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Emulates a PowerPC Macintosh that will run Mac OS versions 9.0.4 to 10.5.
Emulates a PowerPC Macintosh that will run Mac OS versions 7.5.2 to 9.0.4. This means that you are emulating a Macintosh setup that was commonly used from about 1995 to 2000. Games published in the late 90s are most stable in SheepShaver. Games that require a PowerPC processor will only run in SheepShaver.
Skip to the guides for SheepShaver
Basilisk II emulates a 680x0 Macintosh that will run Mac OS versions 7 to 8.1. This represents a date range of about 1991 to 1998. Games published in the early and mid 1990s are most stable in Basilisk II.
Skip to the guides for Basilisk II
Games published in the 1980s will usually run best in Mini vMac. Mini vMac emulates a black and white (only) Mac Plus (68000 processor) that can run System versions 1 to 7.5.5. (Work is being done on Mac II support, including color, in Mini vMac with a large number of possible variations.) This represents a date range of about 1984 to 1996.
Skip to the guides for Mini vMac
Keep in mind that there is a lot of backwards compatibility in Mac OS. SheepShaver and Mac OS 9 run a lot of games from the 1980s and early 1990s, and Basilisk II runs many 1980s games with no problems.
Guides | Introduction to Emulation
Emulation's fun! - Happy Mac
Welcome to the Guides intro to Emulation.
Below, are instructions and links that will show you how to run games
that you will find located in the Macintosh Garden's pages.
Introduction to Emulation
Macintosh Garden features many abandonware games. These games can be decades old, and therefore were developed for computers and operating systems that are now obsolete. As a consequence, many of the games featured on Macintosh Garden will not work on today's computers. The best way to run these games is to acquire a vintage computer system, but this is not always easy. To help those without old hardware, this wiki will describe how to use emulators to play the games on modern systems.Selecting an Emulator
For best results you should try to emulate the machine that your game was designed for! Check the publishing date of the game for hints. Any host system can run an emulator. This means that users of Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and even more esoteric operating systems can all enjoy the games on Macintosh Garden. The four main emulators you will use are:QEMU
Emulates a PowerPC Macintosh that will run Mac OS versions 9.0.4 to 10.5.
SheepShaver
Emulates a PowerPC Macintosh that will run Mac OS versions 7.5.2 to 9.0.4. This means that you are emulating a Macintosh setup that was commonly used from about 1995 to 2000. Games published in the late 90s are most stable in SheepShaver. Games that require a PowerPC processor will only run in SheepShaver.
Skip to the guides for SheepShaver
Basilisk II
Basilisk II emulates a 680x0 Macintosh that will run Mac OS versions 7 to 8.1. This represents a date range of about 1991 to 1998. Games published in the early and mid 1990s are most stable in Basilisk II.
Skip to the guides for Basilisk II
Mini vMac
Games published in the 1980s will usually run best in Mini vMac. Mini vMac emulates a black and white (only) Mac Plus (68000 processor) that can run System versions 1 to 7.5.5. (Work is being done on Mac II support, including color, in Mini vMac with a large number of possible variations.) This represents a date range of about 1984 to 1996.
Skip to the guides for Mini vMac
Keep in mind that there is a lot of backwards compatibility in Mac OS. SheepShaver and Mac OS 9 run a lot of games from the 1980s and early 1990s, and Basilisk II runs many 1980s games with no problems.
The Guides
Setting up an emulator is easy, and there is a wealth of setup guides available to help you out. Keep in mind that before you begin, you will need a valid Macintosh ROM image to run an emulator. You can get this from your old Macintosh computer, if you own one. Otherwise one will have to be acquired elsewhere, e.g.; from friends, family members, or online searches. You'll also need a copy of an old version of Mac OS to run in your emulator. Versions 6 to 7.5.5 are available for free and the guides below will show you where to get them and how to use them. Later versions (useful mostly in SheepShaver) were not free, so you will either need to buy a disc from somewhere or check through the apps section of this website for a suitable copy.For Mini vMac
- Mini vMac is the easiest of the emulators to get started with. Most users can just check out the official documentation and should be up and running without too much effort.
- Windows users can check out an illustrated setup guide.
- iPhone users can also run Mini vMac. Check out the official page of that port for more information.
For Basilisk ll
- E-Maculation has a setup guide for Mac OS X users, and another guide for Windows users, and another here for users of the Linux port of Basilisk II.
- Linux users can also consult the official documentation (Web archive link: site currently off-line).
For SheepShaver
- Low End Mac has a concise setup guide for OS X users. Note: If you are following this guide, please first download a more recent version of SheepShaver.
- For more advanced issues, Emaculation.com has a more detailed guide and a forum dedicated to setting up SheepShaver for OS X.
- Emaculation.com also has a setup guide for Windows users.
- The WordPerfect Mac Yahoo group has complete installs of SheepShaver for Intel Macs. No other software needed. Free at WPMac.
- Linux can consult the Ubuntu setup guide for help.
Comments
Nice but I use Mini vMac II.
But Mini vMac II is too filled with bugs
thanks! qemu is good
@CharonPDX: Sorry for such a late response - but if you drop by sometime - I would like to see your kind offer of the Executor 2 CD added to the archives here. Also any screenshots of it running on your NeXT box, too. Thanks.
Well, Executor gets forgotten because it is horrendously out of date. While it doesn't need a ROM, or even system software, because it works more like Wine in that it emulates the OS API calls, it isn't compatible with much, and it doesn't even run properly on modern 64-bit Windows systems.
I'm a big fan of the idea - I have paid copies of every version they ever made available for purchase (yes, including going all the way back to "Mostly emulates System 6" version 1.0.). It's open source now, though, so if someone wants to pick up the code and try making something usable with it...
If there's any interest, I can upload my original CD-ROM copy of Executor 2. (Complete with legitimate serial numbers, since he open-sourced it and released 'good forever' serial numbers...) In fact, now that I've dug out the disc, I think I'll install it on my NeXT, since it runs under NeXTstep without the processor emulation!
I would second that and started a Fusion PC page at least meanwhile. http://macintoshgarden.org/apps/fusion-pc
I did not find Executor that useful but for completeness sake...
There also is SoftMac with its non functional sound output. Maybe worth adding though.
Last not least QEMU is already stable enough to run 9.1 and 9.2 rather reliable.
I can´t find the time to work on the above right now and there is Emaculation where most of the work was already done.
@3371-Alpha: Yes you are right,
that SheepShaver info does need updating. I'm pretty certain however that 7.5.2 is the earliest Sheep can boot up to an OWR — its still earlier than 8.1 tho' for sure. [Edit] page info updated.There are some slight inaccuracies about SheepShaver in this guide. Primarily, SheepShaver can boot from System 7.1.2 to 9.0.4. Versions prior to 8.1 require an old world rom however.
The Apple link in the FAQ no longer points to the desired location.
Testing the compatibility, the transparency can be tweaked... also, the compression thus far is better than the original png's.
@fogWraith Why the change from .png to .gif? Now the transparency from the png looks ugly as .gif doesn't support an alpha channel. Also .png compresses better than gif in a better quality.
Run Rosetta within 10.5 within a VM session?
I would think that buying a secondhand G4 mac mini would be the easiest way to do it.
After reading lots of positive things about SheepShaver, I gave the "SS COI package" a spin and after trying and failing to get things to work, despite following the guide, I realised that instead of faffing around with SS, it was far simpler to just turn on my G4 and run whatever I wanted to.
Ain't nothing like the real thing.
seems everyone forgot dos fusion or executor
That is nice. Thanks for your explanation
This all runs the best on the MacOS9 PowerPC environment
This posting was for "Mac-Locos". Didn't post where it suppose to be. If this solution works for others on this board? Great to be at ones assistance!
Hey; I just join MG, recently. I came across your posting regarding download a file that comes out jibberish in text edit. Easy do! Thing is I barely remember. I too have a Mac mini(ppc)and had a similar problem before sheepshaver came out. Cutting to the chase! Here's what you do. Before you click on the file to download. "Hold down either "crtl" or "alt" on keyboard and click on the file." that should download in the normal manner as anything. If this work(which it should)? You don't have to download from a PC and transfer!
One day, if Mini vMac emulates also a Mac II, we need do differ between Mac Plus and Mac II.
The term "Mini vMac" used on this site aims to emulate a 9" classic Mac
(not to confound with "Classic Environment" introduced in early Mac OS X versions).
Probably this guide should add something like this:
"The term 'Mini vMac' used on this site aims to emulate a 9" classic Mac.
If a game is stated to be compatible with Basilisk, you could also try
to run the game with Mini vMac's Mac II emulation type."
Finally fixed.
Seems to be a SheepShaver GUI design problem. Either edit its preferences file using a text editor,
or install a separate SheepShaverGUI application to set the options (preferred).
DUDE! I'm in full screen in sheepshaver and can't access preferences. Please help.
Did you extract it on a PC? You need to get the StuffIt file into the Mac OS before you expand it.
I downloaded Quagmire but I can't get it to work. I opened the file with Stuffit and extracted the file inside, but this file has no extension and is 0 bytes. What am I doing wrong?
I don't know if this is known, so here is it.
There is a software called Accordance about the Bible, which is presently being sold for OSX and Classic (down to Mac OS 7). Yes, it's a mac only software.
But that's not it.
Its web site permits the download of a prepared BasiliskII environment, which permits windows people to run the Accordance software under emulation out of the box. It has also an installation manual and includes HFVExplorer and a demo of Accordance.
I ignore the policy of MG about posting links, so I won't do that, but it can be easy googled for.
I tested it on my boring XP work laptop and it just works.
Edit: Replaced 'xxx 7' with 'Mac OS 7' - IIGS User
Hmm. This page needs some work.
We've got that same damn formating problem that crops up everytime the page is edited.
And the links to the official SheepShaver and Basilisk II pages are now broken, since that page is offline. We can change them back, I guess to the old circa 2001 official pages... but those are all badly out of date.
Alex,
You will need to set up an emulator. Try one of the SheepShaver setup guides perhaps. That should play most (but not all) of the games. Consult the Macintosh Garden forum for more help.
When I go into the links heaps of files come up. Could anyone direct me to the best one for just playing games off this site?
Does 'Add page' mean the 'Add guide' link in the top of this page?
Everything is fixed now.
There's some weird formatting and duplication of headings going on here...I tried fixing it, but it didn't work.
haha me too, i have a macintosh 6100/66 but my stupid brother ripped the cd drive out and tore it to pieces so I replaced it with a syquest cartrifge drive lol
i tried to upload something but the download link did not appear on the page.
Thanks, that helped immensely. Now how do I trick it into thinking that the CD is in the drive? I'm trying to play Tie Fighter. I managed to copy the folder onto the HD, but now it says the CD isn't in the drive.
EDIT: I have another issue. I'm trying to run some other games and many give me a memory error. "0KB needed, 496,XXXKB available." What's up with that? If there's a better place to ask this stuff let me know. This is just the only active place I know of dealing with this stuff.
Why not simply add the cd images like hard disk images, in the SheepShavers's Preferences -> Setup -> Volumes tabpanel?
I'm having issue running Toast in sheepshaver. I just want to mount the images, but when I try I get an I/O error, result code -36. Any ideas on how to fix it? Sorry if this isn't the right place to post this
The Basilisk II setup guide is offline. It was somewhat out of date, anyhow. Check the Macintosh Garden Forum for help setting it up, or ask on the Basilisk II forum: http://www.emaculation.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=6
Hi! Here are my findings so far concerning emulators. Basilisk II does not work in Snow leopard (Crashes to desktop). Mini vmac works, but there seems to be no way to add files to the disk images. I am also unable to find any guide for setting up basilisk II on OS-X on the entire internet (Given all crap present on internet, this is remarkable). Please help!
Whenever the page is edited in any way, a second happy mac logo appears. Not sure why that happens.
Is there something wrong with this page?
because there are two "Happy Macs" showing and looks a bit messed up.
Nice to see a Mac website talk about ye old macs and is still a living site.... More than 80% of the classic mac sites I've visited this week are filled with dead links. I feel so bad for places like jagshouse and gamba, because their sites used to link to so many useful ftp archives and today the ftp sites are pretty much ... well, nearly useless.
Ive been trying to get the indiana jones, fate of atlantis game. Ive downloaded a bunch of random stuff it said I would need but still nothing!! God I need an answer.
Anyone succeeded in getting Enchanted scepters to work on mini vmac yet?
trying for days, and all I get is a headache...
Congratulations!
now your machines need someone who can actually know how to use them.
hahaha!!!
i dont need emulations!!!
i have a power pc power Macintosh!! wooo!! lol running system 8.6 on it...
oh... and i am a pc with a quad core as my main computer running windows 7
Follow the setup guide:
http://emaculation.com/doku.php/sheepshaver_mac_os_x_setup
You will need a Macintosh ROM image and a copy of Mac OS. These things are essential. Sorry.
i have a mac mini, 10.5, and i IS NOT INTEL. but i downloaded it and a bunch of jibberish came into being on text edit. so i downloaded sheepshaver. now what do i do? i read and i think that the guides say that i need an older version of mac? wtf? can someone help me, i just want to play wolfenstein 3d like when i was a kid again. and it is proving to be very complicated. please respond
whenever i upload pizza rush it will upload it but it won't let me play it
edit: Pizza Rush is already uploaded, we don't need it twice:
http://macintoshgarden.org/games/pizza-rush
- IIGS_User
Thanks.
And yes, that was the link I changed.
@Carl - Reverted to previous revision. With regard to the "#For_SheepShaver" link which I think you fixed, this link is automatically generated so you can just re submit the page to have it regenerated.
Huh? I fixed a bad link and the whole page got messed up. I've no idea what I did wrong.
Sorry...
At least the link works now.