The PowerBook 2400c was designed to replace the discontinued Duo series – particularly the 2300c – with something very small and light (just 4.4 lb./2.0 kg). Although the keyboard is slightly smaller than usual, those who have 2400s just love these small PowerBooks. And with its 8.5″ x 10.5″ dimensions, the 2400c had the smallest footprint of any Apple notebook to date (89.25 square inches vs. 93.5 for the PowerBook 100).

Memory expansion is limited to 112 MB, which can be extended by the use of RAM Doubler or Virtual Memory. Using a hard drive larger than 3 GB may preclude the use of SCSI Disk Mode, according to PowerBook Hard Drives: The Essential Upgrade.

Although the 2400c doesn’t natively support CardBus, it can be modified to support it.

• Got a PowerBook 2400c? Join our PowerBook Duo and PowerBook 2400c Club on Facebook.

Warning

According to the Road Warrior and Other World Computing, the drive controller in pre-G4 PowerBooks is incompatible with ATA-6/Ultra ATA-100 hard drives.

Details

• 2400c/180 introduced 1997.05.08; discontinued
  2400c/240 introduced 1998.04.07; discontinued
• requires System 7.6 through 9.1
• CPU: 180/240 MHz PPC 603e
• Bus: 40 MHz
• Performance: 294, MacBench 4
• ROM: 4 MB
• RAM: 16 MB, expandable to 112 MB
• Level 2 cache: 256 KB
• VRAM: 1 MB
• display: 10.4″ 16-bit 800 x 600 96 ppi color dual-scan or active matrix
• Video out: VGA port
• Hard drive: 1.3 GB EIDE
• CD-ROM: none
• ADB: 1 port for keyboard and mouse
• serial: 1 DIN-8 RS-422 port on back of computer
• SCSI: HDI30 connector on back of computer
• PC Card slots: 2 (CardBus compliant on the Japanese 2400c, and the US version can be modded to support CardBus.)
• infrared: supports IrDA and Apple’s IRtalk protocol
• gestalt: 307
• size: 1.9″ x 10.5″ x 8.5″
• Weight: 4.4 pounds with battery
• power supply: M5937

Online Resources

• Best Classic Mac OS Deals. Best online prices for System 6, 7.1, 7.5.x, Mac OS 7.6, 8.0, 8.1, 8.5, 9.0, 9.2.2, and other versions.
• Low End Mac’s Compleat Guide to Mac OS 9, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.05.12. Mac OS 9 remains fast and stable, but Classic software hasn’t kept up with the changing internet. Which Macs support OS 9, where to buy it, and how to update to 9.2.2.
• WiFi cards for PowerBooks with PC Card slots, Simon Royal, Tech Spectrum, 2008.08.12. PC Card and CardBus 802.11b and 802.11g cards known to be compatible with Apple’s PowerBooks.
• Just write: Why a PowerBook 2400c is my perfect writing machine, Tamara Keel, Digital Fossils, 2008.05.27. The ideal writing tool had to be light, have a good keyboard, not run too hot, easily connect to a network, and minimize distractions from the writing process.
• Apple’s first subnotebooks: The PowerBook Duo family and the PowerBook 2400c, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.09.04. With rampant rumors of a subnotebook MacBook Pro, it’s a good time to look back at Apple’s earlier attempts at subnotebook computers.
• Environmentally Responsible Retirement for Old Macs, Rick Lawson, Pioneers in Mac Development, 2008.06.13. After you’ve scavenged what useful parts you can from your old Mac, what’s the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of the rest?
• What’s the best Mac OS for your iBook, PowerBook, or MacBook?, Charles W Moore, ‘Book Value, 2008.08.19. Tips on choosing the best OS for your PowerBook 500 Series or newer Mac notebook.
• WiFi PC Cards for PowerBooks running Mac OS 9, MetaPhyzx, Mac Daniel, 2009.03.10. PCMCIA cards and drivers reported to be compatible with the Classic Mac OS.
• Mac ‘Book Power Management Adventures, Charles W Moore, ‘Book Value, 2009.05.19. If your ‘Book won’t power up, shuts down while your working, or has other power issues, resetting its internal power manager may clear things up.
• 500 MHz iBook keeps going, iBook video repair, a WiFi card that costs less than AirPort, and more, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2009.05.13. Also Dell’s alternative to the 12″ PowerBook, WiFi hotspot insecurity, and feedback from a Eudora fan.
• 12 year old PowerBook 2400c Apple’s first crossover notebook?, Charles W Moore, ‘Book Value, 2009.05.08. Built by IBM Japan, the PowerBook 2400c remains the smallest footprint notebook that Apple has ever produced, comparable in size to today’s 12″ netbooks.
• The 25 most important Macs, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2009.02.17. The 25 most significant Macs in the first 25 years of the platform, continued.
• Why You Should Partition Your Mac’s Hard Drive, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2008.12.11. “At the very least, it makes sense to have a second partition with a bootable version of the Mac OS, so if you have problems with your work partition, you can boot from the ’emergency’ partition to run Disk Utility and other diagnostics.”
• Every working computer is useful to someone, Allison Payne, The Budget Mac, 2008.11.19. Whether it’s a PowerBook 1400, G3 iMac, or Power Mac G4, it could be all the computer someone needs.
• TruePower AC adapter for iBooks and PowerBooks is rugged, reliable, and affordable, Charles W Moore, ‘Book Value, 2008.08.14. Apple’s track record with AC adapters is spotty, but the TruePower adapter is tough enough to survive being run over by a truck.
• The Compressed Air Keyboard Repair, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.07.24. If your keyboard isn’t working as well as it once did, blasting under the keys with compressed air may be the cure.
• Praise for Opera, low cost iBook mobo replacement, IrDA and IRtalk, WaMCom recommended, and more, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.06.18. Also the use of ‘compleat’, booting from CD, new Toshiba 1.8″ drives too thick for MBA, and PowerPC support and Snow Leopard.
• Virtual PC works with Leopard, Intel vs. PowerPC performance, beyond the Mac mini, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.05.20. Also upgrading Intel iMacs, Compact Flash in a PowerBook 2400, and thoughts on low-end Macs.
• 10 cult Macs adored by collectors, Tamara Keel, Digital Fossils, 2008.05.13. Macs are not only noted for their longevity, but also by the passion which collectors have for some of the most interesting models ever made.
• EmpowerBook, Tamara Keel, Digital Fossils, 2008.04.22. The goal: distraction-free writing on the go. But which PowerBook or iBook is best for the job?
• Wireless FAQ for Older Apple PowerBook Computers. Resources to help you to install and maintain 802.11b/g wireless PC Cards on older PowerBook computers.
• The Complete and Utter Guide to PC Cards and Expansion Bays on the PowerBook, Insanely Great. All about the PCMCIA, PC Card, or CardBus slots used in various PowerBooks.
• Solving Mac Startup Problems, Adam Rosen, Adam’s Apple, 2007.12.12. When your old Mac won’t boot, the most likely culprits are a dead PRAM battery or a failed (or failing) hard drive.
• Better and Safer Surfing with Internet Explorer and the Classic Mac OS, Max Wallgren, Mac Daniel, 2007.11.06. Tips on which browsers work best with different Mac OS versions plus extra software to clean cookies and caches, detect viruses, handle downloads, etc.
• Silence is golden: Running your existing notebook using flash memory, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Reviews, 2007.05.23. With a new adapter from Addonics, you can replace your laptop’s IDE hard drive inexpensively and boot silently from a Compact Flash card.
• Appearance Manager Allows Internet Explorer 5.1.7 to Work with Mac OS 7.6.1, Max Wallgren, Mac Daniel, 2007.05.23. Want a fairly modern browser with an old, fast operating system? Mac OS 7.6.1 plus the Appearance Manager and Internet Explorer may be just what you want.
• Format Any Drive for Older Macs with Patched Apple Tools, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 2007.04.25. Apple HD SC Setup and Drive Setup only work with Apple branded hard drives – until you apply the patches linked to this article.
• First Blu-ray drive for Apple’s ‘Books, replace notebook hard drive with Compact Flash, and more, The ‘Book Review, 2007.04.13. Also 160 GB 7200 rpm hard drives, upgrading from a MacBook Pro to a MacBook, Waterfield’s flexible new Sling bag, bargain ‘Books from $170 to $1,699, and more.
• Fluffy Rainbows, James & John, RetroMacCast, 2007.02.25. Looking at the PowerBook 2400, AppleTech, favorite Classic Mac resources, the first issue of MacAddict, and more.
• System 7 Today, advocates of Apple’s ‘orphan’ Mac OS 7.6.1, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 2006.10.26. Why Mac OS 7.6.1 is far better for 68040 and PowerPC Macs than System 7.5.x.
• 30 days of old school computing: Increasing battery life with a RAM disk, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2006.09.14. When using the hard drive, the old battery ran out of juice within 30 minutes, but running from a RAM disk it still has a 50% charge after half an hour.
• Mac OS 8 and 8.1: Maximum Size, Maximum Convenience, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 2006.09.11. Mac OS 8 and 8.1 add some useful new features and tools, and it can even be practical on 68030-based Macs.
• Inside your notebook’s battery: Ordinary AA Li-Ion cells, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2006.09.08. That expensive battery in your notebook computer probably holds less than $30 worth of off-the-shelf AA Li-Ion batteries.
• Customizing Mac OS 9, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2006.08.01. Fiddling with themes, picking a browser, and making the Classic Mac OS work just the way you want it to.
• Compact Flash with SCSI Macs, PB 1400 CD-RW upgrade problems, and Web incompatibilities, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2006.06.16. Suggested ways to use Compact Flash with vintage Macs and PowerBooks, problems getting CD-RW to work with a PowerBook 1400, and more thoughts on website incompatibilities.
• System 7.6.1 is perfect for many older Macs, John Martorana, That Old Mac Magic, 2006.03.24. Want the best speed from your old Mac? System 7.6.1 can give you that with a fairly small memory footprint – also helpful on older Macs.
• Web browser tips for the classic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2006.01.03. Tips on getting the most out of WaMCom, Mozilla, Internet Explorer, iCab, Opera, and WannaBe using the classic Mac OS.
• The best browsers for PowerPC Macs and the classic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2005.12.16. Two browsers stand out from the pack: iCab 3 is modern and remains under development, and WaMCom brings Mozilla to older Macs.
• Why you should use Mac OS 7.6 to get the most out of vintage Macs, Thomas Ahart, The Productive Mac, 2005.12.12. Although you may be able to run OS 8 or 9 on your old Mac, you’ll generally find better performance using Mac OS 7.6.
• Wirelessly Networking a PowerBook 1400 or Other Old Apple Laptop: Step By Step, Derek K Miller, Penmachine.com, 2003.04.12, updated 2004.05.17. You can put one of these older ‘Books on an AirPort (802.11b) network for under US$50.
• Flash memory improves PowerBook, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2002.11.14. Using Compact Flash to boot, save files, run silently, extend battery life, and as virtual memory on a PowerBook.
• PowerBook 2400: A true Tokyo rose, Leander Kahney, Wired, 2002.03.26. “An old Apple laptop that sold poorly when it was released in Japan a few years ago has subsequently achieved cult status….”
• SCSI and FireWire Disk Modes, Paulo Rodrigues, Tangerine Fusion, 2000.11.29. How to use SCSI Disk Mode and FireWire Target Disk Mode for ultrafast file transfers.
• Interware 400 MHz G3 for PowerBook 2400c (dead link), Jake Jack, 7/17/00. Almost double the speed of NUpower 240 MHz G3 upgrade and five times faster than original 180 MHz 603e.
• Recovering a stolen PowerBook, The ‘Book Page. One user’s experience.
• Tokyo time: The subnotebook appeal, MacWeek, 8/9/99
• PowerBook Duo/2400 List
• PowerBooks email list
• PowerBook 2400 Series: Frequently Asked Questions, from Apple TIL.
• Macintosh PowerBook 2400c/180: Technical Specifications, Apple

Cautions

• From PowerBook 2400, 3400: Password Security and Mac OS 8.0: On PowerBook 2400 and 3400 systems, Password Security software is not compatible with Mac OS 8.0. Other PowerBook systems are not affected.
• From Mac OS 8.1: Late Breaking Tips: Mac OS 8.1 will not install the Password Security control panel on a PowerBook 2400 or 3400 unless an earlier version already exists in the Control Panels folder. As noted above, Password Security is not compatible with these models under OS 8.0 or later and should not be used.

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