Optimizing and Defraging

Hi i am new to macs and was just wondering what is a good program to optimize and defrag the mac computer. I have an older G3 with 400MHz processor and 256 Mb of ram. It is running OS X 10.4.11. It is very sluggish on youtube videos and other things on the internet. Is this just the computers inability to do such things or does it just need more ram. Thank you.

Welcome,

It is a bit of both I am afraid. 256 MB of ram is meager for any modern version of OS X. Extra memory wouldn't hurt. Even with the extra memory though that 400 MHz G3 is going to have trouble with video sites such as youtube.

OSX defrags on the fly, so no defraging is really needed. What you need is, as Slydude pointed out, more RAM.

Flash video (like YouTube) is not supported on anything less than a 500MHz system. Memory will make it faster than it is, but not fast enough.

There is nothing you can do to make a ten-year-old iMac play YouTube videos.

thanks guys i was wondering if anyone has heard of anyone upgrading the imac to 500MHz if so how would i go about doing this

I don't think you're going to find much, but try here:

iMac G3 Flavor Parts & Upgrades, Apple Mac Products, iPod Accessories

so if i upgrade the processor to 500MHz and upgrade the ram to 1 GB will it play videos online just fine. Or if i just upgrade the ram will it play them good enough for recreational use. (not HD quality or nothing.)

IMHO even of you can find the appropriate part and do the work yourself it is not worth the effort - except perhaps as a learning experience. A friend whose opinion I trust once remarked to me that it would take at least a 300 MHz jump in speed to be noticed at all.

I am a big advocate for using older macs long beyond the point where most users give up but sometimes it is just not worth the effort.

A few years ago I had a 300 MHz G3 tower that was starting to show its age. I decided to upgrade the machine. I added the following:
1. Larger hard drive and more memory
2. Replaced failing CD drive with a DVD burner
3. Upgraded the processor from the stock 300 MHz G3 to a 500 MHz G4

When all was said and done I was a bit disappointed by the change in performance. It was faster but not enough to justify the cost, time locating the parts, and installation time. The cost difference wasn't too bad because the hard drive and burner went into another computer while the memory went into a laser printer. The only part that didn't get used was the processor upgrade. Even given all that the cost/benefit curve on that one was all wrong.

deerman92 said:

so if i upgrade the processor to 500MHz and upgrade the ram to 1 GB will it play videos online just fine.

Click to expand...

"Just Fine?" - Doubtful. And $170 just for a 500Mhz processor plus the RAM... just my opinion, a terrible waste of money on a 10+ yr old machine.

Or if i just upgrade the ram will it play them good enough for recreational use. (not HD quality or nothing.)

Click to expand...

?? Depends on what your definition of "good enough" happens to be. Still Doubtful.

well thanks for all the help guys i was just wondering really because i found it for like 35 dollers and love working on stuff. I will probably sell it for what i got it for and find me something else to tinker with. Anyone know of an older mac product that i may be able to find reasonably cheap that is worth messing with.

For how much you'd spend upgrading this machine, you can purchase a used G4 on eBay or Craigslist. G3's don't employ AltiVec. Any G4 would be a serious upgrade.