WHAT IS THE LATEST VERSION OF THE SYSTEM SOFTWARE & HOW DO I GET IT?
Mac OS 7.6.1 is the most recent version of the System software (if you are using Mac OS 8, you should get "InformINIT 8" from the InformINIT web site; it should be available a few weeks after this version of InformINIT is released). However, OS 7.6 is not a free update. It is a commercial upgrade which you have to buy if it did not come with your computer.
There are two "official" paths to get to Mac OS 7.6.1:
窶「 Install OS 7.6, then install the 7.6.1 updater. If your computer came with 7.6 pre-installed, you should just install the updater.
窶「 Install OS 7.6.1 from the full 7.6.1 installer. Recent versions of the OS 7.6 System CD will install 7.6.1 directly.
For details on installing Mac OS 7.6.1, see the "7.6.1 Info" chapter.
System 7.5.5 is the most recent "free" version of the System software, although technically you have to have some version of System 7.5, which is not free. If you are running any version of System 7.5, you can update to 7.5.5 by downloading System updates from Apple.
There are two "official" paths to get to get to System 7.5.5:
窶「 On computers running System 7.5, 7.5.1, or 7.5.2: Install "System 7.5 Update 2.0" then install "System 7.5.5 Update."
窶「 On computers which came with System 7.5.3 pre-installed, install only the "System 7.5.5 Update." NOTE: if you go to "About this Macintosh..." under the Apple menu, and it says that you have "System Software 7.5.5," the version of the System software you have pre-installed on your computer is already updated to the latest version.
For details on installing System 7.5.5, or the earlier System 7.5.3, see the "7.5.5 Info" and "7.5.3 Info" chapters, respectively.
WILL THE LATEST VERSION OF THE SYSTEM SOFTWARE RUN ON MY COMPUTER? / WHICH VERSIONS OF THE MACINTOSH OPERATING SYSTEM WILL RUN ON WHICH COMPUTERS?
Below is a list of which Macintosh models are supported by which versions of the Mac OS since System 7.5.3 (or, to look at it another way, which versions of the System software each Mac model can use).
NOTE: Unfortunately, I do not have information on which Macintosh "clones" are supported by which Mac OS versions. If you have a Mac clone and would like to find out this information, you will have to contact the computer vendor directly.
System 7.5.3
The following Macs are supported by System 7.5.3:
Plus
SE and SE/30
Classic, Classic II and Color Classic
The entire II series
All LC models
Macintosh TV
All Centris models
All Quadra models
All Performa models except the Performa 6400 series
PowerMac 6100, 7100 and 8100 series
PowerMac 5200 and 5300 series
PowerMac 6200 and 6300 series
PowerMac 7200 series
PowerMac 7500 and 7600
PowerMac 8500
PowerMac 9500 series
Macintosh Portable
All PowerBooks except the 1400 and 3400 series
The following models are supported by System 7.5.3, but require a System Enabler (see the "System Enablers" chapter):
PowerMac 4400/200
PowerMac 5400
Performa 6400 & PowerMac 6400 series
The following models are NOT supported by System 7.5.3:
128K, 512K, 512Ke and XL/Lisa
PowerBook 1400
PowerBook 3400
PowerMac 6500 series
PowerMac 7300 series
PowerMac 8600/200
PowerMac 9600/200, 9600/200 MP and 9600/233
System 7.5.5
The following Macs are supported by System 7.5.5:
Plus
SE and SE/30
Classic, Classic II and Color Classic
The entire II series
All LC models
Macintosh TV
All Centris models
All Quadra models
All Performa models
PowerMac 4400
PowerMac 6100, 7100 and 8100 series
PowerMac 5200, 5300 and 5400 series
PowerMac 6200, 6300 and 6400 series
PowerMac 7200 series
PowerMac 7300, 7500 and 7600
PowerMac 8500
PowerMac 9500 series
Portable
All PowerBooks except the 1400 and 3400 series
The following models are supported by System 7.5.5, but require a System Enabler (see the "System Enablers" chapter):
PowerMac 6500 Series
PowerMac 8600/200
PowerMac 9600/200, 9600/200 MP and 9600/233
The following models are NOT supported by System 7.5.5:
128K, 512K, 512Ke and XL/Lisa
PowerBook 1400
PowerBook 3400
Mac OS 7.6
The following Macs are supported by Mac OS 7.6:
Classic II and Color Classic
IIci, IIsi, IIvi and IIvx
All LC models except the original LC
Macintosh TV
All Centris models
All Quadra models
All Performa models
PowerMac 6100, 7100 and 8100 series
PowerMac 5200, 5300 and 5400 series
PowerMac 6200, 6300 and 6400 series
PowerMac 7200 series
PowerMac 7500 and 7600
PowerMac 8500
PowerMac 9500 series
All PowerBooks except the PowerBook 100
The following models are supported by Mac OS 7.6, but require a System Enabler (see the "System Enablers" chapter):
None
The following models are NOT supported by Mac OS 7.6:
128K, 512K, 512Ke and XL/Lisa
Plus
SE and SE/30
Classic
II, IIx, IIcx, IIfx
LC
PowerMac 4400
PowerMac 5500 series
PowerMac 6500 series
PowerMac 7300 series
PowerMac 8600/200
PowerMac 9600/200, 9600/200 MP and 9600/233
Portable
PowerBook 100
Mac OS 7.6.1
The following Macs are supported by Mac OS 7.6.1:
Classic II And Color Classic
IIci, IIsi, IIvi and IIvx
All LC models except the original LC
Macintosh TV
All Centris models
All Quadra models
All Performa models
PowerMac 4400
PowerMac 6100, 7100 and 8100 series
PowerMac 5200, 5300, 5400 and 5500 series
PowerMac 6200, 6300, 6400 and 6500 series
PowerMac 7200 series
PowerMac 7300, 7500 and 7600
PowerMac 8500
PowerMac 8600/200
PowerMac 9500 series
PowerMac 9600/200, 9600/200 MP and 9600/233
All PowerBooks except the PowerBook 100
NOTE: The PowerMac 4400, 5500, 6500, 7300, 8600, and 9600 series must install the "full" version of 7.6.1; they cannot install 7.6 and then update to 7.6.1.
The following models are supported by Mac OS 7.6.1, but require a System Enabler (see the "System Enablers" chapter):
None
The following models are NOT supported by Mac OS 7.6.1:
128K, 512K, 512Ke and XL/Lisa
Plus
SE and SE/30
Classic
II, IIx, IIcx, IIfx
LC
Portable
PowerBook 100
Workgroup Servers
There are two "sets" of Apple Workgroup Servers, the PowerMac series and the 68K series:
窶「 680x0 Servers: Workgroup Server 60, Workgroup Server 80, Centris 610 and Quadra 800.
Apple will only support certain "official" combinations of versions of the System software, AppleShare software, and Networking software. Below is a list of which combinations are officially supported:
680x0 Servers:
System 7.5.3 running AppleShare 4.0.2 and Classic Networking
System 7.1 running AppleShare 4.0.2 and Classic Networking
NOTE: Apple does not support Open Transport or System software versions 7.5.5 or later on 68K workgroup servers.
PPC Servers:
Mac OS 7.6 or later running AppleShare 4.2.1 and OpenTransport v1.1.1 or later
Mac OS 7.6 or later running AISS v2.x and Open Transport v1.1.1 or later only with the System 7.5.5 SCSI Server Update and PPC Interrupt Extension installed.
System 7.5.5 running AppleShare 4.2.1 and Open Transport v1.1.1 or later only with the System 7.5.5 SCSI Server Update and PPC Interrupt Extension installed.
System 7.5.5 running AppleShare 4.2.1 and Classic Networking only with the System 7.5.5 SCSI Server Update and PPC Interrupt Extension installed.