09-11-2008, 09:39 AM

Yeah, before you ask I need this old machine to run a drum scanner with a scsi cable.

I've tried upgrading the memory from 256mb to 610mb, but without any detectable difference in speed. I've checked on the system profile and the memory upgrade is showing.

Files on photoshop are taking the same amount of time to open and save.

4 minutes to open a 79mb file, 1 minute to sharpen it
No difference at all after the new memory goes in

Am I being limited by the hard drive or something else?

09-11-2008, 12:25 PM

Can we have further specs please. For example, if you have G3 blue-white tower, then the processor can be upgraded for about US$125. Check the information about your model of Mac at www.everymac.com or Mactracker.

09-11-2008, 02:16 PM

What OS are you running on the old machine? If it is OS 9 I do not believe that after so 256mb that there is much of a noticeable difference in speed. Even so, you may want to run a disk defragment and make sure that you have at least 15-20% free space on the drive.

09-11-2008, 02:21 PM

It's a beige mini-tower revision 3 333mhz and running os 9.2.2

Cheers

09-11-2008, 03:31 PM

Ok, I done it myself. Photoshop was set to use only 13mb of memory. I've upped this slightly to 550mb

The same file now opens in 10 secs

09-11-2008, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by planck

Ok, I done it myself. Photoshop was set to use only 13mb of memory. I've upped this slightly to 550mb The same file now opens in 10 secs

A-ha! Good one, I forgot about allocating more memory to an application.

You might find this interesting: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/PowerLogix/PFZGX10001M/
Am thinking seriously about one for my G3 b/w tower. You can go to 768 Mb max memory with that machine, that'll help P'shop as well.

09-11-2008, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by hughvane

A-ha! Good one, I forgot about allocating more memory to an application.

You might find this interesting: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/PowerLogix/PFZGX10001M/
Am thinking seriously about one for my G3 b/w tower. You can go to 768 Mb max memory with that machine, that'll help P'shop as well.

Cheers, that looks interesting. I'll see how I get on with the added RAM. Probably enough as all I'm doing is running the scanner then taking the files off to my g5.

Was allocating more memory only something you had to do in os 9 or before? Does osX do it automatically?

Btw any ideas how to network the old g3 with the g5? I've installed a firewire card in the g3. At the moment I'm having to use an external HD.

09-11-2008, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by planck

Was allocating more memory only something you had to do in os 9 or before? Does osX do it automatically?

That's right, I think memory allocation might have begun back about OS 7.5.

Btw any ideas how to network the old g3 with the g5?

I had a beige G3 hooked to my eMac last year. In your machine I think you'll need a networking card unless the 10/100 ethernet was built in to order. You use Appletalk in the G3 to get the two computers chatting. I don't know about communication via firewire. Try posting a question in Networking.

09-12-2008, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by hughvane

That's right, I think memory allocation might have begun back about OS 7.5.



I had a beige G3 hooked to my eMac last year. In your machine I think you'll need a networking card unless the 10/100 ethernet was built in to order. You use Appletalk in the G3 to get the two computers chatting. I don't know about communication via firewire. Try posting a question in Networking.

I think there was an ethernet card in, but I took it out and put the Firewire in lol Oh dear. Think there's a spare scsi card in though I could remove.

Thanks again