Transferring files with MacTerminal 1.1 makes the process almost as easy as using AppleShare. Unfortunately, it’s not AppleShare. Which means that you can’t specify the disk you copy the files to, nor can you organize them without quitting MacTerminal. While this doesn’t sound like a big problem at first considering your options for getting files from your Intel Mac into your 128K, the 400K limitations of the 128K’s disk drive will quickly limit the space available and therefore size of the files you want to transfer. For example, a typical System & Finder will take up about 200K to 300K. MacTerminal 1.1 takes another 100K, leaving you very little room to transfer files, even with a stripped down System, you’ll be limited to transfer size and at a bare minimum quitting MacTerminal and moving files to another disk to make room for more.

Using a Second/External Drive is the solution.

Fortunately MacTerminal made a provision for this issue. Here’s how to do it.

1.   Connect your 400K external drive.

2.   Insert and format a 400K disk.

3.   Copy ONLY the MacTerminal file settings document you saved earlier

      when you set up MacTerminal to transfer files. It is approximately 4K,

      leaving you almost 400K free to transfer files.

4.   Now, double-click the file settings document on the external drive,

      which will launch MacTerminal off the internal drive. Now, when

      you go to transfer files to the 128K, now they will all be transferred to

      the external drive where the file settings document resides.

Using an 800K External Drive.

Do yourself a favor and pick up an Apple 3.5 Drive. Originally designed for  the Apple II Series, it contains the Sony MFD-51W-03 800K disk drive, which also appears in some Macintosh Pluses. It also has the distinction of being the only 800K drive which will work on a 128K & 512K Macintosh without the aid of the HD20 Init. You can even use this drive as a startup drive. With this particular drive, you can have a roomy 800K volume of MFS storage for file transfer, or simply working with large files without swapping disks.

If you work in a closed system and don’t have to worry about compatibility problems with other Macs, you can even put an 800K drive internally as well. You’ll have 1.6MB of MFS storage on your 128K & 512K, but you’ll be denying yourself the pleasure of the 400K drive’s seductive whir and soft red glow. See Formatting 800K MFS Disks With 64K ROMs for the details.

This trick works on a standard Mac Plus running an MFS only system, regardless of your 800K drive. Since the MFS system knows nothing of HFS, but the ROM recognizes the drive, formatting a double sided disk results in 800K of MFS storage. Works up to System 2.1 & Finder 4.1.

ClarisWorks is the successor to MacTerminal which is why everything works so well together. Unfortunately when Apple dissolved Claris and changed ClarisWorks to AppleWorks, they dropped Terminal. Otherwise, there would be no problems under Intel Macs. ClarisWorks can send files or disk images, but obviously the latter can present some issues when working with old Macs, so it’s best to work with files whenever possible.

Using OS X Classic

Under OS X Classic, there are few problems working with files. Download them from the internet, open ClarisWorks and send them to your old Mac.

If you download a disk image or manage your files using them with other emulators, such as Basilisk II, Mini vMac, or even SheepShaver, then you’ll need to mount them first. That’s all well and good with HFS disk images, but most of the older 128K & 512K disk images tend to be MFS. However, under OS X 10.4 there’s a very easy solution. Download MFSLives and install it. It allows your Intel Mac to mount (read only) an MFS volume. While you can’t write to it, you can easily access the files on it and send them to your old Mac.

One word of caution. Whenever you open 400K & 800K disk images which you use with other emulators, it is advisable to make a copy before mounting them under OS X. Occasionally corruption results making them unmountable in your emulators.

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Mini vMac

Another option for working with MFS disk images, is Mini vMac. With this program you can open the MFS disk images and transfer the contents to HFS disk images, then mount the HFS disk images. This is your only option if you are using anything less than OS X 10.4. Fortunately Mini vMac has been ported to 680X0, PPC & Intel Macs. It has also been ported to Linux, Windows and various other platforms as well.

Using SheepShaver

SheepShaver solves a number of problems, the most obvious of which being able to run ClarisWorks on an Intel Mac. But, SheepShaver has been ported to Linux & Windows, which means that theoretically you can manage your Mac files from AND transfer them directly to your old Mac from a PC with the right cables.

However, SheepShaver at present also makes working with files slightly more complicated than using OS X Classic. But, here are a few tips for working with files in SheepShaver.

You will need to create a special volume disk image with which to share between OS X and SheepShaver for swapping files between the two environments. It is best to create this volume in SheepShaver using the method you used originally to create your emulated hard drive. Make sure your name includes “.img” suffix so that the OS X Finder readily recognizes it. Now when you start SheepShaver, you will have your system hard drive and your shared hard drive on the desktop. Never try to mount the shared volume in OS X while SheepShaver is running. To use it, simply mount it under OS X and drag your files into it. Unmount, start SheepShaver and navigate to the drive to send files using ClarisWorks.

Do not keep any important files in the shared volume as corruption is a likely possibility and you may have to replace this disk image occasionally.

One final tip if you use SheepShaver exclusively for file transfers and nothing else. Stick the ClarisWorks terminal file settings document in your ShepShaver emulated System Startup Items folder. That way when you launch SheepShaver, it will automatically be configured to transfer files. You may want to also set ClarisWorks Communication Preferences to automatically connect.

Using Wireless USB to create a virtual file sharing network.

Much like the old “Sneaker” network, which involved running a floppy disk from one computer to another, this method simply eliminates the problem of running a serial or USB cable over more than 16 feet to connect two Macs without repeaters, cutting holes in walls and routing cables.

With this method, you plug your 128K Mac into the serial-to-USB adapter and then attach a wireless transmitter/receiver to the the adapter’s USB connector. A matched transmitter/receiver attaches to USB equipped Mac anywhere within range and allows the remote wireless adapter to function as if it were plugged directly into it.

While this sounds great at first, if you are working solo, you’re still going to have to set up the 128K to receive files then run back to your sending Mac to initiate the transfer. Then run back to the 128k to work with the files ... well you get the picture – it’s still a sneaker network without the floppies. If you have a helper, you can call them on their mobile and verbally co-ordinate it. In my case, I just carry my MacBook to the 128K and plug it in.

Wireless Resources (none have been tested or endorsed):

D-Link

Belkin

Iogear

Alternately, if you already have an Ethernet network, you might consider a less expensive USB to Ethernet alternative

This site is a work in progress and a labor of love. Many of the tutorials will eventually have pictures to make things clearer and links will be added to make finding resources easier. In the meantime, if you need help with any of these steps, please let me know by posting comments to help me revise the tutorial. If you need a direct response, please also include an e-mail address.