PowerMac 6500 - Couple Issues need help with

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One Sick Puppy

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I just inherited a PowerMac 6500.

Issue 1:
When I initially booted the system, I'm pretty sure it said it was a 400mhz w/128mb RAM. Now, I've whiped the drive and reinstalled OS 8.5 and updated to OS 8.6. (I don't have OS 9.x yet), and it only says its 225mhz. I think this Mac has one of those CPU upgrades in the cache slot. Do I need some software to enable this if indeed there is one?

*Update* I opened up the system again and it looks like I have a Sonnet Crescendo G3 400/512 (BG3-400-5-KIT-A-04 Rev A). I'm at the sonnet site... checking things out...

Issue 2:
I have one free PCI slot which I would like to use for a USB add-on card. I currently have access to a USB 2.0 PCI card with an NEC chip on it, it is generic, ST Labs brand and doesn't mention anything about Mac support. Any idea if this card will work in ths system? Are these old Macs pretty picky about USB cards?

Thanks!
 
Issue 1:
Download and install this:
http://www.sonnettech.com/downloads/proc_upgrds_sw.html#ce

Issue 2:
A lot of PCI USB cards are generic enough that they will work in both a PC and a Macintosh computer. Your best bet is to try -- if it doesn't work, then it will not cause any harm to the system. I'll bet that the NEC chipset is supported under Mac OS X, but since you'll be using Classic with the computer, I don't know if it'll be recognized or not.
 
USB was not enabled until OS 8.6 so don't expect any USB cards to work if you have to go back to OS 8.5 for some reason. Also, USB 2 was not supported until OS X so IF the card will operate as a USB 1.1 even though it is a USB 2 card you may have a chance.
 
Jeffo said:
USB was not enabled until OS 8.6 so don't expect any USB cards to work if you have to go back to OS 8.5 for some reason. Also, USB 2 was not supported until OS X so IF the card will operate as a USB 1.1 even though it is a USB 2 card you may have a chance.
Click to expand...

Not so. The first iMacs and B&W Power Mac G3s shipped with 8.5 or 8.5.1 and those definitely require USB 1.x.
 
You could be very right about the OS that shipped with the imacs and PM g3s, I never bought one when they were first out. I didn't get one until the OS 9 days so i went straight to that on those models. I might have been thinking about the USB Card Adapter Support 1.4.1 requiring OS 8.6 or higher. My memory on those old topics is getting worse and worse. However, in my search to prove that I was wrong I came across this page that says OS 8.1 is compatible on the original iMac 233 model. I definately don't remember USB support in OS 8.1?
 
Jeffo said:
You could be very right about the OS that shipped with the imacs and PM g3s, I never bought one when they were first out. I didn't get one until the OS 9 days so i went straight to that on those models. I might have been thinking about the USB Card Adapter Support 1.4.1 requiring OS 8.6 or higher. My memory on those old topics is getting worse and worse. However, in my search to prove that I was wrong I came across this page that says OS 8.1 is compatible on the original iMac 233 model. I definately don't remember USB support in OS 8.1?
Click to expand...

I think Apple added an enabler to get the USB working in 8.1.

Here's more information from Low End Mac regarding the Rev. A iMacs.

http://lowendmac.com/imacs/imac.shtml

If you notice, they mention that it was replaced by the Rev. B iMac, which was released along with OS 8.5 and it had OS 8.5 preinstalled. This version didn't need the enabler that 8.1 requires for non-Apple USB devices since the support was already native in the operating system.
 
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