 on: January 03, 2007, 16:17
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Hello--I am a brand new member as of a couple of minutes ago, thanks for being here, all. I'm pretty much in the same boat as vtcessnapilot, only with a Quadra 610. In my case, I was trying to "clean up" some issues with it (e.g. can't get it to stop running a screen saver and can't find any folder devoted to monitor setup, screen saver, etc.!) and I "threw away" something needed to get past the "floppy with question mark" point in boot-up. Duh. Can anyone here provide me with a OS 7.x boot floppy I could use to get this guy going again? Thanks much--Charley Hale, Lafayette CO
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chale4
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2 MB Posts: 3
Reply #6 on: January 03, 2007, 16:23
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Sorry, me again here; I should note that, like the original poster, I've got ANOTHER machine, in my case, an ~ identical Quadra 610, that works as far as I recall. Is there a straightforward way to use that machine to produce a boot floppy that I can use to get the other one going again? As is probably woefully clear, I have little older Mac experience and no old manuals, etc. Sigh. Anyhow, I thought I'd note this, too. Thanks again--Charley Hale
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wove
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1024 MB Posts: 1363
Reply #7 on: January 03, 2007, 17:09
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Quote from: "chale4" Sorry, me again here; I should note that, like the original poster, I've got ANOTHER machine, in my case, an ~ identical Quadra 610, that works as far as I recall. Is there a straightforward way to use that machine to produce a boot floppy that I can use to get the other one going again? As is probably woefully clear, I have little older Mac experience and no old manuals, etc. Sigh. Anyhow, I thought I'd note this, too. Thanks again--Charley Hale Welcome to System7Today, Charley. Floppy images can be downloaded from Apple's Older Software Downloads. Mac OSes do not include a mechinism for creating an emergeny floppy from an existing system. Since you have a working Quadra 610 it should be easier to get your non working Quadra 610 up and running again. It would be helpful to know what type of computer you are using for current access to the internet and whether you have you computers connected to a network. bill
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chale4
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2 MB Posts: 3
Reply #8 on: January 03, 2007, 17:22
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Thanks for your reply here, Bill. I have multiple PCs on line no problem, and my son (visiting from college for a few more days) has a beautiful new MacBook (pretty sure it's called; the newest little laptops running about $1300-1500, very very nice machines) that's on our home LAN. It doesn't have a floppy drive, of course...grr. I have an external Dell USB floppy drive unit; could we use that?? Finally, I do have a few Mac-formatted "MF2HD-1.4MB" floppies on hand, that I know work OK in the Quadra. Thanks much for your help! --Charley
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wove
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1024 MB Posts: 1363
Reply #9 on: January 03, 2007, 17:43
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Quote from: "chale4" Thanks for your reply here, Bill. I have multiple PCs on line no problem, and my son (visiting from college for a few more days) has a beautiful new MacBook (pretty sure it's called; the newest little laptops running about $1300-1500, very very nice machines) that's on our home LAN. It doesn't have a floppy drive, of course...grr. I have an external Dell USB floppy drive unit; could we use that?? Finally, I do have a few Mac-formatted "MF2HD-1.4MB" floppies on hand, that I know work OK in the Quadra. This file is an image for a startup disk that will work on the Quadra 610. You should be able to download this on any of your computers, transfer it using a floppy made on the Dell USB floppy. The Dell USB floppy drive should work fine on the MacBook and you can transfer the downloaded file to a Mac formatted floppy. Copy the file from the floppy to the working Quadra 610. Once on the 610 you should be able to open the file (it is an application) and from there make a proper working Mac formatted floppy that will start the non working Quadra 610. bill
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