The PowerBook 150 has a single motherboard expansion slot addressed via a 32-bit memory bus. This computer requires either a unique 70ns DRAM module, or a Duo RAM expansion card with an adapter (Apple part number M3179LL/A), in either 4MB, 8MB, 14MB, 20MB or 36MB capacities. Note that this L-shaped adapter is now quite rare; MacGurus no longer has access to it. Some Apple Service Providers may have small quantities lingering in inventory.As the PB150 accepts memory that is specifically manufactured with an integrated L-shaped adapter, as well as Duo RAM expansion cards, it is important to mention the model number when ordering. MacGurus no longer carries memory specifically for the PowerBook 150. If you order Duo memory for the PB150, you will have to find an L-shaped adapter to support it.
With 4MB low-power, self-refresh DRAM soldered to the logic board, the PB150 can acommodate memory configurations of 8MB, 12MB, 16MB, 24MB, and 40MB through the addition of a single memory expansion module. The maximum amount of usable memory in the PB150 is 40MB, in the form of a single 36MB module in combination with the soldered 4MBs of logic board DRAM.
The Motorola 68030 on the PB150 motherboard runs at 33 MHz. Like the PB140, 145, 145B and 170-series, the PB150 does not support SCSI Disk Mode. Uniquely among the 100-series PowerBooks, it supports internal IDE (Intelligent Drive Electonics) hard drives, which have become standard among latter-day PowerBooks.
The IDE hard drive imposes some difficulties for users accustomed to reformatting drives and performing clean installs of system software, as the PB 150 loads its hard drive driver from ROM rather than the driver partition of the hard drive. In fact, Apple TIL article PowerBook 150: Can't Use Drive Setup (6/96) points out that the presence of a driver on a hard drive installed in a PowerBook 150 is often enough to prevent the computer from booting off the drive at all. Apple bundled a utility called Internal HD Format with all PowerBook 150's: this utility and no other should be utilized to prep replacement drives for use with this model.
Specifications Logic Board DRAM 4MB. Supported Modules 4MB, 8MB, 14MB, 20MB, 36MB. Number Expansion Slots One (1). Supported VRAM None. Number VRAM Slots None. L2 Cache Supported None (Non-PowerPC architecture). Module Type 70ns PB150 RAM Expansion Card.
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