Important Information About Your Power Macintosh Computer

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Congratulations on purchasing a Power Macintosh computer! This document contains tips to help you take full advantage of your computer's speed and capabilities. Please read this document in addition to the manuals that came with your computer.

This document contains information about:

  • Memory requirements of Power Macintosh application programs
  • Printers, monitors, and network software (including the latest information on connecting an AudioVision monitor and on using multiple scan monitors)
  • What to do if you notice a decrease in your computer's speed and general performance
  • Troubleshooting for AV-equipped Power Macintosh computers (including information on switching between a television and a monitor)
  • Using CloseView

Memory Requirements of Power Macintosh Application Programs

If you find that you are running out of memory when you use your Power Macintosh programs, try one of the following:

  • Turn on virtual memory. For instructions, see the information below.
  • Have an Apple-authorized dealer or service provider install additional memory, as described in this document and in your Technical Information booklet.

Turning on Virtual Memory

Virtual memory is a feature of the Macintosh that lets you use part of your hard disk as additional memory. If you are using an application program designed especially for Power Macintosh computers, turning on virtual memory may help you avoid running out of memory.

You may find that virtual memory is more helpful on Power Macintosh computers than on earlier models of Macintosh, because Power Macintosh programs are often larger and require more memory than earlier Macintosh programs. Turning on virtual memory lets Power Macintosh programs use memory more efficiently.

To turn on virtual memory, follow these steps:

  1. Choose Control Panels from the Apple (🍎) menu and open the Memory control panel.
  2. Click the On button to turn on virtual memory.
  3. Open the pop-up menu and choose a hard disk to use for virtual memory.
  4. Click the up and down arrows to set the amount of disk space to be used as virtual memory.

    IMPORTANT The preset amount sets virtual memory to twice as much as the amount of built-in memory (RAM) installed in your computer. Instead of using the preset amount, however, try setting virtual memory to the size of your computer's RAM plus one. In other words, if built-in memory is 8M (8 megabytes), set virtual memory to 9M.

  5. Choose Restart from the Special menu.

If you find that you still run out of memory when you try to open your Power Macintosh program, repeat the steps and increase the amount of virtual memory by 2 megabytes. (In other words, if you set virtual memory to 9M the first time, repeat the steps and set it to 11M.)

Keep increasing the amount of virtual memory until your Power Macintosh program opens and runs. It is best to set the size of virtual memory as small as possible. Increasing the virtual memory beyond the amount required to run your Power Macintosh program may slow your computer and take up unecessary space on your hard disk.

Getting More Information About Memory Requirements

When virtual memory is turned on, a Power Macintosh program uses less memory than when virtual memory is turned off. If you check the program's Get Info box before and after turning on virtual memory, you'll see that the numbers in the Memory Requirements portion of the box have changed. This is because turning on virtual memory allows the program to use memory more efficiently.

To view a program's Get Info box, click the program's icon to highlight it, and choose Get Info from the File menu.

A sample Get Info box for Power Macintosh programs is shown below.

File:FIXME

Note: Power Macintosh programs frequently use special files called shared libraries. The memory requirements of a program as reported in the program's Get Info box don't consider the size of any shared libraries the program uses. You may need to turn on virtual memory, or increase the amount of virtual memory, if your Power Macintosh program uses a large shared library.

Adding Memory (RAM)

As an alternative to turning on virtual memory, you can install additional random-access memory (RAM) in your computer. Installing additional RAM adds more memory chips to your computer, and expands its capabilities.

The Technical Information booklet that came with your computer describes how much additional memory can be installed in your Power Macintosh.

To avoid damage to your computer, Apple Computer recommends that only an Apple-authorized dealer or service provider install additional memory. Memory for your computer is provided in packages called DRAM SIMMS. The SIMMS must be the correct type for your computer, added in same-size pairs, and installed in paired slots inside your computer. It is very important that the DRAM SIMMS be correctly installed in your Power Macintosh. Incorrect installation can result in errors, unpredictable results, and damage to your equipment and data.

IMPORTANT Do not remove any factory-installed cards from inside your computer. Removing a factory-installed card at an angle can damage your equipment. Any NuBus™ expansion cards installed in your computer will not operate properly if the factory-installed card is removed. If a factory-installed card needs to be removed, see an Apple-authorized service provider.

The Latest Information on Printers, Monitors, and Network Software

Solving printing problems

Some LaserWriter printers&emdash;including the LaserWriter 360, 630, and 810&emdash;require the latest printer software (called a "driver") to print properly.

If you use one of these printers, install the LaserWriter 8.1.1 printer driver, which is the latest LaserWriter driver on your computer. You'll find the LaserWriter 8.1.1 driver, and instructions on how to install and use it, in the Apple Extras folder on your computer's hard disk.

Connecting an AudioVision monitor

(Power Macintosh 7100/66, 7100/66AV, 8100/80, and 8100/80AV) If you have an Apple AudioVision monitor, plug the monitor's power cord into the back of the computer, not into an outlet. (Other monitors may be plugged into the back of the computer or an outlet, as described in the Getting Started manual.)

(Power Macintosh 6100/60 and 6100/60AV) If you have an Apple AudioVision monitor, turn on your computer before you turn on your monitor. After you shut down your computer, you must also turn off the monitor by pressing its power switch. (Other monitors can be turned on and off as described in the Getting Started manual.)

Choosing the correct networking software

Please use the following versions of networking software with your Power Macintosh computer:

AppleShare Server 4.0.2
AppleTalk Internet Router 3.0.1
Inter•Poll 1.0.1
MacTerminal 3.0
Apple Remote Access 2.0 (Client; Personal Server) 2.0.1 (Multiport Server)

What To Do If Your Computer's Performance Decreases

If you notice a decrease in your computer's speed and general performance after adding special software (a control panel, a system extension, or custom utility), it may be because your special software does not work well with Power Macintosh computers.

  • To find out if your special software is the problem, hold down the Shift key while you restart the computer. This temporarily turns off certain kinds of software. If the computer performs better without the special software, then that software is likely to be the problem.
  • Drag the software out of the System Folder or remove it permanently. (The software might be in the Control Panels or Extensions folders, which are inside the System Folder.) If the computer performs better when the software is removed, contact the software's manufacturer for information or an upgrade.

Troubleshooting Information for AV-Equipped Power Macintosh Computers

Read the information in this section if you are having trouble using monitors with a Power Macintosh 6100/60AV, 7100/66AV, or 8100/80AV.

Multiple scan monitors

If you are using a multiple scan monitor, you can choose PAL or NTSC format when "640 x 480, 67Hz" is selected in the Monitors control panel.

The Monitors control panel indicates that you have two monitors, but you only have one.

(Power Macintosh 7100/66AV and 8100/80AV) If you have only one monitor, and it is connected to the high density monitor port, the Monitors control panel assumes a television is connected to the S-video output port, even if there is no television connected. The control panel displays an image of a second "ghost" monitor. Unless there is a monitor connected to the second monitor port, the Monitors control panel can't tell whether or not a television is connected to the S-video output port, and it assumes that a television is present.

IMPORTANT Do not attempt to move the menu bar to the "ghost" monitor. If you do, you will have to restart your computer to restore normal video.

You see static or a blank screen after switching from a television to a monitor connected to the second monitor port.

  • Be sure the monitor you want to switch to is connected to your computer.

Note: If there's no monitor connected to the second monitor port, the television screen will go blank when you switch from the television to the monitor, and you will have to restart your computer to make the desktop appear on the television again. Don't try to make the desktop appear by dragging the menu bar to the television and selecting "Rearrange On Close" in the Monitors control panel. (If you do, the menu bar will disappear, and you will have to restart your computer.)

  • If you use a PAL format television as your startup monitor, you must restart to switch to a monitor connected to the second monitor port. Follow these steps each time you switch from a PAL-format television to a monitor:
  1. Quit all application programs (save any open documents before quitting).
  2. Be sure both the television and the regular monitor are connected. (If the regular monitor is not connected, shut down your computer and then connect the monitor.)
  3. Choose Control Panels from the Apple menu and open the Monitors control panel.
  4. Click the picture that represents the television, then click Options.

    File:FIXME

  5. Make sure the box next to "Upon Restart Display Video on Television" is not checked.

    File:FIXME

  6. Close the Monitors control panel and restart your computer.

You see wavy lines or static after switching to a television from a monitor connected to the second monitor port

If the regular (RGB) monitor is still connected, switch back to it. If the regular monitor is no longer connected, or you can't switch back to it, restart your computer.

The next time you want to switch to a television, follow these steps:

  1. Quit all application programs (save any open documents before quitting).
  2. Be sure both the television and the monitor are connected. (If the television is not connected, shut down your computer and then connect the television.)
  3. Choose Control Panels from the Apple menu and open the Monitors control panel.
  4. Select the picture that represents the monitor and click Options.

    File:FIXME

  5. Select Display Video on Television, choose PAL, NTSC, or flicker-free, and click OK.

    File:FIXME

  6. Click Switch; then close the Monitors control panel.

The image is too small after switching from a television to a large monitor (16" or larger, measured diagonally).

Follow these steps:

  1. Choose Control Panels from the Apple menu and open the Monitors control panel.
  2. Select the picture that represents the large monitor and click Options.
  3. Select the correct size for your large monitor and click OK.
  4. Close the Monitors control panel.

Using CloseView

CloseView does not work when virtual memory is turned on. To use CloseView, turn off virtual memory in the Memory control panel. (Programs designed especially for Power Macintosh may require that virtual memory be turned on. You can't use CloseView with such programs.)

© 1994 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, LaserWriter, and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Apple AudioVision and Power Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.

Mention of third-party products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the performance or use of these products.