VNC,Basilisk II, and SheepShaver: 3 Ways to Run Classic on an Intel Macby Alan Zisman (c) 2006 Firstpublished in February 20, 2006We'rein the middle of yet another of Apple's big transitions.In the first half of the 1990s, there was thetransition fromthe Mac's original 680x0 family of CPUs to the PowerPC chips. Inthe early 2000s, there was a transition from the classic line ofMac operating systems to the Unix-derived OS X family.
When your Mac powers up, it normally uses the system on its internal hard drive unless you change this behavior by choosing System Preferences@@→Startup Disk. You can also change what your Mac does by holding down the following keys or key combinations during startup. Print these boot option keys, because they’re particularly helpful to have. Want to explore more games like PUBG for a low-end computer. Well here is the list of 10 games which are similar to PUBG and you can expect them to consumer lesser hardware resources.
And nowApple has released the first models powered by Intel CPUs, withpromises that the whole product-line will be Intel-powered by theend of 2006.While each transition has ultimately been good forusers, eachtime there's been a rough period as software had to catch up withthe new hardware. Early adopters of PowerPC-based Macs had to runsoftware designed for the earlier models; it would run on the PowerMacs, but at nothing like the speed those models were capableof.If OS X users need to run software designed for pre-OSX Macoperating systems, they can launch Classic-mode; a window runningMac OS 9.2.x on their OS X desktop. It's a bit awkward, but itworks - at least most of the time.Owners of the new Intel-powered Macs are hit with adoublewhammy. OS X had to be rewritten to run on this very differentprocessor family, and to get best performance applications alsoneed to be recompiled (and in some cases completely rewritten) tosupport the new hardware and operating system version.OS X software compiled for PowerPC processors will runon theIntel Macs, using a translation layer called Rosetta. But Rosetta'son-the-fly translations sap computer performance. Thoseapplications run noticeably slower than on comparableprevious-generation Macs.Mac OS 9 isn't usable at all on the new hardware, sousers whostill rely on old Classic mode applications are simply out of luckif, lured by promises of double or triple the performance, theypurchase a new Intel-powered Mac.Or are they?There are a couple of ways to make an end run aroundthe IntelMacs' lack of Classic mode support.
For instance, if users stillhave their previous Mac around (or if they buy a low-cost Mac likea ), theycould simply keepusing it when they need access to that old Classic modeapplication. VNC: The Hardware SolutionSomewhat more high tech would be to keep that PowerPCMac up andrunning, then access it from the Intel Mac using a remote desktopapplication like the open source (VirtualNetworkComputing). A wide range of versions of VNC are available for awide range of computing platforms, including both OS X andOS 9.Running a VNC server on the old Mac (running either OSX or evenOS 9) and a VNC client on the new Intel Mac with bothconnected on a TCP/IP network would let a user sitting at the newMac open up a window to the old one and run the Classic applicationremotely.
Emulation: The Software SolutionI'm taking a different course, however. Instead, I'mtrying outemulators. Here's why:I have a teacher colleague who just replaced hisWindows PC witha brand new. Everything'sfine, except that elementary teachers in our school district oftenuse a program calledfor generating reportcards. Duet Software has produced a Windows version and a ClassicOS Mac version. Since the Classic OS version runs fine underOS X Classic mode, they haven't created a native OS Xversion.When I queried them, the two teachers who are DuetSoftware intheir spare time said that it would require a complete rewrite toproduce an OS X version, and with rumours that the schooldistrict will be moving to other software within the next year orso, it's not high on their to-do list.Why not emulate Windows?So those teachers with new Intel Macs who needSilhouette wouldseem to be out of luck.
Current versions of Windows emulators -Virtual PC and Guest PC (see ) - won'trun on Intel Macs. Another emulator, is promising anIntel-capable version soon, while claims its emulatoralready runs on the Intel hardware.I'm waiting for the promised version of iEmulator andhave spenta lot of time working with various versions of OpenOSX WinTelwithout having gotten to a point where I feel comfortablerecommending it as a solution.Instead, I'm looking using emulation to put an olderMac in awindow on my colleague's Intel iMac. Emulate a 680x0 MacI've previously written about, an open sourceemulator that puts a 680x0 Mac in a window on a Windows (or otheroperating system) desktop (see and ).
Since those 2002 articles, a version of Basilisk IIhas been released as well. I've tried this on my PowerPC Mac,and it works - though I haven't been able to get the networkingfunctional, something that works fine on the Windows version, in myexperience. (It may be just me - any reader who is able to getthe Macversion's networking into gear should please drop me a line!)It's kind of cool. But since my PPC Mac has Classicmode, Idon't have much need to run a 680x0 Mac in a Window on my G5 iMac.(Your needs may differ. If you have old software that won't rununder OS 9 or won't run at all in OS X's Classic mode, maybethis will let you continue to be productive).I was pessimistic about running Basilisk II on anIntel Mac,however. After all, the various Windows emulators don't seem to runwith the Intel Mac's Rosetta translation.
They require extensiverewriting.So I was pleasantly surprised when Icopied the Basilisk II folder from my PPC iMac to my colleague'sIntel iMac and discovered that it just worked!There it was, a 68040-powered Mac Performa running MacOS 7.6 ina window on an Intel iMac. A nice touch in Basilisk II is that itputs a 'Unix' icon on the desktop, allowing easy transfer of filesbetween the emulated Mac and its host system. That will be a bighelp in getting report card files out to the world. Basilisk II SetupIn orderto make Basilisk II work, you need three things:. The Basilisk II application.
Since it's opensource, it can bedownloaded freely. A copy of an older Mac operating system. Apple hasmadeoperating system versions up to System 7.5.5 freely downloadable.You can find links for a wide range of older Mac operating systemversions on Low End Mac's page. Apple included 680x0 support inoperating system versions up to Mac OS 8.1, so that's the lastversion that Basilisk II can run. An image file of the ROM from a 680x0 Mac. Ingeneral, you'llget best performance from a more recent 68040 model. Apple retainscopyright on their ROM code, so you can't legally download these(and I won't send my copies out, so please don't email me).Instead, if you find a working older Mac, you can 'capture' a ROMimage (see )You can find more details on getting set up withBasilisk II on.While it works, Basilisk II is limited to emulating680x0 Macs;in effect, models up to about 1994.
Emulate a PowerPCAnother open source project, promises PowerPCemulation, in theory allowing emulation of hardware up to the 1998 withoperating systems up toMac OS 9.0. The project has recently announced what they describeas an 'experimental' port to Mac OS X for Intel.Like Basilisk II, SheepShaver requires a Mac ROMimage.
In someways, however, it may be easier to get the required ROM. Accordingto, the so-called New World ROMimage files included on Mac OS 8.5 and 8.6 CDs should be usable.Alternatively, a can be used to make an image from the ROMson any of a wide range of Power Macs.SheepShaver has borrowed a number offeatures,including CD-ROMand ethernet support, from Basilisk II, updating them to run on(emulated) newer hardware.
At least so I've heard.I've been trying to make it work with the ROM filefrom a Mac OS8.5 CD. So far, all I get is a black window.I'll keep you informed - and again, if any of you arehaving anybetter luck with SheepShaver, please let me know!For now, with Basilisk II running happily on the InteliMac, myteacher colleague is able to get the Classic support he needs - aslong as he's prepared to use software that will run on vintage Machardware and operating system versions.In other words, putting a low-end Mac on a new Mac.Works for me!. Link:. Link:. Link:.
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Hardware Profiles 680x0 MacsEverything from the original Macintosh throughthe Quadras.Apple's consumer brand included compact Macs andPower Macs.Everything from the Mac Portable through thelatest PowerBooks. PowerPC MacsApple's consumer brand included compact Macs andPower Macs.Everything from the Mac Portable through thelatest PowerBooks.' Macs to go' aimed at the home and educationmarkets.From the first generation Power Macs throughtoday's models.Apple's thin servers.All-in-one Macs especially geared for the homeand education user.The smallest, least expensive Macs Apple has everproduced.Unauthorized (1985-91) and authorized (1995-98)Macintosh clones.
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