Free PowerBook 1400c 166MHz upgrade...

[Snial]

I bought a PowerBook 1400c, 16MB RAM upgrade just before Christmas and it's arrived! The RAM expansion works - I now have 48MB of RAM! Wow, I could run Mac OS 9.1 super slowly!

Unexpectedly it also came with a free CPU upgrade, a 166MHz unit. Looks very neat (LHS in images). Of course it doesn't work on my PowerBook 1400c/117 and a few links on Reddit and LowEndMac confirmed this. Does anyone know why the 166MHz module doesn't work on the 117MHz board and whether it's fixable, or is it because it uses a 603ev or something?




Note the set of resistors near R28 just below the bottom connector on the back view. For the 166MHz module they're Hi, Hi, Lo, Hi, but for the 133MHz module it's Lo, Hi, Lo, Hi. Would the module work if it was downgraded to 133MHz? Don't worry about the lack of copper heatsink on the 133MHz module, it was removed in an attempt to get it to work (i.e. to heat up the CPU to get the solder balls to reflow, but it didn't work).

-cheers from Julz

 

[ArmorAlley]

@Snial May I have it? I have a PB 1400c /117 that would greatly appreciate it!

 

[Phipli]

@Snial May I have it? I have a PB 1400c /117 that would greatly appreciate it!

ArmorAlley, he was saying he got it for free! Not offering it!

 

[Phipli]

I bought a PowerBook 1400c, 16MB RAM upgrade just before Christmas and it's arrived! The RAM expansion works - I now have 48MB of RAM! Wow, I could run Mac OS 9.1 super slowly!

Unexpectedly it also came with a free CPU upgrade, a 166MHz unit. Looks very neat (LHS in images). Of course it doesn't work on my PowerBook 1400c/117 and a few links on Reddit and LowEndMac confirmed this. Does anyone know why the 166MHz module doesn't work on the 117MHz board and whether it's fixable, or is it because it uses a 603ev or something?

View attachment 67275

View attachment 67276
Note the set of resistors near R28 just below the bottom connector on the back view. For the 166MHz module they're Hi, Hi, Lo, Hi, but for the 133MHz module it's Lo, Hi, Lo, Hi. Would the module work if it was downgraded to 133MHz? Don't worry about the lack of copper heatsink on the 133MHz module, it was removed in an attempt to get it to work (i.e. to heat up the CPU to get the solder balls to reflow, but it didn't work).

-cheers from Julz

Can you use the logic board from the powerbook it came in?

 

[Snial]

@Snial May I have it? I have a PB 1400c /117 that would greatly appreciate it!

Well, this is the thing, the 133MHz upgrade doesn't work (which is why it has no heatsink) and the 166MHz isn't designed for the PB 1400/117MHz, unless someone knows of a hack that could fix it.

Can you use the logic board from the powerbook it came in?

Sorry, I need to clarify: I only bought the RAM upgrade, which I intended to add to my PB1400c, but the seller sent me the 166MHz module for free without me even asking.

However, I have a backup PowerBook 1400 (now PB1400cs after I downgraded the display). It was originally a 133MHz machine (using the 133MHz CPU in the pics above, that doesn't work), but if there are some 133MHz machines that can take a 166MHz processor, then, with a lot of work I could swap motherboards. Does anyone know if there are such 133MHz machines? And how can I tell without doing all the work of dismantling the second to fix the first (e.g. Motherboard ID?)?

 

[Phipli]

Well, this is the thing, the 133MHz upgrade doesn't work (which is why it has no heatsink) and the 166MHz isn't designed for the PB 1400/117MHz, unless someone knows of a hack that could fix it.


Sorry, I need to clarify: I only bought the RAM upgrade, which I intended to add to my PB1400c, but the seller sent me the 166MHz module for free without me even asking.

However, I have a backup PowerBook 1400 (now PB1400cs after I downgraded the display). It was originally a 133MHz machine (using the 133MHz CPU in the pics above, that doesn't work), but if there are some 133MHz machines that can take a 166MHz processor, then, with a lot of work I could swap motherboards. Does anyone know if there are such 133MHz machines? And how can I tell without doing all the work of dismantling the second to fix the first (e.g. Motherboard ID?)?

I'm struggling to remember, it is a long time since I've considered this. There is also something about some machines not taking large RAM modules isn't there? Or am I getting muddled?

I... think I have a 133 and a 166.

Sigh, I'm just rambling now. I should go and look. I've misplaced one of my CPUs.

 

[Phipli]

One is a 133, the other doesn't have a speed written on it, that is the one I think was a 166.

 

[Snial]

I'm struggling to remember, it is a long time since I've considered this. There is also something about some machines not taking large RAM modules isn't there? Or am I getting muddled?

There might be, but my 48MB works (16MB system + 2x 16MB RAM modules). I'm super happy with 48MB (I was happy with 32MB!).

I... think I have a 133 and a 166.

Sigh, I'm just rambling now. I should go and look. I've misplaced one of my CPUs.

Human brains have another 19billion or so ;-) !

One is a 133, the other doesn't have a speed written on it, that is the one I think was a 166.

Oh, OK, thanks for checking. My question is, do some 133MHz motherboards take the 166MHz? Or.. do we know why the 117MHz motherboards don't take the 166MHz?

-cheers from Julz

 

[Phipli]

There might be, but my 48MB works (16MB system + 2x 16MB RAM modules). I'm super happy with 48MB (I was happy with 32MB!).


Human brains have another 19billion or so ;-) !


Oh, OK, thanks for checking. My question is, do some 133MHz motherboards take the 166MHz? Or.. do we know why the 117MHz motherboards don't take the 166MHz?

-cheers from Julz

My 133 stopped booting so I'll need to strip it down, it is on my list

Make sure I find all my 1400 CPUs and let you know. Pester me if I forget.

 

[cheesestraws]

I think 133 and 166s are interchangeable and the 117 is a special case and doesn't interchange with either of the others.

This is from memory, though, so treat with caution.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

I'm pretty sure that neither the 117 or the 133 can be upgraded to 166. I believe it's a ROM issue. You can upgrade a 117 to a 133 though. I also believe that you can underclock a 166MHz module to get it working in the other versions.
See: https://hardsdisk.net/1400clock.html#Top

 

[ArmorAlley]

ArmorAlley, he was saying he got it for free! Not offering it!

I'm getting more autistic with age: reading what I want to appear as against what is actually written. Meh.
Sorry about that.

 

[LaPorta]

Here is the answer you are looking for: 117/133 are interchangeable. 166 for some reason uses a different logic board part number (and, assuringly, a different design).

 

[Snial]

Here is the answer you are looking for: 117/133 are interchangeable. 166 for some reason uses a different logic board part number (and, assuringly, a different design).

View attachment 67284

Thanks a lot for that . It's a motherboard thing. So, would it be fair to say that everyone with a 661-1381 motherboard has a 166MHz CPU? At least it means I can check the other Mobo I have. If both of mine 661-1188, then I'll see if anyone wants to swap my (unknown if working, but looks OK) 166MHz CPU with a working 133MHz CPU.

-cheers from Julz

 

[cheesestraws]

Here is the answer you are looking for: 117/133 are interchangeable. 166 for some reason uses a different logic board part number (and, assuringly, a different design).

Well, I got that totally wrong! Thanks :-D

 

[LaPorta]

I have a 133 available. Let me know if interested.

 

[Snial]

I have a 133 available. Let me know if interested.

Thanks, though aren't the postal costs are a bit high between the US and UK for something like this? It's going to be over 100g or so isn't it?

 

[LaPorta]

Didn't realize you were in the UK...depends on what you find there then I suppose!

 

[Snial]

Didn't realize you were in the UK...depends on what you find there then I suppose!

Botheration, it seems that my accent doesn't come across well enough in my posts then ;-) ! I should be as courteous as you & add it to my signature!

 

[Snial]

Oh, gosh, this is amazing! My 'spare' PowerBook 1400, the one that barely works (in a sense); has a faulty PCMCIA connector and I think the drive connector doesn't work, in fact has the Motherboard that will boot the 166MHz CPU! I get a chime and an image on the (now) cs display. There's no drive attached, so it just sits there with the floppy disk ?ing at me!

This means, in theory I can do the upgrade! It also means I have a significant amount of work ahead of me to swap the motherboards!

That's nuts: I've been basically treating that one as the rubbishy spare one and downgrading it over time: removing 16MB of RAM; swapping its 1400c display for the other PB's cs display; despising it for the meagre space it's taking up. And now it turns out it's the one I need! Hoarders of the world, rejoice!

-cheers from Julz