Subject: Re: Hardware Upgrades for MacIIci
To: Ken Nakata <kenn@synap.ne.jp>
From: Eric Damien Berna <eric@thiel.com>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 08/19/1999 17:52:10
At 6:55 AM +0900 8/20/99, Ken Nakata wrote:
>On Thu, 19 Aug 1999 12:43:10 -0400, Andy Finnell <andyf@vei.net> wrote:
>> I have a MacIIci that I would like to upgrade. I've already upgraded
>> the hard drive and RAM ( from 8/360 to 68/2gig ), but I would like to
>> upgrade the processor and get an ethernet card.
>>
>> I found a list of working ethernet cards on macbsd.com, so I think I
>> know what I'm looking for. However, where can I look to buy one? About
>> how much should it cost? I'll be connecting to my school's
>>10-BaseT network.
>>
>> I also found a list of working accelerator cards. The document
>> mentioned that machines with 030 processors might have trouble with 040
>> upgrades. Is this still true? Also, I'm having a little trouble
>> locating someone who sells accelerators for old macs. Any tips?
>
>If you really want an 040 upgrade, maybe you should consider upgrading
>the logic board (or even the whole box) to Quadra 700. You won't be
>able to reuse the 30-pin SIMMs in your IIci, but it's just 8Meg.
>Besides, I don't know if you can find *any* 30-pin SIMMs that easily
>these days. It will be much easier to find 72-pin SIMMs.
>
>Also, as a bonus, a logic board upgrade automatically comes with an
>on-board Ethernet.
>
>Ken
A correction, the Quadra 700 uses 30-pin fast page mode SIMMs, so the
Mac IIci's RAM should work in the Q700. One limitation is that the
Q700 has 4 Megs soldered on the mother board and only four SIMM
slots. I'm guessing that Andy Finnell replaced four 1 Meg SIMMs with
four 16 Meg SIMMs to make the upgrade from 8 to 68 Megs. If he goes
to the Q700, he'd just have four more unused 1 Meg SIMMs. And maybe
the Q700 he finds will have even more SIMMs he'll have to find a use
for (earrings, table levelers, etc.). He just won't have to find
72-pin SIMMs unless he goes for something like a Q800.
Oh, the on-board Ethernet in Quadras (I think all of them, but
somebody will correct me if I'm wrong) uses the AAUI connector. I
don't know of anybody still making those transceivers, and they were
never that cheap, so that may be a hidden cost of getting a Quadra
instead of upgrading the IIci. Just something else to add to the
equation when making the decision.
Eric Damien Berna
eric@thiel.com
NetBSD 1.3.3 on a Mac Quadra 800
NetBSD-current on a Power Mac 8500