on 7/1/02 12:51 PM, Steve Luke at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Hi, > I've just purchased a PowerTowerPro 250 running OS 7.6.1. I'm not > sure if its got the original processor in healthy condition because > the OS system diagnostic reports it running at about 120 mhz, and I > thought it should be higher.
That doesn't sound good. To double-check, go to the Apple Menu (top-left-hand corner, if you're new to Macs) and pull down to Apple System Profiler. Select the System Profile tab, then go to Hardware Overview. It will verify the machine speed. As you will see below, a good processor upgrade is available for about $120, so don't sweat the outcome too much. Also, you may be able to hunt down a 604(e) daughterboard on eBay; they turn up regularly and sell for a reasonable price (something like $20, maybe less). > I have tried upgrading the OS to 8.5 > using a standard Mac CD, but ran into harddrive driver error messages > and backed of. I'm worried about the availability of specialised > software if this machine needs any and I delete whats already there. > > Does anyone have any advice on such an OS upgrade? This is probably the most common question posted here by folks new to Power Computing. A short answer: OS 7.6.1 was really a pretty decent system. You might not need or want to change at all, unless you have software applications that require OS 8 or later. If you do change OS, I would recommend ultimately getting to OS 8.6 (I believe a free upgrade is available at Apple.com to download and go from 8.5 or 8.5.1 to 8.6) or higher. I've also been pleased with 9.1. But 8.5 seemed pretty problematic. Also: I had success using the Drive Setup utility that came with OS 9.x on Seagate (non-Apple branded) hard drives. I believe that version of Drive Setup was more third-party-drive friendly. As to your observation: Power Computing machines did not use Apple branded CD-ROM drives and hard drives (which had some particular kind of ROM unique to Macs). That meant that generally speaking, the Mac CD and hard drive drivers don't work with the third-party (non-Apple-branded) drives. Instead, Power Computing shipped its boxes with FWB CD-ROM Toolkit and Hard Drive toolkit drivers. Locate those drivers on your machine (I believe both are Extensions in the System Folder; they might also have Control Panels in the System Folder, I forget since I'm not presently using either one). There may also be folders on the hard drive containing Read Me files and other stuff that is marginally useful. Do an exhaustive search, copy all the FWB Toolkit Extensions and Control Panels (if they exist) and other stuff onto a floppy or whatever for future use. Better yet, if you have the original Power Computing system CD, the FWB CD-ROM and Hard Drive toolkit installers will be on there. Depending on which OS 8.5 CD you have, it may or may not be bootable from the PowerTowerPro (seems to me that certain system CDs that shipped with iMac and G3 machines will not boot up a Power Computing machine). If yours is bootable, do so and do a system Clean Install (don't mess with updating the hard drive drivers with Apple's Drive Setup, since as you found, that won't work). I believe a Clean Install will make a copy of the old System Folder (further protecting those FWB drivers and perhaps other Extensions you will need); to be doubly sure, you could just make a duplicate of the existing 7.6.1 System Folder. Better safe than sorry. If that 8.5 CD won't boot the machine, you might trying copying that entire CD to the hard drive, then get your hands on a bootable system CD (like a Norton Utility CD -- available for $5 from Other World Computing right now (see below). Booting from a CD, the installer on the CD you copied onto your hard drive will probably work alright. Once you have the 8.5 system installed, upgrade to 8.5.1/8.6. Locate the FWB Extensions and Control Panels, drag-and-drop them onto the new System Folder and restart from the hard drive. You _should_ be good to go at that point. By all means, keep a safe copy of those FWB drivers for future use. > And, regarding the clock speed, are there any recommendations for > cost effective processor upgrades? I understand a daughterboard > system is standard on these machines? You are correct; the processor resides on a daughterboard that plugs onto the motherboard. A company called Other World Computing has been advertising to its email subscribers a special on a PowerLogix G3 upgrade: PowerLogix G3/400MHz PCI Upgrade w/1024K 2:1, $119.00 for Readers! http://eshop.macsales.com/specials/MailList.cfm I bought the same card (for about $150) and have been pleased with it. Also, they have 128 MB 5V FPM DIMMs for $24 each, if you want RAM upgrade. Power Computing recommended "interleaving" RAM, meaning adding DIMMs in matched pairs. (No, I don't work for Other World Computing; they just specialize in a lot of upgrade items and are Power Computing friendly and knowledgeable. They also have some pretty compelling prices on certain items.) Good luck, --Chuck -- Power Computing is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... 123Inkjets.com <http://lowendmac.com/ad/123inkjets.html> Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> Power Computing list info: <http://lowendmac.com/power/list.html> Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> List archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/powercomputing%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Macintosh? Get free email and more at Applelinks! <http://www.applelinks.com>
