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Mac OS 8.1 and Location Manager and Password Security

Location Manager Location Manager 2.0.1 will be included on the Mac OS 8.1 CD. Meanwhile, you can download it. It is needed for Mac OS 8.1 compatibility.

Password Security From Apple: "The posting of Password Security 1.0.6 addresses a problem with the Mac OS 8.1 installer where the control panel will not get installed on a PowerBook 2400 or 3400 unless it already exists. Since Mac OS 8.0 didn't install the control panel, it is unlikely that the 8.1 installer will install it. You should download this software if … Read more

Disk Tools HFS disk

While you are waiting for the Mac OS 8.1 CD, you can get by with an "HFS enabled" Disk Tools disk. "It is intended for use with Mac OS 8.1 and Mac OS Extended file format - in the event that you need to perform any troubleshooting and you do not have access to the Mac OS 8.1 CD." It's mentioned on Apple's 8.1 Update page. Or you can download it directly from Apple's ftp site. (Thanks, Sverre Toevik.)

Notable info from the Mac OS 8.1 About file...

Mac OS 8.1 CD The About Mac OS 8.1 Update file contains the following note: "When using the Mac OS 8.1 CD, the installer first runs the Mac OS 8 installation and then automatically runs the Mac OS 8.1 Update..." This seems to imply that there is no true Mac OS 8.1 Installer on the CD. It is simply a combination of Mac OS 8.0 with the 8.1 Update Installer.

Mac OS 8.1 and sound The About Mac OS 8.1 Update file contains the following notes:

Previously, audio management … Read more

Mac OS 8.1: Why Text Encoding Converter is needed

Eldee Stephens (of ThessaSOURCE) sent us a clarification as to why Mac OS Extended Format requires Text Encoding Converter extensions: "Evidently, Mac OS Extended Format uses Unicode internally for file names - hence its ability to support longer file names - but the Mac OS doesn't support Unicode directly. So, the format requires the use of Apple's Text Encoding extensions. Eventually, those services will be folded into the Mac OS and users will be able to name their files with very long file names and with all sorts of special and foreign characters. In the mean time … Read more

Mac OS 8.1 damaged resources: a statement from Apple

Regarding the issue of damaged resources, reported last time, this has now been confirmed by Apple's John Phelps, as posed on the Apple Support Discussion Board (thanks Jody Hewell). John notes:

"I do not know what effect, if any, these "damaged" files will have. However, it cannot hurt to allow ResEdit to fix them. If you do not have ResEdit, or do not wish to mess with it, go to the source folders for the Open Transport Installer of the 8.1 Update, and drag the corresponding files into your System Folder."

The affected items … Read more

Troubleshooting Mac OS 8.1 becomes joint project with MRP and MacInTouch

Ric Ford (of MacInTouch), Eric Belsley (of the MRP) and myself are trying an experiment. We are pooling our resources to produce a combined Mac OS 8.1 Special Report. We will each be posting this same page on our respective sites. The page makes its initial debut on MacFixIt today, replacing the previous Troubleshooting Mac OS 8.1 page that had been there (the URL remains the same). Eventually, all the Mac OS 8.1 items that appear here on the Late-Breakers page will wind up in the Special Report - together with items from the other two sites (… Read more

Clarification regarding Visual Page 68K Installer

Regarding our previous report, Symantec replies:

"The information you posted that Symantec Visual Page 1.1 has a defective 68K installer is inaccurate. Visual Page 1.1 was initially released for the PowerPC since there were problems with integrating a spell checker from a third party on the 68K platform. A 68K version will be released in the near future, but the spell checker may be deactivated for the 68K if the problem can't be fixed in a timely manner."

Smart Scroll and Mac OS 8.1

Regarding a reported incompatibility between Smart Scroll 3.1 and Mac OS 8.1, Pat Kelly writes: "if Kaleidoscope is used, Smart Scroll became functional again." Joseph Fierro adds: "The proportional thumbs are disabled, but the live scrolling continues to work" - even without Kaleidoscope.

Update: The incompatibility seems to be more specifically with version 1.0.2 of the Appearance Manager, which is included in Mac OS 8.1. A new version is coming.

Mac OS 8.1 damaged resources issue

Regarding our report last time that Conflict Catcher reports several files installed by Mac OS 8.1 as having "damaged resources," this now appears to be a common problem - and it is not due to a Conflict Catcher error.

The files really are damaged. In fact, Erik Barzeski reported having problems with certain other third-party extensions because of these damaged files. According to Hrvoje Budin, "it looks like Open Transport installer is making those damages during install process, because checking uninstalled OT files on Mac OS 8 Update image reports no errors."

Fortunately (as has … Read more