I have a PowerMac 8500/120 and I would like to format the hard drive and do a fresh install of System 7.5.3 (because it's free), but the network install Floppy says my machine is too new, how do I install?

http://support.apple.com/kb/SP386 You need to create the full set of floppies and start install from Disk 1 which should be bootable, I do not believe Network Install was a viable option in 1995!! http://lowendmac.com/macos.shtml http://download.info.apple.com/Appl...

Thats what I thought as well, but its not a Floppy image, once you download them all, and run the first one on a classic mac, it becomes a virtual cd-rom image that you can mount. I can boot to a pretty bloated 8.5 install from the past owner, but I can't figure out how to install 7 from in 8.5, if its possible? I need to somehow boot a System Disk that is new enough that it would allow me to network with another machine (to get the install files) and to format the hard drive.

I did link http://lowendmac.com/macos.shtml : "Whenever possible, Apple branded hard drives should be formatted or updated with HD SC Setup 7.3.5 or later before installing a new version of the OS. (Exception: if the hard drive of the Mac Portable is formatted with any version newer than 7.3.1, it will crash instead of waking from sleep mode.)" Also in the link it talks about using STUFFIT..............

So once I format, how do I install? I would need a floppy that can boot a minimal System 7, like the Network Install one, but that would work on my mac

GOOGLE http://www.jagshouse.com/installing...

"Procedure to download the Macbinary version of system 7.5.3 on a computer currently using system 7.0 or 7.1:" I can't boot to 7 or 7.1, so this guide is useless, as are any google turned up. I did manage to install 7.5.3, I had 2 drives, both bootable to 8.5, so with one, I ran than the installer to the other drive, and did it again, to make booth bootable, I had to use two SCSI cables, for some reason I can't get both Hard Drives to work on the same cable.