This article is the Late-Breaking News found in Mac Help for the PowerBook G4 computer. Because it is quite long, you may want to use the search feature of your Web browser to find exactly what you are looking for.

About your Computer

This document contains important late-breaking information about your computer. For additional information, see the other sections of Mac Help or check out the Apple Support Site on the Internet at http://www.apple.com/support

Using your computer

Using the Easy Access control panel

The Easy Access control panel does not work with virtual memory turned on. Before using the Easy Access feature, open the Memory control panel and turn virtual memory off.

Using CDs or DVDs

Your CD or DVD drive only works with standard discs that are 120 mm in diameter. Apple does not recommend the use of irregularly shaped or sized discs.

Important information about system sleep

Certain system settings may prevent your computer from going to sleep. You may notice that the screen dims, but the sleep indicator light does not pulse.

Many communications programs, such as PPP, Apple Remote Access, and other dial-up programs, monitor the computer's modem port to check for incoming transmissions when set to auto-answer incoming calls. This may prevent the computer from sleeping correctly.

If the Configure pop-up menu in the TCP/IP control panel is set to Using DHCP Server, your computer may not sleep when your Web browser or email application is open or a file server is mounted on your desktop. Quit these applications and dismount file servers when they are not being used.

The Palm Desktop HotSync function may prevent your computer from going to sleep. To turn off the HotSync function, open Palm Desktop and choose Setup from the HotSync menu. Then click the Disabled button and verify that the "Enable HotSync software at system startup" checkbox is not selected. You will need to turn HotSync back on when you want to synchronize with your Palm compatible device.

If you are using fax software, such as FAXstf, and the software is set to auto-answer, your computer may not sleep completely. The screen will only dim (instead of turn off). To allow your computer to sleep, disable auto-answering. To disable auto-answering in FAXstf, open FaxBrowser and choose Settings from the Edit menu. Then choose the FaxModem icon and select Never from the Answer On pop-up menu.

Note : If you connect a USB device while your computer is in sleep, your computer automatically wakes.

Apple DVD Player

If your computer has a DVD drive with a DVD-Video disc in it and Multiple Users is enabled (via the Multiple Users control panel), Apple DVD Player will open automatically when you start up your computer. To prevent this, open the Extensions Manager control panel and turn off the DVD AutoLauncher extension. To play a DVD-Video disc, open the Apple DVD Player application (in the Apple menu).

For information on optimal system settings for DVD-Video playback, see the Apple DVD Player Read Me file located in the Apple DVD Player folder inside the Applications folder on your hard disk.

Using your computer with a NetBoot Server

If you want to use your computer as a NetBoot client, you may need to update the system software on the NetBoot Server. Check the Mac OS X Server Web site at http://www.info.apple.com/support/macosxserver

Maximizing Ethernet performance

Your computer performs best when the Ethernet port to which it is attached is set to auto-negotiate. Work with your network administrator to verify this setting.

IMPORTANT : 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 appropriate 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 a configurable Ethernet switch

If you connect your computer directly to a configurable Ethernet switch, have your network administrator disable spanning tree on that port. Otherwise your computer may duplicate the AppleTalk address of another computer on the same network and both network connections may become unreliable.

Using a RAM disk

If you are using the RAM disk feature, the system automatically saves the contents of the RAM Disk when you restart or shutdown your computer. There will be a delay of up to several minutes while the contents are being written to your hard disk. The pointer will change to a picture of a disk with a memory chip on it as your RAM disk information is saved. You can choose not to save your RAM Disk contents by deselecting the Save checkbox in the Memory Control Panel.

Inserting an AirPort Card

The Apple AirPort Card is designed to fit only in the internal AirPort Card slot. Do not insert an AirPort Card in your computer's PC Card slot. To use the PC Card slot for AirPort, insert a compatible wireless card.

Note : Wireless internet access requires AirPort Card, AirPort Base Station, and Internet Access (fees may apply). Some ISPs are not currently compatible with AirPort, including America Online. Range may vary with site conditions.

You can set your processor operate at a lower speed to conserve battery power. However, this may affect performance of processor-intensive applications such as DVD-Video playback.

To set your computer to operate at a lower speed:

1. Open the Energy Saver control panel.

2. Click the Advanced Settings tab.

3. Click the Reduce Processor Speed checkbox.

Games that do not fill the entire PowerBook display

Certain games, such as Quake III Arena, may not have resolution settings available that fill your entire display. Black bands appear on both sides of the game.

To set the game to appear full screen, try the following:

1. Set the desired screen resolution and number of colors within the game.

2. Quit the game.

3. Use the Control Strip or Monitors control panel to set your computer to the "stretched" version of the same resolution, along with the same number of colors. (To access the stretched resolutions in the Control Strip, hold down the Control key when you click the Resolution icon in the Control Strip.)

4. Open the game again.

Certain DVD-Video discs do not fill the entire width of the display even if Apple DVD Player is set to Fill Screen Wide mode. This is due to the way that the disc was originally created. It is not a problem with your PowerBook display.

Using Adobe Photoshop plug-ins

If you use Adobe Photoshop 5.5, the latest versions of the Adobe Lighting Effects and AltiVecCore Plug-Ins are available on the Adobe Systems Web site at: http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/psmac.htm . Download the Adobe Photoshop 5.5 AltiVecCore and Multiprocessor Plug-in update for Mac OS. (The AltiVecCore Plug-in takes advantage of the computer's Velocity Engine.) Instructions for installing and configuring the plug-ins are also available in a Read Me at the Adobe Systems web site. If you're installing Adobe Photoshop 6.0, the required plug-ins are installed and you don't need to download updated ones.

Third-party software issues

Using the internal modem

Some communications software, such as FaxSTF and Total Access, provide different modem selection preferences from those in the Modem control panel. To ensure the fastest possible connection speed, select Apple Internal 56K Modem (V.90) in the Modem control panel.

Using hard disk utilities and disk-locking programs

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

Improving graphics in games

Some games may exhibit drawing problems because not enough memory is available to load all of the required system components. You may be able to use virtual memory to improve the graphics until more physical RAM is added to the computer. Use the memory control panel to increase the amount of virtual memory. If your virtual memory size is set to the default, increase the size by half the amount of physical memory you have installed. For example, if you have a 64 MB system, set the virtual memory size to 96 MB. You must restart the computer for the change to take effect.

Using Palm HotSync Manager

If you attempt to 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 Serial Port Settings tab. In the Local Setup section, select 19200 as the speed.

Hardware compatibility issues

Installing software for new devices

Some hardware devices include device drivers along with Apple system extensions. If you already have a later version of the system extensions, you only need to install the device drivers. Installing older versions of system extensions may cause problems. Use the Extensions Manager control panel to determine the version of your Apple software components.

Note : Before you install software that comes with a peripheral device, it is advisable to check the device manufacturer's Web site to ensure you have their latest software.

Using USB devices with software applications

Some applications won't recognize a USB device if the device is plugged in while the application is already open. To use the USB device with that application, quit the application, make sure the device is properly plugged in, then open the application again.

Starting up from a USB hard disk

Your computer may not start up correctly from a USB hard disk if the manufacturer's hard disk driver software is outdated. Check with the USB hard disk drive manufacturer for updated driver software. In the meantime, you may be able to start up from the USB hard disk by removing the manufacturer's hard disk driver extension from the Extensions folder in the System folder, and then starting up from the USB disk.

Using Apple printers

Printer driver software for some older Apple printers is located in a folder called Additional Printer Drivers, in the CD Extras folder on your software install CD. These extensions are Color SW 1500 (for the Color StyleWriter 1500), Color SW 2500 (for the Color StyleWriter 2500), Color SW Pro (for the Color StyleWriter Pro), CSW 6000 Series (for the Color StyleWriter 6000 series), and ImageWriter. To use a printer extension, drag it onto the System Folder, then restart the computer. These printers may require hardware adapters or special cables.