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Slow internet in 9?
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nJm
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Australia
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Sep 3, 2004, 10:18 PM
 
I recently dug my old PowerMac 7200 out and connected it up to my home network, which is a 100 mbps LAN running off a cable modem. I wanted to download some updates for it, including the 9.1 update from Apple. On my 7200 it was only downloading at 6kb/sec. I downloaded the same file on my ibook G4 and it downloaded the whole 72mb file in about 1 minute (I had cancelled the PM's download so it wasn't in cache).

I find in general internet is REALLY slow on this PowerMac. I know it is an old computer, but I wouldn't have thought it would be that bad.

It is a 7200/120, 1.2gb SCSI HD, 32 mb RAM, and I'm using an SMC 10/100 PCI ethernet card (as onboard ethernet is only 10mpbs).
MBP 2.16ghz 15"
iMac G5 1.6Ghz 17"
Powermac 7200/120
     
Dex13
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Bay Area of San Jose
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Sep 4, 2004, 02:33 PM
 
what internet browser are you using?
     
nJm  (op)
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Sep 5, 2004, 05:49 AM
 
It has IE 5 and some form Netscape Communicator.

Although I have a new problem. Since upgrading it to OS 9.1 it won't boot unless I boot without extensions. I'll have to go through and work out which one it is I guess.
MBP 2.16ghz 15"
iMac G5 1.6Ghz 17"
Powermac 7200/120
     
Dex13
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Sep 5, 2004, 01:35 PM
 
IE 5 on broadband w/ my 6500 yields dial up speeds,but if I use Netscape 4.x.x I get normal broadband speeds ...
     
nJm  (op)
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Sep 6, 2004, 05:30 AM
 
I got 9.1 working ok, I think it was all the ATI extensions (which naturally my 7200 didn't need).

IE 5 is SLOW. Netscape 4.6 is sluggish and IE 4.5 is about the same. I've noticed file transfers over my 10/100 SMC ethernet card is really slow too (other computer was an iBook G4 using Airport Extreme).

Is it this old hardware with such limitations, or is it a software setting I can change?
MBP 2.16ghz 15"
iMac G5 1.6Ghz 17"
Powermac 7200/120
     
angelmb
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Sep 6, 2004, 06:09 AM
 
try the iCab browser, www.icab.de
     
JMHammer
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: New York City
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Sep 9, 2004, 02:40 PM
 
Mac OS 9 on a 120mhz PPC601 processor with 32mb of RAM is going to be slow. Weird as it sounds, you'd be better off with Mac OS 8.6 and, if you can live without some of the 8.6 functions, it will run really well in 8.1. When I set up old machines of this ilk, I install 8.1 on them. 32mb of memory is just enough to run Mac OS 9, so you're going to be making a lot of use of virtual memory which is part of the slowdown. (The other part is that Mac OS 9 just requires more processor cycles to get things done.)

If you want to run Mac OS 9 on your 7200, you should upgrade the RAM. It can hold up to 512mb of RAM and 70ns 168-pin FPM DIMMs are practically being given away. Get at least 96mb of RAM total and turn off virtual memory and you'll see a nice improvement since mem caching to that hard drive will slow things down a lot.

Here's a link to some good memory:
http://eshop.macsales.com/MyOWC/Upgr...=Show+Upgrades

Even just one stick of that 128mb memory for $20 will take your machine from pokey to fair with the latest version of Internet Explorer and Outlook Express. You can download those at:
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/product...ternetexplorer

It goes without saying that using Extensions Manager to "turn off" all the extensions you don't need will probably make things run better.

Best wishes,
John H
G4 Cube (1ghz one-processor upgrade from PowerLogix, 120gb WD HD w/8mb cache, 1.5gb RAM, original-equipment CD-RW, original-equipment Radeon w/32mb, Airport card), 17" ADC Apple LCD, Mac OS X 10.3.5 and Mac OS 9.2.2, Epson Stylus Scan 2500, Zip 250 firewire from VST, 30gb firewire/USB1.1 portable drive from VST, Airport base station (snow), basic DSL bandwidth of 768down/128up, Apple Pro Keyboard, Logitech MouseMan Dual Optical... and a G4 1.25ghz/15.2" AlBook, 40gb iPod, and my beloved Palm handheld (currently a Tungsten-T).
     
   
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