PowerBook 3400 Series: System Software

This article is contains screen shots of the "About This Computer" window and hard drive window of a PowerBook 3400 series system running Mac OS 7.6.

The PowerBook 3400 series is bundled with a special version of Mac OS 7.6 which includes components designed only for the 3400. The general release of 7.6 does not include these components, is not intended for use with the 3400 series, nor will it install properly on a 3400 series PowerBook. Likewise, the version of 7.6 included on the 3400 CD will not install on any other type of Macintosh. A PowerBook 3400 series running the original 7.6's About This Computer window will look like this:



Figure 1 About This Computer

There are two ways to install/reinstall the system software from the 3400CD. There is a folder for restoring all software which will not only install the system software, but also reinstall all of the sofware bundled with the 3400 series (much like a similar option on Performa CDs). There is also an install system software folder, which contains just the system software installers. The 3400 CD window looks like this:



Figure 2 3400 CD window

If you were to launch the Apple Software Restore application found in the Restore Installed Software folder on the 3400 CD, after the splash screen and some waiting you would see the following:



Figure 3 Apple Software Restore

Note: The Restore program acts much like a Clean Install, placing the items already on the drive into a folder called "Original Items", unless the ERASE "drive name" before restoring option is checked. If you attempt to install the version of 7.6 included on the 3400 CD on another type of Macintosh you will get this window (or something much like it) on launching the Installer:



Figure 4 System 7.6 Installation

Updating to Mac OS 7.6.1
In order to upgrade the 3400 version of Mac OS 7.6, the specific 3400 7.6.1 Updater must be used. The general release of the 7.6.1 Update will either not run or update the files properly. Once the 3400 7.6.1 Update has been run successfully the About This Computer window will look something like this:



Figure 5 About This Computer

The 3400 7.6.1 Updater is available free of charge online from Apple SW Update sites.

The 3400 7.6.1 Update is not included on the 3400 CD so if you have to perform a clean install/restore of the system software from the CD, the updater will have to be run again to bring the system software up to 7.6.1.

Published Date: Feb 18, 2012