Anyone running OS 9 ... Can you help?

[kostroma2015]

Hi, all,
I have a request. I have a file that is created using Quickbooks 4. It is running on a machine with OS 8.6 and I need to bring it into the new world of OS X. Now, there's no easy way to convert the file. One needs to convert the file to Quickbooks 5 first. My PowerMac is not updatable. If I had a Mac with OS 9, I could provide a copy of the file and Quickbooks 5 app. QB 5 can ostensibly convert a QB 4 file and then further conversions are possible to bring the file to the current QB 2016. I am just stuck having no access to an OS 9 machine.

Also, any older version of OS X may work as well (the ones still supporting Rosetta).

Can anyone help? If so, please contact me by private message.

 

[bobesch]

Hi, all,
I have a request. I have a file that is created using Quickbooks 4. It is running on a machine with OS 8.6 and I need to bring it into the new world of OS X. Now, there's no easy way to convert the file. One needs to convert the file to Quickbooks 5 first. My PowerMac is not updatable. If I had a Mac with OS 9, I could provide a copy of the file and Quickbooks 5 app. QB 5 can ostensibly convert a QB 4 file and then further conversions are possible to bring the file to the current QB 2016. I am just stuck having no access to an OS 9 machine.

Can anyone help? If so, please contact me by private message.

You may run emulated MacOS8.x with SheepShaver...

 

[kostroma2015]

I tried that but I think QuickBooks 5 requires 9.1 or higher and I am unable to update SheepShaver.

 

[bunnspecial]

It sounds like you have a computer in your possession running 8.6 if I'm reading correctly.

Any computer capable of running 8.6 can also run 9.1, so my inclination would be to upgrade to 9.1, install QB 5, and do the conversion on that computer.

 

[kostroma2015]

That old computer has NEVER been connected to the Internet and I can't seem to connect it to it. ... I am just frustrated by the lack of I/O on it.

Additionally, I don't want to spend $149 on a disk with OS 9.

 

[bunnspecial]

You still need an OS 9 disk(or more correctly, a license) to legally do this, whether through Sheepsaver or real hardware...

In any case, OS 9 disks can be found a LOT less expensively than $130. I think the update to 9.1 was free and can still be downloaded if you spend enough time poking around on Apple's website.

What is your current 8.6 computer?

 

[kostroma2015]

The old computer is Powermac G3 (beige). My current computer is MBPr 2013.

 

[bunnspecial]

The only realistic option I see is upgrading your current computer-which can go all the way to 9.2.2 without any trouble. Since ultimately you need 9.1, Sheepsaver won't do it since it stops at 9.0.4

There is a complete OS 9 system folder buried in the downloads on Apple's website-it might be worth spending some time on Google to track it down.

 

[mode11]

The Beige can do up to 9.2.2 / 10.2.8 officially, and 10.4.11 unofficially. Check out macintoshgarden for install discs - you would need to burn the ISO though. Either buy a USB CD burner for the rMBP (less than £10 new on eBay), or find a friend with Mac / PC with one built in.

Quickbooks 5 was essentially just an update of 4 that runs on OS X, so you could just install an old version of OS X on the Beige instead. Another option, if you use Parallels on your rMBP, would be to install Snow Leopard or older in a VM. Then you can use Rosetta to run QB5.

Btw, the Beige does have 10-BaseT Ethernet, which isn't quick but should let you get online. If the built-in port is faulty, Fast or Gigabit Ethernet PCI cards are cheap as chips, though you'd need one with OS 8.6 (or 9) drivers / native OS support for the card's Ethernet chip.

 

[bunnspecial]

Often times, getting a computer running something pre-OS X on the internet is a matter of checking the right settings in the TCP/IP control panel-they usually won't just connect automatically when you plug in an ethernet cord but aren't too difficult to get online.

I'd offer to convert the files for you if it weren't for the fact that I don't want to have another person's Quickbooks files in my possession and I suspect that you wouldn't want to give them out

 

[kostroma2015]

Yes, I figured out the Internet thing. Just plugged in an ethernet cable and everything worked. The web, though, looks really funky on it. Very few things load correctly.

There's nothing special or superprivate about the files that I have. Someone is helping me already so thank you for willingness to listen. .

 

[mode11]

Classilla is a somewhat OK web browser, though needs OS 9.

 

[bunnspecial]

Classilla will run on 8.6

 

[mode11]

Cool, OP should give it a try.

 

[kostroma2015]

Thank you all. The problem has been solved with the help of kind strangers.

 

[ziggy29]

Yes, I figured out the Internet thing. Just plugged in an ethernet cable and everything worked. The web, though, looks really funky on it. Very few things load correctly.

Ethernet is the way to go to connect these old Macs to the Internet under OS 8.x and 9.x. If you actually have a wired connection, you're done; if not you can buy a relatively cheap wireless bridge to take a wireless signal and send it into an Ethernet port. That's how I connect my G4DA to the Internet, and also my Pismo under OS 9. That also has the advantage of being able to connect to WPA and WPA2 networks, which a standard, first generation Airport card can't do.