TITLE
    Mac OS 8: Late Breaking Information
Article ID:
Created:
Modified: 		24160
8/6/97
4/6/00
TOPIC

    This article includes late-breaking information regarding Mac OS 8 (as of August 6, 1997). For up-to-the-minute information, check the "Late Breaking Information" area of the Mac OS web site at http:// macos.apple.com/macos/latebreaking/

DISCUSSION

    Installer Alias does not work to the Geoport/Express Modems Installer on the Mac OS 8 CD

    The error: "The alias Installer could not be opened because the original item cannot be found" will appear if the icon is opened.

    Workaround: The correct installer application can be found two folders down in: Net Install: Apple Telecom - Disk 1. Selecting the Installer alias, and choosing Get Info from the File menu will display the correct path.

    Cannot Boot from Mac OS 8 CD When AppleTalk is Off

    Some customers have reported that they are unable to boot from the Mac OS 8 Install CD. During the startup process, a dialog appears with the following message: 'Sorry, a system error has occurred. Bus Error Type 11. Restart with shift key held down.' This issue is currently under investigation.

    Possible Workarounds (Not all of them may be necessary):
    • Make sure the computer is running from the startup disk. Activate AppleTalk (in the Chooser for classic networking, or in the AppleTalk control panel for Open Transport networking). With the Mac OS 8 CD in the CD-ROM drive, restart the computer while holding down the 'c' key.
    • With the Mac OS 8 CD in the CD-ROM drive, startup your computer, while pressing the letter 'c' (or cmd-opt-shft-del if appropriate). When the Happy Macintosh icon appears, release all keys and hold down the shift key until the boot screen appears with the 'extensions disabled' message.
    • Using the Mac OS 8 CD, create a startup Disk Tools disk. To make a Disk Tools disk, open the Disk Tools folder on the Mac OS 8 CD, then open the Make Disk Tools floppies application. When you startup from the Disk Tools disk, you will then be able to run the Mac OS 8 Installer from the CD. (This will only work with Apple CD-ROM drives).
    • Use the Extensions Manager to select a minimum (base) set of the Mac OS extensions. Boot from the hard disk and install from the Mac OS 8 CD. If the installer finds any problems with the hard disk, it will not be able to correct them.
    • Clear the Parameter RAM (PRAM). After doing this, restart holding down the 'c' key to start up from the Mac OS 8 Install CD.
    No Compatibility Issues With Mac OS 8 and Personal Web Sharing

    The Read me for Personal Web Sharing (posted separately on the Internet) incorrectly states that there are compatibility problems, and this misinformation has been posted on other web sites. There are no known incompatibilities with Mac OS 8 and Personal Web Sharing. There is no need to turn off Virtual Memory (VM), nor is there an issue with the PCI Enet driver.

    Intermittent Problem Copying a Large Number of Files in Low Memory Situation

    Apple has identified an intermittent problem with Mac OS 8 relating to copying large number of files between volumes when memory is low. If memory is low and a very large copy is performed between two local volumes or a local volume and a shared volume, all items may not be copied correctly and no indication is given. The size of the copy necessary to produce the bug is related to how little memory remains when the copy is started but the problem most often occurs with copies of more than several thousand items. Apple is working on a fix for this problem.

    Workaround: Make sure several megabytes of memory is available before starting a large copy and copy fewer files at a time. To verify that the problem has not occurred, compare the number of items in the result with that in the source. Select the source and result and select Get Info from the File menu. Compare the number of items shown in the Size field. If the number are the same, the copy finished correctly. Note that the total sizes may differ depending on the size of the source and destination volumes. Different total sizes do not indicate a problem with the copy.

    Starting a 68040 computers from a CD-ROM using the c key depressed or "command-option-shift-delete" does not work when the SCSI-ID is 5

    Typically, to start up using a bootable CD, holding down the "c" key or"command-option-shift-delete" will force the computer to ignore the default startup volume, and boot from the CD in the CD-ROM drive. This will not work on 68K machines if your CDdrive is set to SCSI-ID 5. The computer will chime, and display the sad Mac, which usually denotes a hardware problem.

    Workaround: Select the CD as the startup disk in the Startup control panel or set the SCSI-ID to anything but 5 will work around this problem. Note: internal CD drives shipped from Apple are not set to SCSI-ID 5.

    In a pop-up window, selecting make alias or duplicate from the contextual menu (Control-click) will cause a system crash

    Workaround: Selecting "make alias" from the menu, and using the contextual menu when not in a pop-up window work correctly. Option-dragging the file also works correctly.

    Duplication of a folder with more than 20 items on a remote server can unexpectedly fail

    When a folder with more than 20 items in it is duplicated, sometimes the copy will not complete, and no indication is given to the user. The copy failure can depend on the size of the files, and the order they are copied (which is dependent on the B-tree). The problem results in the process being put to sleep, and thus neither machine is doing anything. Neither machine is hung nor inoperative, and the copy can be terminated from the workstation by clicking the Stop button.

    Workaround: Workarounds include copying the folder to another volume and back again; copying less than 20 files at a time; compressing the files into one large file, duplicating, and decompressing them again. Copying the folder to another volume will always work, the problem only occurs when duplicating some folders on another machine over a network.

    MBDF virus infection can result in visual defects when the "System-wide platinum appearance" is turned off

    On a virus infected machine with the System-wide platinum appearance check box unchecked in the Appearance control panel, visual defects such as problems in menus, menu items that were white turning grey when the mouse tracks over them. This indicates that the system has probably been infected with the MBDF virus. This virus causes no problems other than this color discrepancy, but should be removed by a virus removal utility.

    Workaround: Use a virus utility to disinfect your computer.

    Adobe Type Manager (ATM) v 4.0.2 Installation Instructions

    The latest version of Adobe Type Manager, version 4.0.2, is included with Mac OS 8. Previous versions of ATM did not load properly when running the new QuickDraw GX Graphics extension. ATM version 4.0.2 addresses this problem.

    Note: This version of ATM is not compatible with ATM Deluxe version 4.0. If you are running ATM Deluxe, do not install this updated version ATM 4.0.2.

    To install ATM 4.02, you need to run the QuickDraw GX Installer located in the folder QuickDraw GX in the Software Installers folder. Here are the steps:
      1. Double-click Install QuickDraw GX
      2. From the main installer screen click on the Easy Install pop-up menu.
      3. Select Custom Install.
      4. Select ATM for QuickDraw GX.
      5. Click the Install button.
      6. At the end of the installation you will need to restart your computer.
    Incorrect Version of Dial-up Application for MacLink Plus 9.0

    The incorrect version of the automatic dial-up registration application for MacLinkPlus 9.0 was included on the Mac OS 8 CD.The International version was included instead of the U.S. version. U.S. customers who want to register MacLinkPlus 9.0 electronically can do so by visiting DataViz at: http://www.dataviz.com/register . Customers can also register by printing out the registration form, and mailing it to DataViz using the address found in the 'Contacting DataViz' file.

    Mac OS Runtime for Java version 1.5 Now Available

    Apple has released version 1.5 of the Mac OS Runtime for Java. This is a major update that includes performance enhancement technology that can run your Java applets and applications up to 10 times faster . You can download your copy from our "Apple and Java" site: http://software.apple.com/mrj/


    Now Utilities Not Fully Compatible with Mac OS 8

    Now Software is evaluating the situation and will announce their plans in the near future. In the meantime, they recommend
    that you do not install Now Utilities with Mac OS 8 or if you do, that you do so at your own risk.

    This article provides information about a non-Apple product. Apple Computer, Inc. is not responsible for its content. Please contact the vendor for additional information.

    The Tech Info Library article titled " Locating Vendor Information " can help you search for a particular vendor's address and phone number.

    This article can help you locate the software update mentioned here:

Document Information
Product Area: Mac OS System Software
Category: Mac OS 8.0
Sub Category: General Topics

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