Setting up System 7.5.3 on Basilisk II JIT for Windows

Note: There is a slightly more UP TO DATE version of this guide in our new wiki. I recommend that you use that version.

(Updated 21 October, 2008)

Introduction...

Installing System 7.5.3 (which can be updated to 7.5.5) is fun and easy! But before getting started, there are a few files that you will need to download:

• JIT Basilisk II. At the time of writing, the current version was 1.0-Pre JIT R5 from May 2006. You can check over here for unofficial (unstable) releases.
• Basilisk II requires SDL 1.2 Libraries (just extract and put the file SDL.dll in the directory containing Basilisk II) and a GTK +2 Runtime (install before you begin).
• You will need a valid ROM file. You can get this from your old Macintosh computer as described here, or you can skulk around on the internet and download one illegally.
• HFVExplorer, a utility that allows you to read Macintosh disk images in Windows
• A System 7 Boot Disk. Extract this to your Basilisk II directory before you begin.
• The System 7.5.3 software, which is available from Apple as a free download. Download these files to a single directory in Windows.

Download the files above. Extract Basilisk II. Remember to extract the System 7 boot disk to your Basilisk II directory. Remember also to put SDL.dll in the Basilisk directory and to install the GTK +2 Runtime.

First we will create a blank disk image that we can install System 7.5.3 to. Start by running HFVExplorer. Click on "File" and then "Format New Volume." Give your volume a name and a size of at least 100 MB. Click the arrow beside "Volume File Path of Floppy Selection" and browse to your Basilisk II directory. Give your disk image a name ("install.hfv" for this tutorial) and click "save" to create the image. See figure one, below, for a look at the New Volume creation options.

Figure one: Creating a blank disk image in HFVExplorer

Now we will copy the System 7.5.3 files that you downloaded to the blank disk image that we just created. Check that the image you just created is the top of the left hand column of HFVExplorer. If not, click on "File" and "Open Volume" and open it.

Using HFVExplorer, navigate to the folder that contains the System 7.5.3 files that you downloaded earlier. Click and drag the folder over to the blank image that you created. When the "select copy mode" dialog appears, just click "OK." See figures two and three for help.

Figure two: Copying System files to a blank disk image using HFV Explorer

Figure three: Hit "OK" when the "select copy mode" dialog appears

The Basilisk II GUI...

Close HFVExplorer. Run the file BasiliskIIGUI.exe in the Basilisk II directory. In the "volumes" tab click on "Add..." and select the System 7 Boot disk (system70_boot.dsk) and the disk image you created earlier (install.hfv). See Figure four for some help.

Browse to the "memory" tab of the Basilisk II GUI. Click "browse" and select your ROM file. You should match the "Mac Model ID" and "CPU Type" to the machine the ROM came from. If you don't know this information and the Mac refuses to boot, you might have to experiment a bit, or try another ROM. Now click "start" to try booting the emulator.

Figure four: The volumes tab of the Basilisk II GUI. Two volumes are loaded.

Installing System 7...

If your emulated Macintosh has booted successfully, it should look a bit like figure five.

Figure five: The Macintosh desktop after booting the System 7 boot disk

Now we are going to install System 7.5.3. One of the disks on the Macintosh desktop is the one you created using HFVExplorer and that contains the System 7.5.3 installation files. Open that disk. Open the folder containing the install files and locate the file called "System 7.5.3 01of19.smi." That file should be easy to find - it's got color (see figure six)!

Figure six: Click first on the file named "System 7.5.3 01of19.smi" and then on the disk icon called "Sys7.5 V7.5.3 CD Inst"

You can now install System 7.5.3 in several easy steps:

One: Double click on "System 7.5.3 01of19.smi" to get started. Click to agree to the terms and wait for the files to verify.
Two: A disk icon named "Sys7.5 V7.5.3 CD Inst" will have appeared on the desktop (see figure six). Double click this icon. In the folder that opens, there will be an icon named "Installer." Double click this icon. Press "continue" in the dialog box that appears to begin installation.
Three: In the upper left-hand corner of the screen that now appears there is a box that says "Easy Install." Click the arrow in the box to get a drop down menu. Select "custom install" from that menu. The window will change to a list of installation options that you can chose from. Click the small arrow beside "System Software" to reveal a list of system options. Click the box beside "Universal Install for Any Macintosh" (see figure seven). Scroll down and click the arrow beside "Networking & Connectivity" then click the box beside "Open Transport" and the box beside "Network Software Selector." Installing these two components will make it easier to go online within your emulated Macintosh.
Four: Make sure that the "destination disk" is the disk that you created earlier and not the boot disk. Click "switch disk" if necessary (see figure seven).
Five: Click "Install." Click "Quit" when the installation finishes.

Figure seven: Click the check-box to carry out a "Universal Install for Any Macintosh" and make sure that you are installing to the proper disk. Scroll down to select Networking Options.

Booting System 7.5.3...

Congratulations, you have installed System 7.5.3! But there are a couple things you have to do before you can boot the OS. First, shut down the emulated Mac (click "Special" and "Shutdown"). Now, run the Basilisk II GUI again. In the volumes tab you must remove the System 7 boot disk, leaving only the disk that you created in HFVExplorer (and installed the Operating System on). Click "start" to run the emulator again, booting from your fresh install of System 7.5.3. Once the system is booted, you should keep the original System 7 installation files on your disk image, as they contain additional system software you might want to install at a later time.

Figure eight: System 7.5.3. Beautiful and elegant.

What else...

You should install Stuffit Expander, which you will need if you want to install any applications on the emulated Mac. Installation is very simple. Just download stuffit_expander_55.bin (don't get the .hqx version) to windows. Drag the file into your install.hfv disk image using HFVExplorer, clicking "ok" (just as before) when asked for a copy mode. Boot your emulated Macintosh and look for "Aladdin Expander 5.5 Installer." Double click to Install.

You should also update to System 7.5.5. The update process is very simple. You can get the update from Apple's ftp site. The fastest way is to just download Sys_7.5.5_Update-NetInstall.sea.bin. Download that single file to Windows and drag it into your install.hfv disk image using HFVExplorer, clicking "ok" (just as before) when asked for a copy mode. Boot your emulated Mac and locate the file "Sys 7.5.5 Update-Netinstall.sea." Double click to run it. Hit "continue" and "save" and "quit" when prompted. There will now be a folder called "Sys 7.5.5 Update Net install." Open the folder and run "installer" to finish updating.

To access CDs within the emulated Macintosh, you need to place the file "cdenable.sys" from the "CD-ROM Drivers" directory of Basilisk in your "..WINDOWS\system32\drivers" directory.

I've written a few other guides for Basilisk II. You might want to read about getting online, or about some good software for the emulated 68K Macintosh. Check out the articles page for other guides.

Conclusion...

We're all done! For more help you should check out my Macintosh Emulation Forum. Big thanks to Gwenole Beauchesne for developing JIT Basilisk II. Even bigger thanks to Marc Hoffman. This guide is a rewrite of a guide he wrote almost nine years ago, which can be found over here.