For any further questions, or to add info, report dead links, make corrections, please email me at brd@erf.net
- Will MacOS 8.x run on my 61xx?
Yes. I run 8.1 on my 6100/60 with no problems. 8.0 had a few reported problems that 8.1 is supposed to fix, so I'd recommend going with 8.1 over 8.0. I find 8.1 to be much more stable than 7.6.1, my previous system.
8.5 and 8.5.1 are also reported to work fine with the 61xx's, though I don't have it yet. I've heard they are also very stable, and even faster than 8.1.
From what I've heard, 8.6 will also be able to run on the 61xx's.
If you go to 8.x, one thing you will want to do is get lots of RAM. Memory is cheap, and your mac will be much happier running these OS's with at least 40mb of memory, 72 is even better, and if you can get 136, the rest of us will ooh and ahh at you.
- What kind of memory can I put in my 6100?
Your 6100 uses 72pin, non-parity simms, that must be at least 70nanoseconds fast. If you mix 2 speeds of memory, it shouldn't hurt. They are both supposed to run at the slowest speed. However, I have heard that some people have had problems doing this. You can, however, use parity memory, which just has an extra parity chip soldered on the memory module, that your computer will ignore.
(From cf)
Don't mix EDO and FP ram other wise generally they are OK, also try to
use the same speed rams.
(From Rick W)
You can use PC 72 pin EDO SIMMs, PC EDO simms are lower price than Mac FPM
simms. Install matching pairs of SIMMs.
...From MacGurus RAM FAQ
EDO DRAM is a superset of conventional (also called Fast Page Mode or FPM)
DRAM. This
means that EDO DRAM can often be used in place of Fast Page Mode DRAM,
although the
computer's memory performance will likely be the same as when using FPM,
unless the
memory controller is designed to utilize faster EDO timing.
Macintosh Computers that CAN use EDO memory
Although you will not derive any performance benefits from doing so, you
may use either EDO
DIMMs or SIMMs in Power Macintosh 5200, 5300, 5400, 6100, 6200, 6300, 6360,
6400, 7100, 7300, 7500, 7600, 8100, 8500, 8600, 9500 and 9600 computers,
depending upon their architecture.
- Where can I buy memory for my 61xx?
The place you absolutely don't ever, ever, ever want to buy memory from is any of the big-name Mac mail-order catalogs. They will gouge you. Find some online, and it will be much cheaper. There is really no product differentiation between RAM makers, though I know many people who swear by Kingston. Most times, memory either works or it doesn't. Good places to start are http://www.ramjet.com and http://www.thechipmerchant.com, or http://www.ramseeker.com/simm.shtml, which shows you the lowest prices from many companies.
- How much memory will my 6100 hold?
Your 6100 has 8mb of ram built-in, that is, soldered on to the motherboard, so you have at least that much. Then there are 2 RAM slots. Additional RAM must be added in pairs, and the simms must be the same size, of either 4mb, 8mb, 16mb, 32mb, or 64mb each. Remembering the original 8mb built-in, this gives you 8+(2*4) for 16mb, or, likewise, 24, 40, 72, or 136 mb.
- I thought Apple said that 72mb of Ram was the max a 61xx would hold?
Well, they said that's the max they support. There are indeed 64mb simms sold by NewerRam that many have reported to work fine bumping their 61xx to 136mb, though they have been very expensive.
(From GavC)
I've successfully put 2 FPM 64mb simms in my 6100. These were
standard PC 70ns simms from a PC memory supplier. The only reason
Apple doesn't mention them is because 64mb simms weren't available
when the x100 series Powermacs were released.
- My 61xx doesn't have a ROM chip. Where can I get one?
First off, make sure you're actually missing the ROM. There are 2 slots on the motherboard that hold either the ROM chip or an L2 cache chip. It doesn't matter which goes in which slot, or if you even have an L2 cache chip at all. However, if you are missing the ROM chip, your mac will not boot because it gets all its boot-up instructions off that chip. If you still think the ROM is missing and you don't know the history of this 6100, beware, it may have a bad motherboard or a cracked cpu chip. You might want to get a loaner ROM from somewhere to check it out.
(From JeffW)
That said, this will widen your search a bit. The ROM for the 61xx,
7100, 8100, Power Computing Power 100, Power 120, and Radius 81/110 are
all identical. So any of those will work in your 6100 if your 6100
works at all.
- Should I get an L2 cache for my 61xx?
If it does not have one already, by all means, get one. (The 6100/66's shipped with a 256k cache in place, the 6100/60 and their kin did not.) I got a 256k L2 cache for $19 and that was more than a year ago. Even a 256k cache will speed up your system by 10-15%. 512k and 1024k are also available, though more expensive. They just drop right into a slot on the motherboard (where the diagram says "Cache SIMM").
- Will an L2 cache make my 61xx's video performance better?
If you get the 1024k L2 cache and you're using the motherboard video, yes. The entire 640k needed to drive the onboard video will be held on the 1024k cache, which is much faster than the system memory. The 512k and 256k L2 caches are obviously not big enough to hold 640k, so they will not help in this regard. :-(
(From RonG)
We got ours from the L2 Cache Comppany. Thier URL is
http://www.mindspring.com/~l2co and the current price listed is $98 for 1M. The
installation was a snap.
- Is it true that the motherboard video uses up system memory?
Yes. The onboard video (on the 45pin port) has no video memory at all. It steals 640k of system memory to get the job done.
- The hard drive on my 61xx is giving me a blinking question mark and I can't get it to boot off another drive. Help!
(from Matthew P.)
When you attach the ZIP drive, did you try jolding down
delete-option-cmommand-shift (forces the computer to ignore SCSI ID
zero)? Can you tell whether the internal HD is actually spinning up?
If the HD isn't spinning up, try the following: turn the machine on,
remove the top cover of the case, then hit the HD once right on its top
(it's the silver or black component at the front left corner). This
crude technique often revives hard drives that won't spin up. If it
does work, you should immediately begin backing up files, and replace
the HD at the first opportunity.
And if you can get it to boot off another scsi device, run a disk utility program on the original drive.
- How do I switch between boot drives at powerup?
Holding down delete-option-command-shift forces the computer to ignore SCSI ID
zero.
(From Holger V)
AFAIK holding 'Cmd-Option-Shift-{number key 1-7}' will force your mac to
boot from the device with corresponding SCSI ID number.
e.g. hold 'cmd-option-shift-4' to boot from HD with ID 4.
- What third party options do I have for an internal replacement CD-ROM and are they bootable?
(From wilykat)
Most Sony CD ROM drives can be used without problem. I have a 12X CD
ROM by Sony that can boot off or mount Mac disks w/o CD ROM extensions.
other 3rd party CD ROM may or may not work that way so before buying,
see if you can borrow it (most local computer dealers don't have Mac on
hand for testing) and hook it up and see if it is to your likings or
not.
- Can I put another internal hard drive in my 6100?
It depends on whether or not your 6100 has an internal CD. If it does, you cannot add a 2nd internal HD, unless you want to remove the CD drive. If there is not an internal CD, or after you remove the CD, adding a 2nd internal SCSI harddrive is relatively simple. It should be a 3.5" drive. Your original HD will be mounted on a sled in the case. Unless you have another sled, either that came with your drive, or that you bought separately, you will just have to lay the drive in the empty bay, which is what I did. It's not a big deal, you just have to remember to be careful if you ever move the computer. Make sure the drive is unterminated and that it's SCSI id is set, preferably to something other than 0, which will be your original drive, and 7, which is your mac's ID #. Just plug in the SCSI connector and the power connector, and boot. You might be able to use Apple's HD setup to format the new drive, or you may need some type of third party utility to do it. That's about it.
- I put a second hard drive at my 6100's 5 1/4 (CD) slot.
Now I have an ugly hole on the front of the box.
Is there a replacement front - middle panel for these machines,
that does not have an opening for the CD?
If so, where can I get one from?
(From Chad L)
Proline Distribution has what you are looking for. Go to
http://www.proline.com/6100.html. I don't think they sell direct, but I
think there are links on their site to resellers.
- My floppy drive is giving me fits. Do I need a new one?
(From Jackie)
I had trouble with the floppy drive on my Performa 6115. Someone suggested
using TechTool Pro to clean it with a cleaning disk, so I did and it didn't
work. Then, I read where someone said to use it 3-4 times in a row, so I did,
and it worked! I still don't trust it totally, but it does work now. I tend to
trust my zip more...
- How do I play a Video CD on my 61xx?
(From Steve)
HI,
use the following method.
give the movieplayer as much memory as it can spare.
start the application.
open the Vcd disk and find the mpeg folder then open the file.
Do not double click or drag the file to the movie player.
If you follow the above there should be a delay then the movie will be
available .
steve
- Does the 61xx have built-in ethernet?
Yes! There is a built-in ethernet port on all 61xx macs. It is an AAUI port. You will need to get an AAUI to ethernet adapter, from a company such as Asante. They are available in most of the Mac catalogs and cost around $30.
- Why won't a microphone work on my 61xx?
You need a line-level mic for the 61xx series, such as the PlainTalk Microphone. If you're trying to use one of the round mac mics, you're S.O.L. To paraphrase the 6100 owner's manual, "the round microphone will not work." The line-level mikes have a longer plug than a standard, unpowered mic.
- Can I connect a line-out device (like a tape deck, cd player) to the mic input of my 61xx?
Yes, the mic input on a 61xx is actually a line-level input. If the device you want to record from has a mic-level output, you will need to amplify it. Also, most turntables will output at a different voltage than a line-level device, so you will need a preamp.
(from deet!)
As far as your records are concerned, the issue there is that the
turntable outputs a signal at a different voltage. If you're going to
record LP's directly into your computer, you'll need a pre-amp. Maybe
you can find a mixer that has both Line level and Phonograph inputs, and
then you can run the line-out of that into the input on your mac. If you
hook the turntable up directly, the sound will likely be too faint to use.
Consider using tape-output jacks on your stereo receiver to connect to
the line-in of your computer. Your stereo receiver should have a phono
preamp built-in. This would also facilitate easier source switching when
you're making recordings.
- I'm trying to get my 6100 to record a line level signal through the mic jack via an official Apple RCA to stereo 1/8" adapter, but it won't work.
(From KevinM)
There is no adapter for the 6100. It sounds like you're using the Mac IIsi and LC adapter, which converted stereo line-level to mono mic-level. Use a normal 1/8" stereo cable.
- My 61xx's screen is black? When it boots, it makes the gong sound, but nothing happens.
It sounds like your Mac's battery has died. This is a very common failing of the Lithium battery in the 61xx series. For some reason, they only seem to last 3 or 4 years. It is simple to replace, and new ones can be had at Radioshack for ~$10.
(From Wilykat)
It's only $10 at Radio Shack (part #23-026, better than $100 repair
bill) and make sure you leave the computer unplugged and w/o the battery
for about 15 minutes to allow any residue current to drain out and
really clear the PRAM.
(From Jackie)
Excellent website for info on changing the battery
http://www.academ.com/info/macintosh/
- With 8.5, my monitor resolution is "wacked".
(From krow)
> > OS 8.5 will boot and run through the inits and then goes to the desktop
> > and wacks the screen resolution so that nothing is visible. I've changed
> > the monitor and sounds panel, zapped the Pram, and changed the initial
> > monitor resolution to different settings. Nothing has worked. I'm running
> > 8.1 on this machine and have no problems. The monitor I'm using is an NEC
> > XV17. I have 8.5 installed on my G3 with a Princeton monitor and have also
> > had no problems. Is there some kind of patch for this problem. I've
> > searched the Apple site ( a huge task in itself ). I've only found a
> > comment about using Applevision 1.5.3 instead for a resolution flash on
> > 6100's. I would like to know if this will solve my problem or is there
> > something I'm missing?
>Can you elaborate on "wacks the screen resolution so that nothing is visible"?
>
> Does this mean your monitor goes black? If so, could mean that your
> battery on your system went out coincidentally with your upgrade.
>
> Also, have you tried booting with extensions off?
It was getting the different mhz shift. I turned off the extensions and it
booted. I went about the process of figuring out which extension was
causing the problem and it wasn't any of them. The answer to the problem
was booting with extensions off and opening the monitor control panel and
selecting the setup and restarting. For some reason it wasn't booting
properly?? Go figure... Anyway, Os 8.5 runs noticably faster. I've seen a
major improvement in normal operations.
- Four or five hours after turning on my 6100, it starts to reboot and
continues to cycle until I turn the power off. Up until then it works
fine. The first thing I notice is that the screen goes blank and the
power light goes off (also the internal HD loses power), and then it
starts to reboot. ... I have replaced the battery on the off-chance that this is the problem.
No luck there.
(From heathmun)
My 6100/60 exhibited similar behavior a few years ago. Turned out it was
the power supply. If I remember correctly some 6100 power supplys were
notoriously bad. There was some other issue regarding these computers
proccessors getting too hot. I only experienced the faulty power supply.
There was that Autostart virus that was (is) going around that causes
computers to restart unexpectedly. You might want to check that out.
(From GB)
I had a problem like this. It was the fan in the PSU. Look underneath the
machine when it starts to go wrong and you can see if the fan is turning or
not. It is a small under-sized fan that just looks too small for the job.
The techies here replaced it with a heavy duty fan, making room for it by
removing the mesh cage that sits on top of it. There is a temp sensor that
does the turning on and off. Obviously no fan, no airflow, temp cutout -
cool down, power on again etc.
(From RickW)
The power supply in [quadra] 660av and 6100 are compatible.
(From Ruud D.)
So is the one from the Centris 610.
- Will my 61xx drive a 17" monitor on its on-board video?
Yes, but you'll only get 832x624 resolution at 256 colors.
- Why can't I get more than 640x480 and thousands of colors using my Apple AudioVision monitor?
According to what someone told me they saw in the Apple Tech Info Library, that is the only resolution/bitdepth supported by the 14" Audiovision. :(
- What is this weird video connector on the back of my 61xx?
That is known as an hdi45 port, I believe, and it is standard for the onboard video of the x100 Nubus Powermac family. You need an hdi45-mac video adapter to use an apple monitor with it.
- Where can I get an adapter for it?
They came with the x100 machines when they were new, and can still be found for about $45. I will try to post a source here, but a web search or www.smalldog.com might yield one.
- Can I use a vga monitor with my 6100?
Yes! In fact, I use an IBM 15" aptiva display as my 2nd monitor and am typing this on it right now. :) You can get a mac->vga adapter, and I would advise getting one that has the dip switches on it. I got a Belkin one from Compusa that was cheap, but had no switches, and it didn't work. I got another that is a Philips (Model 9AVMAC-074I), and it allows me to dial in what resolution the 15" will run at.
To run a vga off your on-board video, you'll need to hook your hdi45->mac video adapter in the back in the monitor port, then the mac->vga adapter onto that one, then plug your vga monitor into that. Using the onboard video, I can get 640x480 at thousands of colors, or 832x624 at 256.
- Can my 6100 drive 2 monitors?
Absolutely! If your model is an A/V mac, you already have this capability. One monitor would go on the motherboard video and the hdi45 adapter and one monitor would go off of the A/V card's mac video out.
- My 61xx is not an A/V model, can I still get 2 monitors?
Yes. You will need to get another video card to do so, however. Your choices are to get an A/V card, or a 3rd party Nubus card, or an HPV card. The HPV card is a V(ideo)-RAM card that originally shipped with the 7100/8100's. They can be installed into a 6100, but you have to use a right angle adapter to fit them into the case. Steven Kan maintains a superb 6100 Graphics Page at http://www.kan.org/6100/index.html that tells all about these cards.
- What is a good source for AV cards for the 6100?
(from BillJ) I have seen 6100 AV cards at http://www.mac-resource.com/peripherals.html
I have never bought from this company, so I can't comment other
than that.
See also Where to buy Mac parts
- How do I overclock my 61xx to 80 or 84mhz?
You can buy a clock chip oscillator that tricks your mac's cpu into running at a higher mhz. The standard oscillator is a 30 or 33mhz one, for the 6100/60 and 6100/66 respectively. By clipping on a 40 or 42 mhz chip, you can bump your cpu speed to 80 or 84mhz almost effortlessly. They cost less than $50 and are easy to clip on, yielding an instant boost of 1/3 the cpu speed. Yes, using one will void your apple warranty. A lot of these accelerator kits also come with additional cooling fans that clip onto the cpu heatsink, helping out a good bit. I personally used one from Output Enablers, but could never get my system to be stable with it, even going down to a 40 and 39mhz crystal. Others have had more success.
(From Michael M.)
I overclocked my 6100/60 to 80mhz with a Trinity Works
(http://www.trinityworks.com/) PowerPack 61/80 and its been running
great for about three years. The package comes with an internal fan
from a 486 to put in the heat sink of the 601 chip and I got the 256K
level 2 cache upgrade as well. It really helped out!
(From Michael S.)
BTW, I also clock-chip my 6100 DOS. I use the adjustable TrinityWorks
Universal PowerPak. When I first got the upgrade I set it to 84MHz. The
Mac ran fine, but I noticed my DOS card started crashing. Setting it back
to 80MHz solved the problem. I thought it was a syncing problem with the
DOS card on the over-clocked bus. But I was wrong. Turns out the extra
heat generated above 80MHz was too much for the 486 which is positioned
almost directly above the 601. I figured this out by running at 84MHz with
the case off and a house fan blowing directly on the DOS card. It ran
perfectly for hours during that test. Anyway, to sum up, the 6100 DOS can
run 8.5.1 and be upclocked to 80MHz without harming the DOS card. One
should not try to run above 80MHz unless they want to do some creative
cooling.
- My 61xx crashes with a Sonnet Crescendo card installed.
(from Adrian P.)
This is what the people from Sonnet Technologies told me regarding crashes
with the Sonnet Crescendo G3 upgrade and the PowerMac 6100:
----
Reply to: sonnet tech support
It is a known problem. The problem is actually a bug in the 68K emulator in
the ROM and we have not come up with a good solution to patch it. This bug
only affects processors that have a separate instruction/data caches. We might
in the future come up with a way to patch the ROM, but until then you can get
it to work by loading the PPC Interrupt Extension before Crescendo.
- Can I use the G3 upgrade from Newer and keep my A/V or HPV card?
Yes, I did this very thing, and it worked fine, for a month, and then my Newer card went belly up. Others have reported longer-lasting success. Again, I point you to Steven Kan's page http://www.kan.org/6100/index.html.
- Can I use the G3 upgrade from Sonnet and keep my A/V or HPV card?
Yes. Apparently Sonnet now makes a pass-through card, like the Newer one is.
- Can I run Linux on my 61xx?
Yes, either MkLinux or LinuxPPC will work (and maybe others as well).
- Will MkLinux run using a G3 processor upgrade in a 61xx?
(From Steven K)
Well I've got MkLinux running on my 6100/Newer210, and it's definitely
running on the G3 processor. The message at the top of the screen says:
MkLinux for Power Macintosh. Brought to you by Apple Computer, Inc.
Developer Release 3 (Linux 2.0.33-osfmach3 on a PowerPC 750 (Arthur))
Based on REdHat Linux release 5.0 (Hurricane)
- Does the DOS card work with System 8.x?
(From Michael S)
I use a 6100/66 DOS compatible. I am running Mac OS 8.5.1, Apple
PC-Compatibility SW 1.6.4 and Win95 on the card. The only thing not
supported under 8.5 is the PC Network Extension. If you do not need network
access on the PC, you can still use your DOS card. I heard there is an
unsupported patch someone wrote to enable PC networking again, but I can't
remember where I saw it.
The Mac will return an error on startup saying that PC networking has been
disabled. To avoid this warning, simply remove the PC Network Extension
from the Extensions folder. Everything else will work great.
- Where can I buy Mac parts?
Just to name a few places, you can try Sun Remarketing http://www.sunrem.com/,
MacResQ <http://www.macresq.com/>, Shreve Systems http://www.shrevesystems.com/ or www.smalldog.com
Another good way is off the misc.forsale.mac.* newsgroups. If you don't want to follow all them, just go to Dejanews and search recent postings for the part you're looking for. (Go there anyway and play with it, if you've never searched newsgroups--it's amazing what you can find.) Another good source is online auctions like Onsale, which is new or refurbed manufacturers' merchandise, or E-bay, which is items individuals have up for auction. (Yes, I feel that online auctions are relatively safe. I have bought numerous items from each of these places, including my 19" monitor, and never once been screwed or received bad merchandise.)
- What is a 61xx worth?
Check out www.uce.com under their Mac Appraiser section.
- What are some other sites with 61xx info?
I've already mentioned Steven Kan's 6100 Graphics Page at http://www.kan.org/6100/index.html
The Mac Mining Company -- hardware links http://machardware.miningco.com/mlibrary.htm
This Old Mac article on 61xx's http://www.macaddict.com/issues/9803/oldmac.html
MacSpeedZone's 6100 upgrade comparison page http://www.macspeedzone.com/Comparison/NonStandard6100.html
Apple's Spec Database http://support.info.apple.com/info.apple.com/applespec/applespec.taf?cat=system&ql=ri
or you can search the Apple Tech Info Library (TIL) http://til.info.apple.com/
If you find this page helpful, please
