Editing Apple Workgroup Server 9650

{{Infobox computer
| name         = Apple Workgroup Server 9650
| image        = [[File:Apple Workgroup Server 9650 rear panel (Service Source).png|260px|frameless]]
| caption      = Rear panel of the Workgroup Server 9650, from Apple's Service Source
| manufacturer = Apple Computer, Inc.
| type         = Tower file server
| release_date = 21 April 1997 (9650/233); 5 August 1997 (9650/350)
| cpu          = PowerPC 604e at 233 or 350 MHz on a processor card
| memory       = 64 MB standard, expandable to 768 MB (twelve 168-pin DIMM slots, 70 ns)
| rom          = 4 MB
| storage      = One or two 4 GB Ultra Wide SCSI hard disks; DDS-2 DAT drive (9650/233)
| media        = 1.4 MB SuperDrive; 12x (9650/233) or 24x (9650/350) CD-ROM
| display      = 4 MB VRAM on the supplied PCI video card
| expansion    = Six PCI slots, two used by the Ultra SCSI card and the video card
| power        = 100–240 V AC; 390 W DC
| dimensions   = 17.3 × 8.8 × 17.3 in (43.9 × 22.4 × 44.0 cm)
| weight       = 35 lb (15.9 kg)
| os           = Mac OS 7.6.1 with Apple RAID 1.5
}}
The '''Apple Workgroup Server 9650''' is the server version of the Power Macintosh 9600, sold from April 1997 until early 1998 in two models, the 9650/233 and the 9650/350.<ref name="sp272">Apple, [https://support.apple.com/kb/SP272 "Workgroup Server 9650/233: Technical Specifications"] (retrieved 2026-10-02). Introduced 4/21/1997; PowerPC 604e at 233 MHz, 64-bit data path at 50 MHz; 512K L2 cache; 6 PCI; 12 × 168-pin DIMM slots, 64-768 MB, 70 ns; 390 W; battery 3.6 V lithium; form factor PM 9600; Gestalt ID 67; original system software 7.6.1; 12x CD-ROM.</ref><ref name="sp273">Apple, [https://support.apple.com/kb/SP273 "Workgroup Server 9650/350: Technical Specifications"] (retrieved 2026-10-02). Introduced 8/5/1997; PowerPC 604e at 350 MHz; notes that three PCI slots are occupied by SCSI, video and Ethernet cards and that the system has a 100 MHz cache bus and 50 MHz system bus; "Ethernet 100T port on PCI card"; 24x CD-ROM.</ref><ref name="wp">Wikipedia, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Workgroup_Server "Apple Workgroup Server"] (retrieved 2026-10-02). Gives the WGS 9650 as April 1997 to March 1998. Used for dates only.</ref> It shares the 9600's housing and logic board, and Apple services the 8600, 9600 and WS 9650 from one manual. The server differences are a PCI Ultra Wide SCSI card with the hard disks on it, 64 MB of memory as standard, a tape drive on the 9650/233 and Apple's server software bundles.<ref name="ss">Apple Computer, ''Power Macintosh 8600/9600 & WS 9650'' Service Source (237 pp., created 16 January 1997), hosted here as [[:File:Pm8600.9600.ws9650.pdf]] (see [[Power Macintosh 8600/ 9600 & WS 9650 Service Source]]). PDF page numbers: Overview pp. 3, 8-9; Configurations pp. 12-13; Cuda pp. 25; Resetting the Logic Board pp. 26-27; Fast SCSI and Ultra Wide SCSI pp. 28-34; Rear View Diagram p. 38; Logic Board Diagram p. 42; Specifications pp. 47-62; Symptom Charts pp. 66-76; Ultra SCSI Card take-apart pp. 104-108; Tape Drive pp. 145-149; Power Supply p. 155; WS 9650 exploded view pp. 236-237.</ref>

== Specifications ==
<templatestyles src="Template:StyledTable/styles.css" />
{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:70%;"
|+ '''Workgroup Server 9650: Apple's specifications'''<ref name="ss" />
! Item !! 9650/233 !! 9650/350
|-
| Processor || PowerPC 604e, 233 MHz || PowerPC 604e, 350 MHz
|-
| Level-2 cache || 512K soldered to the logic board || 1 MB inline cache on the processor card
|-
| RAM || colspan="2" | 64 MB standard, to 768 MB; 168-pin 64-bit 70 ns EDO or FPM DIMMs (shipped with EDO, which the memory controller runs as fast-page)
|-
| Video || colspan="2" | 4 MB VRAM on the supplied PCI video card; no video connector on the logic board
|-
| Hard disk || One 4 GB Ultra Wide SCSI || Two 4 GB Ultra Wide SCSI
|-
| CD-ROM || AppleCD 1800i 12x || AppleCD 24x
|-
| Tape || DDS-2 DAT || None
|-
| SCSI || colspan="2" | Internal Ultra Wide SCSI-3 on the PCI card (40 MB/s); internal Fast SCSI-2 (10 MB/s); external SCSI-1 (5 MB/s)
|-
| Expansion || colspan="2" | Six PCI slots, one used by the Ultra SCSI card and one by the video card
|-
| Ports || colspan="2" | AAUI and 10BASE-T Ethernet, two GeoPort serial (mini DIN-8), ADB, sound in and out, DB-25 SCSI
|-
| Power || colspan="2" | 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz; 390 W DC, 560 W continuous and 700 W peak AC input
|-
| Environment || colspan="2" | 10–40 °C operating; 5–95 % humidity non-condensing; to 3,048 m
|-
| System software || colspan="2" | Mac OS 7.6.1 or later, with Apple RAID 1.5
|}

Apple's specification page for the 9650/350 lists a 512K level-2 cache, three PCI slots taken by SCSI, video and Ethernet cards, and a 100 Mbit Ethernet port on a PCI card.<ref name="sp273" /> The Service Source gives the 9650/350 a 1 MB inline cache on the processor card and mentions only the SCSI and video cards.<ref name="ss" />

Apple's ''Memory Guide'' adds that the board has no soldered DRAM, so at least one DIMM must be fitted for the machine to run. It takes 5 V, 64-bit, 168-pin fast-page or EDO DIMMs of 4 to 64 MB; DIMMs can go in singly, but matched pairs in paired slots give the best performance. SIMMs from older Macintosh models do not fit.<ref name="amg">Apple Computer, ''Apple Memory Guide'' (May 2000), hosted here as [[:File:Apple Memory Guide (May 2000).pdf]] (see [[Apple Memory Guide]]). WorkGroup Servers pp. 11-12, Workgroup Server 9650 (PDF pp. 134-135).</ref>

Each model came in Application Server, AppleShare Server and Apple Internet Server solution bundles.<ref name="ss" />

== Three SCSI buses ==
The 9650 has three internal SCSI buses, and getting termination wrong on them can damage the logic board.<ref name="ss" />
* Ultra Wide SCSI-3 (68-pin) on the JackHammer SE PCI card: all internal hard disks, up to four devices, 40 MB/s. ID 0 is the factory hard disk and ID 1 the optional second disk, both terminated; the card is ID 7, also terminated; IDs 2-6 and 8-15 are free. Anything else added to this bus must be unterminated. Apple warns that a terminated device here may severely damage the logic board.
* Fast SCSI-2 (50-pin, 10 MB/s): the CD-ROM drive and the tape drive. These ship unterminated, so a 50-pin terminator block sits on the end of the ribbon cable. Leave it there when adding an unterminated device; remove it and put the new device at the end of the cable if the device is terminated.
* SCSI-1 (50-pin, 5 MB/s) connector on the logic board, which Apple advises against using.

Do not use the external connector on the Ultra SCSI card. Apple does not recommend external devices on it because of Ultra SCSI signal limits.<ref name="ss" /> Devices on different buses may share an ID number.<ref name="ss" />

== Troubleshooting notes ==
The 68-pin Ultra Wide cable runs close to the fan on the side access panel. In the 9650 symptom charts, the first check for no power, for a machine that will not start and for clicking or rubbing noises is that the cable is undamaged and that its Velcro straps hold it clear of the fan. Replace the straps or the cable if they are damaged.<ref name="ss" /> Disconnect this cable from the lower hard disks and release it from its Velcro tie before taking out the power supply.<ref name="ss" />

The other cures are those of the Power Macintosh 9600: reseat the processor card and ROM SIMM, press the Cuda reset button on the logic board, then reset the logic board by unplugging it, removing the battery, disconnecting the power supply cable from the board, pressing the power button and waiting at least 10 minutes before refitting the battery the right way round. The logic board will not run without a processor card. An eight-part error chord at startup means DRAM: replace the DIMMs one at a time.<ref name="ss" />

The clock battery is a 3.6 V lithium cell.<ref name="sp272" /> If it has leaked, see [[Battery Explosion, Capacitor or Corrosion Damage]].

Part numbers from Apple's WS 9650 exploded view: logic board 661-1221, 233 MHz processor card 661-1349, Ultra SCSI card 661-1371, video card 661-1409, power supply 661-1242, 4 GB Ultra Wide hard disk 661-1087, tape drive 661-0039, 68-pin SCSI cable 922-3052, 50-pin SCSI cable 922-2590.<ref name="ss" /> Apple gives no component values for any of these.

== Documentation ==
* [[Power Macintosh 8600/ 9600 & WS 9650 Service Source]]: Apple's service manual for the 8600, 9600 and WS 9650.
* [[Apple Memory Guide]]: memory rules for the WS 9650.

<pdf width="800" height="500">File:Pm8600.9600.ws9650.pdf</pdf>

== Related pages ==
* [[Power Macintosh 9600]]
* [[Power Macintosh 9600 General Maintenance]]
* [[Power Macintosh 9600 Troubleshooting]]
* [[Apple Workgroup Server 9150]]

== References ==
<references />

{{Navbox-AppleVintage|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Apple Vintage Computers]]