02-18-2012, 02:40 PM

Hello, I picked up an old iMac 3G on the side of the road a few days ago. it boots up and works fine, but will always start up in an application called "pannels" i think this was an old school computer so i do not have access privileges to many programs. i decided to reformat the os and install os 9 to start over. i have gotten it to get to the screen where it would let me reinstall os 9 (its running off of a disk) but it wont recognize the mouse that had been working with if fine. it says on the screen" complete functionality of USB devises in not available when started up from this installer CD" is this a driver issue? If I cannot get the mouse to work is there a way to reformat os 9 from within the OS?
Thank You

02-19-2012, 01:24 AM

First want flavor of Imac is it. A slot load or tray load? Do you have the mouse plugged into the keyboard or just into the side USB. Plug it into the side of the apple keyboard. You want to do a universal install of the os so you get the right Imac firmware.

02-19-2012, 02:59 PM

its a green tray loading iMac. I had it plugged into the side of the iMac but will try with keyboard.

02-19-2012, 03:07 PM

The mouse will work until I get to the desktop, where i will get the message "Complete functionality of USB devices is not available when started up from this installer CD."

02-19-2012, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by tubatoothpaste9

The mouse will work until I get to the desktop, where i will get the message "Complete functionality of USB devices is not available when started up from this installer CD."

A full retail version of OS9 is a white CD with an orange 9 on it. Will be version 9.2.1.

02-20-2012, 01:44 AM

So I wilL need the 9.2.1 OS to use the mouse in the install screen?

02-20-2012, 08:54 AM

My questions are:

- Do you have specific reasons to run OS 9?..if not...then you would definitely be better off with a version of OS 10.
- Are you going to be keeping this computer...or is your purpose to get it running to sell it (for a whole $25 bucks or less)?

Either way...I'm assuming that you don't want to invest more $$$ than the computer is worth...which would be VERY easy to do if you have to purchase an OS install disk.

- Nick

02-20-2012, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by pigoo3

My questions are:

- Do you have specific reasons to run OS 9?..if not...then you would definitely be better off with a version of OS 10.
- Are you going to be keeping this computer...or is your purpose to get it running to sell it (for a whole $25 bucks or less)?

Either way...I'm assuming that you don't want to invest more $$$ than the computer is worth...which would be VERY easy to do if you have to purchase an OS install disk.

- Nick

I don't think that my computer meets the specs to run OS 10. The only reason I want a clean install is because I do not have admin access on it.
I took this on as a project so I'm willing to put some money into it, but mainly for hardware upgrades.

02-20-2012, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by tubatoothpaste9

I don't think that my computer meets the specs to run OS 10.

It sure does...ALL iMac G3's can run earlier versions of OS X...your call.

It may need a firmware update (depending on the iMac G3 model)...but it can definitely run earlier versions of OS 10. Post the specs on this iMac G3 (at least the cpu speed and amount of ram)...so we have a better idea of what we're dealing with.

- Nick

02-20-2012, 12:31 PM

I would deffinantly want to upgrade to OS X if it would run with a good pace. Here are the specs:
RAM: 32 MB
Virtual RAM: 64MB on MacHD
Processor: PowerPC G3 333MHz
Hard drive: 6GB

02-20-2012, 01:32 PM

Thanks for the spec. info.

Before you start spending money on this computer...you really need to think what you're going to do with it...and how much money you want to invest in it. And be aware that no matter what you do to it (upgrades)...it's NEVER going to be a "speedy" in any sense of the word.

This is a 13 year-old computer...with a 333mhz cpu, old video hardware, and a max. ram limit of 512meg...and worth about $25 bucks. To purchase OS install disks & max out the ram...you will probably spend at least $50. And in the end it will be SLOW.

But if all of this is no "biggie"...and you want to breath new life into a 13 year-old computer...go for it! Just wanted to warn you up front of the downsides before you got too deep into this project.

- Nick

p.s. By the way...I have 4 iMac G3's.

02-20-2012, 01:39 PM

I was just planning to use this computer as a basic web browser and a way to nudge myself into the Mac OS. I am willing to spend some money on the upgrades. I just want it to be a computer that wont freeze when i open up safari or any web browser i can get onto it. Would this upgraded iMac be able to do that?

02-20-2012, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by tubatoothpaste9

I was just planning to use this computer as a basic web browser and a way to nudge myself into the Mac OS. I am willing to spend some money on the upgrades. I just want it to be a computer that wont freeze when i open up safari or any web browser i can get onto it. Would this upgraded iMac be able to do that?

When you say "basic web browsing"...it would have to be pretty basic. Most sites will take a while to load (the more complex the longer it will take)...and many sites that use JAVA or FLASH for the graphics/video content will make things REALLY run slow on an iMac G3.

If watching You-Tube videos is part of what you consider "basic" web browsing...FORGET ABOUT IT! You-Tube videos (or almost any other internet video) is far from "basic" web browsing.

Also...many websites that you might think would be part of "basic" web browsing...really aren't...since many many webpages contain a lot more complex video & graphics than you might think.

I think that your idea of using this iMac G3 as a way to get introduced to Macintosh computers & the Mac OS is a good one...but to get a more positive experience...you might be better off getting a newer model (ANY 13 year-old computer is going to run slow).

For example...for the same $50-$75 (or more) you may spend getting this iMac G3 to run better (more ram & newer OS)...you could buy a MUCH better (but still old) Mac computer that would be MUCH better.

The main "deal" when trying to use an OLD Macintosh computer...it to get one that does not need any upgrading...since it's the upgrades that cost an "arm & a leg". So in this iMac G3's case...it would have been better if it already had a version of OS 10 already installed on it...and the ram maxed out (512meg).

- Nick

02-20-2012, 04:25 PM

Ok, thank you so much. I will take your idea of spending the money on upgrades and use it to find a better Mac. Thank You far all of this help. Are there any cool/fun things to do with the old Mac?

02-20-2012, 10:26 PM

You would be better off putting a PPC version of Linux on it. That would give you a newer browser.