G4; How do I get this computer working?

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I bought this computer from a college and I would like to get it working.

Besides buying a hard drive what else needs to be done?

Picasa Web Albums - charlestot - Apple Computer

When I turn it on it comes on and gives me this screen.

IMGP8976.jpg
 

pigoo3

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I bought this computer from a college and I would like to get it working.

Besides buying a hard drive what else needs to be done?

Well before you do anything...it might be a good idea to install a hard drive, install the Mac OS, and then we can go from there!

- Nick
 
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Well before you do anything...it might be a good idea to install a hard drive, install the Mac OS, and then we can go from there!

- Nick

What kind of hard drive do I need to get?
And what Mac OS should I get Tiger?
 

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What kind of hard drive do I need to get?
And what Mac OS should I get Tiger?

Well technically you didn't tell us what model desktop Macintosh you have...but one of your pictures showed the configuration info (assuming the photo is of the Mac we are talking about).

The hard drive interface is Ultra ATA/66...but I think basically an IDE hard drive will work (max HD size is 128gig).

As far as what OS to install...this computer can use any version of Mac OS X up to 10.4.11...personally I would probably install Tiger (10.4.11) like you mentioned.

Good luck,

- Nick
 
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Well technically you didn't tell us what model desktop Macintosh you have...but one of your pictures showed the configuration info (assuming the photo is of the Mac we are talking about).

The hard drive interface is Ultra ATA/66...but I think basically an IDE hard drive will work (max HD size is 128gig).

As far as what OS to install...this computer can use any version of Mac OS X up to 10.4.11...personally I would probably install Tiger (10.4.11) like you mentioned.

Good luck,

- Nick

Would this work?
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar WD800BB 80GB 7200 RPM 2MB Cache IDE Ultra ATA100 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives

Where can I get a copy of Tiger?

Thanks very much, btw.
 

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In case you didn't know...this computer we are talking about is worth about $30 bucks...and that's if it had a hard drive...which it doesn't!

So I would probably try to find a cheap used hard drive somewhere.

As far as Tiger...you could purchase it on e-Bay or maybe on your local Craig's List. On e-Bay a "Universal" install version of Tiger can close close to $100!

So with a new hard drive costing around $40 + Tiger costing $100...you're talking about spending around $140 bucks to get a $20 computer to work.

I'm not sure this computer is worth it!

- Nick

p.s. You could save a little money buy purchasing an older version of OS X.
 
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:(
That's some bad news.

I bought 5 of them from the college for $50 bucks.

I was going to fix them up and sell them.

The first two would be going to two close friends of mine.

**** it.

I guess I'll recycle them.

Don't feel like spending money. I though I was going to make money.
:|
 

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:(
That's some bad news.

I bought 5 of them from the college for $50 bucks.

I was going to fix them up and sell them.

Sorry about that!

If you bought 5 of them for $50, of course that's $10 a piece.

Do none of them have hard drives? Try keeping your eye's open for someone selling a bunch of hard drives inexpensively, and make them an offer.

These computers only came with a 20 gig or so hard drive...so you don't have to put anything humongous in them.

And I mentioned that with a hard drive they are worth about $30 each...but that doesn't mean someone wouldn't purchase them for say $50 or $60 bucks each.

By the way...how much ram does each computer have?

This project is not a "gold mine"...but you may be able to make a few bucks out of it since you have 5 of them.

Good luck,

- Nick
 

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That machine is a G4 450Mhz Sawtooth. I see 2 memory modules. The tag on back says 256MB RAM. I wonder if there are 2 128Meg Dimms in there or if the ram was upgraded. Tiger would be pretty slow with 256Megs RAM.

That hard drive will work, but since I doubt you will get more than $50 or so per machine, don't spend too much. Any old IDE (ATA) hard drive will work.

You got a good deal at $10 per machine though. If you are in it just to make a decent profit, I doubt you will get too much profit but it could be a way for people who have never used a Mac or OSX to try one for a low price.

Just don't expect wonders from that old a machine.
 

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You got a good deal at $10 per machine though. If you are in it just to make a decent profit, I doubt you will get too much profit but it could be a way for people who have never used a Mac or OSX to try one for a low price.

Two (maybe three) of the big cost issues with these computers are:

- no hard drives (small 10-20gig used IDE hard drives cost a lot more than you would expect)...OWC sells new 80gig IDE drives for $46.

- depending how much ram the computers have...PC100 or PC133 ram is not cheap either (OWC sells 256meg for $14, and 512meg for $26)..even used it's not cheap.

- the original poster has no operating system install disks. So technically, to be totally legal, each computer needs it's own single user install disks...or the OP needs to purchase a 5 user license.

Add up the cost of a hard drive. maybe additional ram to run Tiger, and licenses for the OS...and it's going to be tough to make a profit.

- Nick
 

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I know that quite well BTW. You can get RAM from Ebay quite cheap. I picked up PC133 512Meg Dimms for my Digital Audio for $20 each and they are guaranteed to work. Seller had 10k positive feedback. I run into small IDE drives all the time for sometimes $10 each.

I told him he will not make much of a profit. From his last post I have a feeling those Sawtooth's are headed for the garbage bin. Sad really.

I never purchase machines that old to try and make a lot of $$$ off of. You never will even with PC hardware. Fun to turn a friend on to OSX though. Worked many times and they later bought a more modern Mac.
 

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I know that quite well BTW. You can get RAM from Ebay quite cheap. I picked up PC133 512Meg Dimms for my Digital Audio for $20 each and they are guaranteed to work. Seller had 10k positive feedback. I run into small IDE drives all the time for sometimes $10 each.

I told him he will not make much of a profit. From his last post I have a feeling those Sawtooth's are headed for the garbage bin. Sad really.

I never purchase machines that old to try and make a lot of $$$ off of. You never will even with PC hardware. Fun to turn a friend on to OSX though. Worked many times and they later bought a more modern Mac.

Whenever I buy an older Mac...it's usually for my own use or "Mac Museum"...and I make sure it comes with a decent amount of ram, and comes with a hard drive...basically a fully functioning computer.

Too many folks are stripping computers (Macintosh's) of the ram & hard drives...and then selling them without a keyboard or mouse as well! Making it almost impossible to get them back in working order for a decent price, unless you have extra parts laying around at home.

As far as the ram & hard drive prices you mentioned. $20 bucks for 512 meg of used PC-133 ram isn't really all that super...since OWC sells them for $26.99. I would consider 50% off the price of new much better. Yeah...$10 bucks for a small IDE hard drive isn't bad.

But in both cases (ram & hard drives)...if you buy it on e-Bay, then you have to pay shipping...and it's the shipping costs that really kill the deal! Even a couple bucks shipping for the ram kind of sucks.

The best way to get cheap parts is watch Craig's list...negotiate a cheap price with the seller, and then no shipping costs.

It's just really really tough from a financial standpoint...to get an older slower G4 desktop fully operational if you start out with a "stripped box" with no ram, no hard drive, no keyboard, no mouse, and no OS.

- Nick
 
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I am going to keep at least two of them.
My one friend is in real need of a computer so I would be willing to spend more than I usually would to get him a computer.O:);D

What I plan to do is to get two of them into good running condition.

$80 dollars for the hard drives.
$0 for linux. For now.
Upgrade the ram to 1GB or whatever the maximum is.
It will support four RAM slots. How much each slot will handle I don't know.
IMGP1928.JPG


Is it possible for me to hook up an external drive and use one of them as a server?

I really love Mac's
I'm writing this on my first Mac; A MacBook Pro 2.2Ghz 2GB.
I would love to have a power house as a desktop.
But I don't have all that much money to spend.
I am thinking about buying a Mac Mini and "hot rodding" it. :Evil:

But I would much rather try to run a super clean Ubuntu of one of these.
Would the mobo handle it?

I think I am going to stalk the for sale section and try to nab a nice desktop.
 
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You go to the local thrift store and look for a PC. You can find P4s for like $10-20. They may have like 40g hard drives in them. Yank it out and volla, hard drive. I do it all the time. Got an 80g in my Quicksilver came out of a PC. Same with the Adaptec SCSI card and 20g drive in the Quicksilver. Got my version of OS10.2 in a plastic bag on the wall for $2.02.:D
 

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You go to the local thrift store and look for a PC. You can find P4s for like $10-20. They may have like 40g hard drives in them. Yank it out and volla, hard drive.

Yes I agree. Don't spend $80 on a couple of new hard drives...try to find something used.

And depending on what you're going to do with them...you may not need to max out the ram.

I just sold an iBook laptop that only had 640meg of ram, I had OS 10.4.11 on it...and it did most things just fine.

By the way...I believe those 867mhz G4 desktops can hold up to 2.0 gigs of ram.

Good luck,

- Nick
 
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Yes I agree. Don't spend $80 on a couple of new hard drives...try to find something used.

And depending on what you're going to do with them...you may not need to max out the ram.

I just sold an iBook laptop that only had 640meg of ram, I had OS 10.4.11 on it...and it did most things just fine.

By the way...I believe those 867mhz G4 desktops can hold up to 2.0 gigs of ram.

Good luck,

- Nick

Ok, ok.

I like SPEED!
I'll look at used.
 

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Ok, ok.

I like SPEED!
I'll look at used.

What do you mean by "SPEED"?...instant gratification like speed?

If you mean computing speed...you're not going to get it in a 450mhz G4 desktop!

If by speed you mean that you just want to order the hard drives, pay $80 bucks, and call it a day! That's fine if you got lots of money to spend.

But then that $40 bucks you spend on one hard drive is as much money as TWO of the Mac computers you have in their current condition are worth.

- Nick
 

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Like I said in my other post, that is a Sawtooth G4 450 Mhz. It has 4 memory slots. Each will accept up to 512Megs RAM. The RAM has to be PC100 or PC133 and if PC133 be sure it's Low Density as High Density modules will not work in any older Mac. It will take 4 512Meg PC100 modules for 2GB RAM.

Just for the sake of information, the 867Mhz G4 BTW only has 3 slots and each will still only take a 512Meg module for 1.5GB.

I do the same thing as SK suggested and get old PC's and sometimes fine a quite large Hard Drive inside and for a very low cost.

Be sure any Linux you download will run on a Power PC CPU.

I was given 3 unopened boxes once from a company that was clearing out old stuff and one was 10.2 Jaguar and the other 2 were 10.1 with a 9.2.1 CD also. Brand new unopened and for free!
 
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What do you mean by "SPEED"?...instant gratification like speed?

If you mean computing speed...you're not going to get it in a 450mhz G4 desktop!

If by speed you mean that you just want to order the hard drives, pay $80 bucks, and call it a day! That's fine if you got lots of money to spend.

But then that $40 bucks you spend on one hard drive is as much money as TWO of the Mac computers you have in their current condition are worth.

- Nick


No, I am saying all this talk about desktops makes me want to get a Mac Mini and get a huge processor as well as a RAM upgrade.

The computers would be for friends, unless I could use one as a server for music or something like that.
 

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No, I am saying all this talk about desktops makes me want to get a Mac Mini and get a huge processor as well as a RAM upgrade.

If you want a "huge processor"...the Mac Mini is not the computer to do this with.

For starters...your limited to a Core 2 Duo processor...you don't have an 4-core or 8-core processors to choose from like you would with a Mac Pro desktop.

Secondly...the newest Mac Mini has a maximum ram level of 4 gig. So again that is no super duper level of ram either.

Mac Mini's are good little computers...but they are not a Mac Pro, and never will be.

- Nick
 

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