Low End Mac
Search LEM 
Donate · Amazon.com · MacResQ · Advertise
Other Cobweb sites: Low End Living · Reformed.net

Quicklinks: · Power Macs · 'Books · Early Macs · Week's Best Deals · Best Buys · OS Downloads

Low End Mac's Online Tech Journal

Why System 7.5.5?

Scott L. Barber

Low End Mac Reader Specials

Memory To Go Special: New 2008 iMac 2GB $42 / iMac Intel Core2 DUO & MacBook Pro 2GB $36 - 1GB $20. MacPro 8 Core Memory 8GB kit $286 / 4GB kit $143 / 2GB kit $93 -- Free shipping available. LIfetime warranty.

Download Typestyler, still the Ultimate Styling Tool for Internet, Print and Video Graphics. Works great in Classic with a Native OS X Version on the way. Free Tryout: www.typestyler.com

LA Computer Company: Specials on AppleCare, iMac's, Apple Batteries and Apple A/C Adapters. Also Great prices on Used Apple Computers. Call 1-800-941-7654 Click Here.

OWC: NewerTech NuPower Batteries for iBook and PowerBooks Designed+Built in USA to run longer, LAST LONGER TOO! Free Battery Recycling Return Label; Quality High-Capacity from $99.95

Mac users can finally play Party Poker for Mac. Not only that, they can also learn how to play PokerStars for Mac.

Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs.

Compare products like desktop computers, laptops, and LCD TVs side by side! All the information and reviews to make the best purchasing decision for a new cell phone GPS products or MP3 players. The Ciao network makes searching products easy for you.

Scott L. Barber first posted this to Quadlist on 22 September 1998. It is reprinted with his permission.

As of 31 January 1999, Apple has posted System 7.5.3 for free download (19 disks!) -- and don't forget the System 7.5.5 updater.

"If you are running the machines as servers, why do you use System 7.5.5? Won't a properly updated 7.1 perform better? are there any advantages (other than interface enhancements) that 7.5.5 has?"

I prefer the solid Open Transport 1.1.2 support in 7.5.5 and all the ethernet driver updates. I don't mind sacrificing a bit of memory over what 7.1 carried for a built-in drag and drop manager, Shrinkwrap .smi support during installs, proper 8.1 connectivity handling (since 8.1 doesn't quite read the desktop database the same way as 7.5, but 7.1 is almost foreign to it), Timbuktu runs smoother with full TCP/IP support, Speed Doubler server assists copies over the network to the server by routing through full TCP/IP connectivity rather than slower AppleTalk protocols, but only with Open Transport and 7.5.5.

I could keep going on with this list . . . OK . . . I will. SCSI Manager 4.3 support, better General Controls support, larger drive support up to 4GB, which is good, since 7.1 won't read drives this large and won't network them out correctly (7.1 is limited to 2GB partitions). Conflict Catcher is much more stable and better known to me under 7.5.5 with all the extensions. I can remove all of the PPC code from the System file and Finder to make a cleaner 68k system software that seems much more stable than 7.1. Multi Device server software such as SCSIShare and Portshare can take advantage of Open Transport benefits, ARA seems much more stable and better able to maintain connection under 7.5.5. I can upgrade the AppleShare extension for the Chooser with a very modern 3.7.4 without issue, which maintains much better and more stable connections with other machines than the v 3.05 or whatever with 7.1. LaserWriter printer support with sharing and desktop icons is more compatible with the built in manager within 7.5.

A more solid memory handling routine is found as well as improved caching with Speed Doubler support. Better FileMaker 3.0 Server support than 7.1.

I guess it boils down to Open Transport and Speed Doubler support, and better TCP/IP handling built into the OS. Of course there are other overhead issues, but really, they're not that important if you can clean up the extra extensions you don't need. As well, file support and large drive support is much greater under 7.5.5, meaning you don't have to take great amounts of time repartitioning or dealing with file copies in the future.

The last thing I can think of is Retrospect backup support, which is much easier to establish with 7.5.5 rather than 7.1, simply because of the multitasking radical. Instead of having to force users to disconnect file server support during a backup, and then wait for re-establishment, the backup unit can be attached directly to the server, and Retrospect 4.0 can back up all the connected 7.5.5 and 8.1 machines remotely. Given the option of 7.1, if any of those remote machines have drives greater than 2 GB, then they will not report file sizes correctly and will fail in transfer.

The reason I know this last issue is because I tried it. I used 7.1 on a scanner/printer server for a 5 user network of 8.1 loaded Quadra's. The file server in use was a IIsi 65 MB 4.3GB drive. I attempted to let Retrospect log into that file server and simply backup the entire drive - that failed because of weird errors. So I connected via the Chooser to the file server, and it reported 4.073GB in use on a 4.053 GB drive. Every file attempted to copy from the server to the hard drive complained that the file was too big - an additional 4.073GB needed. So, in this case, 7.1 failed. I still have it being a printer/ARA dial-in/SCSIshare scanner server, but the backup tape drive had to go to the IIsi, where it's worked flawlessly, even backing up the scanner server.

Now, I mentioned before, that SCSIshare wasn't really supported correctly under 7.1, and it fails, whether I use the 3.0 update or not. The problem is memory handling and protocols under classic AppleTalk. So, when more than 6 MB is installed on the LC II, I'll be punching it up to 7.5.5 and increasing the disk cache from minimum, just to keep things stable and kosher with Open Transport installed.  LEM

Scott L. Barber <serker@earthling.net>
Pres/CEO, SERKER Worldwide, Inc.
Providing Hardware/Networking/Telecomm for 13 years

Quadlist, the listserv for users of 68040-based Macs. FAQ at <http://lowendmac.com/lists/quadlist.shtml>

Recent Online Tech Journal Columns

Links for the Day

  • Mac of the Day: Macintosh LC, Oct. 1990 - only 3" tall, the LC was the least expensive color Mac in 1990.
  • List of the Day: Mac OS 9 List covers Mac OS 9 as both a freestanding OS and as Classic mode in OS X.
  • October 15 in LEM history: 90: Mac IIsi, LC, and Classic - 97: Yale threatens to drop Mac support - 99: Decelerate your Mac - Time magazine on Jobs and Apple - 01: Is Microsoft the enemy? - 02: Confessions of a Mac to PC convert - The IT job market - 03: Microsoft's holding pattern - 04: October 1990: The first low-end Macs - Dual core 'Books - 07: When to pick Tux - SteelSeries 4D the best mousepad ever? - Irrational rantings of an Intel hater

Recent Content on Low End Mac

  • The October 2008 MacBook Value Equation, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 10.15. Apple changed the entire MacBook lineup on Tuesday. How do close-out prices compare to the new ones?
  • G3 and Low End G4 Mac Performance Comparison, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 10.15. Factors that impact performance are the version of CPU, the size and speed of the Level 2 cache, and how much RAM is installed.
  • The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Apple Design, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.15. Apple has produced some beautiful computers and iPods over the years, but also a few of the ugliest and most ungainly computers ever seen.
  • 3 Reasons to Use a Mac, and Pismo Troubleshooting, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.15. Why one Windows user is also a Mac user, a Pismo that can't see its AirPort card, and sources of kernel panics.
  • Best MacBook Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.15. Used 1.83 GHz, $649; 2.0 SD, $750; refurb 2.1 GHz, $849; 2.4, $1,049; black, $1,099; new 2.1, $869 after rebate; 2.4, $1,175 a/r; black, $1,194 a/r.
  • Best 15" MacBook Pro Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.15. Used 2.0 GHz Core Duo, $1,000; 2.16, $1,100; refurb, 2.4, $1,349; new, $1,444 after rebate; refurb 2.5, $1,499; new, $1,644 a/r; refurb 2.6, $1,799; new, $2,594 a/r.
  • Best MacBook Air Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.15. Used 1.6 80 HD, $1,200; refurb, $1,349; new, $1,549; 1.8 120, $1,999; 1.6 128 SSD, $2,299; used 1.8 64 SSD, $1,800; new, $2,100.
  • MacBook (Unibody), 10.14. The MacBook gets the same aluminum treatment as the MacBook Pro - and dedicated GeForce 9400M graphics.
  • 15" MacBook Pro (Unibody), 10.14. The new MacBook Pro's case is carved from a block of aluminum for increased strength.
  • MacBook Air (GeForce), 10.14. More storage, a video port, and GeForce 9400M graphics improve the MacBook Air.
  • MacBook White, 10.14. Entry-level white MacBook gets a SuperDrive, retail price reduced to US$999.
  • Death of the iPod 'Way Off in the Future', Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market, 10.14. Someday Apple will decide that the iPod is no longer profitable and discontinue it, "but that day looks to be way off in the future."
  • Best Intel iMac Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.14. Used 20" 1.83 GHz, $599; 2.0, $730; 2.16, $800; 24", $950; refurb 17" 1.83, $699; 20" 2.0, $949; 2.4, $999; 2.66, $1,299; 24" 2.4, $1,299; 2.8, $1,549; 3.06, $1,899; rebates on new.
  • Best iBook G3 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.14. Used 300 MHz clamshell, $150; 366, $199; 500 CD, $149; 800, $190; 600 DVD, $200; CD-RW, $240; 700 Combo, $250; 900, $369; 14" 600, $230; 900, $449.
  • Best Classic iPod Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.14. Used 60 GB color, $150; used 30 video, $140; 80, $170; refurb 80 classic, $169; new 120 GB, $240; refurb 160 GB, $249; new, $280. New & refurb include shipping.
  • Will Apple's Rumored $800 Notebook Be a Netbook?, Charles W. Moore, 'Book Value, 10.13. Netbooks are hot, and with the economy in turmoil, Apple needs to offer a netbook for the OS X crowd.
  • Best Titanium PowerBook G4 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.13. Used 667 MHz Combo, $480; 867 MHz, $530; 1 GHz, $590; SuperDrive, $900.
  • Best Classic Mac OS Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.13. System 6, $10; 7.1, $12; 7.5.1, $4; Mac OS 7.6, $13; 8.0, $13; 8.1, $48; 8.5, $25; 8.6, $20; 9.0, $20; 9.2.2, $20; more.
  • Best Xserve Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.13. Used G4/1 GHz, $999; G5/2 GHz, $1,499; new 2.0 4-core Xeon, $1,900; refurb 3.0 4-core, $2,299; 2.8 GHz, $2,599; 3.0 8-core, $3,499; 3.2, $3,699.
  • More links in our archive.

Go to the Online Tech Journal index.


Have a question?
Ask an expert!

Navigation

Used Mac Dealers
Apple History
Best Used Macs
Video Cards
Email Lists
InfoMac's Low
End Mac Forum

Favorite Sites

MacSurfer
MacMinute
MacInTouch
MyAppleMenu
InfoMac
Macs Only!
The Mac Observer
Accelerate Your Mac
RetroMacCast
PB Central
MacWindows
The Vintage Mac
   Museum

DealMac
DealsOnTheWeb
Mac2Sell
ramseeker
Mac Driver Museum
JAG's House
System 6 Heaven
System 7 Today
the pickle's Low-End
   Mac FAQ

Abandonware
   Petition

Mac vs. PC Info

Affiliates

The Apple Store
Mac Connection
MacMall
TechRestore
MacResQ
ExperCom
Crucial Memory
batteries.com

Advertise

Open Link