USB 1.3.5/VR 128 Tip: A reader notes an extension in the USB Card update caused a conflict with the VR128's desktop video extension:

"Just thought that your readers might want to know: USB 1.3.5 "USBAppleMonitorModule" extension will cause the ati desktop video extension green X at start up I don't use an apple monitor so I disabled it and found that the green X went away.
I'm running OS 9 In a 7600 with a G3 @267mhz with a belkin USB Card and an ATI XclaimVR 128.
Shawn Freebairn "

Updated ORB Tools 1.2.6: Edmund Lai sent a note that Castlewood has updated their ORB drivers on the FTP site (web page wasn't updated to reflect the new drivers yet).

Thanks To Readers: Howard Butler and I want to thank all of you that responded to his request for an Airport card for an ill child.

"Mike,
Once again I thank you. ... I received so many concerned and thoughtful e-mails. It has restored my faith in the human race. I received the card today and setup Allison's network and all is fine. Allison is doing a little better today.
Howard Butler MD "

Airport User Comments and Tips: Gary Chapman writes with his impressions and tips:

"My AirPort card/base station is working great, but new AirPort users should be warned about something: DON'T forget the password you put into the base station set up, and don't breeze through that set up either. Resetting the AirPort base station after it's been configured is not trivial; furthermore, as I learned today, the instructions for how to do this that are in the Tech Support Library on Apple's Web site are incorrect.

I must have put in a stray character into my password because it wouldn't work when I tried to restart my AirPort network connection, after one initial session when the connection worked fine. The brief paper manual that comes with the base station describes how to reset the base station, but this method didn't work for me. Next was to turn to the Firmware Update instructions in a Read Me file on the base station CD-ROM. Those are more or less correct but not very clear or helpful. The online Tech Library tips are incorrect, as of 11/19/99.

After spending quite a bit of time with Apple Tech Support on the phone, I'm convinced that I couldn't have reset the base station and started over with a new password without someone at Apple walking me through it all. And even that process assumes better-than-average familiarity with Ethernet, cabling, DHCP, IP numbers, etc.

In other words, the AirPort Set Up Assistant is wonderful, fast, easy, and almost miraculous. But if something goes wrong or if you unintentionally screw up your settings, be prepared for losing a lot of hair over resetting the AirPort system. It's so complicated I'm sure I couldn't do it again without Apple's tech support help. And I feel sorry for those guys, having to explain a nightmarish recovery for a system that is otherwise easy as pie.
Gary Chapman "

3Dfx Driver Update Soon? www.mac3dfx.com has a note that according to posts in 3dfx's mac forum there might be new drivers posted next week, including opengl support (we hope :-).
[Note - 3dfx closed their doors in early 2001 and sold assets to Nvidia. The last versions of drivers are linked in the sidebar at my mac3dfx.com site.]

For a blast from the past see what was on the front page news here one year ago.

Friday's News Summary

• $184.99 Nexus 128 Cards
• XLR8 Emergency Boot Disk
• Iomega Buz Card Revisions
• 5-Speaker Audio Bargain
• Quake3 Demo FPS How-To and Tips
• Future ATI Rage Chips
• Photoshop Performance Tip
• Today's Popular Questions and Answers:
  -I bought an OEM Jumperless ZIF or used Apple Beige/B&W G3 ZIF and it doesn't run at the rated speed
  -I want a video card to speed up my 3D applications (not games)
  -I'm having problems with an IDE hard drive I installed in my Apple G3
  -Where can I learn more about the different types of 3Dfx video cards?
  -I'm considering a new video card for games - which one will run fastest in my system?
  -I'm installing a G3 CPU upgrade - should I remove my L2 cache dimm?
  - How do I tell if my 8600 or 9600 has the 'clean roms'?
  - Should I pay more to get a ZIF Socketed CPU Upgrade card?
  - Is there a CPU upgrade for my XXXX model Mac?
• Rev 1 B&W G3/Maxtor ATA/66 Drive Success
• Free MacMedic ORB Tools Offer

Thursday's News Summary

• 3Dfx Voodoo2 Card/Quake3 Demo Tip
• Iomega Buz in Yikes G4
• Game News page updated with Q3demo RagePro/Rage128 tips
• Mac Quake3 Demo released
• OpenGL 1.1.2 Released
• OpenGL 1.1.2/iBook Performance
• OS X Dev Preview 2 - Unsupported Installs Tip
• More USB Card Support v1.3.5 Performance Comments
• Comdex Summary from C/Net

Wednesday's News Summary

• Apple USB Support v1.35 Feedback
• PowerLogix on Spec. Processing
• Adaptec Updates to 39160 Firmware and Power Domain control
• PowerCenter Audio Problems: Alternate Fix
• VillageTronic Driver Update
• DVD Lip-Sync
• Beta Initio U2 SCSI Addresses G4 Issues
• MacTell Exec Speaks Out
• Firewire Adapter for USB ZIP 250
• Double Speed Firewire to debut in 2000
• Reviews Status
• MacOS X Developer Preview 2

Tuesday's News Summary

• First Look at Quake III Arena Demo
• XLR8's Reply to G4 Upgrades and Virtual Firmware
• PowerLogix pages on Speculative Processing and Bus Speeds
• CarrierZIF is Eddy Finalist
• PowerCenter Audio Problem Fixed w/disk driver change
• Apple G4 Systems - Don't Disable Energy Saver Extension/Control Panel
• Workaround for Airport Compatibility with older Macs
• Today's Popular Questions and Answers
  • Questions about using an XLR8 CarrierZIF card
  • 3Dfx Voodoo3 AGP Cards icSawtooth AGP Systems
  • G4 AGP (Sawtooth) ATA/66 controller/disk performance
  • Voodoo3 cards and L2 cache slot G3 upgrades
  • Formac Proformance 3 3D Glasses and OpenGL games
• More on DV Stalls w/IDE Drives
• More Mac U2 SCSI Problem Reports
• Rage128 Orion Sale
• MacBench 5 scores added to 500MHz Yikes article

For a guide to finding answers to questions - see my Site Guide page.

Considering a G3 Upgrade? Check the CPU Upgrade Owner's Survey results and search for owner reports by Mac model and/or card brand. Readers post new entries daily and the database is updated several times a week. I urge any owners that have had problems to report this via the Survey Form. Always give the most weight to recent owner reports (dated in the listing) as in many cases problems are later found to be due to settings errors, slow L2 cache, etc.

-Freq Asked Questions

Check Apple's Software Updates
(especially their Recent Updates)

Apple TIL Updates

Apple Forums