Vintage Macs: Centris and Quadra

Quadra 605

a.k.a. LC 475, Performa 475 or 476

Got a 68040-based Mac? Join LEM's Vintage Macs Group.

Overview

What was the smallest desktop Mac prior to the Mac mini? Apple's LC series, which measured just under 3" tall, although it had as big a footprint as four minis. And the Quadra 605 - also known as the LC 475, Performa 475, and Performa 476 - was the most powerful model in this diminutive line.

Apple completed the LC line with what could have been called the LC IV. As with its ancestors, the Quadra 605 was designed to be inexpensive. It shares many components with previous LC models, although it uses a new (equally compact) case. To reduce cost and power use, Apple used the 68LC040 CPU, making this the first Quadra selling for under $1,000. For compatibility, it retained the LC expansion slot.

The Performa 475 and 476 differed in the size of the hard drive that shipped with them; the 475 had a 160 MB drive, while the 476 has a 230 MB one. The Quadra 605 has a different Gestalt ID than the other models.

Probably the most cost effective Quadra 605 upgrade is replacing the FPU-less processor with a full fledged 68040. This makes complex calculations over three times faster and also improves performance with some graphics programs. Both 25 and 33 MHz 68040 processors are often available on the used market (the 605 will accept a 33 MHz CPU, but only run it at 25 MHz). However, the heat sink may prevent you from closing the lid.

A dead or low-voltage PRAM battery can temporarily kill off built-in video - see Macintosh Computers: Low Battery Can Cause No Video for more information.

The Upgrade Box

Details

Performas introduced 1993.10.18; discontinued
LC 475 introduced 1993.10.21 at $900; discontinued 1996.07.15
Quadra 605 introduced 1993.10.21 at $900; discontinued 1994.10.17
requires System 7.1 or later; highest version supported without a PPC upgrade is Mac OS 8.1.
CPU: 25 MHz 68LC040 (one reader reports the Canadian Quadra 605 runs at 33 MHz)
FPU: none, 68LC040 can be replaced with 68040 CPU
CPU performance: 10.3 (relative to SE); 0.88, Speedometer 4.06; 7.08, MacBench 2.0 CPU; 22 MIPS (see benchmark page for more details)
ROM: 1 MB
RAM: 4 MB on motherboard, expandable to 132 MB using a single 80ns 72-pin SIMM; can use 1 MB, 2 MB, 4 MB, 8 MB, 16 MB, 32 MB, 64 MB or 128 MB SIMM (Apple's memory guide indicates double sided SIMMs can be used, but only with 2, 4, and 32 MB capacity), be sure to specify what computer 64 MB and 128 MB SIMMs will be used in -- some designs are not compatible. (The 605/475 works only with single-banked 64 MB SIMMs, but it does not work with double-banked 64 MB RAM SIMMs.
video: 512 KB VRAM, expandable to 1 MB (remove both 256K VRAM SIMMs, plug in 512K replacements; supports 512 x 384, 640 x 480, 640 x 870, 832 x 624, 1024 x 768, and 1152 x 870 resolutions. We have a field report of an 800 x 600 option as well.
L2 cache: optional, PDS
ADB: 2 ports for keyboard and mouse
serial: 2 DIN-8 RS-422 ports on back of computer
SCSI: DB-25 connector on back of computer
hard drive: 80, 160, or 250 MB
one LC PDS slot
size (HxWxD): 2.9" x 12.2" x 15.3"
weight: 8.8 lbs.
PRAM battery: 3.6V half-AA
Gestalt ID: 89 for LC 475 and Performa, 94 for Quadra 605
addressing: 24-bit or 32-bit
upgrade path: Power Mac card

Accelerators & Upgrades

PowerPC Processor Upgrades for LC PDS, Covers Apple, DayStar, and Sonnet PPC upgrades for LC 475, 575-580, 630, Performa 475-476, 575-588, 630 series, Quadra 605, and Quadra 630.
MicroMac slot-free 128 KB L2 cache
Macintosh Processor Upgrade runs Power PC 601 at twice speed of the original processor (50 MHz) and has 256 KB level 2 cache (expandable to 1 MB)

Online Resources

Low End Mac's 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.
Know your Mac's upgrade options, Phil Herlihy, The Usefulness Equation, 2008.08.26. Any Mac can be upgraded, but it's a question of what can be upgraded - RAM, hard drive, video, CPU - and how far it can be upgraded.
The compressed air keyboard repair, Charles 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.
Supporting a classic Mac 'habit' on the cheap, Rick Lawson, Pioneers in Mac Development, 2008.06.09. Mac nostalgia leads to a year-long rediscovery of the pleasures of old Macs and the classic Mac OS.
A vintage Mac network can be as useful as a modern one, Carl Nygren, My Turn, 2008.04.08. Old Macs can exchange data and share an Internet connection very nicely using Apple's old LocalTalk networking.
Vintage Mac networking and file exchange, Adam Rosen, Adam's Apple, 2007.12.19. How to network vintage Macs with modern Macs and tips on exchanging files using floppies, Zip disks, and other media.
Vintage Mac video and monitor mania, Adam Rosen, Adam's Apple, 2007.12.17. Vintage Macs and monitors didn't use VGA connectors. Tips on making modern monitors work with old Macs.
Getting inside vintage Macs and swapping out bad parts, Adam Rosen, Adam's Apple, 2007.12.14. When an old Mac dies, the best source of parts is usually another dead Mac with different failed parts.
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.
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."
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.
Hacking Mac OS 7.6.1 so many Mac OS 8 apps will run, Max Wallgren, Mac Daniel, 2007.10.30. With a little ResEdit work and a second copy of your System Folder, you can run a lot of OS 8 apps with Mac OS 7.6.1.
Simple Macs for simple tasks, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 2007.10.19. Long live 680x0 Macs and the classic Mac OS. For simple tasks such as writing, they can provide a great, low distraction environment.
Interchangeabilty and compatibility of Apple 1.4 MB SuperDrive floppy drives, Sonic Purity, Mac Daniel, 2007.09.26. Apple used two kinds of high-density floppy drives on Macs, auto-inject and manual inject. Can they be swapped?
Apple's consumer Performa line, 1992 to 1997, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.09.14. Apple decided to pursue the average consumer by renaming existing Macs, bundling them with software, and putting their colorful boxes in regular retail outlets.
Apple's AAUI ethernet connector, Dan Knight, Online Tech Journal, 2007.09.04. From 1991 through 1995, Apple used a proprietary ethernet connection. Why they created AAUI and where to find adapters.
A Quadra with ClarisWorks and Mathematica: All you need for a thesis, Rick Lawson, My First Mac, 2007.08.27. With a thesis deadline approaching and no desire to learn Windows, the author picked up an inexpensive used Quadra 605 system, which has all the power and tools needed to complete the project.
Apple's first phone a fake, build your own Macintel, Internet options for G3 Macs, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.07.23. Also a Cube that won't boot, moving data from an old Mac, useful resource for PowerBook 1400 owners, reformatting a Quadra's hard drive, finding an AirPort power supply, and more.
The Well-Tempered Mac, James & John, RetroMacCast, 2007.07.01. "The Retro Mac of the Week is the Quadra 605/LC & Performa 475, and the eBay Find of the Week is an ImageWriter II that prints grass!"
Mac System 7.5.5 can do anything Mac OS 7.6.1 can, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 2007.06.04. Yes, it is possible to run Internet Explorer 5.1.7 and SoundJam with System 7.5.5. You just need to have all the updates - and make one modification for SoundJam.
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.
Importance of G3 support in 10.5, clever USB/FireWire solution, upgrade options, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.05.01. Also the loss of the PowerBook brand, upgrading to an Intel iMac, Korg and the Mac, Quadra boot problems, and the value of a Mac Classic.
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.
Making floppies and CDs for older Macs using modern Macs, Windows, and Linux PCs, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 2007.03.15. Older Macs use HFS floppies and CDs. Here are the free resources you'll need to write floppies or CDs for vintage Macs using your modern computer.
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.
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.
Moving files from your new Mac to your vintage Mac, Paul Brierley, The 'Book Beat, 2006.06.13. Old Macs use floppies; new ones don't. Old Macs use AppleTalk; Tiger doesn't support it. New Macs can burn CDs, but old CD drives can't always read CD-R. So how do you move the files?
Setting up a 68040-based Mac media center, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2006.05.12. Yes, that old '040-based Quadra or Performa just might make a decent media center for listening to MP3s and watching videos.
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.
System 7.5 and Mac OS 7.6: The beginning and end of an era, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 2006.02.15. System 7.5 and Mac OS 7.6 introduced many new features and greater modernity while staying within reach of most early Macintosh models.
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.
Obsessions - A Quadra 605 Information Site, DanaMania. Lots and lots of information about the most powerful desktop Mac under 3" tall (until the Mac mini).
Why a Quadra 605?, Dana Siberia. Chipped Q605 runs Linux and Apache - and is serving pages very nicely on the Web.
Guide to LC PDS Video Cards. Includes Focus, Radius, and RasterOps cards for the LC processor direct slot.
Options For '040s, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 6/5. Advice about operating systems, upgrades, what Quadra to choose, and more.
Games for '040s, Low End Mac Gaming, Brian Rumsey, 2/25. This week Brian looks at games to play on 68040-based Macs.
Gaming on '040s, Brian Rumsey, Low End Mac Gaming, 2/16. Those old 68040-class Macs still have game.
72-pin SIMM memory pricing, ramseeker
Install Mac OS 8.5 on PPC upgraded Performa 475
Vintage Macs, the email list for 68040-based Macs
Memory upgrade guide
Fall '93 '040 Macs by Dale Adams
Macintosh Quadra 605 Technical Specifications, Apple Knowledge Base Archive
Macintosh LC 475 Technical Specifications, Apple Knowledge Base Archive
Performa 475 Technical Specifications, Apple Knowledge Base Archive

Cautions

Apple discontinued support and parts orders for this model on 2001.10.15 (2001.10.22 in Canada). You may be able to find dealers with parts inventory either locally or on our parts and service list.
You must have a "fat" system installed to use a PowerPC upgrade.
Serial port normally restricted to 57.6 kbps; throughput with a 56k modem may be limited. See 56k modem page. For more information on Mac serial ports, read Macintosh Serial Throughput.
Apple recommends using only SIMMs with chips on one side except in 2 MB, 4 MB, and 32 MB sizes.

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