>Since there is no way possible to make an external cd work with this >machine....is there a way that I can update the os to 8.1 using an >ethernet connection?
External CDs should work...but I agree for whatever reason my 540c is pickier than any other mac or powerbook I've used about its external SCSI- I did get it working though, I have to have a CD in the drive for it to mount at bootup, else no go- so something is still not quite right. Oh well. If you don't wish to hassle with it, you can also update the OS via Appletalk (either Ethertalk or localtalk). I've updated the OS on many SE's and SE-30's without a CD-ROM drive, just by hooking them to my desktop CPU via a printer cable, turning file sharing on, and (from the SE) running the OS installer/updater that is sitting in the desktop's CD drive. I've done this at work on SE's that were on the LAN, too, over ethernet (I put the OS installer on the server). Slow, sure, but painless and reliable. And once the installer's going, you just ignore it for a while until it's done :) It's not like the 5xx series is super fast anyway, ethernet or otherwise. Ethernet works too but you'd need a hub or crossover cable- if you don't have one already, I'd save fiddling with it and just hook up the serial ports. Unless your desktop is an iMac or similar; in that case you're out of luck with serial (since you have no port!), and Appletalk won't cross any of the keyspan adapters, either. You'd have to buy a crossover ethernet cable in that case. B -- -- PowerBooks is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Enter To Win A | -- Canon PowerShot Digital Cameras start at $299 | Free iBook! | RoadTools $30 PodiumPad available at Apple retail stores, $20 Traveler CoolPad at Staples. Both in white for iBooks at <http://roadtools.com>. Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> PowerBooks list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/powerbooks.shtml> Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/powerbooks%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com