[PLUG] data transfer to a ethernet-less Mac powerbook 180c?

Kurt S. Harlan kurt at kurt-harlan.net
Sat May 10 07:56:02 UTC 2003


> Message: 1
> To: "Petcher, Danielx J" <danielx.j.petcher at intel.com>
> Cc: "'plug at lists.pdxlinux.org'" <plug at lists.pdxlinux.org>,
> "'seniorr at aracnet.com'" <seniorr at aracnet.com>
> Subject: Re: [PLUG] data transfer to a ethernet-less Mac powerbook 180c?
> From: Russell Senior <seniorr at aracnet.com>
> 
>>>>>> "djp" == Petcher, Danielx J <danielx.j.petcher at intel.com> writes:
> 
> djp> SUGGESTION: Either SCSI or Serial is the way to go, but either
> djp> way will require an odd-ball cable.
> 
> djp> SCSI: There is a SCSI connector on the back of the laptop with a
> djp> bunch of high-density pins in a rectangular array. Back when
> djp> PowerBook 180c was a current machine, there were third party
> djp> vendors who made an adapter that would convert this to a DB-25
> djp> (SCSI 1) connector. Particularly clever third party vendors made
> djp> an adapter with a little switch on it. When you leave the switch
> djp> in normal position, the PowerBook could communicate with SCSI
> djp> peripherals. In the other position, the PowerBook would boot into
> djp> a mode where it acted as a plain-old Macintosh SCSI disk drive. I
> djp> don't know where you can find this adapter today, but I'll check
> djp> my personal tool-box to see if I still have mine. There were also
> djp> a few folks who sold SCSI drive boxes and power bricks that would
> djp> enclose a PowerBook drive and give it a standard 50-pin Amphenol
> djp> (SCSI 1) connector or two. I used to have one of these, but I
> djp> sold it to a neighbor. She has upgraded her system a few times
> djp> since then and I don't know where the enclosure has gone.
> 
> Digging around in my junk drawer, I discovered that I actually have
> one of these SCSI connectors, and a 25-pin to 50-pin SCSI cable.  I
> don't quite understand the significance of the switch, but with it
> "off" it seems to "work".  Says:
> 
>  "SCSI  DOCK"
>   off    on
> 
> I have an external SCSI disk connected, which isn't going to give me
> networking, but at least it'll give me a way to get large files onto
> it.
> 
> I actually have it _almost_ working.  Just trying to find a kernel
> that works right now.  With the prebuilt ones on the sourceforge site:
> 
> <http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=11666>
> 
> and a debian root.bin, with their 2.2.25 kernel, I can boot to a
> "System Installation" screen, but the keyboard is dead.  With their
> 2.4.1 kernel, I get happier looking boot messages, but it doesn't seem
> to get past:
> 
>  [...bunch of stuff...]

> I don't understand what the ADB is.  Maybe I'll need to try
> cross-compiling my own kernel.
> 
ADB is "Apple Desktop Bus". I think that you'll have better luck using a
distribution oriented towards the pre-PPC Macintosh world.

Kurt Harlan





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