I picked up a mac powerbook 540c (free!) that I want to set-up for my kid to
use.  It's already got a lot of software on it, and an internal modem, but
I can't seem to get the modem to find a dialtone.  I _could_ be defective.
Since I'm a PC person, I only know how to use macs, not troubleshoot them.
Can anyone point me to information about how to use this powerbook?
[It has several(?) remote access programs, but the one I found most
user-friendly is called "zterm0.9"].

On a slightly different note, when using a mac (imac, for instance), if
someone has put a quick-launch icon on the menu bar (upper right of screen,
just left of the "finder" status indicator) and one wants to delete it, how
do you do that?  I can't drag it to the trash, select/delete it, or anything
else I can think of.  The on-screen and on-line help is useless on this.  I
guess what I really need to learn here is...how do you add/edit/delete icons
and quick-launch buttons to the menu bar on the MacOs desktop?

Any help on either/both of these issues is appreciated.

11 responses total.

Do you know enough to check how the modem and the communications software are
set and whether they agree on which com port is being used?  We frequently
get no dial tone if we set the modem to Com2 and the dialing program to Com1.
Sometimes the modems have DIP switches or jumpers for hardware setting of Com
port, and if you are very lucky they will be labelled.

COM ports are irrelevant to Macintoshes.

Look at the Modem control panel.  

Forgot to ask:  Which version of the OS?

To add and subtract things from the Apple Menu, move them into and out
of the Apple Menu Items folder in the System Folder.

If you want to use it for web-browsing and the like, look for Remote
Access, which is also a Control Panel.  If you can't find Remote Acces,
look for something with "PPP" in the name.

I don't know this particular model, so I can't describe the various and
sundry holes in the case.  Sometimes, there is one jack that works both
for ethernet and telephone, depending upon the cord plugged into it.
Othertimes, there are separate jacks, marked with either a handset or this:

        <--->

The handset is, of course, the telephone jack. ;)

The stuff in the Apple Menu Items folder show up in the menu under the
Apple in the upper left corner of the menu bar, not over on the right with
the Finder menu. You add stuff to the Apple Menu by putting aliases for
applications into System Folder/Apple Menu Item/.  The stuff over by the
Finder is put there by application extensions and you can't change it.
There is also the Control Strip at the bottom of the screen (well,
depending on the OS)  which acts like those in the menu bar but you can
set the Control Strip up by putting application aliases in System
Folder/Control Strip Modules/. 

If you found zterm (latest is ZTerm1.1b4) user friendly, you must have
gotten a dialtone. If you mean TCP/IP connection, you set that up in the
TCP/IP (or PPP) Control Panel.

Right, left, how am I supposed to know the difference? ;/

Look for a quick-launch module in either the Extensions folder or the Control
Panel folder, both of which are in the System Folder.

A good page i've found with most of the Apple manuals is

http://www.freehost.nu/members/enigmac/appleman.html

luca_

Thanks for the URL...I'll check it out.  The quick-launch problem has to do
with, for example, some guest user who installs AOL messenger, or some such
thing.  I can find all the files and delete the stuff, but I can't get rid
of the icon.  I've been told there is a way to do so, but the steps elude me.

Good to know, also, about the Apple menu.  There are many programs in there
that will be removed once I get this thing configured and your tips on how
to accomplish that are appreciated.

Back to the modem problem...
I wondered about the com port assignments, and why I couldn't find any.  The
only way to choose a port (and the only choice available) is "internal modem".
There is a phone-jack (only 2 connectors) on the back, which is either the
modem or an ethernet jack.  It has a telephone icon over it.  The other
connectors on the back are; 2 round, pin-type connectors- one has a
printer/phone receiver icon (fax/phone ?) and the other has a vertical line
with three "buds' comming off it (network?).  There is also what looks like
a serial port (?) with that <---> icon you mentioned, an apparent scsi port
(I think the icon indicates a monitor) and a square (rectanguar) pin
connection with about 5 rows/6 columns to accept the pins (it has a "diamond"
icon with the right corner broken by a "-").  Of course, there are also the
power and sound in/out jacks.

The battery is no good (?), or else the charging system is out, I'd like to
know how to either check it or get an inexpensive battery to see if it'll run
off battery.  There's also a 3.5" floppy, and another port opening on the
right side to accept some other accessory modules (additional drives, CD,
etc).  I also don't know if that is operational, but that's the last thing
on our priority list at the moment.

btw - while I found zterm easy to locate and use, I didn't get any audible
dialtone, nor a connection.  I know the speakers work because I can raise and
lower the volume of the audio sounds (like when it boots).

I also did not get a "no dialtone" message or "disconnect" message.  I'm not
certain how to test the modem manually (ie; ATDT)...of course I can type the
commands, but I don't know for sure if I'm actually sending them to the modem
;-(

The ethernet jack has 8 wires. The other is the phone jack. The one with the
printer/phone symbol is a serial port. You the Applealk Controll Panel
can select its use. The one with three buds is an ADB bus, used for ADB
devices, especially a contemporary keyboard and mouse. I have a modem
that is powered from the ADB bus. The "diamond" is a SCSI port. You
need an adapter to DB-25 to use it. For cheap(er) cables and adapters
for your machine try http://www.rogerssystems.com/

You might try to find a copy of MacIntosh Secrets, published by MacWorld,
at a used (paperback) book store. They are very cheap for old models
of Macs. 

Batteries are a problem. You need on in, but it does not have to be
very good, to operate on external power. There is a battery charge
icon on the menu bar that shows when the4 battery is charging, which
checks the power adapter. 

Did you check the Modem Control Panel to see if it is set to the internal
modem? 

Yes.  Just opened and checked the powerport 500 controls and the remote access
setup.  Set to internal modem.

btw - it runs on external power without the battery.

BTW, "ADB" is "Apple Desktop Bus".  Some monitors use it to convey
configuration information to the machine.

They recommend not running laptops on external power without a battery. I
suspect it is because the battery provides voltage buffering, while
surges go right through the power adapter. 

thanks for that info...we'll put the (dead) battery back in.

Have a happy holiday and healthy new year all!  <:-}

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