I recently upgraded my performa 6116 with an internal 32x toshiba CD-ROM drive. After installing it, I fired up the mac and..... well, it was a litlefaster than the old 2x. I played a QT movie from a CD. The movie required a transfer rate of 530.8 k/sec for smooth playback. The 32x couldn't even provide that slow of a transfer rate. I copied a file from a CD to the HD. It copied about twice as fast as the 2x. Also, I can't play audio CDs with Apple CD Audio Player or the control strip anymore. I can play audio CDs with RapidTrak Audio, a control panel that's part of the software package that came with the drive. But RapidTrak Audio is missing some of the features and general good design of Apple CD Audio Player, and it certainly doesn't have the conveniece of the control strip. Answers anyone?

-- Micah M Mills (LMills54@aol.com), September 27, 1998

Answers

Response to Slow 32x CD-ROM drive I recently upgraded my performa 6116 with an internal 32x toshiba CD-ROM drive. After installing it, I fired up the mac and..... well, it was a litle faster than the old 2x. I played a QT movie from a CD. The movie required a tr

How much RAM do you have in your Performa? To take advantage of a faster CD drive you'll need a minimum of 32 MB RAM, and 64 MB would be even better. Virtual memory does not count. Given the low price of 64 MB SIMMs these days I'd suggest doing it right adding to 64 MB SIMMs, to give you a total of 132 MB. This is not a supported configuration but should work well, especially if you install OS 8.1. At the very least buy yourself two 32 MB SIMMs so you will have 72 MB RAM.

-- Darron Spohn (sspohn@concentric.net), September 28, 1998.