Apple ProFile

1981 · Pre-Mac Storage

Introduced

1981

Original price

$ 3499

Original OS

Apple III (SOS); later Apple II (ProDOS / Apple Pascal) and Lisa

Colors

Beige

1976

1984

1998

2001

2007

2020

2026

Pre-Mac

Mac era

iMac era

iPod era

iPhone era

Silicon

Storage

Storage5 MB (formatted)

InterfaceSeagate ST-506 stepper motor drive, Apple parallel interface card

Connectivity

ParallelDB-25 parallel interface

Software

Original OSApple III (SOS); later Apple II (ProDOS / Apple Pascal) and Lisa

Included peripheralsApple ProFile hard-disk drive, ProFile Accessory Kit (interface cable, system-specific owner's manual, warranty and product registration, User Input Report), and system-specific accessory kit (software and interface card)

Power

Weight11 lbs.

Dimensions4.39 x 17.28 x 8.8 in.

Max power35 watts

Line voltageUS: 120 VAC; Europe: 230 VAC (internal power supply)

Identifiers

Model N°A9M0005

Order N°A9M0005

Lifecycle

Introduced1981

Discontinued1986

History

The ProFile was Apple's first hard disk. It was introduced in September 1981 at a price of $3,499 USD, initially for use with the Apple III. The original model had a formatted capacity of 5 MB and connected to a special interface card that inserted into an Apple III slot. In 1983 Apple offered a ProFile interface card for the Apple II, with software support for Apple ProDOS and Apple Pascal. Also in 1983, Apple introduced the Lisa computer, which was normally sold with a ProFile. The ProFile could be connected to the Lisa's integrated parallel port, or to a port on an optional dual-port parallel interface card. It was possible to install up to three of these cards, so in principle up to seven ProFile units could be used on a Lisa. Later a 10 MB model was offered, which however required an updated PROM/interface card to recognize the additional 5 MB.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Corps_v_Apple_Computer · Wikipedia

Trivia

• The ProFile, Apple's first hard disk from 1981, cost $3,499 and had a capacity of only 5 MB, equivalent to just a few modern music files. • Apple allowed up to seven ProFile units to be connected simultaneously to a Lisa computer, an extraordinary innovation for the time that anticipated multiple storage systems. • In 1983 Apple launched a 10 MB version of the ProFile, but it required an updated interface card to recognize the new additional 5 MB, demonstrating the technical limitations of early 1980s hardware.

D044

D232 · APPLE HERITAGE MUSEUM · LUGANO

D045