The Apple Power Mac Processor Upgrade (APMPU) is a PowerPC 601 upgrade for 68040-based Macs that have a 32-bit LC processor direct slot (PDS) – the Quadra 605/LC 475/Performa 475-476, LC 575/Performa 575-578, LC 580/Performa 580-588, and Quadra 630/LC 630/Performa 630 series.

The APMPU has a 66 MHz PowerPC 601 processor, which operates at twice the clock speed of the 68040 processor installed in the computer being upgraded.

Although this upgrade is specified for 68040-based Macs with LC PDS, the upgrade does not plug into the PDS. In fact, due to the size of the upgrade card, the processor direct slot cannot be used with the PPC upgrade card, very much limiting expansion options.

This upgrade is not compatible with the 040 PDS in the Centris line, the Quadra 610, or the Quadra 650-950. These models work with the Apple Power Mac Upgrade Card and equivalents from DayStar and Sonnet.

The APMPU was built by DayStar, which sold two versions under the PowerCard 601 name. The initial version uses a 66 MHz PowerPC 601 CPU and runs at double the clock speed of the Mac’s original CPU. The later version runs at 100 MHz.

After DayStar went out of business, Sonnet Technologies picked up DayStar’s 100 MHz design and sold it as the Presto PPC upgrade, which has since been discontinued.

The APMPU requires System 7.5 or later and at least 8 MB of installed RAM.

All three versions of the card are compatible with Mac OS 8.1; with Sonnet’s drivers, the Presto PPC card also supports Mac OS 8.5-8.6.

Apple

• requires “fat” System 7.5 to 8.1 to support both 68040 and PowerPC 601 CPUs
• requires Apple “Power Macintosh Card” control panel
• CPU: 66 MHz PowerPC 601
• CPU speed: runs at twice the speed of installed 68040 CPU
  • 50 MHz in LC 475, Performa 475-476, and Quadra 605
  • 66 MHz in 33 MHz models
• ROM: Apple PowerPC ROMs
• RAM: uses memory on computer motherboard
• L2 cache: 256 KB

DayStar PowerCard 601-50/66

• requires “fat” System 7.5 to 8.1 (only certified to 7.5.1)
• requires Daystar “PowerPro” or Apple “Power Macintosh Card” control panel
• CPU: 66 MHz PowerPC 601, runs at 2x original CPU speed
• ROM: Apple PowerPC ROMs
• RAM: uses memory on computer motherboard
• L2 cache: 256 KB

DayStar PowerCard 601-100

• requires “fat” System 7.5 to 8.1 (only certified to 7.5.1)
• requires Daystar “PowerPro” or Apple “Power Macintosh Card” control panel
• CPU: 100 MHz PowerPC 601, runs at 100 MHz
• ROM: Apple PowerPC ROMs
• RAM: uses memory on computer motherboard
• L2 cache: 256 KB

Details, Sonnet Presto PPC 605

• requires “fat” System 7.5 to 8.1, Mac OS 8.5-8.6 with Sonnet enabler
• requires Sonnet’s Mac OS Enabler software
• CPU: 100 MHz PowerPC 601
• ROM: Apple PowerPC ROMs
• RAM: uses memory on computer motherboard
• L2 cache: 256 KB

Online Resources

• Performa 575 to Power Mac 575, Steve Wood’s View from the Classroom, 2000.02.07
• Macintosh Processor Upgrade: Description, Apple TIL 16722
• Macintosh Processor Upgrade Card, Wikipedia
• DayStar PowerCard 601 PowerPC Processor Upgrade for Entry Level Macs, DayStar
• DayStar Turbo 601, Apple Macintosh Processor Upgrade, and DayStar PowerCard 601, MacUser, 1995.07
• Sonnet Presto PPC (PDF), includes installation instructions
• The Unofficial PowerPro Homepage
• Vintage Macs, the email list for 680×0-based Macs
• Apple Specs Online for upgraded LC 475/Quadra 605, LC 575, LC 580, LC/Performa/Quadra 630 series

Cautions

• You must have a “fat” system installed to use a PowerPC upgrade.

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