Computer Upgrades: Giving an Old Mac Some New Tricks

Sometimes being the first in your dorm to own a computer isn't such a neat idea. Take it from the Happy Hacker whose dinosaur Radio Shack TRS-80 (circa. 1980) keeps getting offers from museum curators and plastic scrap dealers.

Early Macintosh owners also know the problems of obsolescence. 400k disk drives, 128k memory, SCSI-less computers... All remnants of the older, first-generation Macs. Computer buyers can't even purchase a Mac with less than 512k these days (k stands for kilobytes, or thousand characters, of storage memory).

Apple Computer has recently introduced new Macs with enhanced ROMs (read only memory, or computer chips that take care of basic system functions), extra storage memory and larger capacity internal disk drives. There is also the Mac Plus, with its expanded memory capabilities and SCSI port (pronounced scuzzy, sexy, sushi depending on how it's acting at the time). Actually, the SCSI stands for Small Computer Standard Interface, and is a system for hooking up extra devices such as hard disk drives.

If you own an older Mac, you might consider upgrading your computer's memory and internal disk drive. If you're planning to purchase a new Mac, you might consider some of the extra goodies which increase its computer power--and your costs.

Remember: Increased Storage

Face it, if you still have 128k you're living in the dark ages. Leave the cave, walk upright and get some more memory. 512k of RAM (random access memory, or available storage space) allows you to stash more information in the computer at any given time. You can write longer papers, and your Mac will even perform many operations faster because it will have to access the disk drive less often. Especially if you are considering writing a thesis, or are upset with the snail-like pace of your computer, you need the added memory.

The memory upgrade costs a steep $329, plus installation, from Harvard's Technology Product Center. However, if you are willing to void your warranty and save a lot of money, you can buy memory for a lot less from other suppliers. The K.B. Corporation in Boston, for example, sells a 512k upgrade for $119. The company uses Levco parts which are just as high quality as Apple's; and K.B. also services what they sell.

Double Your Pleasure: 800K

If you don't have an external drive for your old-style Mac, consider adding a new 800k internal drive. The new drive holds twice as much as the old 400k drives. This is particularly helpful if you like storing a large number of fonts on your system disk, and also want to be able to store a few papers or other files.

The latest drive upgrade also comes with improved system processors, called ROMs. Most of the improvements in the new ROMs are invisible to the user, with the exception of a slightly different file storage system that allows you to create true sub-directories. For example, you might create one folder with all your wordprocessing programs and another folder with all your picture files.

If you own a Mac with the older 400k internal disk drive, and are considering buying an external drive, think twice about the increased capacity internal drive. Although it will take longer to copy disks with only one drive, the increased per-disk storage space is worth the trade-off.

Let's get SCSI

The new SCSI logic board, which comes standard on the Mac Plus, adds several features unnecessary for the average student, but advantageous for special applications. With the board, users can add up to four megabytes of RAM and hook-up peripherals such as hard disk drives through the SCSI port. A SCSI upgrade for an old 512k Mac costs $418 plus installation from Harvard's computer store.

If you're thinking about adding a hard drive, the SCSI is a must because other hard drive interfaces follow different standards, and thus might be incompatible with some software. You must have 512k and the new ROMs/800k disk drive before upgrading an old Mac with the new logic board. Additionally, the SCSI port changes the connectors on your printer and modem ports, requiring additional adapter cables (about $15).

Sell Your Mac

If you decide that you really want all the options available with the new Macintosh Plus, it might be easiest to sell your old Mac and buy a new Mac Plus. If you go off campus where new Macs are more expensive, you can sell your used Mac for a reasonable price--and that might come close to covering the difference between the $1600 for a new Mac Plus (from Harvard) and the almost $800 total upgrade charges.

As for the Happy Hacker, I'm still trying to get a plastic dealer to take my prehistoric dataprocessor out of my dorm room. It'll be a while before I purchase a Mac, let alone get it upgraded.

Next Week: Print your way to term paper ecstasy.