SheepShaver cannot open CDs

About SheepShaver, a PPC Mac emulator for Windows, MacOS X, and Linux that can run System 7.5.3 to MacOS 9.0.4.

Moderators: Cat_7, Ronald P. Regensburg, ClockWise

Post Reply
Vox
Inquisitive Elf
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 6:56 pm

SheepShaver cannot open CDs

Post by Vox »

I have a working Mac OS 8.6 installation under SheepShaver but I cannot properly open CDs. More precisely, I tried the following. I used the macOS Disk Utility to create a .cdr copy of a physical CD and I put the corresponding file in the SheepShaver directory. In the SheepShaver preferences I added the .cdr file in the volume list, I clicked the "CDROM" checkbox and I restarted SheepShaver. The file has been opened but was presented on the Mac OS desktop like "Audio CD 1" with just one empty file inside named "Track 1".

I tried the previous steps with a .dmg image of the same CD, following the format specifications to be compatible with SheepShaver. It did not make a difference.

I am using SheepShaver version 2.5 on an iMac under macOS Mojave 10.14.6.

Any ideas, solutions?

Thanks! :smile:
User avatar
adespoton
Forum All-Star
Posts: 4226
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 5:11 am
Location: Emaculation.com
Contact:

Re: SheepShaver cannot open CDs

Post by adespoton »

What type of CD is it? We've got another thread going on discussing SheepShaver's apparent inability to mount some mixed-mode CDs properly; it only mounts the Audio CD portion. The solution is to only image the Mac or Windows partition of the CD. SheepShaver will mount these appropriately.
User avatar
24bit
Forum All-Star
Posts: 1424
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 5:47 pm
Location: Germany

Re: SheepShaver cannot open CDs

Post by 24bit »

Is it possible for you to mount other CD images via SheepShaver´s "Volumes" tab?
Maybe try a random file from Macintoshgarden, e.g. http://macintoshgarden.org/games/top-gun
The toast images do mount on my side fine with 10.4.6.
Vox
Inquisitive Elf
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 6:56 pm

Re: SheepShaver cannot open CDs

Post by Vox »

I think that the first CD I tried was a mixed one. Then I tried to create a .cdr image with just some text files inside. Nope. That also cannot be properly opened.

Finally I copied a normal Mac CD to a .cdr file. Same failure as previously. I have on the Mac OS 8 desktop the "Audio CD 1" with the empty file "Track 1" and nothing more.
User avatar
adespoton
Forum All-Star
Posts: 4226
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 5:11 am
Location: Emaculation.com
Contact:

Re: SheepShaver cannot open CDs

Post by adespoton »

I wonder whether Disk Utility dropped front end support for HFS partitions? It kind of sounds like the imaging may be the issue here.
User avatar
Ronald P. Regensburg
Expert User
Posts: 7821
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 10:24 pm
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Re: SheepShaver cannot open CDs

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

I tried this myself and it worked fine.

This is all in macOS 10.14.6 and SheepShaver 2.5 May 2019 build.

- Took an old Mac-only CR-ROM (Myst), mounted it in macOS
- Launched Disk Utility
- In the left column selected the Myst volume
- From the File menu chose to create a new disk image from "Myst"
- Chose Format "DVD/CD master" and Encryption "none"
- Saved the disk image, it was created and saved as "Myst.cdr"

- Launched SheepShaver
- In Preferences added the Myst.cdr image to the volumes and checked the CDROM box
- Clicked 'Save and Quit' and shut down SheepShaver

- Relaunched SheepShaver and the Myst CD appeared as expected on the SheepShaver desktop.

Anything you did differently?

Edit: Note that in Disk Utility you need to select the volume, not the CD/DVD drive.
Last edited by Ronald P. Regensburg on Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason:  
Vox
Inquisitive Elf
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 6:56 pm

Re: SheepShaver cannot open CDs

Post by Vox »

Ronald P. Regensburg wrote: Anything you did differently?
Yes. In Disk Utility I chose the option "Image from folder ..." and then I selected the CD disk from the left pane of the dialog window.

I tried your suggestion (image from CD) and I managed to create a .cdr file that finally worked. So this is the detail that made all the difference. I don't quite see why. One would say that some files are left out or there is a difference in the final .cdr file format.

But it works. Thank you!
User avatar
Ronald P. Regensburg
Expert User
Posts: 7821
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 10:24 pm
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Re: SheepShaver cannot open CDs

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

Vox wrote:I tried your suggestion (image from CD) and I managed to create a .cdr file that finally worked. So this is the detail that made all the difference. I don't quite see why.
The procedures are very different and so are the results. Creating an image of a CD-ROM will make an exact copy of the CD-ROM. Creating an image from a folder creates an image that contains the files in that folder.
One would say that some files are left out or there is a difference in the final .cdr file format.
But it works.
All the files are there. Some files that are visible on the CD in modern macOS are hidden in the classic MacOS Finder. Also, the position of the icons inside the CD window will appear in classic MacOS as intended. The positions are largely lost when viewed in modern macOS.
Last edited by Ronald P. Regensburg on Fri Aug 23, 2019 6:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason:  
Post Reply