Tips for speeding up an SE

[hageir]

Hey guys, normally I search my ball$ off for the answers I need

...actually I talked to some of my buddies about this; search engines today have really taken a plunge (they used to be much more accurate a few years ago -I guess the web is bloated with stuff nowadays LOL)

I haven't found any decent info on:

A ) How to speed up a Macintosh Classic (I have an SE -OS 6) in regards of QuickDraw/Screen Drawing
B ) How to set up and use a RAMDisk.

I'm using UpBeat and Jam Factory on this lil' Mac I've been working on.

I saved it from a dumpster, it's a government machine (it has a little metal tag on it; "Menntamálaráðuneytið" or "Dept. of School Education"

(revived the MiniScribe drive with some beard/sewing machine oil the other day -hurrah!)

The screen redrawing is über slow (compared to the ADHD mind of modern humans anyway)

Do I need MaxRam and that other software to create a RAM disk?
https://www.macintoshrepository.org/23044-maxram-maxprint

Would it be faster to run the apps from said RAM disk?

Any general tips to make it snappier?

Thanks a ton in advance,

-Geir

 

[joshc]

I will try to help...

You mentioned a MiniScribe, so I assume your Classic is booting from this? A SCSI2SD device will be faster than a MiniScribe.

What are you finding 'slow' about your Classic (or is it an SE?) What about QuickDraw/screen drawing is slow? The Classic was not a fast machine to begin with.

How much RAM does it have and how much is in use after boot?

 

[hageir]

Hi Josh,

thanks for the help! 
 

It is a SE with 1 MByte if RAM (I do have a huge collection of RAM chips, but getting the logic board out is a bit time consuming so I’ve let it wait.)

The SE is indeed booting from the MiniScribe SCSI drive.

Once the program is loaded up and all windows are visible/gathered that’s when I see slow redrawing (moving windows, clicking on some options which lead to other windows opening, etc.) 

The first on my list is to receive a SCSI2SD will be a 165C. 
I’m fine with the MiniScribe in the SE, as I only need to boot it, open one program and then work on that. 
 

Im general, I’m fine with old computers needing their time to calculate and compute. 
Just wondering if there are any tricks (or obvious things) that would make it snappier?

 

[joshc]

I'm surprised you are getting anywhere with 1MB RAM! You need more RAM to speed things up.

I would start with upgrading the RAM, the logic board is fairly easy to remove from an SE. Despite the common misconception that you have to discharge the CRT to do this, you don't (it's still advisable to leave it to rest for some time, a few days, before opening it up just to be on the safe side). Just don't touch the CRT and just focus on removing what you need to remove the logicboard.

A RAM disk isn't going to help much, it would probably just strain the drive even more I would've thought, though I may be wrong on this...

 

[joshc]

(revived the MiniScribe drive with some beard/sewing machine oil the other day -hurrah!)

How did you do this?

I also have an SE but the MiniScribe is half dead, hoping I can revive mine the same way...

 

[Byrd]

What are the system requirements of the audio programs you are using?  Most black and white applications are snappy - only a few games and benchmarks tax the video subsystem.

Biggest boost would max out the RAM to 4MB, and anything more modern over the stock HD.

Have you tried booting from the Mac Classic built-in OS - hold down command + option + X + O after the chime - there is your RAM disk OS!

 

[hageir]

Thanks a ton guys,

did not know about that boot key combination! Excellent

I finally had a proper test jam tonight, sequencing a bunch of hardware synths on the SE with a Opcode 3 interface 

and g’day the timing is good and funky! I’m so happy!

ehm, I checked the RAM this evening and it is 4 MB hehe 

Saves me the hassle. 

The programs were originally written for the Classic/Plus/SE in ... uhm 1987?

I also opened the program on a Performa (color, OS 7.5.3) and the program itself was/is actually in color... I haven’t seen an option in it to switch color modes. It runs fine on the SE (it’s perfect really). 
 

It’s just the damn redrawing of all windows that’s very slow.

It has OS 6.0.3 on it. 
 

I’ll try booting it in the RAM mode and see if it helps, otherwise I’d think the way would be to create a RAM disk with the program on it and all files needed to run it

and then just save projects onto the internal HDD.

To fix the Miniscribe drive; I followed these instructions.

note that he links to another video in the description, which is quite important for the fix

I connected the drive to a baby AT power supply just to have it spin up, I did the process about 6 times or so, then I let it sit (on its side) for a good time, popped it in and made the computer run for a good amount of time just to get the lubrication into the shaft more thoroughly. 
 

I thought it was gonna be a hell of an operation (that black gooey tar leftover bumper with Quantum/Conner drives) but I was quite happy to find the MiniScribe inside, it’s quite a solid system, I like it!
 

ps. I saved this computer from the junkyard and it had the original OS (in Icelandic) on it along with some files and programs from that Dept. 

maybe there are some stupid extensions or something slowing it down... I’ll check it tomorrow. 
I just don’t have enough DD floppy disks to do a fresh install. Plus the remnants of the past on this machine are quite “romantic” LOL

 

[Kaa]

I too have an SE that I got for MIDI functions. I was wanting to use it with my Akai Samplers and a super early version of Cubase. I know what you mean about the screen re-draw, but that is just the speed of these computers. They are SLOW. I am also wanting the get the slow/funky MIDI timing. That's what drew me to these early machines (again).

I'll have to check out the above programs that you mention, I do believe I have them in my archive of audio software. It's a shame there never really was a good MIDI Tracker along the likes of OctaMed for the mac.

If you ever have any links of some of the stuff you are doing with your SE I would love to check them out!

 

[hageir]

Hey guys, hope the health is good.

I'm using it as it is, slow and all, it don't matter that much now hehe

I do have a potential Power Mac 7100 (IIRC) that is available locally, 

and I fixed the SCSI drive in my PowerBook 165C and it's up and running.

One thing I was thinking is:

If I'd get the SCSI2SD for the Power Mac (3.5")
couldn't I also use it on the DB-25 external SCSI drive connector for the SE?
Just switch SD cards. That would be "two flies in one hit". 

I'll send you a link when I'm done recording some new material, my dude.

 

[Scott Baret]

If you get your SE up to 4MB and want to use a RAM disk, I'd advise RamDisk+ by Roger D. Bates. It's an old shareware utility, and you can actually switch it to be your startup disk so that the system is accessible from it. It will speed things up a little bit. 

Even going to a Quantum ProDrive LPS will speed up the drive. 

Also, check to see how many INITs, cdevs, fonts, and DAs you really need. Pare down the fonts and DAs with the Font/DA Mover. Remove any unnecessary extensions from the System folder. All will save on RAM and make things a little snappier.

 

[cheesestraws]

If I'd get the SCSI2SD for the Power Mac (3.5")
couldn't I also use it on the DB-25 external SCSI drive connector for the SE?
Just switch SD cards. That would be "two flies in one hit". 

One thing to bear in mind: if you get a SCSI2SD v5.x, the configuration is stored on the SCSI2SD itself, not on the card, so you'd need to have two cards the same size and use the same partition size.  On the SCSI2SD v6, the configuration is stored on the SD card, so that would make it easier.