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PowerBook 540c peripherals
- Thread starter blackbird
- Start date
equill
Well-known member
If a Colour Classic with OS 7.6.1 can control a CD burner, which it can, I can think of no reason why a PB 540c cannot, given the approriate System/OS and software. Nonetheless, I haven't asked my PB 540s (stock or upgraded) to do so, I admit.
That said, however, for an external burner you are going to need an HDI-30M/CN-50M cable anyway, so why not use your 7100 to install OS 8.0 in SCSI Disk Mode instead of waiting for a CD-ROM capacity? You will still need an HDI-30 (30-pin, not 29-pin) cable, but with DB-25M instead of CN-50M at the 7100's end. Because the 540c will be seen by the 7100 as just a dumb external HDD, you will need to be careful to choose an installation 'for any Mac' to ensure that it gets the PB-specific software as well as System and Applications. It's a straightforward process, however.
de
That said, however, for an external burner you are going to need an HDI-30M/CN-50M cable anyway, so why not use your 7100 to install OS 8.0 in SCSI Disk Mode instead of waiting for a CD-ROM capacity? You will still need an HDI-30 (30-pin, not 29-pin) cable, but with DB-25M instead of CN-50M at the 7100's end. Because the 540c will be seen by the 7100 as just a dumb external HDD, you will need to be careful to choose an installation 'for any Mac' to ensure that it gets the PB-specific software as well as System and Applications. It's a straightforward process, however.
de
blackbird
Well-known member
Thanks equill. Your responses are always insightful and much appreciated in my book.
It hadn't crossed my mind to use my 7100 as suggested by you. It's an excellent idea. However, I currently live in Nashville and my 7100 stays at my home in Mexico. I won't be going there again until July so I was looking for another alternative.
It hadn't crossed my mind to use my 7100 as suggested by you. It's an excellent idea. However, I currently live in Nashville and my 7100 stays at my home in Mexico. I won't be going there again until July so I was looking for another alternative.
equill
Well-known member
That does put a different complexion on the matter, indeed. But to continue with the HDI-30/something cable idea, you can reduce expense considerably, and increase versatility, if you get hold of an HDI-30M/CN-50F switchable adapter, such as this one. DOCK and SCSI are the switch positions, which connect in/switch out pin 30, the pin that signals SCSI Disk Mode to the ROM of the PB. In 29-pin mode (SCSI) the adapter is for use with peripherals, such as your mooted external CD-ROM drive. You will still need two cables, a CN-50M/CN-50M for attaching peripherals to the adapter, and a CN-50M/DB-25M for SCSI Disk Mode (DOCK) to another Mac, but these are standard cables likely to cost less than those with HDI-30M at one end. Browse the linked site for prices of other combinations to do the job.
Another wrinkle (you did get your PB voluntarily, now ...) is that you may need a passthrough CN-50M/CN-50F terminator also, to fit between cable and switched adapter, just against the possibility that the lack of termination for older PBs' external SCSI chain plays up, which is often. If you do need termination at the PB end, you must use a switched adapter instead of a cable with HDI-30, because there are no (known to me) HDI-30 terminators.
In the hope that your eyes are unglazed by all of this, jolly good fortune to you.
de
bigD
Well-known member
An Apple PowerCD is the closest thing I can think of that would match a 540c. I used to have one that worked alongside my PB140, and it looked great. It's not fast by any means, but on a 68K Mac it really doesn't have to be.
I have no idea how rare they are these days though. All I have left of mine is the original CD that came with it.
I have no idea how rare they are these days though. All I have left of mine is the original CD that came with it.
Anonymous Freak
Well-known member
bigD: What is the CD that came with the PowerCD? I have a PowerCD, but no disks/CDs; but I do have some old CDs that came with an early Mac CD-ROM drive, I just don't know which drive. Did it specifically say 'PowerCD' on it?
bigD
Well-known member
blackbird - the CD I have was specifically for the PowerCD by Apple. I'm not sure how useful it'd be without the drive. Heck, I'm not sure how useful it is *with* the drive.
AF - I didn't have the PowerCD when it was new, so I'm not sure if this is the only CD that came with it, or just one of many. It was just the one that I got with the used one I bought years ago. It's titled "Introducing PowerCD", dated 1993. It's a good looking CD - I'll try and post a picture soon. I don't have an older Mac with a CD drive, so I have no idea what's on it.
AF - I didn't have the PowerCD when it was new, so I'm not sure if this is the only CD that came with it, or just one of many. It was just the one that I got with the used one I bought years ago. It's titled "Introducing PowerCD", dated 1993. It's a good looking CD - I'll try and post a picture soon. I don't have an older Mac with a CD drive, so I have no idea what's on it.
