Mac OS 7.6.1

Question

Mac OS 7.6.1

Good Morning,

For the past week I have been doing a number of Mac OS installs on my Powerbook 3400/240. The first install was the original 7.6 from the powerbook CD on a clean hard drive. I found this system fast but couldn't add any of my software, and every time I would get on line and when I open a browser page I would always get a window opening saying something about Java Script annoying. I phoned Apple Support hoping I would get a bit of advice, only one technician offered some assistance but he didn't know much about this old Mac
system, the others wouldn't help without Apple Care. Well when you live where there are only a couple of Mac users it is hard to get the proper advice!
Next I added Mac OS 8.0, updated to 8.1, 8.5 and 8.6. With this system I would get the same Java Script appearing on opening every web page.
I then went up to Mac OS 9.0 things seem to get better but I now started getting frreze ups.
My question is, on my Powerbook 3400/240 do I need the system that came with it Mac OS 7.6 installed if I want to run Mac OS 8 or Mac OS 9? I did have on Apple technician tells me that this powerbook 3400 needs its system software that came with it installed to work properly ?
All I want is for it to work the way it is suppose to!
Please Advise ?

steven

iMac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.2)

iMac G5, Mac OS X (10.4.2)

Posted on Jan 23, 2006 4:05 AM

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Answer 1

jpl

Level 7

28,285 points

Jan 23, 2006 11:28 AM in response to Gail and Steven Smith__

Steven,

The Powerbook 3400 originally shipped with Mac OS 7.6 and this was a special version for the 3400; the PB3400 OS 7.6.1 Update is also made specifically for the 3400. However, the PB3400 7.6/7.6.1 OSes were only special for the 3400 because the generic, retail MacOS 7.6 CD was released BEFORE the 3400 was released. Therefore Apple had to add an enabler file to OS 7.6 so it could run on the 3400. All retail versions from MacOS 8.0 to 9.1 fully support the 3400...the original software is NOT required for the 3400 to run properly.

It is generally accepted that MacOS 8.6 is the best OS for the 3400. A clean install of this version (an all-new OS, not an updated 7.6/7.6.1/8.0/8.1/8.5) will give the best results. One determining factor is the amount of installed RAM for running 9.0/9.1; OS 8.6 will use less memory since it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of 9.x.

The implementation of Java has always been troublesome in these OSes. At this point, I would turn 'off' Java but leave Java Script turned on. If using IE, go to Preferences > Web Content > Enable Scripting; also enable Plug-ins. However, I would uncheck Enable ActiveX. Then move down to Java and uncheck Enable Java.

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