Response from Apples Performa discussion forum

Subject: Re: Optimizing Productivity on a 6400 ((NOT!)) 

Sunday, 6/15/97 18:46 CDT

Author: Merv Porter 

Email:

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Response:
Try any or all of the following. I've had excellent results with 3 6400s and 4 6360s.
Merv
06-15-97
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If you've been following this discussion group, the system updates given 
below are recommended to provide more stable system and Web access:
Note: Non-US owners should use the country-specific updaters for their 
version of MacOS. 

6400 & 6360 Performa:

Upgrade your system to 7.5.5 update (after a clean install of 7.5.3 - and a total 
restore of your original software from the system CDROM if you've removed a lot 
of it and aren't sure if it was needed). Upgrade to Open Transport 1.1.2 update, 
Download and install Apple's PowerPC Interrupt Extension, Install FreePPP 2.5v2 
available at www.rockstar.com (alternately get a copy of Apple's OT/PPP). 
Replace MacPPP which came with your System 7.5.3 CDROM disk with either of 
these. If using a Geoport modem, upgrade software to Telecom version 3.1.1. Use 
an initalization string of AT&F\N3. Use Netscape 3.0 or 3.0.1 only if you have more
 than 16MB of physical RAM. Use Netscape 2.0 if you have the standard 16MB of 
RAM. Avoid virtual memory (including RAM Doubler) if you have 16MB of RAM - 
Netscape will crash with RamDoubler (or virtual memory) and low amounts of 
physical RAM. Speed Doubler (from Connectix) will speed up the finder operations 
by a factor of 2 or 3 and make using your Mac less frustrating. If you use Speed 
Doubler, remove the file called "Threadlib" in the extensions folder since it 
conflicts with Speed Doubler and will cause your system to crash when you try to 
empty the trash. If your using MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint), trash the 
Apple Menu Options control panel (uncheck it in the Extensions Manager control 
panel and reboot) - Word 6 and Excel 5 will crash when you try to click on 
anything in the menu bar if Apple Menu Options is loaded. Then go to 
www.shareware.com and get a copy of Menuchoice. This is a control panel which 
provides all the features of Apple Menu Options but does not conflict with MS 
Office. Drop it in your control panel folder and reboot. There are also two other MS 
OFfice software fixes. These are Office Manager Updater and Office4.2x Update for
 Power Mac. Both are available at Microsoft's Web site (www.microsoft.com).Also 
uncheck the Microsoft Office Manager in the Extensions Manager control panel and 
reboot. Microsoft Office Manager has been known to conflict with your system 
software (and other software). Instead of using Office Manager to get to its 
components, make aliases for Word, Excel and Powerpoint and drop them in your 
Apple Menu Items folder.
NOTE: Updating will go faster if you download the NetInstall versions of all 
updates since you won't have to work with disk images.
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I suggest the following scheme (in this order) for updating your system: (read the 
instructions in the readme files that come with the various updates)
1. Do a "clean" re-install of your system and reboot 
2. Install Power Interrupt Extension and reboot
3. Turn on 7.5.3 + Power Interrupt Extension (nothing else) in the extension 
manager control panel and reboot
4. Install System 7.5.5 update
5. Install Open Transport 1.1.2
6. Install Telecom software update 3.1.1 (for Geoport). 
7. Make sure your internal modem is turned on in the Express Modem Control Panel
8. Turn on Open Transport from the Network Software Selector in the Apple Extras
 folder and reboot
9. Configure Open Transport for ARA access (including the "search domains" 
section). Remember you can have multiple configurations (ie, you can have one for 
ARA and another for PPP -- See the configurations menu item under "File" while in
 Open Transport). To access Open Transport, open the TCP/IP control panel.
10. Reinstall ARA 2.1 (if you use ARA) from its disks and configure it (if you have 
2.0, download the 2.1 update from Apple). Make sure you do this after you have 
installed all your system updates.
11. If you need PPP access: Trash all Apple AICK preference files, the config PPP 
control panel, and PPP extension before installing FreePPP and reboot. (FreePPP 
creates a folder of your old PPP software and puts most of this stuff in it in case 
you want to go back to the original version of PPP. I still prefer to trash as much 
of the existing PPP stuff before the FreePPP 2.5v2 installation). Install FreePPP 
2.5v2 and configure (your modem initialization string for the Geoport will be 
AT&F\N3). Set the port speed to 115000.
12. Configure Open Transport for PPP access (a separate configuration from the 
ARA one you set up earlier). To access Open Transport, open the TCP/IP control 
panel.
13. After you have upgraded everthing, go back to the Extensions Manager control 
panel and make sure PowerPC Interrupt Extension has a checkmark in front of it. 
If not, click it to put one there, quit the Extensions Manager Control Panel and 
reboot.
14. If you only have 16MB of memory, heed the statement above about 
using Netscape 3.0 and virtual memory (including RamDoubler). Alternately, get 
more physical RAM for your system. Even an additional 8MB will eliminate a lot of 
problems.