Mac OS System Identifiers discussion thread

[3lectr1c]

Continuing the discussion from the Q650 thread.
So from what I know - System 7.5 killed off system identifiers in the about this Mac page. However, from my experience getting copies of the original customized OS back on a few of my PowerBooks, they stuck around a bit longer. At least up until Mac OS 8 when they died for good. But only on a machine specific installer it seems.

 

[retr01]

I wonder, will using the Mac Identifier CDEV specify the identifier in the About This Macintosh from "PowerBook 5300" and "PowerBook 3400 Series" to "PowerBook 5300c" and "PowerBook 3400c?"

Testing that CDEV, I see the identifier changed from "Macintosh" to "Macintosh SE/30" under System 7.5.5.

The weird thing is after I disabled the CDEV and rebooted, it is still showing "Macintosh SE/30." Hmmm. There is no associated prefs file. I wonder if that CDEV hacked the System and inserted whatever the user wanted the Mac to identify as specified in the Mac Identifier CDEV?

 

[3lectr1c]

It should, yes. My 5300 will actually change to a 5300ce, it’s got the 117MHz logic board installed but my display cable broke so I had to fall back on a 5300c display.

 

[retr01]

@3lectr1c, I edited the post to point out whether the Mac Identifier does hack the system to identify even after that CDEV is removed. Can you try that?

 

[3lectr1c]

Will later today

 

[retr01]

Fascinating. This is what I just noticed under System 7.5.5.

1. Disabling the Mac Identifier CDEV using the Extensions Manager will revert to "Macintosh" under About this Macintosh after restarting.
2. Take the Mac Identifier CDEV from the Control Panels folder and put it somewhere other than the System Folder. After restart, it will revert to "Macintosh."

So, the Mac Identifier doesn't hack but patches as long as it is in the Control Panels folder or even the System Folder outside the Control Panels folder.

Sigh. Now, we have to figure it out.

O @Crutch and @Fizzbinn, how about hacking so that the identifier sticks?

 

[retr01]

Reading the Mac Identifier User Guide, here are some things:

Mac Identifier 2.2 is a shareware control panel that puts back the model name and icon identification lost in the “About This Computer” (“About This Macintosh” under Mac OS 7.5) window under Mac OS versions 7.5 and later.​

​

I wonder where that specific area in the Finder that the Mac Identifier CDEV makes changes for that?​

Mac Identifier identifies Macintoshes based on a value in the Macintosh ROM called the gestaltMachineType. Yet, whatever the Wish I Were CDEV is set, modifying the gestalt worked in my test case.​

So, that worked, fooling the Mac into thinking it was another Mac. Indeed, the System File could be patched.​

Mac Identifier does not modify the system file.​

Does that mean it’s possible to do that?

​

 

[ClassicHasClass]

Patch the system without modifying the system file? Absolutely. You can alter the vectors in RAM, for example.