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Performa 631CD

ZiggyPastorius

ZiggyPastorius

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Sep 16, 2007
3,142
1
Berklee College of Music
So today I found my Macintosh Performa 631CD desktop computer in my attic. To my dismay, it's too old for me to use with any of my existing peripherals, but perhaps I'll be able to change that soon. I know nothing about this computer, as I know booted it up once, but I'm sure it's a beast :p 1994. Anyways, just sharing. Is there anything special about this computer, or...?

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ZiggyPastorius said:
What exactly is IDE, if you don't mind me asking.
Click to expand...

I just double checked the specs on the Apple site:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=112314

As macEfan has already said, IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics, also known as ATA) is a common bus used in personal computers before SATA. There is a large selection of used drives in this category.

Most Macs had SCSI drives at this time, generally more expensive with a more limited selection. But SCSI was faster with higher rotational speeds, and the bus could handle seven devices as opposed to two per IDE bus.
And IDE had an 18 inch cable length limitation, so unlike SCSI it was pretty much only useful for internal devices.
 
jodelli said:
I just double checked the specs on the Apple site:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=112314

As macEfan has already said, IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics, also known as ATA) is a common bus used in personal computers before SATA. There is a large selection of used drives in this category.

Most Macs had SCSI drives at this time, generally more expensive with a more limited selection. But SCSI was faster with higher rotational speeds, and the bus could handle seven devices as opposed to two per IDE bus.
And IDE had an 18 inch cable length limitation, so unlike SCSI it was pretty much only useful for internal devices.
Click to expand...

Interesting stuff, but unfortunately, I don't understand at all :p Anyways, the computer was pretty bitchin' - I fired up some sweet 16-colour SimCity action and checked out great software of our time like "CookMaster Mac" :D Fun stuff, even though I really have no use for the computer.
 
jodelli said:
But SCSI was faster with higher rotational speeds, and the bus could handle seven devices as opposed to two per IDE bus.
Click to expand...

I would also argue that SCSI was more user friendly than the jumper-ridden affair that multiple IDE drives were. SCSI also extended nicely to the external world from the convenient SCSI port. For the OP, you might find some things to do here or here.

Sadly, it also appears your Performa is missing all the fun stuff.

surprise.jpg

But with 40MB of memory, it might be worthwhile downgrading to System 7 and tracking down some of those add-ons. Clearly someone has upgraded the memory in the past as 40MB was far from standard and not really affordable in 1994 - and I assume affordability was the initial precedent judging by the lack of hardware. 630s make great televisions and old gaming machines. Or put it on your network and use it as a server for files or music. All this and more is quite possible with a few dollars.
 
dpaanlka said:
I would also argue that SCSI was more user friendly than the jumper-ridden affair that multiple IDE drives were. SCSI also extended nicely to the external world from the convenient SCSI port. For the OP, you might find some things to do here or here.

Sadly, it also appears your Performa is missing all the fun stuff.

View attachment 116555

But with 40MB of memory, it might be worthwhile downgrading to System 7 and tracking down some of those add-ons. Clearly someone has upgraded the memory in the past as 40MB was far from standard and not really affordable in 1994 - and I assume affordability was the initial precedent judging by the lack of hardware. 630s make great televisions and old gaming machines. Or put it on your network and use it as a server for files or music. All this and more is quite possible with a few dollars.
Click to expand...

Well, it's a good thing I don't understand any of that stuff :p Not really, but, I kind of wish I did. Sounds fun...

Edit: Actually, isn't System 7 freeware now? Like, is it legal to just download off the interwebz? If so, I can try to hook the Performa to a network via ethernet and go to one of those websites you showed me. I'll surely be downloading Opera for it if I do do that...The greatest Browser on the planet <3
 
ZiggyPastorius said:
Well, it's a good thing I don't understand any of that stuff :p Not really, but, I kind of wish I did. Sounds fun...

Edit: Actually, isn't System 7 freeware now? Like, is it legal to just download off the interwebz? If so, I can try to hook the Performa to a network via ethernet and go to one of those websites you showed me. I'll surely be downloading Opera for it if I do do that...The greatest Browser on the planet <3
Click to expand...

Some versions are Apple provides full downloads of various version of System 6, 7.0 and 7.5 for free from their Servers.
http://www.info.apple.com/support/oldersoftwarelist.html#system

No 7.1 or 7.6 though you have to have the discs since they only offer the updates. I think that performa needs at least 7.1.

If you can find it you can play Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM 1 and II.

Gregs shareware was awesome
Junkyard Jeff for old parts
Macintosh Garden a whole bunch of olde games
Pure Mac Easier directory of System Software and sofware to help an old mac in a modern world
Interesting old article about Mac OS 7.6
 
that was my first computer. i had a 630CD. the lack of a FPU really limits what it can do, but you can put a lot of cool old mac games on it
 
Mac SK said:
A sony tv remote will turn it on.:D
Click to expand...
I forgot about that. I forget if it was my Performa 6400/180 or older 6218CD that I had. But this would drive me nuts. Everytime I turned the TV on or off that blasted computer would boot. Eventually I would either block the line of sight to the computer or just walk over and turn the TV On/Off manually.
 
dpaanlka said:
But with 40MB of memory, it might be worthwhile downgrading to System 7
Click to expand...

No, everything up to OS 8.5 was fine with 32mb of RAM if anything I would leave it alone as it gives you a much fuller range of software support. Given that it is a 68k Mac this is as far as you can go. Put a larger internal 4GB hard drive in it (the most one of these machines can handle in a single block) and leave it be. You can't run OS 8.1 on it because it's an LC processor without an FPU on board.

Some people in the past have upgraded to a full 68040 CPU from a Quadra 630. This gives you support for OS8.1 and an FPU which speeds up the process of these machines a lot, but in this day and age I'm not sure how easy it would be to source such an upgrade.

You might also be able to source a DOS compatibility or a TV tuner card for something interesting to play with, but you will need a set top box in line to receive any reception. You will be able to view TV in a window on your monitor with your TV input.

The most you can do is put a PPC processor in the LC PDS slot, or swap out the entire motherboard for that of a Performa 6300 series which will give you PPC compatibility and a fighting chance to run something modern on it to interact with other people on the modern web and with modern versions of office.

The best swap if you can find one is for the motherboard of a Performa 6360 which will get you all the way up to OS 9.1 with a 120mhz Power PC 603e CPU, or alternatively you can fit a Vimage Vpower PF G3 240 MHz upgrade and go all the way to OS X. It takes up the Level 2 Cache spot on the upgraded board.

The biggest issue with Performas is always the slow bus speed.
 
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