I'd typed up the following reply this morning, but I just realized I hadn't hit send so It didn't get posted. It's moot now, really, in light of the last couple of replies, but what the hey - I might as well post it now anyway :)
Martyn, aside from checking one or two out at the computer shop when they first came out, I have no experience with Quadras (my last Mac was a IIfx) so personally I don't recall if they run on System 6 -- I was of the impression that they did NOT. In any event, use advice I give you with caution - it will all be based on experience from having used (extensively I might add) first and 2nd generation Macs, that is: 512Ks, SE30s, and Mac IIs. (And as for Pagemaker, sorry, but I can't recall which version I was using - it was a long time ago.) That said, if you do know that the Quadra does indeed run on 6, I can tell you from my experience, having several systems on hand is not a problem. In fact, I found it quite useful. The key is this: for the Mac to boot, the system and finder files have to be within the same folder. This will be the active system folder, regardless of where it's located or whether any other files are in it - just to be clear, any folder containg a system file and a finder file (and ONLY one each) will be the "System Folder" -- the Mac will recognize it as such at startup and run from it. Btw, once it finds those 2 files together, it should look no further and happy mac should smile, but thats not 'guaranteed' so be sure there's only one of each or it could get 'confused' and quickly lose that initial smile. As I recall, the last system 6 configuration I was running consisted of 3 versions plus the one that was running (from amongst 6.0.1, 6.0.4, 6.0.5 and 6.0.7). I had several folders within the System Folder, labelled 6.0.1 to 6.0.7, which stored the os files that were not in use, and in each of these was another folder for keeping the corresponding finder file (separated from the system file). To switch to another system I'd just move the currently running system & finder file into the appropriately labelled set, move the system & finder version I wanted to use out into the main System Folder, and reboot. Worked like a charm. (Sometimes I'd keep more copies on hand as well to experiment with using ResEdit. I'd just be sure to have a floppy with a system and finder at the ready in case something went wrong, then I could boot from the floppy, go into the System Folder and shuffle the files back to what worked). Doing that with System 7 would work as well, but it was a bit more complicated (and easier to screw up) being as 7 uses fonts differently plus treats DAs as applications, etc., so I came up with another way. I found what worked best for making 6 and 7 "interchangeable" with the least hassle was this (just for info, btw - I know you're already using 7): prior to unstalling/upgrading to system 7, I made a copy of the entire System (6) Folder, then within the original System Folder I created a new folder into which I tucked the finder file to separate it from the system file. Thus the new copied folder (which I'd labelled "System6") became the active System Folder. Then when running the System 7 installer, it replaced the copied setup, leaving the original intact but inactive. Once 7 was installed, I renamed the new System Folder "System7" and created another empty folder in that. With all that done, I could switch back to system 6 by simply putting the 7 finder into the empty folder, moving the 6 finder into its System Folder and rebooting - and vice versa to go back to 7. As for a system 6 boot floppy, again all that matters really is that you have a folder containing a system file and finder file; the machine will boot from that - with limitations, mind you. The Mac won't be able to do as much, simply because you haven't added as many system files - DAs, fonts, etc. Of course, you can - and should - add some, but that's dependent on how much you can fit onto the floppy -- AND I SHOULD STRESS: I don't know which, if any, other items need to be added for the Quadra to run properly. Better check with someone more familiar with the Quadra before doing anything. Hope that helps... On Jan 9, 4:24 am, martynl <[email protected]> wrote: > I have a Quadra 610, which currently has System 7.x installed. > > I have some programs which don't run on the Quadra under system 7, > even when I turn off 32 bit addressing, the 68040 cache, and colour. > Most especially, PageMaker 3 setup, which I really need to run... > > So I think my next step is to install system 6 on the Quadra. > > Is there a way to do this so that I can dual-boot system 6 and system > 7? I seem to remember that one used to be able to 'bless' different > system folders on early Mac OSes. Can I still do that? How do I make > sure that my System 6 install doesn't screw up System 7? Would it help > if I used a second hard drive? > > I also seem to remember that system 6 booted from a floppy. Can I do > that? The MacOS boot floppies I have don't seem to boot my Quadra. > Will I be able to make a System 6 boot floppy? How can I do that? > > Thanks in advance, > > Martyn
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