This article contains the Read Me document included with iBook.

This document contains important late-breaking information about your iBook computer. You may want to print this document and keep it with your other printed iBook documentation. For additional information, see Mac Help and the print and online documentation that came with your computer. Apple also provides substantial information online. If you have access to the World Wide Web (WWW), you can check the latest information about iBook in the support area at the following Uniform Resource Locator (URL): http://www.apple.com/support/ibook

The following topics are covered in this document:

Using your iBook
Starting up: The Mac OS ROM file
Selecting a startup disk
Keeping Virtual Memory on for computers with 32 MB of RAM
Preserving the contents of memory before sleeping your computer
Allocating memory for third-party applications
Trouble connecting the internal modem in V.90 mode
Formatting external USB (Universal Serial Bus) hard disk drives
Copying and pasting alert sounds
Adjusting and testing external speakers
Adjusting the volume for audio CDs and CDs with audio
Playing and recording from audio CDs
Connecting to a 10/100Base-T network
Performance problems using Ethernet
Connecting your computer directly to an Ethernet switch
Using the "Wake for other network activity" option in the Energy Saver control panel
Using a RAM disk
Using your computer with a NetBoot Server
Password Security control panel

Third-party software issues
Moving Bookmarks and Favorites files before reinstalling Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator
Using hard disk utilities and disk-locking programs
Using Virtual PC 2.1.3
Using fax software
Using the internal modem with third-party software
Using Palm Desktop Software 2.5
Setting up AOL when the Palm Desktop Software 2.5 is installed
Removing two extensions after installing Quake 1.08
FWB Hard Disk Toolkit 3.0.2
EdViewTM Internet Safety Kit

Hardware compatibility issues
Connecting USB devices while the computer is asleep
Mounting and disconnecting USB storage devices
Using USB devices with software applications
Using ADB dongles
Using USB-to-serial converters

Documentation changes
References to Monitors & Sound Control Panel in Mac Help
Mac Help instructions for modifying a remote access configuration

Using your iBook

Starting up: The Mac OS ROM file
The System Folder contains an important file-Mac OS ROM. This file is required for your computer to properly start up. If you delete this file or move it to another folder, your computer will not successfully start up.

Selecting a startup disk
Make sure a valid startup disk is selected in the Startup Disk control panel. If an invalid startup disk is selected (one your computer cannot start up from), your computer could take as long as two minutes to locate a valid startup disk and properly start up. A RAM disk cannot be used as the startup device, even though its icon may appear in the Startup Disk control panel.

If you have selected a CD as the startup disk in the Startup Disk control panel, and you start up your computer without a CD or with a CD other than the software install or software restore CD that came with your computer, a single folder with a reappearing question mark appears on the screen. The computer will search for a System Folder and start up. If no System Folder is available, you must insert the software install or software restore CD that came with your computer and restart your computer. If you don't want to start up from a CD, make sure you select another startup disk, such as the hard disk, as the startup disk in the Startup Disk control panel.

Selecting the Network Disk icon in the Startup control panel without having a Netboot server properly set up will also significantly delay the time it takes your iBook to start up.

Keeping Virtual Memory on for computers with 32 MB of RAM
If your computer has 32 megabytes (MB) of random-access memory (RAM), Apple recommends you do not turn Virtual Memory off in the Memory control panel. (To see how much built-in memory is available, open the Apple menu and choose About This Computer.)

If you accidentally turn off Virtual Memory and have problems starting up your computer, do the following:
1. Restart your computer while holding down the Shift key.
2. Open the Apple menu, select Control Panels, then choose Memory.
The Memory control panel opens.
3. Under Virtual Memory, click the On button, then click the close box to close the control panel.
4. From the Special menu, choose Restart.
Once your computer restarts, Virtual Memory is on.

Preserving the contents of memory before sleeping your computer
You can save the contents of memory to the computer's hard disk before your computer goes to sleep using the Advanced settings section of the Energy Saver control panel (for more information, see Mac Help). After you close the lid to put your computer to sleep, don't move the computer for approximately 20 seconds. When the save process is complete, the sleep indicator light blinks.
Important: You must have Virtual Memory turned on in the Memory control panel, in order for this option to work.

Allocating memory for third-party applications
Some third-party applications need to have a larger memory allocation than the default amount to run or print properly. Select the application's icon. From the File menu, select Get Info and from the pop-up menu, choose Memory. In the Memory Requirements section, increase the preferred memory size. For more information on increasing the amount of memory for an application, see the topic "Adjusting your memory usage" in Mac Help.

Trouble connecting the internal modem in V.90 mode
Your iBook comes with an internal 56K modem, based on the V.90 specification. If you're having problems connecting in V.90 mode-if the modem won't connect at all or the connection is dropped after a few minutes-the phone lines might be too noisy or there might be too much interference to sustain a connection at speeds above 33.6 kilobits per second (Kbps). Contact your ISP to ensure that it is using V.90 compliant modems or plans to update to them in the near future. Use the Apple Internal 56K Modem (V.34) modem script, which forces the modem to connect at 33.6 Kbps or lower speeds. This type of connection is more reliable in situations where the phone line quality is questionable.

To select the Apple Internal 56K Modem (V.34) modem script, follow these steps:
1. Open the Modem control panel in the Apple menu.
2. Make sure the "Connect via" pop-up menu is set to Internal Modem.
3. Open the Modem pop-up menu and choose Apple Internal 56K Modem (V.34).
4. If necessary, set the Sound and Dialing options.
5. Close the control panel.
A message asks if you want to save the changes to the current configuration.
6. Click Save.

Note: You do not have to restart your computer to use this modem script.

Formatting external USB (Universal Serial Bus) hard disk drives
Many USB hard disk drives are DOS-formatted at the factory. You can use DOS-formatted USB hard drives with your computer, but you will get much better performance if the USB hard drive is formatted as Mac OS Extended or Mac OS Standard. To reformat the hard drive to Mac OS Extended or Mac OS Standard format, use the formatting utility that came with the USB hard drive. If you do not have a formatting utility, you can change the drive to Mac OS format by following the steps below.

WARNING Erasing the hard drive will destroy any data stored on the drive.

1. If you haven't already done so, connect the external USB hard drive to your computer and turn it on.
For more information, see the topic "Connecting USB devices to your computer" in Mac Help and the documentation that came with the device.
2. Open the Apple menu, select Control Panels, then choose File Exchange.
The File Exchange control panel opens.
3. If necessary, click the PC Exchange tab.
4. Click the checkbox next to Mount at startup. (The checkbox should be blank.)
This turns off PC Exchange.
5. Click the close box to close the control panel.
6. Click the USB drive's icon on the Desktop, then from the Special menu choose Erase Disk.
A window appears.
7. From the Format pop-up menu, select Mac OS Extended or Mac OS Standard format, then click Erase.

Copying and pasting alert sounds
Long alert sounds require large amounts of memory. If you have difficulty copying and pasting long alert sounds into the Sound control panel, you may need to adjust memory requirements for the control panel. To do this, open the Control Panels folder within the System Folder. Select the Sound control panel. From the File menu, select Get Info and from the pop-up menu, choose Memory. In the Memory Requirements section, increase the preferred memory size until you are able to copy and paste the alert sound. The amount of memory needed depends on the sound quality of the sound input device you are using.

Adjusting and testing external speakers
The Speaker Setup section of the Sound control panel allows you to adjust the speakers connected to your computer. Use the Speaker Setup panel to select which speakers you want to use and to adjust the relative volume for each speaker. For example, if you have a subwoofer connected to your computer and want to adjust the volume for the subwoofer only, use the slider underneath the subwoofer to change the volume.

You can also test the speakers connected to your computer by clicking Start Test in the Speaker Setup section. The computer plays a "white noise" test tone on each speaker, allowing you to adjust the relative volume of that speaker. The "white noise" test tone contains sound for all frequencies and sounds like static. You should reduce the overall sound volume for your computer using the Output section of the Sound control panel before testing your speakers, as the test tone can be quite loud on some speakers.

Adjusting the volume for audio CDs and CDs with audio
If you can't hear the audio on a CD, try turning up the volume level in the AppleCD Audio Player. If that doesn't work, check that the Mute option is not selected in the Output section of the Sound control panel. If you started up your computer from a CD with system software, the volume for the AppleCD Audio Player might be set to zero.

Playing and recording from audio CDs
Audio CD playback is now done digitally for increased fidelity and use with digital audio peripheral devices. When you play audio CDs, you no longer have to select "Internal CD" in the Input section of the Sound control panel or the Sound section of the Control Strip. To record from an audio CD, you may need to select "Internal CD" in the Input section of the Sound control panel or the Sound section of the Control Strip.

Connecting to a 10/100Base-T network
When you connect your iBook to an Ethernet network, the computer automatically senses whether it is connected to a 10Base-T network or to a 100Base-T network. Some (possibly all) ports on some network hubs/switches support both speeds. If you're using this type of hub/switch, there may be a delay in establishing a network link. The delay may last for several seconds after you start or restart the iBook, and a message may appear saying the network is not available or that the network has only just become available. If you don't want a delay, connect your computer to an Ethernet network port that is not auto-sensing (10 or 100 megabits per second (Mbps) only). For more information, contact the manufacturer of the Ethernet hub/switch or your network administrator.

Performance problems using Ethernet
If you experience performance problems on your Ethernet network, check with your network administrator. Your computer performs best when the Ethernet port is set to auto-negotiate.

I mportant: The duplex mode of an Ethernet link to a switch is not detected if the switch's port is not auto-negotiating. If the switch's port is not auto-negotiating, your computer will detect the proper speed but default to half-duplex. If the switch's port at the other end of the link is configured for full-duplex, a large number of late events can occur on the link. Set the switch's port to auto-negotiate where possible. If this isn't possible, then set the switch's port to half-duplex. For more information, see the documentation that came with the Ethernet hub.

Connecting your computer directly to an Ethernet switch
If you connect your iBook directly to an Ethernet switch, you must disable spanning tree on that port. Otherwise your computer could duplicate the AppleTalk address of another computer on the same network and both network connections would become unreliable.

Using the "Wake for other network activity" option in the Energy Saver control panel
In the Energy Saver control panel, the "Wake for other network activity" option requires that an application using TCP/IP be open on your computer for this feature to function properly. You cannot just uncheck the "Load only when needed" option in the TCP/IP control panel.

Using a RAM disk
A RAM disk allows you to use part of the built-in random-access memory (RAM) in your computer as a high-speed storage disk. To save power when your computer is using battery power, you can use a RAM disk to store the documents you are working on. To set up a RAM disk, use the Memory control panel. For more information, see the topic "Improving performance of disk-intensive programs" in Mac Help.

Note: The contents of a RAM disk are saved to the startup disk when you restart your computer. Once the computer restarts, the contents are restored. Large RAM disks may add additional time to shutting down and restarting the computer.

W arning: You should regularly back up the contents of your RAM disk to another disk. The contents of the RAM disk can be lost if:

• the startup drive is read-only, such as a CD-ROM disc
• the startup drive does not have sufficient space to store the contents of the RAM disk
• the startup drive does not have a valid System Folder
• the computer loses power

Password Security control panel
The Password Security control panel mentioned in Mac Help was designed to work with older PowerBook computers and is not installed on your iBook.

Third-party software issues

Moving Bookmarks and Favorites files before reinstalling Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator
If you inadvertently delete the Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator applications, you can reinstall the applications using the software install CD that came with your computer. Before you reinstall Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator, you must move the file that contains your Internet sites list to a different location, such as the desktop. In Internet Explorer, this file is Favorites.html; in Netscape Communicator, the file is Bookmarks.html. When you reinstall Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator, the program overwrites these files and any locations or bookmarks that you added or that were preinstalled will be lost.

Using hard disk utilities and disk-locking programs
Some disk utility and disk-locking programs are incompatible with Mac OS Extended format. Before you use a disk utility or disk-locking program, make sure the version you have is compatible with Mac OS Extended format. Check the documentation that came with the software application or contact the software manufacturer.

Using Virtual PC 2.1.3
Virtual PC 2.1.3 does not work with iBook computers that have 32 MB of RAM. If you want to use this software, you'll need to add more RAM. For more information, contact the software manufacturer.

Using fax software
If your fax software is set to auto answer, the screen will dim but your computer will not go to sleep. To allow your computer to sleep, you must disable FAXstf auto-answering. To do this, open FaxBrowser, select Settings from the Edit menu. Then select the FaxModem icon and select Never from the Answer On pop-up menu.

Note: To avoid draining your computer battery, plug in the power adapter when waiting to receive a fax.

Using the internal modem with third-party software
Some third-party software, such as FaxSTF or Total Access, have different modem selections than the ones found in the Modem control panel. Using these selections can slow down your connection speed. To use these programs with your computer's internal modem at its highest speed, make sure you select Apple Internal 56K Modem (V.90) in the Modem control panel.

Using Palm Desktop Software 2.5
If you make a connection and a sync fails or doesn't complete, set the connection speed to a lower setting. To do this, open HotSync Manager (click the icon next to the Applications menu, choose HotSync, and in the pop-up menu, select Setup). Click the Serial Port Settings tab. In the Local Setup section, select 19200 as the speed.

Setting up AOL when the Palm Desktop Software 2.5 is installed
If you installed the Palm Desktop Software 2.5 on your computer and you attempt to set up AOL, there is a conflict and a message may appear saying you have a "port in use" error. You need to disable HotSync so you can properly set up AOL. To do this, open HotSync Manager (click the icon next to the Applications menu, choose HotSync, and in the pop-up menu, select Setup). If necessary, click the HotSync Controls tab. In the HotSync section, click the button next to Disabled. To obtain the latest version of AOL software, connect to AOL and go to the keyword Upgrade.

Removing two extensions after installing Quake 1.08
The Quake-1.08 Installer installs two extensions on your computer-ATIGraphicsAccel 2.0f1-CW and ATIGraphicsAccel 1.2f5-CW. After you install Quake and before you restart your computer, drag these two files from the Extensions folder, within the System Folder, to the Trash. If you restart your computer without deleting these two files, your computer may freeze. If that happens, start up your computer from the software install or restore CD, delete the two extensions, then choose Restart from the Special menu.

FWB Hard Disk Toolkit 3.0.2
FWB Hard Disk Toolkit 3.0.2 is not compatible with this model of iBook computer. For more information, contact the software publisher.

EdViewTM Internet Safety Kit
The version of EdView Internet Safety Kit that comes with your iBook is not compatible with the current version of Sherlock. Using Sherlock with EdView may cause a system freeze that will require you to force restart your iBook. To force your iBook to restart, simultaneously hold down the Control and Command keys and then press the power button.

Hardware compatibility issues

Connecting USB devices while the computer is asleep
If you connect a USB device while your computer is in sleep, your computer automatically wakes.

Mounting and disconnecting USB storage devices
To mount or remount a USB storage volume on the desktop, disconnect and then reconnect the device that contains the volume to a USB port on the computer, or to a USB hub attached to your computer. The volume should appear on the desktop in a few seconds. If the device uses removable media, the volume will not appear until the removable media is reinserted into the USB storage device.

Before you disconnect a USB storage device from your computer, close all open windows and quit all running applications that are stored on the USB storage device. If the device has a manual eject drive (you eject the removable media from the device yourself), make sure you eject the removable media first. Drag the device's icon to the Trash on the Desktop, then disconnect the device from your computer.

Using USB devices with software applications
Some applications don't recognize a USB device if the device is plugged in while the application is already running. To use the USB device with that application, quit the application, make sure the device is properly plugged in, then start the application again.

Using ADB dongles
Some applications require the use of an ADB (Apple Desktop Bus) dongle for security purposes to prevent software piracy. The iBook computer uses Universal Serial Bus (USB) technology. You may be able to use a USB dongle with these applications. For more information, contact the software manufacturer.

Using USB-to-serial converters
Some serial devices such as modems, printers, and digital cameras may be able to be used with your iBook using a third party USB-to-serial converter adapter. However, all serial devices may not be compatible with such an adapter. For more information, contact the adapter manufacturer.

Documentation changes

References to Monitors & Sound Control Panel in Mac Help
There are several references to the Monitors & Sound control panel in Mac Help. In the current version of Mac OS installed on your computer, the Monitors & Sound control panel has been divided into two separate control panels-a Monitors control panel and a Sound control panel.

Mac Help instructions for modifying a remote access configuration
In the Editing Remote Access settings topic of Mac Help, if you click "Help me modify a remote access configuration," the information incorrectly states,"If you don't care which protocol is used or don't know which protocols are supported by the server you are calling, choose Automatic." There is no Automatic setting in Remote Access 3.4; you must select PPP or ARAP.