Getting a better experience out of a 6100/60av

[Mr. Ksoft]

So, my only functional Mac right now is a 6100/60av. Mostly, I just use it to write stuff and play old (almost exclusively 68k) games. But it always seems a bit pokey. I know the 6100 isn't that great anyway, but since it may be a while until I can get anything better-suited I am trying to figure out how to get the best experience out of it without buying upgrades (I'd rather put my money towards an actual 68k and a G3/G4 than upgrade this)

Current specs:

PPC601 60mhz (no L2 cache)

68 MB RAM

250MB HDD (also have a 160MB from my dead Performa 600)

AppleCD 300 Plus (internal)

Apple AV Card installed (cannot use internal video because my AudioVision 14 died)

Here's what I'm taking into consideration at the moment. Pardon if any questions are stupid-- I haven't used a Mac regularly since my early elementary school years (replaced with a series of Windows machines since), and the few vintage machines I have now are a recent adventure.

1. How to most efficiently use the hard drive space. With these old machines, I find that the biggest issue since I load up on different apps and games. Not only are the SCSI drives expensive, but adapters to just use IDE drives are too, so I'm stuck in a rut and have to make do with what I have. So, I wonder how to make the most of the disk space. Which also brings me to the next question, which is part of this:

2. Best operating system for the job. I've been running 7.6.1 on it. However, I'm wondering if it's more sensible to use a different version. 7.6.1 takes a lot of hard drive space compared to 7.5.x or 7.1.2 (actually only a bit more than 7.5 but not as much as 8.x) but it may have better performance with regards to 68k emulation and the overall OS performance as a result of being a later PPC operating system version. I've heard that 7.6 is only really worth it if you need the networking support, which I don't, but I dunno. I don't print, either. Anyway, I was wondering if some people that are more experienced in this field could give me their thoughts.

3. While running 7.6.1 I run Speed Doubler 8's enhanced 68k emulation. Does this really help or am I wasting RAM running it?

4. I assume it's good to run with virtual memory off (which I do)-- I don't see myself running out of physical memory on 68MB, and the overall disk performance seems bad anyway. Right? Also, what about the size of the disk cache?

5. Will I get better graphics performance with the Apple AV card on the HDI-45 port with a DB15 adapter? (either way I'm stuck on a 640x480 Apple Performa monitor, so I don't really care about resolution support)

6. Anything else that might help?

 

[Nathan]

Interesting, sounds nicely equipped. I have a 6100/66 DOS compatible with a 500MB drive and a malfunctioning CD drive. A larger hard-drive would be better, but you'd have a hard time finding one even on ebay. If you can acquire a SCSI external hard drive or zip drive (also pretty hard, most likely) that would be a nice supplement. They're probably too expensive for your desired limits though.

I would say limit the applications or don't store any user data. As for disk space, it's gonna be tight. If you ever acquire a SCSI-IDE adapter (probably not since they're expensive) you should get an IDE-CF adapter and some cards for most usability. You could also buy one of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/EXTERNAL-20MB-SCSI-HARD-DRIVE-VINTAGE-MAC-PLUS-/160440904256?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item255b05ea40 to put your 160MB drive in. Here's an IDE to SCSI adapter on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-IDE-40pin-SCSI-50pin-Converter-Adapter-Mac-PC-/230450465086?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35a7eb093e See also: http://68kmla.org/wiki/SCSI_hard_disk_replacement_options

My 6100 has 7.6 and I suspect that anything newer would severely hamper the computer's usability. Although a little research on your part might be a good idea. lowendmac.com might have some data on which is better for the 6100. 7.6 has better network support than 7.5.x I think, since I have an LC II with 7.5 and working with the network settings is a pain.

Lay off on the emulation unless you need it for something. It's probably consuming processor time if it's emulating 68k. Also I would say leave the virtual memory off given how little disk space you have.

The HDI-45 adapter coupled with a Mac-VGA adapter makes for an okay way use almost any old PC monitor that's older than a couple years. Although, the AV Card might be better anyway.

Get used to slowness and lack of storage space. Re-acquaint yourself with the perils of floppy disks. Store anything that's not an application on an external share or on cds if you can find a way to burn Mac cds. As the wiki page noted in the hard drive use section says, network storage, etc.

 

[LCGuy]

In regards to storage, if you can't afford a bigger SCSI drive, or a SCSI -> IDE adapter, I've found that one of the best things you can do is to set up another machine with an IDE drive as a server, either an LC630 or PowerPC Performa (both of which take IDE HDDs), or perhaps even a PC running Windows 2000 Server, with Services for Macintosh enabled. I have an old AMD K6/266 based PC with Win2K Advanced Server, and Services for Macintosh enabled. WIth 2 20GB IDE drives pulled out of old PCs I have almost 40GB of vintage Mac-accessible storage at my fingertips. In order to connect, you need I think AppleShare 3.7 installed, but apart from that, the PC shows up in the Chooser as if it were simply another Mac, and you can connect as if you would any Mac. SFM also has a way of preserving the Macintosh resource forks too, so long as you don't try and copy the files from within Windows itself.

Yeah, it takes a bit of mucking around, and you might not get it running the first time, but once you get it going, its definitely worth it, cheap scalable storage that you can access from any vintage Mac with ethernet, definitely a lot better than floppy disks, anyway

 

[Mr. Ksoft]

The network idea is fantastic, and my Mac is already surrounded by PCs that could easily take on the job.

However, there's one gigantic issue, and that's that I have no way of hooking the 6100 into anything. I'd first have to hunt down an AAUI-ethernet adapter... and from what I remember looking at them about a few months ago they cost about the same as the SCSI-IDE adapter (which I might go for and just swap between any Macs I'm using, making it a bit more worth the money if I decide to get it) Unless there's another way to do it (I don't really know much about the Mac's communication-- all I see on this thing is the SCSI port and the AAUI port), I think any solution may cost money, in which case I think I might be better off just getting a different Mac.

This is basically me trying to prolong the useful life of this computer anyway. I'm going to go for a different Mac sooner or later.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

Where are you, Ksoft? I probably have a spare AAUI adapter lying around somewhere, if you're willing to come pick it up. It is 'spare', and I always like to see people use the stuff, if they're going to use it.

(No, I'm not offering to send one to anyone who asks for it "for the cost of shipping". If I see it lying around, I don't mind spending two minutes handing it to someone at my door; but if I'm going to go through the effort of receiving payment, packaging up, taking to a shipper, etc, etc; I'd rather just keep it as a spare. If I have to go through the effort of shipping, it needs to be something I don't want, and will get at least a couple bucks out of. If it's something I still want, but don't actively use, I'm only willing to part with it if it doesn't take any effort on my part. I'm lazy that way.)

 

[Mr. Ksoft]

Ahaha, I'm all the way in Indiana, that wouldn't work.

 

[Bunsen]

http://www.kan.org/6100 is the guru lore site for 6100 fans.

how to get the best experience out of it without buying upgrades

An interesting challenge!

I would bump up the hard drive if possible, as that seems to be your biggest headache at the moment. A 500MB to 2GB 50 pin SCSI drive should cost next to nothing + shipping, if you hunt and wait patiently. 50 pin to 68 pin adapters are very cheap too, and would open up your options for cheap SCSI drives. If there was one single thing to spend a small amount of money on, that would be it IMHO, as it will take care of several of your other issues.

1. How to most efficiently use the hard drive space.2. Best operating system for the job.

3. While running 7.6.1 I run Speed Doubler 8's enhanced 68k emulation.

Let's take care of those issues together.

Upgrade to MacOS 8.1 and reformat your disk as HFS+. Use Symbionts or Conflict Catcher - both of which show far more items than Extensions Manager - in addition to the InformINIT database, to strip down your startup items to the minimum, to preserve your precious RAM. 68MB should be more than enough for 8.1, which has improved networking, improved 68k emulation, less 68k code in the OS, and HFS+ booting.

In fact, going all the way to 8.6 or 9.1 would help eliminate even more 68k code from the OS and speed things up considerably. Your current RAM should be plenty with some judicious INIT trimming. I ran 8.6 on my Powerbook 1400 which had less RAM than your system.

Anything less than 7.6.1 is a hair-tearing crashfest on PPC, in my experience.

4. I assume it's good to run with virtual memory off (which I do)

I have heard that it's good to switch it on and put the amount of VM to the absolute minimum - it should almost never page out to disk, but it improves internal memory management somehow.

5. Will I get better graphics performance with the Apple AV card on the HDI-45 port

No. The AV and HPV cards will only accelerate video through their own port.

The HDI-45 port uses main system RAM as video RAM, hence the insufferable slowness of video through that port. The only way to improve the onboard video is with L2 cache - 1MB of which will cache the entire screen, acting as if it is fast VRAM. Even 256k will help a bit at your resolution. As the 512k and 1MB sticks are unobtanium, the simplest way to get it is onboard a G3 accelerator, which will speed everything else up enormously as well, including AV/HPV video. But still, you don't want to spend any money, so for now stick with the video port on the AV card, which has its own VRAM.

6. Anything else that might help?

Apart from more space, a newer hard drive can also be faster.

If you can acquire a SCSI external hard drive or zip drive / that would be a nice supplement

Good suggestion. A SCSI Zip or even Jaz (1-2GB) should be only a few bucks, and easily transferred to a newer machine. It also gives you a simple way of swapping large files with another machine - especially if you also pick up a USB Zip/Jaz for the other machine/s.

My 6100 has 7.6 and I suspect that anything newer would severely hamper the computer's usability.

In my experience, the exact opposite is true (see above)

set up another machine with an IDE drive as a server, either an LC630 or PowerPC Performa (both of which take IDE HDDs), or perhaps even a PC running Windows 2000 Server, with Services for Macintosh enabled

Also a good suggestion. An adequate PC for the purpose should be more or less free.

I'd first have to hunt down an AAUI-ethernet adapter... and from what I remember looking at them about a few months ago they cost about the same as the SCSI-IDE adapter

That shouldn't be the case - in my experience they can be hunted down for $5-$10, tops, with a bit of patience. Someone here might even have a spare if you post a request in the Trading Post.

SCSI-IDE adapter (which I might go for and just swap between any Macs I'm using

Even more reason to consider an external SCSI case

In summary: if you are prepared to spend a very small amount of money, either LCGuy's network storage suggestion, and/or a faster, larger internal drive seem your best bets for an improved experience. If you have to pick one or the other, I would pick the latter. And my software/OS suggestions above.

 

[Mr. Ksoft]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I'll probably drop a thread in the Trading Post in a bit as soon as I get some cash.

 

[johnklos]

You say you don't want to buy any upgrades, but you should at least get some L2 cache. macsales.com (Other World Computing) sells 256k L2 cache sticks for the 6100/7100/8100 machines for $.25 USD. Yes, you read that correctly - twenty five cents, or one quarter!

You'll probably pay more than that for shipping, but since you use your 6100, it's well worth it. You'll get tremendous bang for your 1/4 buck.

 

[yuhong]

it should almost never page out to disk, but it improves internal memory management somehow.

For example, allow CFM code fragments to be file-mapped, reducing memory allocation usage.

 

[Bunsen]

macsales.com (Other World Computing) sells 256k L2 cache sticks for the 6100/7100/8100 machines for $.25 USD

If only there was some way of combining 4 of them to make up a meg of cache

 

[Jelly]

Hi all,

I picked up a 240 MHz G3 card for my 6100, which fits the AVcard with some kind of adapter. I got the whole working 6100 along with it for 10 euro's. I am only looking for a new fan to fix the one that is broken in the power unit...

Jelly