Mac OS 7.5.1 - 8.0 (Power Computing System Install CDs)
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Power Computing Corporation |
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Power Computing Corporation |
Founded in November 1993 by Stephen "Steve" Kahng, Power Computing was the first company selected by Apple to create Macintosh-compatible computers. In May 1995 it shipped its first clones.
Unlike Apple at the time, Power Computing pressed for direct sales. After a customer placed an order for a semi-customized configuration, the system was delivered the next day. Following the delivery of the system, Power Computing called the customer to surmise their needs and offer technical support and customer service. In addition, Power Computing set a goal of a 3-minute response time for all inquiries.
In July 1997, Apple's CEO Gil Amelio was ousted by Apple's Board of Directors, and Steve Jobs soon returned as interim CEO. Jobs believed that Apple had started to license clones too late to repeat the business model pioneered by Microsoft in the early 1980s.
On September 2 1997, Apple Computer bought Power Computing's "core assets" for $100 million in Apple stock and roughly $10 million in cash. Apple got "the right to retain key employees with expertise in direct marketing, distribution, and engineering, Power Computing's customer database, and the license to distribute the MacOS."
— Content above largely derived from Wikipedia
| Top DL: | Mac OS 7.5.1 | install + bundled software for: | Power 100, 110, 120 |
| 2nd DL: | Mac OS 7.5.3 | install + bundled software for: | PowerCenter 132, 150, 166 |
| 3rd DL: | Mac OS 7.5.5 | install + bundled software for: | PowerBase 180, 200 |
| 4th DL: | Mac OS 7.6 | install + bundled software for: | PowerTower Pro 200, 225, 250 |
| 5th DL: | Mac OS 8.0 | install + bundled software for: | PowerBase 240, PowerCenter Pro 240 |
Specs for the PowerTower Pro (as shipped with Mac OS 7.6 CD above)
See Also: Power Computing The Disc and Power Computing The Disc 2 Two marketing CDs from MacWorld (Boston 1995) & MacWorld (San Francisco, 1996)
CompatibilityArchitecture: PPC
Comments
I'll add that to the list of things I'll have to remember for next time.
Yes, you're right. I singled it down to just the PowerPC Interrupt Extension as causing the crashes. Which is kind of ironic, given it's sole task of bringing stability to the System.
Thanks for adding to the set os9er!
It looks like you tested it in Sheepshaver before archiving it though. It's important not to mount disk images in MacOS unless they're locked or read-only as the filesystem gets modified. Tends to ruin what would otherwise be good archival images.
@MTT: I don't think the licensing extension will cause any crashes. It just "brands" the ATM screen when the Mac has the appropriate gestalt ID. It's more likely to be one of the other two.
@os9er: Thanks for the 7.5.5 disk image. It boots up to SheepShaver for me OK, but I needed to disable some Extensions 1st (otherwise it crashed my SheepShaver while booting).
The Extensions I disabled on the ROM were: 54xx/6xx Update, Mac OS Licensing Extension, and PowerPC Interrupt Extension.
Possibly only one was causing the crash - likely candidate is the Mac OS Licensing Extension (determining its not a Power Computing, Mac clone). I'll look at this more closely later.
I have no doubt tho' that this will boot an actual Power Computing Mac clone of the era, just fine.
Do you know which Power Computing model this shipped with? The CD collection on this page could do with some disambiguation as to the models they were released with.[Edit] Never mind I see it up in the CD pic you've added (PowerBase).
Uploaded an image of my 7.5.5 CD. Could someone please try it to see if it works? It worked in SheepShaver on my PC, but I don't have a physical Mac of that era to test it with.
Alright, I'll have to remember that for next time. Thanks!
Still haven't had the chance to make an image of the 7.5.5 disc and upload it, but hopefully I'll have some time to do that fairly soon. (Then again, the disc is pretty scratched; I don't know if I'll be able to make an image of it without any I/O errors. I'll just have to try it and see, though.)
EDIT: Added a picture of what my 7.5.5 CD looks like.
EDIT 2: Made an image of my CD successfully; now I just have to try uploading it.
EDIT 3: Meant to say this a while ago, but: The image failed to upload because of my bad internet connection, I'll have to try again some other time...
Often when dead links occur it pays to check the link with the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine - It appears the link has been dead since 2015, but the archived pages are here, from 2002 to 2015. They seem to be mostly intact.
I have a Power Computing 7.5.5 CD that I got from a school, whose IT department was using it for a Power Macintosh 6100/60 that is no longer there... I'll try to make an image of it and upload it whenever I get the chance.
Also, @Protocol 7, your link in the comment below to "the set" is currently dead; my browser says "This site can't be reached: Cannot find the server's DNS address" when I click on it. As a result, I want to view it, but I can't. ... Could you maybe try to find a similar article elsewhere, so that those of us who would like to view it might be able to?
I have power computing Pro 225. It was running os 9.1. But CD Rom drive has gone out.
I have power computing CD in mac os 7.6.
All clone mac can run up to mac os 9.1.
Super Fantastic!
Many thanks for archiving this set, Protocol_7
This is all the Power Computing system disks I have. Feel free to add any others. Maybe one day we'll complete the set