DP3.11, Mac OS 9.2.2, "Use Multiple Processors" greyed out

[aahronheim]

Forgive me for still using DP 3.11 & Mac OS 9.2.2, but after 13 years of familiarity with that system the upgrade expense and learning curve is just too daunting. Any suggestions to solve a recent problem that has come up would be very much appreciated, since MOTU tech support has told me they're doubtful they can find anyone there with knowledge about such an old version.

My Power Mac G4 Mirror-Door recently died (Dual 1.25-GHz CPUs, 1.50 GB RAM, 60-gig internal drive running Mac OS 9.2.2, external drive running 10.5.8, MOTU 1296 and PCI-324). Everything was backed up on Time Machine, so I bought a mostly identical newly refurbished G4, hoping I'd be able to get back to work eventually. Happily, my newly reinstalled DP3.11 (with all my old preference files) seems to be functioning on the new computer except for one thing -- the menu item "Use Multiple Processors" (in the Basics menu, under "Configure Audio System") is greyed out and unavailable -- something that I mightily want to make use of, as in days of old.

The only differences between my new system and the old one that I'm aware of are as follows:

1. Old computer had 9.2.2 on its internal drive and 10.5.8 on an external drive. New computer has both 9.2.2 and 10.4.11 on the internal drive.
2. Old computer had 3 500-MB RAM chips (total of 1.5 GB RAM) and one empty slot. The new computer added a 250-MB chip in that empty slot, so I removed it, but that hasn't solved the problem.

Any ideas what could make DP unable to recognize the dual processors (or unable to use them)? After spending a couple days trying various fixes, I'm going to start working with it, as is, to see if & how the issue actually affects my work, but in the meantime I wanted to get this question out there, in the hope some historically-minded knowledgeable users here might be able to offer some helpful ideas.

Thanks much!

Albert

[mikehalloran]

Something's not making sense to me. 1.25 GHz dual with 4 RAM slots? I thought that they were all 3 slots like mine. I have an older 500 GHz dual with 4 slots. Hmmm... OK, I see that it must be one of these:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/p ... p_mdd.html
Mine is a later one (I never understood Apple reducing the numer of RAM slots on the last versions of the G4).

The most obvious answer to me is that the menu item is greyed out because only one CPU is available. This would be a fault of your G4, not DP 3. Check About This Mac under the Apple mrnu and see what it says.

I tried running OS 10.5.8 on mine. It worked but performed so poorly that mine is now OS 9.2.2 / 10.4.11 only.

Don't ask me to remember anything about DP 3 beyond the fact that I used to use it.

[mikehalloran]

When you say your old one died, did you try changing the PRAM battery? A bad battery will kill these until replaced.

[aahronheim]

Yeah, I did that a couple times when I had to resurrect it (successfully) over the years. This time there was nothing I could do, which is why I opted for the refurbished one. Which actually seems to function better than the old computer did, so far -- except for this one strange DP issue.

At this point I have to accept that the old computer is gone for good.

[aahronheim]

Thanks for your reply, Mike. The "mirror-door" G4s may be different from other G4s, but both my old computer and my new one do have 4 RAM slots.

And I did check About This Mac (with 10.4.11 as well as with 10.5.8 from the external drive), and they both mention the dual processors, so I have to assume they're working and that the computer recognizes them both. "About This Computer" (in 9.2.2) doesn't mention processors at all, but I don't think it did on my old computer either. I never had to bother finding out this info on the old computer, since DPs "Use Multiple Processors" menu item had a check mark next to it and was not greyed out, so I don't actually know how to determine if 9.2.2 is seeing/using them. I just know that the menu item is greyed out. Do you know of a way to have 9.2.2 give an actual report on the processors themselves?

Thanks again!

Albert

[mikehalloran]

Hmmm... I can check mine in OS 9 and see what is says. I think I have an old copy of TechTool Pro that may work (I found my v.2 CD yesterday but it may be too old. I don't know).