Looking for a reliable source for Mac OS System 0.97

[pointless]

Hello all,

I'm looking for a list of known reliable (preferably Apple produced) sources for the Jan 1984 Macintosh System Disk.

For instance, I know that the Developer CD series included old system software, but I checked the first disk (Phil & Dave's excellent CD), and it only extends back to the System 1.1 (Aug 1984).

Every online source I've found for System 0.97 shows signs of the image being modified/pieced together after the fact. While I don't have access to the BetaArchive FTP servers, I'm hopefully looking for a source that would accurately reflect what was originally mastered on the disk.

Does anyone know of a specific Apple Developer/Support CD that has the first shipping Mac System on it?

[Patrick]

Hello all,

I'm looking for a list of known reliable (preferably Apple produced) sources for the Jan 1984 Macintosh System Disk.

For instance, I know that the Developer CD series included old system software, but I checked the first disk (Phil & Dave's excellent CD), and it only extends back to the System 1.1 (Aug 1984).

Every online source I've found for System 0.97 shows signs of the image being modified/pieced together after the fact. While I don't have access to the BetaArchive FTP servers, I'm hopefully looking for a source that would accurately reflect what was originally mastered on the disk.

Does anyone know of a specific Apple Developer/Support CD that has the first shipping Mac System on it?

While I don't know exactly the contents of Phil & Dave's CD at this time, I'd advise you to perhaps check again - but search for "Mac System Software" or "Mac System Software 0.1". Also try checking for System 1.0. According to Mac512's list of Apple's version numbering, the names I previously mentioned are the names of 0.97 using Apple's (rather confusing) "System Software" versioning. I believe that the developer disks use these.

However, I highly suggest you wait until you get access to the FTP.

[DJ Deedahx]

I actually downloaded Mac OS System 0.97, and the disk is labeled "Mac System Software". Also, Finder is reported as version 1.0, from January 18, 1984.
However, I am not really sure if this disk is actually a developer version (or beta) of Mac OS System 1.0, as it looks and feels just like Mac OS System 1.0 (actually it doesn't say this anywhere in the files).

[pointless]

No luck on Phil & Dave's, Apple Legacy CD, or the Service Restoration CD (9/94). I wrote a quick blog post about what's on Phil & Dave's (mostly similar to the listing at Mac512)

http://sandro.knot.org/blog/2014/06/see ... stem-0-97/

[Patrick]

I actually downloaded Mac OS System 0.97, and the disk is labeled "Mac System Software". Also, Finder is reported as version 1.0, from January 18, 1984.
However, I am not really sure if this disk is actually a developer version (or beta) of Mac OS System 1.0, as it looks and feels just like Mac OS System 1.0 (actually it doesn't say this anywhere in the files).

That's the normal version of 0.97. "Mac System Software" is how System 0.97 was referred to using Apple's "System Software" versioning system, described here:

http://www.betaarchive.com/forum/viewto ... 64&t=30212

If you need to verify the system version, just use the SysVersion tool found with other earlier releases. Be sure to transfer said tool to the disk with the OS you want the version for - if SysVersion is on another disk with a valid System Folder or System file, it'll report the version of that System instead of the one that's currently working. This has to do with the way early Macs handled running different applications on seperate disks.

No luck on Phil & Dave's, Apple Legacy CD, or the Service Restoration CD (9/94). I wrote a quick blog post about what's on Phil & Dave's (mostly similar to the listing at Mac512)

http://sandro.knot.org/blog/2014/06/see ... stem-0-97/

Unforunately, I am not able to distribute FTP files to you (as much as I want to). So at this time, all I can say to you is to wait until you have 10 contributing posts - then apply for FTP access. I highly recommend you do this - it provides you with access to a massive amount of Macintosh software - not to mention Windows and other applications for download.

I see in the blog post you make a comment about the odd font with that version of the System Software. I must inform you that that font is not a result of the System Software itself. I've found that in certain 128k ROMs - a different font is used in place of the Chicago font. I have found this to occur on certain ROM files used in conjunction with Mini vMac. As I do not have a 128k in my vintage computer collection, I am unable to verify if this issue occurs on the actual hardware or not.

If you are interested in transferring files to your 128k, you can use this guide to transfer Mac files to a 1440K / 800K disk. Unfortunately it is untested with 400K disks - if you are in possesion of an Apple 800K / 1440K external floppy disk drive, you can definately use that with your 128k.

[pointless]

Unforunately, I am not able to distribute FTP files to you (as much as I want to). So at this time, all I can say to you is to wait until you have 10 contributing posts - then apply for FTP access. I highly recommend you do this - it provides you with access to a massive amount of Macintosh software - not to mention Windows and other applications for download.

No sweat, I figure FTP access will come in time, but frankly I'm not entirely sure even the FTP archive is going to work out. As I pointed out in my blog, I have found several images (include some I'm sure that were originally sourced from BetaArchive), and they have been modified. I'm still hopeful that the actual FTP server will come through, but I'm still looking for definitive sources.

I see in the blog post you make a comment about the odd font with that version of the System Software. I must inform you that that font is not a result of the System Software itself. I've found that in certain 128k ROMs - a different font is used in place of the Chicago font. I have found this to occur on certain ROM files used in conjunction with Mini vMac. As I do not have a 128k in my vintage computer collection, I am unable to verify if this issue occurs on the actual hardware or not.

The actual hardware exhibits the same property. There are several reasons to believe this wasn't the case with the actual disks. First, no first-hand account mentions this. Second, there are pre-release photos with the more traditional font used throughout. Finally, examining the 0.97 system file shows that the included Chicago-12 has an incorrect size. It shows up as 1998 bytes, but the same font in System 2.0 is 2940 bytes. More suspiciously, the 0.97 system I have includes "Chicago-10" which is 2940 bytes, and looks identical to System 2.0 Chicago-12 in Font Mover. This leads me to believe someone has pieced together a 0.97 System File... It's an easy enough fix, I just replaced the Chicago-12 with the version from System 2.0, but I would still rather find a real System 0.97.

If you are interested in transferring files to your 128k, you can use this guide to transfer Mac files to a 1440K / 800K disk.

Thanks for the guide, I'll give it a try next time I need to image out a 400k floppy. I actually have an old Powerbook 540c that makes transferring images to disk pretty simple.

• Create/obtain DiskCopy 4.2 compatible images (a custom compile of mini vMac can help).
• Transfer the images via FTP to the Powerbook running System 7
• Use DiskCopy (4.2/6.0) to write the images to floppy

[Win95Fan]

Sorry for bumping, but here is the real McCoy!

How did I get it? By downloading this file,
and using StuffIt Expander within Executor to extract its contents.