im still using my old mac 6400/180, running it on OS 8.6. recently buying a hewlett 3420 printer that the ‘expert’ in the shop assured me would run on 8.6, it doesnt, only OS 9 or X. I borrowed a friends OS9 system install disc to update that came with his imac, but when i try to install it tells me it cannot on the 6400 due to hardware incompatibility that can be fixed under warranty.
now then, does anyone know what the incompatibility is and if i can fix it myself?-the warranty ran out, ooh, about 4 years ago and i dont want to pay out for an apple service guy.
or is it just the imac system 9 installer? as in, if i get the disc for say a G3 or G4 would it overcome this problem?
ive no problem taking the mac to bits as ive had to install memory, PCi cards and a new CD-ROM drive in the past.
anyone help
cheers
pauly t:confused:
Let me just be clear on this. When you say “I borrowed” you actually meant to say “I purchased the software and it’s license rights in a completely legal manner” Right?
The problem you may be having is due to the hardware in an iMac compared to that of a 6400. The disc has some things that are specefic to the machine, such as USB drivers, etc. that the 6400 does not have.
But I digress. It may be possible to get this printer working with a simple printer driver upgrade. The Adobe PS driver is free, so we can eschew any legal issues about posting on this board. Please reply with more information on what kind of error you are getting when attempting to use this printer. You may also choose to assure us that the copy of the software you have is legally yours, and is no longer in use in any other machine.
Did you try booting from the CD and then running the installer?
Even so, if it is a “system restore” machine-specific installer rather than a MacOS 9 installation CD it may not play nicely with your 6400. The full MacOS 9 should have no problems with a 6400, as it should work with any PowerPC Macintosh.
It looks like the going price from vendors in the back ads pages of MacAddict and MacWorld is around $69 for MacOS 9. You might get it far cheaper via eBay or buying a copy off someone who has ditched the “classic” environment and only runs MacOS X nowadays.
Unless he did a custom install, choosing only to install the core 9 instead of the easy install, which installs the iMac specific stuff. That is, of course, if he has a purchased copy. I’ve used machine specific discs in that manner.
<<Slightly off topic, but still relevant>>
I ran into a similar problem with an HP printer and 8.6. It did not want to print with the 8.6 or HP drivers. Reinstalled the Laserwriter drivers from 8.1, and have had no problems since.
right, i did try booting from the CD and custom installing, but it came up with the message ‘this will not work on this machine’ or words to that effect. i had both discs for an older (about 18 months old) imac, the system install and restore. i tried straight copying the system restore folder on to my HD and that didnt work either. i scoured the web for a driver for the HP printer for OS8.6 and it doesnt exist unfortunately. so an older G3/G4 OS9 installer would work? obviously ill ‘purchase’ it.
Or newer, for that matter, but a non-iMac-specific full-fledged system 9 CD. I believe all of the MacOS 9 variants up to 9.2.x are backwards-compatible with the entire PowerPC line.