Which CPU Supports Which OS?

W. Delvoye
March 26, 1999

This information was recently requested by one of our large account customers, but I thought it might be interesting for you too.

* Mac OS 7.5.3 and 7.5.5 Update

The english version of the Mac OS is freely available for download. It supports older systems. Other languages will be posted online in the coming weeks. The following operating systems are NOT free. Retail or volume licenses are available for purchase. Contact your Apple reseller for details.

* Mac OS 7.6.1

Mac OS 7.6.1 can be installed on any Mac OS-compatible computer that is 32-bit clean and has at least a 68030 microprocessor. It cannot be installed, however, on machines that meet these requirements as a result of a hardware or software upgrade.

More specifically, Mac OS 7.6.1 cannot be installed on the following models: IIcx, IIx, PowerBook 100, Classic, II, LC, SE/30, Portable, Plus, SE, 512ke, 512, 128, and Mac XL. Also, current versions of Mode32 from Connectix do not allow Mac OS 7.6 to be installed on older Macintosh computers utilizing this extension for 32-bit compatibility.

* Mac OS 8.1

Mac OS 8.1 can be installed on any Mac OS compatible computer that has either a PowerPC or a 68040 processor (including 68040 machines with a PowerPC upgrade card). PowerPC cards installed in 68030 computers are not supported, and Mac OS 8 does not support machines upgraded with either a 68030 or a 68040 upgrade card.

* MacOS 8.5

Mac OS 8.5 can be installed on any Macintosh that originally shipped with a PowerPC processor that has at least 16 megabytes of physical RAM and a minimum of 24 megabytes of logical RAM. Also, Mac OS 8.5 can be installed in the Mac OS X Server Blue Box by way of standard install.

Mac OS 8.5 is tested and qualified by Apple to run on Apple PowerPC-based Mac OS computers. Mac OS 8.5 is not tested or qualified by Apple for use on clone Mac OS-based systems.