G3 iMac project!

[GlittermekaiN]

Howdy!
First time poster, with a question.

I have an idea, that I've been spooling around in my head for a couple of months now. I want to modify my good old Bondi Blue iMac Revision B, so it can run Leopard, and iTunes.

I've already secured 160MB of RAM in total on it, which is over the "Recommended" amount as specified by Apple, and I have a 40GB hard disk from my old ThinkPad. (I salvaged the 128MB stick from the ThinkPad as well. Who knew I'd be so lucky!)

Now, here's my issue.

The connector on the hard disk, is female.

The IDE cable from the iMac, is also female.

So now, I need either, a male-female cable; or a male-male adapter.

Anybody have any advice? Any links for me?

Or should I just boot the cash, and buy a new internal for the iMac.


The hard drive I want to install has a lot of stuff that I wasn't able to back up before hand, so that's why I want to install it. (Back up the information, and format the hard drive.)


Thanks a ton!
[Kain]

 

[bryphotoguy]

uhhhh.... where to begin.
The G3 iMac could potentially run Leopard but it won't be an easy task.
First, let's get the minimum specs straight. Leopard requires minimum 512MB RAM (strike 1) and a G4 (strike 2) 867MHz or faster (strike 3) processor.
Second, the Thinkpad is a laptop, right? The iMac uses desktop hard drives. You might be able to find an adapter but picking up a new 40GB or 80GB might be wiser (strike 4). If you want all the info from the old HD, buy an external enclosure. A laptop HD enclosure runs $10 maximum.
Third, the ThinkPad wouldn't work either (strike 5).
To get the iMac to run any version of OS X, you need to install 9.2.2 to update the iMac's firmware. If you don't have the original install discs, you will need those. Just popping in the OS X disc won't work. To run Leopard at all, I'd look in maxing out the RAM at 1GB (2x512MB.) Also, the bondi blue is only CD-ROM. Leopard is only DVD. Actually, you'd have to install Leopard through another Mac just to get it working. Even if you had a DVD drive it wouldn't install (strike 6).

The best advice I can give you, don't bother trying. The Bondi Blue iMac is an obsolete machine for running Leopard which is why it doesn't meat the minimum specs by a long shot. The processor wouldn't be able to handle much, the RAM would be maxed out, the vRAM wouldn't come nearly close to rendering all the pretty graphics cleanly.

If you want to get this machine running smoothly, max out the RAM, buy a new HD, install 9.2.2 for the firmware update, and install Panther, 10.3. Even if you were to try and install Tiger, you'd need a second Mac to do it. (Tiger requires a FireWire port)

Oh, my cousin and I tried getting Leopard installed on his 800MHz G4 iBook and it didn't hold up so well after he updated to 10.5.1. It would be a complete and utter nightmare if you were to actually get Leopard installed. (You struck out 2x btw)

 

[GlittermekaiN]

Well, crap.
I wanted to run it as a jukebox kind of deal, do a case modification.
Get it looking pretty.

Alright man, thanks for ruining my dreams.

It'll make a project of it yet!
Install a mini-ITX board on it.

Thanks.

 

[PinkLemonade]

uhhhh.... where to begin.
The G3 iMac could potentially run Leopard but it won't be an easy task.
First, let's get the minimum specs straight. Leopard requires minimum 512MB RAM (strike 1) and a G4 (strike 2) 867MHz or faster (strike 3) processor.

Well, here's a guide to installing Leopard on older macs.

 

[the8thark]

Well technically that would work. But what's the point if it runs like a snail of the older machine.

 

[bryphotoguy]

Well, crap.
I wanted to run it as a jukebox kind of deal, do a case modification.
Get it looking pretty.

Alright man, thanks for ruining my dreams.

It'll make a project of it yet!
Install a mini-ITX board on it.

Thanks.

I would think you could get Panther (10.3) running on it nicely and turn the jukebox you're interested in. I thought about doing with a hand me down DV model I got for free.
You could proably do it with only a HD upgrade.

 

[GlittermekaiN]

I read that "How to install Panther" guide, which is what gave me the idea.
But, I suppose I'll just turn it into an Intel machine, and get it running well with a decent bit of RAM.

That way I can have the aesthetic value of the old iMac (I love the way they look.) and also, have a well running machine, nestled into it.

Thanks again for all of your input!

 

[bryphotoguy]

I read that "How to install Panther" guide, which is what gave me the idea.
But, I suppose I'll just turn it into an Intel machine, and get it running well with a decent bit of RAM.

That way I can have the aesthetic value of the old iMac (I love the way they look.) and also, have a well running machine, nestled into it.

Thanks again for all of your input!

You are sort of stuck with what you got with the G3 iMacs. The later models like the 400MHz+ can swap logic boards from faster machines like a 600 or 700MHz model but the early ones are limited to only what's inside. I took apart an old 333MHz machine and it had a removable processor. I think there was an upgrade to a G4 processor for early G3 iMacs. You might be able to find something like that. I think the processor has a FireWire built-in (no joke) so you could get Tiger running if needed.
Otherwise, you're stuck with what you got. The early iMacs didn't leave much room for expansion. The logic board is "U" shaped so you can't drop in a m-ATX board. There just isn't enough room.
If you're interested in the processor upgrade, let me know. I will see if I can track down the link I found. I remember it being discontinued and sold out but you could probably get lucky and find a used one.

 

[GlittermekaiN]

I have a decent amount of experience fabricating brackets and such, so it shouldn't be a problem making a new bracket for a new board.

And even less so, if I gut it completely, and replace the old CRT with an equal LCD.

 

[bryphotoguy]

Ok, with major modifications like swapping the CRT for an LCD, the move to make a PC with a m-ATX motherboard will work.
As is, I was remembering the newer G3 iMacs which have a "U" shaped logic board. The older models do not. It's actually, quite a small board, barely larger than the mini tray load drive it comes with. I was going to take a photo for you but I can't find the data cable for my camera.
If you remove the CRT, you can make room for what you need. You'd just need a mounting bracket for every piece. The drive sled for the HD and optical drive is suited for one HD and the mini tray load drive. you'd be doing a lot of work just to make a standard tray drive fit in that thing. But it should be do able.
Good Luck! Post some pix when ur done.

 

[fyrman22]

Rip out the CRT for an LCD and throw a MacMini in it. That would be sweet. I have 3 G3s laying around. I think I found my next project!!