A side project detailing available disk dumps of Macintosh System Software 0.97, Finder 1.0.
Overview tl;dr: I would find a clean disk dump or a near perfect replica of the original System Disk.
In January 24th, 1984, Apple Computer Corporation introduced the Macintosh 128K (originally known as just Macintosh). It later became the most successful computer line in history, often becoming second place after the IBM PC compatible, with new models still being sold today, with the latest iterations using an in-house ARM chip. The system also popularized the GUI concept, influencing other operating systems to either follow suit or be made, with concepts lasting today.
Those original Macintosh models during that time released with the Macintosh System Software disk, version 1.0 (in reality, 0.97). The version lasted 4 months until it was replaced by System 1.1, which changed many aspects of the system, mostly just performance improvements and a different about box.
But, even if the releases are virtually the same, experience wise (like a fool might say), the System 0.97 disk proved to be important in the history of Apple, as it was, the first ever version of the system every Apple user and fanboy uses to this day (even if the system nowadays doesn't look like the systems of old, with the NeXTSTEP inheritance being the obvious difference between the two).
However, sadly, the original disk are lost to the sands of time, as the disks might have corrupted or been (over)written with other data, proving that a clean, unmodified disk dump hard to find. But, do not fret yet.
This file documents each and every available copy of Macintosh System Software 0.97 available online, as many has circulated in ages. Albeit modified, this serves as a guide to document the modifications made to each disk, and to give a clearer guide which one nearly match to the experience of the original system, as well as to motivate people to dump a museum-grade disk.
- to guide people to which copy nearly replicates the experience
- to motivate people to dump a clean, unmodified disk, accessible to everyone
- to provide documentation on every available copy of Macintosh System Software 0.97
- According to this blog post, Font Mover should be on the MacWrite/MacPint Disk.
- It should have an unmodified version of Chicago 12 seen in other versions
| Copy | CRC-32 Hash | MD5 Hash | Notes/Remarks/Differences | Documented | Screenshot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamba's System Software Archive | 96316A1B 783369B7 058AACB5 |
31f24858e9fb53ba90bc048c1138246f d7bdf2fa5622c53baae7b747e28b94b8 17890d548d965808e553053789d267b8 |
The most common copy, includes a modified pastel font instead of Chicago 12 as default. Also seen in WinWorld, Macintosh Garden and Macintosh Repository. | 11/27/2023 |  |
| Infinite Mac | 8C537551 |
2310023cc054b3dac86b399bba05650b |
Used in the website, it is modified to fit with the rest of the systems. | 11/27/2023 |  |
| Infinite Mac (Feb 25) | BCC0D42D |
53e78bf9b912a3c27db0d332da21c43c |
Initial disk image committed at that date. | 11/27/2023 |  |
| BetaArchive | 6B5B64CF |
f766d7457f087db5019bad4d1f7a41ea |
Has a weird quirk where it changes the default font depending on the emulator, Chicago 12 in Mini vMac, the pastel font in Mini vMac 128K. (Might be the same as Gamba's) | 11/27/2023 |   |
| Archive.org | B3C13417 |
f1e04702aa967620e5da3d488470b939 |
Missing disk icon, with the remnants of a French system deep within the disk. | 11/27/2023 |  |
| Macintosh Repository Redump | C50BC0CF |
4bbefa5f2b95ac4655d0787dbff937f9 |
Recreation of the disk, but different pattern. | 11/27/2023 |  |
| MacGUI 1st and 2nd copy | B997DCCD 0554D101 |
80831499d4ec72e7a2811ffcae2340e8 fb474f84a2a526aaac454cc584283eea |
Only includes the contents of the System folder. | 11/27/2023 | N/A ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ |
| earlymacintosh.org | B1EFA60F |
2b5cf30b5bc5449795b493c9f188c255 |
Clean dumps by the webmaster, only includes the system folder and empty folder, with files on other disks. This dump came from New York, carefully preserved by a software developer, according to the webmaster. Also includes a dump of MacWrite/MacPaint disk. | 11/29/2023 |  |
| Mac512 User Group | 2C763314 |
b36374a092374b4c98a91b6f320b09db |
Proclaims to be "the first website" to upload this version. No disk icon + behaves like MacGUI 3. Freezes when opening a folder inside normal Mini vMac. | 11/30/2023 |   |
- Dec 11: The clean dumps from earlymacintosh.org have been uploaded to WinWorldPC.
- Dec 23: This gist was found by the dev of Infinite Mac, and the clean dumps are now available on Infinite Mac.
@Lucas-mother3 in case you're curious, mihaip/infinite-mac#100 (comment) explains the original provenance of the Infinite Mac image.
I just redid it (mihaip/infinite-mac@33e3375) based on the earlymacintosh.org on that you find.