Seen on a forum (and on eBay), a prototype of the Power Mac 4400.
Apparently, the Mac powers on but doesn’t boot into an OS. The buyer tested a compatible system that couldn’t recognize the machine.
The eBay photos show several indicators that this is a pre-production model. First, the motherboard is labeled 820-0881-02 instead of 820-0881-A. Second, there is a visible ROM stick labeled A5 under the floppy drive, whereas the retail Power Mac 4400 has a soldered ROM (with no slot). Third, there’s no front label indicating the model name.
No logo
The back (no PS/2)
No logo
The visible ROM under the drive (A5)
Another clue comes from a chip in the center: the unit for sale has a chip with the AT&T logo, while the retail Power Mac 4400 features a Lucent chip. Technically, they’re likely the same, as Lucent became independent from AT&T in September 1996, and the Power Mac 4400 was launched in November 1996. So it’s plausible that a prototype would use an AT&T chip while the final version used Lucent.
The AT&T chip
Lastly, the label under the machine mentions Iglou (Igloo?). The Power Mac 4400 with a 200 MHz CPU is codenamed Cupid according to several sources, but the first model was Frosty, which aligns well with a cold-related naming convention.
The codename
Finally, it’s worth noting that the Mac resembles the one shown in the repair guide, which notably includes the ROM stick.
