Introduction: Making a Tiny Mac From a Raspberry Pi Zero
Years ago I saw that John Leake built a 1/3 scale Macintosh. He made his before cheap 3d printers were everywhere. His was made from scratch from sheets of PVC, sanded and painted. He needed custom cables as well as solder work on the Pi. I was so envious... I really wanted one but didn't have the time or resources.
Times have changed and technology has moved on. Smaller, cheaper components and new fabrication methods have made the process far easier. I was able to make a smaller, cheaper and simpler version. Now you can make one for yourself! No soldering, no custom cable, no hand made case. We will be using a 3d printed case I designed and build instructions of my own.
You will need access to a 3d printer for the case. All the other parts are readily available.
Note: The STLs are updated for use with an updated screen.
Version 1 has a Faux disk and the SD card is accessible from the right side.
Version 2 has the relocated SD card that is inserted in the front where the original Mac disk is.
Check out the differences in Step 1.
01/25/2022 - These instructions and models have been updated to support the Waveshare display.
If you need the to install software for the original iUniker screen, jump to Step 16. If you are looking for the original STL files, they are available on Thingiverse.
05/05/2022 - There is now a slightly larger Raspberry Pi 3x version available. Making a Small Mac from a Raspberry Pi 3.
Supplies
Let's assemble what we need.
For Raspberry Pi:
- Raspberry Pi Zero W OR Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W. (The 2 is faster and recommended. The instructions show the older model.) Note that these are in short supply and should be reasonably priced. If you search you will find them but way over priced. You can get on waitlists. Adafruit's estimate is $15 when they become available.
- A 40 Pin Header
- Heatsink (recommended)
- A Micro SC card at least 16GB
- A compatible power supply (one with an integrated On/Off switch is a nice to have)
- A mini HDMI to HDMI adaptor (for setup)
These can often be found as part of a starter kit. It will probably save you some money.
In addition:
- A Micro SD to SD Card Extension Cable Adapter Flexible Extender for Version 2 of the case
- A small unpowered micro USB hub
- A Waveshare 640x480 LCD display
- A SHORT GPIO 40 pinMale to Female ribbon cable. An 8" (20cm) should fit. Anything much longer would be difficult to squeeze into the case.
- A keyboard and mouse. The keyboard is only really needed for setup... unless the applications you will be running need keyboard input. Not sure I'd write a novel on this ;-). You can borrow a keyboard from your desktop. A wireless mouse is a nice to have.
- Bluetooth speaker (optional). There are plenty of cheap options out there.
Amazon has a number of kits that include the above items. Here is the one I used. The small case is really not needed for the final project but is a nice to have. You can use it to protect your Pi while configuring it.
For The Case
- 3 - M3 X 12mm Hex Socket Head Cap Screws. Here is a nice assortment.
- 3 - M3 Hex nuts
- Platinum PLA Filament (hex code: #BFBCB1) for newer Macs – OR – Beige PLA Filament for the original Plus or 512k Macs (This information is thanks to the Macintosh Librarian)
- Blue Painter's Tape for Version 1 of the case
Tools
- 2.5mm Ball Allen wrench. Here's a full set of both Metric and US wrenches.
- 220 grit sandpaper
Step 1: There 2 Versions of the Case and 4 Fronts
All the STLs should be oriented properly on the build plate.
You can now make a Mac Plus, SE, SE30 or Mac Classic.
Version 1 has a faux disk in the front of the Tiny Mac and the SD card accessible from the right side. It is a slightly simpler build.
Version 2 moves the SD card to the front of the Tiny Mac. It is inserted and removed similarly to a disk in real Mac Plus.
The cost difference between the 2 versions is minor. A few bucks for the SD card extension. The real difference in the build is the lack of space inside the case. For those of you with larger hands, V2 can be a little tricky to safely squeeze it all inside. Take a look at the instructions before deciding which build.
Be aware of which case build you are following. I will plainly mark them for the Faux Disk and the SD card. I've also included the SketchUp file if you'd like to tweak the designs. There are also a couple of files you can use to test your supports without printing the entire part.
If you have the old iUniker screen, those files are available on Thingiverse. The new ones will be up there soon as a remix of the original.
Step 2: Let's Start With the Case
Important: I discovered an issue with misalignment of the screw hole in 2 of the fronts... the SE and the SE30. These files were replaced. The other 2 fronts were fine. Sorry about the error.
All parts were printed with a layer height of 0.20 in PLA. I have a Prusa I3 MK3S printer. I made a point to print it on the smooth plate. This made finishing easier. I arranged the back and front pieces so the support fins are oriented to make easy removal. Check your printer/slicer combination.
Support tests:
There are 2 STLs used strictly to test supports. The toughest areas to support are the handle on the back and the details on the front with the disk opening and the slots for the SE and SE30 versions. caseBack_supportTest.stl was printed with supports from the Build Plate Only. front_supportTest.stl was printed with supports Everywhere.
Common to both builds:
You have 4 choices for the front.
- Original Mac, Mac 128 or Mac Plus (the case looked the same)- front_plus.stl
- SE - front_SE_a.stl
- SE30 - front_SE30_a.stl
- Mac Classic - front_classic.stl
The fronts were printed upright with supports Everywhere. Beige PLA. The fronts have extra supports in the design that will need to be removed after printing along with the generated supports. Take a look at the photo.
If you are making the Mac Plus or the Classic:
driveSupport_front.stl. It was printed with NO supports in whatever PLA you have on hand. The SE and SE30 fronts have this integrated into the design.
driveSupport_back.stl was printed with NO supports in whatever PLA you have on hand.
Version 1 has the Faux Disk.
caseBack_fauxDisk.stl was printed on its back with supports from the Build Plate Only. Beige PLA.
fauxDisk.STL (or fauxDisk_SE.stl if using the SE front) was printed with NO supports. Black PLA.
toggle_fauxDisk.stl, was printed with NO supports in whatever PLA you have on hand.
Version 2 has the relocated SD card.
caseBack_SDcard.stl was printed on its back with supports from the Build Plate Only. Beige PLA.
toggle_SDcard.stl, was printed with NO supports in whatever PLA you have on hand.
Finishing:
I removed all the extra pieces of PLA and the sanded the case with 220 grit sand paper under a slow trickle of water. This washes away the plastic dust, keeps the sampler clean and keeps the PLA from getting to hot. A small sanding block was used for the flat areas. Since the surface of the Mac was matte, it worked fine. The few serious flaws I filled before sanding with a 3d printing pen using the same filament. If you want to look further into finishing, there is a Guide To Smoothing PLA Prints on Instructables.
Attachments
Step 3: Preparing the Case
Inserting The Nuts In The Case:
Once printed and sanded, it is time to insert the nuts into the back of the Mac. We require 3 - 3M hex nuts.
The nuts are meant to be pressed in. Carefully align the nuts and press into the depressions. This will be a tight fit. Flip the case over and press each nut against a hard surface, being careful to keep the nut oriented to the hex hole and parallel to the surface. If need be, insert a screw on the opposite side and carefully tighten to pull the nut into the depression. Don't use too much force. Don't allow the nut to turn. Worst case scenario, you can press them in place with a hot soldering iron.
If you are making a Mac Plus or a Classic you will need to attach the Disk support. Use a 3M X 12mm cap screw inserted from below in the left hole. Align the nut in the support with the screw and tighten. Again, see the photos.
The SE and SE30 have an integrated disk support.
The Raspberry Pi:
There is very little space inside the back of the case. The Ribbon cable is very bulky and will take up much of the case. If you are moving the SD card, the will be an additional cable attached to the Raspberry Pi Zero, so we want to make sure there is no stray bits of plastic preventing the Pi form sitting in the case properly. Check out the photos. If you have trouble now, it will be even more difficult later with the cables attached. If it is not fitting, check for bumps or irregularities in the print. The USB and HDMI ports should be accessible. Once you are sure it slides in and out smoothly, remove it for now. We will add our cables and reinsert it in another step.
Step 4: Version 1 - the Faux Disk
There are 2 varieties, fauxDisk.stl and fauxDisk_SE.stl. There is a version just for the SE with as 2 disk drives. Choose the style you need. Cut off a narrow strip of Painter's Tape. I placed the tape on a clean work surface and cut a strip 22mm (7/8") wide. I then carefully wrapped the tape over the disk insert, centering it. Using a utility knife I cut off the excess.
Place the chosen Faux Disk onto the disk support and slide it forward so that the end with the tape protrudes from the front. Slide the driveSupport_back from the rear over the support, locking in the Faux drive with a slight click. If there is too much movement, you can keep the Faux drive from moving with a dab of hot glue.
Step 5: Version 2 - SD Card
Following the photos:
- Carefully split the SD card extension cover with a utility knife.
- Open the cover and remove the board and cable.
- Press the drive firmly into the support. If you look from the front, it should be aligned. Insert the extension's ribbon cable rom below into driveSupport_back.stl, being careful not to disturb the solder joints on the underside of the board. Continue to feed the cable through the slot. Pull all the way through.
- Side the driveSupport_back.stl over the support, locking the drive in place with a slight click.
You should be able to test the insertion of the SD card.
Step 6: Setting Up Your Raspberry Pi Zero
There is a bit you need to do to your Raspberry Pi Zero W in preparation for setup. If your 40 pin GPIO header was not preinstalled, you will need to solder one on. There is an Instructable for How To Solder. If this is intimidating, you should be able to purchase a Pi with the header already installed. Attach the Heatsink.
I'm not going to go over just how to get the Pi OS on your SD card. One thing that is essential. You MUST pick the right Pi OS. You need the32-bit Bullseye version. I've included a screenshot of the selection in the Imager software. Later versions will not allow you to run the executable. This issue was solved by user my03. Thanks!
The imaging software and instructions are on the Raspberry Pi website. Watch their Youtube videofor instructions. Use the recommended Raspberry Pi OS operating system. You do need an OS with the GUI interface.
Now that we have an SD card with the OS, insert it into your Raspberry Pi Zero W, attach your HDMI monitor with the HDMI adapter. The Pi has one micro USB port dedicated to power and one dedicated to data. Attach your mini USB hub to the data connection. Attach the keyboard & mouse to the hub. Power it up with the power supply.
Let the Pi go through it's initial setup. Select your Country, Language, Timezone and Keyboard. When asked, change your password. We are going to enable SSH, and it is a security issue without a good password. Select your network and enter it’s password. When asked, perform the system updates. These updates will probably take a while.
We now need to make some changes to the default settings. Go the upper left and click on the Raspberry icon. Select Preferences > Raspberry Pi Configuration. In the Dialog, if not selected, pick the System Tab. Check that the Hostname is raspberrypi. This is the name you will use to access your Pi over your wireless network.
Next pick the Interfaces Tab. Select to Enable SSH. Select OK to close the dialog box.
Just in case, let's record your IP address. Roll your mouse over the WiFi icon in the upper right of the Menu bar. You will see an overlay that has network information. Take a look at the photo. You will see wlan0:Configured followed by an number in the format XXX.XXX.X.XX/YY. Write down the XXX.XXX.X.XX. In my case it is 192.168.1.26, yours will most likely be different.
After the updates are complete select Restart.
Step 7: Collecting Your the Software
There are some very smart people out there. Paul C. Pratt has created the Gryphel Project. His goal was to help preserve software made for early Macintosh computers. He has created emulators that will run in multiple environments... MacOS X, Windows 10 and Linux, including one for the ARM processors used on the Raspberry Pi. There are many standard varieties that are readily downloadable. In addition, he offers a service to create specialized versions. These pre-made versions don't meet our needs.
You could download all the files directly to your Pi Zero, be be aware that it can be very slow. The Pi Zero is very underpowered for tasks like these. Another option is to download them on your desktop and use a terminal window to scp the files or FTP program. I use CyberDuck. It is available for both Mac and Windows.
It's time to assemble all the files
On your hard drive create a directory called Mini_vMac. You are going to place your files here. These will be copied over to our Pi.
Using the Gryphel service, I created 2 ARM executables. You can download these from my dropbox. Pi_ececutables.zip. This zip contains 2 files. One, Mini_vMac_ARM, takes advantage of the full resolution of the screen, the other, Mini_vMac_ARM_2x, doubles the pixels for an easier to see version. Place these 2 files in your Mini_vMac directory.
You will need a ROM image. Macintosh ROMs can be downloaded here. You need to download the 9779D2C4 - Macintosh II.7z file. Expand the file and rename it MacII.ROM and place in the Mini_vMac directory. (Note:MacII.ROM is CASE SENSITIVE)
ToughDev has a great tutorialabout installing System software for the Mini vMac. We will download our files from there. Halfway down the page there is a link to the files. Download them and unzip the file. You will have a directory of compressed files called old_mac_softs containing additional zips. Unzip those as well.
We can take things 2 directions....
The easier, Color only path:
The original Macs only ran in Black and White. The easy version does not contain a Monitors control panel, so you won't be able to change it to Black and White. If you just want to get going simply with a Color Mac there is a zip file amongst those called hfv500M_sys755_clean.zip. Expand that zip and you will end up with a file called hfv500M_sys755_clean.dsk. RENAME that file to disk1.dsk and boot your Tiny Mac. You only have B&W though.
The more versatile path:
This way you have many more options and can have the option of using full color, grayscale or B&W. (The original Macs were only Black and white.) You can also stop at earlier versions of the Mac OS.
There is also a hfs500M.rar file you need to decompress. To do this, you will need a utility as it is not a natively supported compression format. You can find out how to decompress the file on How To Geek.
Once decompressed, RENAME the hfs500M.dsk to disk1.dsk. This will be your virtual hard drive. Mini vMac mounts disks automatically if they are named correctly. Don't bother with the hfv500M_sys755_clean.dsk... It is an image with the system software installed but it doesn't quite everything you will need.
Move the following to your Mini_vMac directory
- disk1.dsk (Your new 500M Hard Drive image)
- a Mac701 directory containing 6 disk images
- mac753.img Your Mac OS system 7.5.3 install disk
- mac755up.img Your Mac OS system 7.5.5 install disk
Step 8: Transfering Files to Your Pi Via CyberDuck
Launch CyberDuck. The first we need to do is create a shortcut to your Pi. See first the image. In the lower left hit + to add a bookmark. In the dialog that pops up, change the protocol to SFTP. Enter raspberrypi.local for the server name. pi for the user name. Enter whatever password you used when setting up your Raspberry Pi. Close the dialog.
Double click your new Bookmark and you should connect to your Pi. If you get any messages about an unknown fingerprint, select Allow.
If you cannot connect by Hostname, you can do the same thing with the IP address recorded earlier. Set up another bookmark by clicking on the + in the lower left. In the new dialog box, change the protocol to SFTP. Enter your Pi IP Addressrecorded earlier. Use pi for the user name. Enter the password. Close the dialog. Double click your new Bookmark. If you still have problems, take a look online for instructions on how to transfer files via scp.
It's time to move our files. These are the items you are interested in:
If following the easier, B&W only path, These are the items you are interested in:
- Mini_vMac_ARM - 640x480 version downloaded my Dropbox
- Mini_vMac_ARM_2x - 320x240 version downloaded from my Dropbox
- MacII.ROM downloaded and renamed from the ROM repository
- disk1.dsk (Your new 500M Hard Drive image)
If following the more versatile path, These are the items you are interested in:
- Mini_vMac_ARM - 640x480 version downloaded my Dropbox
- Mini_vMac_ARM_2x - 320x240 version downloaded from my Dropbox
- MacII.ROM downloaded and renamed from the ROM repository
- disk1.dsk (Your new 500M Hard Drive image)
- a Mac701 directory containing 6 disk images to install system 7.0.1
- mac753.img Your Mac OS system 7.5.3 install disk
- mac755up.img Your Mac OS system 7.5.5 install disk
Using CyberDuck, double-click on the the bookmark. It may ask for permission. Grant it. It will open a connection to your Pi. You should see a listing of the directories and files in the /home/pi/ directory. Double-click on the Desktop directory.
We new a new directory. Right click and create a new folder called Mini vMac. Double-click on that directory to open and drag all of the items listed above into this new directory. The files will be copied over to your Pi.
If following the easier, B&W only path, jump to Step 11Adding Software
Otherwise continue...
Step 9: Setting Up Mini VMac on Your Pi
For the more versatile path, these are the instructions for System 7.
If following the easier B&W only path, jump to Step 11 Adding Software
Some have asked about older versions of the Mac OS. You can find System 5 and 6 on Mini vMac Applications. The instructions will be slightly different but pretty intuitive.
Now we move over to your Raspberry Pi. On your desktop you should have a Mini vMac directory. Double-click to open and you should see
- Mini_vMac_ARM
- Mini_vMac_ARM_2x
- MacII.ROM
- disk1.dsk
- Mac701 directory containing 6 disk images
- mac753.img
- mac755up.img
The Mini_vMac_ARM executable runs at the native resolution (640x480) of the display used in this project. This can be a little small to maneuver, but is really cool. The Mini_vMac_ARM_2 version runs at half the resolution (320x240) with the pixels doubled. Easier to see but a bit small if you are going to run some software.
First we need to make these to files executable. Select the 2 files Mini_vMac_ARM and Mini_vMac_ARM_2x files, right click and select Properties. Select the Permissions tab and change Execute to Anyone. To make setup easier, are doing the set up with the native resolution version. Since the setup is actually makes changes to the hard drive image, setting up one, sets up the other. When showing it to others, you can launch either version.
Double-click on the Mini_vMac_ARM file and select Execute. It should open full screen and you will see a flashing disk Icon. Press Ctrl-F to exit full screen.
Note that there are a number of control options with Mini vMac. Pressing Ctrl-H will bring up a list of options. For more informations see the Mini vMac Documentation.
On your Pi, open the Mac701 directory and drag the Install 1.image onto your Mini vMac window. Dragging a disk onto the Application will mount the disk. It should boot to an installer screen. On your Pi, go back up a level and drag in the disk1.dsk. The screen should update to say it will be installing on Mac500M. Select Install.
Drag in each of the disks when prompted... Install 2.image, Tidbits.image, Printing.image, Fonts.image and finally drag in again the Install 1.image. When finished Quit the install, and Select Restart.
You will have a flashing disk icon. Drag in disk1.dsk and it will continue the boot to system 7.0.1. Success!
Note: to Shutdown/Quit, you should always go to the Menu Special and select Shutdown.
Step 10: Optional System Upgrade
You can just stop here and you will be running Mac System 7.0.1.
If you wish to upgrade to System 7.5.3, drag in the mac753.img. When the new disk window opens, double-click the System 7.5.3 01 of 19.smi file. The software will validate and mount a virtual disk. This new disk will show up on the desktop as System 7.5 V7.5.3 CD inst. Double-click that image. When the disk opens, run the Installer and follow the instructions. Restart when asked. Drag in disk1.dsk.
When 7.5.3 is finished installing and you wish to upgrade to 7.5.5, drag in mac755up.img. Open the disk, double-click the System 7.7.5 Update folder, and run the Installer. Follow the instructions.
Step 11: Adding Software
Some of the software sites:
There are 2 ways to mount disks in Mini vMac.
- You can drag a .DSK or .IMG file onto the window
- You can change the name of the .DSK file. Disks are mounted in order and the emulator will look for disk images in order. You have seen this already when we renamed our hard drive image disk1.DSK. It is important to note that if there is a gap in the numbers, the automatic mounting will stop where there is a gap. If you have a disk2.DSK and a disk4.DSK but no disk3.DSK, mounting stops with disk2.DSK.
Since we are going to copy files on the hard drive, we don't need to mount extra disks every time. I will use the first method.
If in full screen, you need to exit using Ctrl-F. Drag your disk image onto the App window. The disk image will appear on the desktop. (To unmount, drag to the trash.) If this were just a regular app or game, I would just drag the Disk icon into the hard drive. It will create a directory with the same name as your disk. You should be able open that folder to double-click the application icon and run.
A Game Example:
I'm going to install the game Lemmings. I've downloaded lemmings_1_5_2.zip. One important note, to make your life easier, try and find .DSK or .IMG files. Avoid .SIT files.
I've decompressed the zip and dragged the disk image on to the App. Once the disk appears on the desktop, just drag that disk image onto the hard drive and all the files will be copied to a new directory on the hard drive. Open the directory and run.
Screensaver:
I'm chosen the screensaver After Dark. The file I've picked is After Dark 2.0x (1993) for emulators. You should download zips of DSK or IMG images. I've expanded my zip and used CyberDuck to place the .img file in the same directory as the Mini vMac App. Again drag the disk image onto the Mini vMac app. The disk mounts. Drag the After Dark 2.0x app and the supporting folder into the Control Panels directory inside the System Folder. Restart and drag the disk1.dsk image back into the Mini vMac window. Setup your screensaver.
If you want your Pi to go to the Emulator directly on startup, follow the instructions Step 19: Launch on Startup. You could follow the instructions for setting it up from the Raspberry Pi desktop.
Step 12: Assembling the Tiny Mac
Be sure to remove the SD card. You can't install the Pi into the case if the SD card is still inserted.
Carefully install the ribbon cable as in the photographs. The Female connector attaches to the Pi, the Male end to the display. Note the cable's orientation. Make sure it is aligned and fully inserted.
For Version 1 - Faux Disk, carefully insert the Pi into the back of the case as before. Check the ports are aligned to the openings. Rotate the toggle to keep the board in place and tighten from below.
If making Version 2 - SD card,fold the ribbon cable as in the photo. With the board vertical, fold the cable 90° to the LEFT, then fold DOWN at a 45° angle. Carefully insert the SD Card extension into the card slot on the Pi. Be sure the toggle isn't installed in the case. Insert the Pi as before, but be very careful of the attached cables. Check that ports on the back are in the correct place. Re-install the toggle, rotate against the board and tighten.
Both:
Place the screen between the tabs on the front cover. The cable will point UPWARDS. Move the cover closer to the back, being careful of the cables. Slide it upward under the tab in the top cover. With the Tiny Mac held together, insert a 3M X 12mm cap screw into the remaining hole on the left. Tighten into place.
Step 13: Installing the Drivers for the Waveshare Display
Take a look at the Waveshare documentation. There is an explication of just what the need changes are. We are going to simplify them a bit. The config.txt file I have was supplied by user sjbaird. A big thank you!
Needed files:
- the config.txt below
- a zip file from the Waveshare site. Decompress the zip file.
Take your Pi's SD card and insert it into your desktop computer. You have access to some of the files used on your Pi. At the root level you will find a file called config.txt. Make a copy of the file and rename it configOrg.txt. This is our backup in case something goes wrong. Drag your new config.txt file into the window. It will ask you if you want to replace the file. Go ahead. If you don't have rights, you and usually delete the file and add a new one. This file will tell the Pi to use the Waveshare screen as your default screen.
Looking at the root level, you will see a directory called overlays. Open that directory and drag in the 3 files from Waveshare's zip. waveshare-28dpi-3b-4b.dtbo, waveshare-28dpi-3b.dtbo and waveshare-28dpi-4b.dtbo
Eject your SD card and insert it into your Tiny Mac.
Note: The Waveshare site talks about changing the orientation of the touch screen. I've gone through the instructions but it really didn't work very well. If I can overcome yje issues I will post the instructions here.
Attachments
Step 14: Let's Boot It Up!
When the Pi starts, up it boots to the Raspberry Pi desktop. Doubleclick your Mini vMac directory. You have 2 executables in this directory. Both will launch with the same hard drive image.
The Mini_vMac_ARM file launches a version that runs full resolution, 640x480.
The Mini_vMac_ARM_2x launches a version that runs with pixel doubling with a screen resolution of 320x240.
If you want to make your little Mac look a bit more like the original Mac Plus, you can change to grayscale or even better Black & White in your Monitors control panel.
When Shutting down your Mini vMac be sure to do it by going to the Special Menu and select Shutdown. Once back to the Raspberry OS desktop, shut the Pi down as usual... The Raspberry icon in the upper left corner, select Logout. Select Shutdown from your options. Power down your Tiny Mac.
Have fun!
Step 15: Adding Sound (Optional)
This is a bit of an update. Folks have asked about sound. I was looking onto Raspberry Pi Zero sound cards but finally decided on using the Pi's built in Bluetooth. These instructions are a summary of those on the RaspberryDIY site. How to Connect Your Raspberry Pi to a Bluetooth Speaker. Check it out for more detailed instructions.
You'll need a Bluetooth speaker. I just pulled one out of an old junk drawer. Put it into discovery mode.
Click on the Bluetooth Icon in the Menu bar. Select Add Device. You'll get a list of available Bluetooth devices. Select your speaker. You'll get a confirmation dialog telling you to select your speaker as an output device. This is where it gets a little counter-intuitive.. clicking on the volume icon in the menu gives you just that... volume. You need to right-click on the speaker icon and you will get a little dialog box. Select Audio Outputs and your speaker. You should be good to go!
Step 16: Addendum: Launch on Startup
I'm setting this up as a seperate section for those that have already made their tin Mac. We going to set up our Pi to autolaunch the Mini Vmac. There's a great video showing what we are going to do.
There are may ways to do this... you can do it from the Pi desktop, through an application like CyberDuck, or from the terminal using SSH. We are going to create a file called Launcher.desktop that runs on startup in your /home/pi/.config directory. I'm going to show you via CyberDuck.
Open your Pi with CyberDuck as you have done before. You will see a directory listing of your /home/pi directory. The folder we need access to is a hidden folder. Luckily, CyberDuck allows us to see these files and directories. From the top Menu, select View -> Show Hidden files. You should now see a number of additional files and folders. We are looking for the hidden .config directory. Open the .config directory. we are looking for the autostart directory. If it does not exist, create one by right-clicking and creating a new folder with that name. Be careful to use all lowercase.
Open the autostart directory and right-click to see your options. Select New File. Name that file Launcher.desktop. Again, this is case sensitive. Right-click the new file and select Edit With -> TextEdit. There may be different options on a PC but it should be pretty straight forward. We are going to edit this new file.
Add the following text to your new file.
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Launcher
Exec="/home/pi/Desktop/Mini vMac/Mini_vMac_ARM"
Type=Application
Note there is a space in the name of the directory and that the path is in quotes. Save and close the file.
We now need to set this new file's permissions. Right-click on our new file and select Info. Select the Permissions tab and check Execute for all 3 groups.
Head over to your Pi and tell it to reboot. It should now start up and launch the emulator on startup. To shutdown, use the same procedure you would normally use... shutdown the emulator then the pi vial the menus.
You can do this from the Raspberry Pi desktop as well.
- Open the file explorer from the top menu
- If you don't see a .config directory, go the explorer's menu select View -> Show Hidden.
- Open the .config directory. Look for the autostart directory. If it does not exist, right-click and select New Folder. Name it autostart (case sensitive). Open the autostart directory.
- Right-click once inside the directory and select New File. Name it Launcher.desktop. It will probably appear with no extension once you create it. We will verify the name is correct in an upcoming step.
- Right-click on the new Launcher.desktop file and select to open it it in the Text Editor. Add the text above to your file, save and close.
- We now need to set permissions. Right-click on the Launcher.desktop file and select Properties. You should see the file name is Launcher.desktop. Select the Permissions tab. For Execute, select Anyone. Select OK to close.
- You can test it here by double clicking the new file and select Execute. It should launch your emulator. If it doesn't check to be sure you've followed the steps correctly.
- Exit the emulator. From the Pi menu, select Logout and then Reboot.
You should be good to go!
Step 17: Sources and References
Step 18: Legacy - Setting Up the IUniker Screen
The iUniker screen is no longer available. I am keeping this here for those who have already made their Tiny Mac.
At this point, I would recommend that you make a backup copy of your sd card.
Remember, this is specific to the screen I have selected.
The manufacturer has a PDF with the software instructions. It also includes uninstall instructions.
Here it is in summary.
Open an new Terminal window on your Pi and enter the following:
cd ~/
git clone https://github.com/tianyoujian/MZDPI.git<br>cd MZDPI/vga
sudo chmod +x mzdpi-vga-autoinstall-online
sudo ./mzdpi-vga-autoinstall-online
When the install is complete, shutdown your Raspberry Pi. We are going to move our pi and Screen into the case.