SheepShaver and BasiliskII building for BeOS

[V.Yakob]

Hi,
There is a Power Macintosh 9500 running BeOS 5. I want to try running SheepShaver and BasiliskII on this OS. However, I couldn't find the finished packages, only the source texts. But there was a problem with the compilation.

I'm not a programmer, so every time I have various problems when building.

How to do it?

I transferred the archive "cebix-macemu-96e512b.zip" to BeOS via FTP and connected to the telnet server console.

$ uname -a
BeOS PM9500 5.0 1000009 BeMac unknown
$ pwd
/boot/home/Temp/macemu/SheepShaver/src/BeOS
$ make
mwcc -c ../main.cpp  -I../  -I./  -I../include  -ISheepDriver  -ISheepNet -i-   -O7   -prefix BeHeaders -o obj.ppc/main.o
### mwcc Compiler Error:
#    #include "vm_alloc.h"
#                        ^
#   the file 'vm_alloc.h' cannot be opened
#----------------------------------------------------------
    File "/boot/home/Temp/macemu/SheepShaver/src/main.cpp"; Line 47
#----------------------------------------------------------
### mwcc Compiler Error:
#    #include "sigsegv.h"
#                       ^
#   the file 'sigsegv.h' cannot be opened
#----------------------------------------------------------
    File "/boot/home/Temp/macemu/SheepShaver/src/main.cpp"; Line 48
#----------------------------------------------------------

Errors caused tool to abort.
make: *** [obj.ppc/main.o] Error 1

Files that cannot be opened by the compiler exist

$ find /boot/home/Temp/macemu/SheepShaver/src -name "vm_alloc.h"
/boot/home/Temp/macemu/SheepShaver/src/CrossPlatform/vm_alloc.h
$
$
$ find /boot/home/Temp/macemu/SheepShaver/src -name "sigsegv.h"
/boot/home/Temp/macemu/SheepShaver/src/CrossPlatform/sigsegv.h

Who can say what needs to be done so that the building of the application was successful? Or can someone share the already collected packages and give recommendations for installation or launch in BeOS?

 

[ClassicHasClass]

I was able to build at least portions of this on my BeBox with BeOS 5.0.3, but you can get a full build of SheepShaver and several versions of BasiliskII from gopher://gopher.floodgap.com/1/archive/be-power - it's in the emu/ folder.

If you have a lot of RAM and SheepShaver or BasiliskII refuses to start, you will need my modified lo-memory mapper (sheepshaver_bigram.tar.gz in the same place, works for both B2 and SS); see https://oldvcr.blogspot.com/2021/03/when-you-have-too-much-memory-for.html for why.

 

[phipli]

There are copies of Sheepshaver already compiled for BeOS online, I have it on my PPC BeOS Mac, although its away at the moment.

Perhaps try some downloads from here : https://pulkomandy.tk/~beosarchive/index.pl?search=sheepshaver

 

[V.Yakob]

@ClassicHasClass, @phipli,
Wow! Thank you, folks!
It's running now, but my disk images that I transferred from the modern SheepShaver to macOS 15 didn't work in BeOS. Mac OS 9.0.4 boots in SheepShaver on BeOS and an extension error pops up. Booting with extensions disabled is also unsuccessful.

It's the same on BasiliskII.

Now I'll try to install Mac OS 8.6 in SheepShaver on BeOS. The image is being transferred right now.

P.S. Yes, there is more than 256 Mb of RAM, so even if I could compile it, I still wouldn't run it.

 

[V.Yakob]

No, apparently there is some other problem that is not obvious to me.
Booting from the CD is not performed.
An attempt to boot from a disk image is unsuccessful, Mac OS boot hangs. I tried to wait 10+ minutes, but nothing changes.
All this works fine on SheepShaver 2.5 on this macOS 15.

Do you have any ideas what can be done?



I noticed that I have a "Mac OS ROM" file from 2006, maybe there was something older for version 2.1 SheepShaver?
Although, of course, it's doubtful.

 

[phipli]

I noticed that I have a "Mac OS ROM" file from 2006, maybe there was something older for version 2.1 SheepShaver?

You shouldn't need a ROM file - it uses the one built into your logic board on a 9500?

You seem to be missing a CPU

The dual processor cards turn up on ebay occasionally for affordable prices once in a while if you keep an eye out. Worth trying to find one if you're using a machine as a BeOS mac. BeOS also works with G3s and earlier G4s (I've not been able to boot using my 700MHz card, but my 500MHz and slower cards seem happy). I'd recommend a Newer Technology card because they manage speculative addressing issues in hardware without needing an extension. Otherwise, if you're using a Sonnet or similar, make sure the extension loads before the BeOS bootloader. This can be done by changing the extension file type to one of the weird ones that loads before normal extensions.

 

[V.Yakob]

@phipli, I knew that SheepShaver can use a processor without emulation when running on PPC, but I didn't know that ROM is also read automatically.

After I removed the ROM in the settings, it worked. The connected disk with SSW 7.5.3 will start, but it's sooo slow.




I have NewerTech G4 350 Mhz, but I don't know anything about modifying the extension so that it loads earlier than BeOS bootloader. Do you have any information about it? Maybe if it boots in Mac OS and then use the switching utility in BeOS?

 

[phipli]

The connected disk with SSW 7.5.3 will start, but it's sooo slow.

It is probably just visually slow (the SheepShaver window updates at a fixed framerate). Change the setting for the framerate in SheepShaver's settings. Set it to 30 or something (don't go too high or it hogs processor that could be used for computation). If you benchmark it, it shouldn't be much slower than running natively.

I have NewerTech G4 350 Mhz, but I don't know anything about modifying the extension so that it loads earlier than BeOS bootloader. Do you have any information about it? Maybe if it boots in Mac OS and then use the switching utility in BeOS?

That is a perfect card for the setup. My point was that if you have a Newer Tech card (like yours), you don't need to mess about with the extensions for the speculative bug, but it might still help for the cache...

To make the Newer extension load really early, use ResEdit to change the "Type" setting to "scri". Leave everything else as it is. It should then load before the BeOS bootloader. Remember, we're talking about the OS running on the 9500 here, not the SheepShaver one (just making absolutely sure that is understood although I'm sure you realise).

 

[phipli]

For interest, this is what you get when you use a 466MHz G3 upgrade :

... and this is what you get with a 400MHz G4 upgrade.

Note how BeOS 5.0.3 is aware of what a G3 is (PowerPC 750), but doesn't know what to call the G4. It also gets the MHz wrong for the G4 (but right for the G3).

 

[V.Yakob]

@phipli, I've already tried to run BeOS with this processor and got a "black screen" (Malevich ).
I use the MaxPowr extension version 2.0.5, and I see how a rectangular MaxPowr insert appears under the square Mac OS emblem, and only after that the Mac OS/BeOS loader selection appears.
If I disable the extension -- BeOS booting normally.

I use ResEdit 2.1.3 and open MAXpowr Extension for editing, I opened all the available items, but I did not see such a menu as in your screenshot.


P.S. and apparently I need to replace the capacitors on this motherboard, because after installing CPU the Mac OS with the booting extension, it suspiciously hangs in the most unexpected places. Booting without the extension, it seems to work fine. If you pull out the power cord, connect it back, then there is no bong when turning on -- you need to pull out the cable, wait a little, and only then turn on. Half a year ago, this processor was installed in 9600 and worked perfectly.

---
Judging by the load processor, apparently the best solution would be to find dual 200 Ghz from PM9600, which should work here.
Although it always seemed to me that G3/G4 should be better and faster than double 604e. Although FPS. which is not much visible suggests that G3 466 gives out 22, which is much more than one 604e 200 Mhz, where in my opinion the kettle spins at a speed of 9 FPS.

 

[phipli]

I use ResEdit 2.1.3 and open MAXpowr Extension for editing, I opened all the available items, but I did not see such a menu as in your screenshot.

But if the extension already loads before the BeOS loader, then you don't need to make the change. It wont make any difference.

P.S. and apparently I need to replace the capacitors on this motherboard, because after installing CPU the Mac OS with the booting extension, it suspiciously hangs in the most unexpected places. Booting without the extension, it seems to work fine. If you pull out the power cord, connect it back, then there is no bong when turning on -- you need to pull out the cable, wait a little, and only then turn on. Half a year ago, this processor was installed in 9600 and worked perfectly.

Yeah, that sounds like a different issue. I've booted my 9600 with two different G4s, a PowerLogix 350MHz and a Sonnet 400MHz. The only ones I've had trouble with are the much newer ones based on the, what is it? 7447?? Something like that.

 

[V.Yakob]

This has already been done, apparently that's why the extension is loaded immediately, even before the BeOS download option appears.
But again, BeOS does not load with the extension loaded.
What version of the extension do you use?

This is without a loaded extension.
The Mhz of the processor is also not displayed correctly. 467 instead of 350. That's what confused me, and I thought it was 450.
I've already come across such oddities with the processor from Sonnet, when System Profiler shows something completely different.

 

[phipli]

This has already been done, apparently that's why the extension is loaded immediately, even before the BeOS download option appears.
But again, BeOS does not load with the extension loaded.
What version of the extension do you use?

This is without a loaded extension.
The Mhz of the processor is also not displayed correctly. 467 instead of 350. That's what confused me, and I thought it was 450.
I've already come across such oddities with the processor from Sonnet, when System Profiler shows something completely different.

View attachment 20052

I don't have the same card as you, although it is possible to use drivers from other cards. I often use CPU Director by Power Logix with my Sonnet cards. I've found it a little more stable.

If your card works without the extension I would just use it like that. But given it crashes with the extension even in Mac OS, I don't think it is clear if the issue is with your hardware or compatibility with BeOS.

Reporting the wrong speed and "Unknown" is what I mentioned above - BeOS doesn't completely understand G4s.

 

[V.Yakob]

@phipli Thank you! You helped me a lot. And I finally figured out why BasiliskII didn't work -- I downloaded the file with the BeOS client in the terminal, and forgot to switch to binary mode. The file was downloaded, but was not valid.

Now I have both BasiliskII and SheepShaver.

Maybe I'll persuade myself to spend money to buy a G3 processor or dual 604e 200 Mhz for this PM9500, maybe it will work better.

Now I'll probably look for other applications for BeOS to see what kind of OS it was against which such an active company led. At the moment it looks very strange. If you know any portals like Macintosh garden, please let me know in private messages. Do you think there's even a DOOM?

 

[ClassicHasClass]

Doom 1.9 is in gopher://gopher.floodgap.com:70/1/archive/be-power/games .

 

[phipli]

https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/gobe-productive-201

https://macintoshgarden.org/games/corum-iii-chaotic-magic-beos