Does the 512ke identify as a 512ke or as a Plus?

[olePigeon]

From what I understand, the 512ke used a similar (the same?) ROM as a Plus, but does it identify as a 512ke or as a Plus?  That's an important distinction for me, as I'd like my 512k to still say it's a 512k and not a Plus.  If it says it's a 512ke, then I'm going to hunt for a set of 512ke ROMs.  If it says Plus, then I'm not going to bother.

 

[uniserver]

from what i remember as far as identifying if you click on the info button it just says 128k ram or 512k ram  there isn't anything else in there that identifies.

like when you get to Mac os 7 where it says what mac you have in the same screen.

 

[olePigeon]

What about under System 7?

 

[Gorgonops]

So... what's the goal here? A 512k-no-e can't run System 7 so you'd never actually run into that situation. (A 512ke can't run it either unless you use a 3rd party memory board, for that matter; it simply will not run with less than 1MB of RAM.) Do you want to add the Plus ROMs so you can upgrade the internal drive to 800k and/or dispense with the need to pre-boot with the HD20 Init floppy but still otherwise limit yourself to what a real non-E 512k can run? In that case you're not running anything higher than System 5 anyway so the change should be mostly invisible.

 

[Paralel]

Check Apple's gestalt list. If the 512ke doesn't have its own entry, you have your answer.

 

[Gorgonops]

Here's the answer: Yes, a Mac 512ke says it's something else compared to both a 128k/512k and a Mac Plus. However, you have to remember that Gestalt IDs depend on more than the ROM version; 512ke's use the same ROM part numbers as Pluses so it's almost certain that the difference is determined by the presence of or lack of a SCSI controller (or some other identifiable difference between the two motherboards), not the ROM itself. (Remember, there are a lot of 68k Mac motherboards that can return different gestalt IDs depending on the clock speed, the position of jumpers or resistors, etc.)

 

[olePigeon]

Oh, I didn't know that.  So the 512ke and Plus use identical ROMs, but depending on other factors, the computer will report itself as either a 512ke or Plus?  Is that correct?

I do have a Dove Macsnap & Hypderdrive.  I was going to install System 7 Pro, though, after tinkering with 400k floppies, I think I'll stick with System 6 because I don't want to lose 400k floppy support.

Even after all the upgrades, I still wanted it to technically be a 512k and not a Plus.

 

[Paralel]

What does your Gestalt come back as when you check it?

 

[Gorgonops]

What does your Gestalt come back as when you check it?

An interesting question would be: if you check the Gestalt ID of a 512ke after installing a Dove MacSnap SCSI or other compatible-with-the-Apple-drivers card does the ID then change to that of a Plus?
Anyway, it seems like sort of a moot consideration. Whether or not the Gestalt ID matches a Plus after installing upgrade XYZ in a 512ke it's still readily identifiable as being "not a Plus" physically even without cracking the case. (It's still a different motherboard with no SCSI connector and 9 pin serial ports instead of Mini-DIN.) The only upgrade that "ruins it" is a Plus motherboard/bucket swap.