[DuoList] PowerBook 2400c booting external CD-ROM

[Ward Curry]

The connector has 30 pins. It's a dark grey Apple SCSI cable (to  
Centronics 50 female). That means it's a SCSI dock mode cable. Is  
there any way to adapt the cable so that it will work as a standard  
SCSI cable?


On Mar 25, 2010, at 3:56 PM, Clark Martin wrote:

> On 3/25/10 12:53 PM, Ward Curry wrote:
>> I am trying to re-install the system software on a PowerBook 2400c. I
>> just purchased an external SCSI CD-ROM drive off eBay for this  
>> purpose.
>> I have a connection cable and a terminator on the other SCSI port.  
>> Every
>> time I try to boot holding down the "C" key it comes up in SCSI disk
>> mode with a "2" flashing across the screen. How do I get it to boot  
>> off
>> the CD-ROM? I have an OS 8.1 system software disk I am using, I just
>> can't get it to boot off the CD-ROM.
>
> The "2" means the laptop is coming up in SCSI Disk Mode.  That means  
> the laptop is making the internal harddisk appear as a SCSI drive,  
> number 2.  The intent is to allow you to plug the SCSI cable into a  
> Mac and do formatting / installations on the PBs hd via the other Mac.
>
> Take a look at your SCSI cable, the part that plugs into the PB (or  
> via an adapter).  There should be either 29 or 30 pins, the  
> difference is one pin in a corner.  If the pin is missing you have a  
> standard SCSI cable.  If the pin is there you a SCSI disk mode  
> cable, either full time or switch selectable.  See if there is a  
> switch located somewhere on the cable.  If the connector has the pin  
> (it should since your PB is going into SCSI Disk Mode) and has no  
> switch then you need to get another SCSI cable.
>
>
> -- 
> Clark Martin
> Redwood City, CA, USA
> Macintosh / Internet Consulting
>
> "I'm a designated driver on the Information Super Highway"
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