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Tech Specs

PowerPC 601 Upgrades for 68040 PDS Macs

Daniel Knight - 2016.08.31

The Apple Power Mac Upgrade Card (APMUC) plugs into the 68040 Processor Direct Slot (PDS) of the Centris 650, Quadra 650, Quadra 700, Quadra 800, Quadra 900, and Quadra 950 and provides PowerPC 601 power. With an adapter, it also works in the Centris 610 and Quadra 610. It is not compatible with 68040-based Macs without a PDS.

The Apple Power Mac Upgrade Card is not compatible with the LC 475, LC 575, LC 580, LC 630, Performa 475-476, Performa 575-578, Performa 580-588, Performa 630 series, Quadra 605, or Quadra 630. These models accept the Apple Power Mac Processor Upgrade.

DayStar PowerPro 601The APMUC was built for Apple by DayStar, which also sold versions as the DayStar PowerPro 601 (see Apple TIL for more details). DayStar also sold the 80 MHz PowerPro with RAM Expansion, which supports up to 128 MB of memory on the upgrade card itself for improved performance.

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

The APMUC has a 66 MHz PowerPC 601 processor that operates at twice the speed of the 68040 processor installed in the computer it is upgrading – or twice bus speed in a clock chipped machine. All three versions of the card are compatible with Mac OS 8.1; with Sonnet’s drivers, their card also supports Mac OS 8.5-8.6.

Apple Power Mac Upgrade Card

  • requires “fat” System 7.1 to 8.1
  • requires Apple “Power Macintosh Card” control panel
  • CPU: 66 MHz PowerPC 601
  • CPU speed: runs at twice speed of ‘040 CPU
    • 40 MHz in Centris 610
    • 50 MHz in Centris 650, Quadra 610, 700, 900
    • 66 MHz in Quadra 650, 800, 950
    • reports of successful 80 MHz performance in a Quadra 950 with its bus chipped to 80 MHz
  • ROM: Apple PowerPC ROMs
  • RAM: uses memory on computer motherboard
  • L2 cache: 1 MB

DayStar PowerPro 601

  • 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, 80, or 100 MHz PowerPC 601
  • ROM: Apple PowerPC ROMs
  • RAM: uses memory on computer motherboard
  • L2 cache: 256 KB or 1 MB

DayStar PowerPro with RAM Expansion

  • 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 or 80 MHz PowerPC 601
  • ROM: Apple PowerPC ROMs
  • RAM: two banks of two 72-pin SIMM sockets; requires 80ns or faster memory installed in pairs; supports 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 MB SIMMs for 128 MB maximum
  • L2 cache: 256 KB or 1 MB, depending on model

Sonnet Presto PPC 700

  • requires “fat” System 7.1.2 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: 1 MB

Online Resources

Cautions

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

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