Updating old PPC iMac

Hi guys, I am new here and glad to have found this site! Even though it will not work with the Opera browser? I am somewhat green and you will probably be hearing from me often. I know all you computer wiz's are already laughing but wait there is more. I have an iMAC Power PC G4 20" flat panel unit with SuperDrive, 768mb of memory and thinking about going to 2GB. Running version 10.3.9 Panther, now I know your really laughing! I have had it since about 2004 and really like it even though I know it is somewhat out dated with the intel core 2 duo processors now a days. Anyway, I am staring to experience some browsing problems and adobe flash player 9 problems just to name a few. After some research from what I understand, have found that I cannot upgrade adobe flash player until I upgrade my browser, cannot upgrade my browser until I upgrade my operating system and cannot upgrade my operating system until I increase the memory and perform a back up before doing so which I think requires an external hard drive? My question is: What would be the absolute latest MAC OS 10 operating system I can use with my current unit if I increase the memory to 1 or 2GB? Would I have to install Tiger then Leopard and so on to get to the latest operating system I can use which sounds like it would take up a lot of my memory? Or can I just go from Panther directly to the latest operating system I can use on this particular iMAC? When you are done laughing and catch your breath, PLEASE RESPOND!!!!! Thanks for you time.

Welcome to the Mac Forums.

Leopard 10.5.8 is as far as you can go with your system if you take it up to 2 GB. Tiger 10.4.11 would probably be better.

Also when posting, break up your post into smaller paragraphs. That makes it easier for us to read and will garner more responses.

Opera? Works great on an Intel processor.

I went ahead and changed the title of the thread to something more descriptive. Your username doesn't tell us much.

Updating old iMAC

Thanks chas and van for both your help and the suggestions. Why would Tiger 10.4.11 be better than Leopard 10.5.8? I thought the higher the number the better. Also, some browsers and plug-ins and apps will not support system requirements any less than a 10.5.8 operating system. Thanks

ggmen1 said:

Thanks chas and van for both your help and the suggestions. Why would Tiger 10.4.11 be better than Leopard 10.5.8?

Click to expand...

In almost all cases...the "newer" the OS version...the more system resources a computer needs to run that newer OS version efficiently.

The reason why "chscag" recommended OS 10.4.11...is it will probably run faster than OS 10.5.8. Your computer is not the newest...thus it may not run 10.5.8 well.

Obviously if you have browsers or applications that NEED OS 10.5.8...then run OS 10.5.8.

- Nick

Updating old iMAC

Thanks pigoo3. Boy you guys are fast! Can I go directly to Leopard from Panther? Or would I have to install Tiger first? I just received the 4 disc install 10.4 for Tiger today. Or would it be a good idea to have all 3? Panther, Tiger and Leopard? Thanks

ggmen1 said:

Thanks pigoo3. Boy you guys are fast! Can I go directly to Leopard from Panther? Or would I have to install Tiger first? I just received the 4 disc install 10.4 for Tiger today.

Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure you need to install Tiger first....and since (as it seems) those are the only OS install disks you have...might as well do the install.

ggmen1 said:

Or would it be a good idea to have all 3? Panther, Tiger and Leopard? Thanks

Click to expand...

If the computer already has Panther (10.3) on it...and you don't plan on going back to Panther...then you won't need the install disks for 10.3. But once you upgrade to 10.4 (and 10.5 if you plan to)...10.3 is gone...no going back (without the install disks).

So it sounds like you:

- don't have 10.3 disks
- you do have 10.4
- and you don't have 10.5.

So obviously if you want to install 10.5...you will need that install DVD as well (about $100 on e-Bay).

- Nick

p.s. By the way...what color are your 10.4 disks?

Updating old MAC

Yes I am currently running Panther and still have the install discs from when I bought the system.
The disc I got today for Tiger are black but no instruction manual.
Can I do the install for Tiger with the 768mb I have now or should I wait and install at least 1GB of memory?
I currently have 57GB of hard drive space left and it came with 80BG.
No I do not have Leopard 10.5 yet but would like to have it once I upgrade to 2GB of memory. Thanks

ggmen1 said:

Yes I am currently running Panther and still have the install discs from when I bought the system.

Click to expand...

Ahh...I see...great that you have them.

ggmen1 said:

The disc I got today for Tiger are black but no instruction manual. Can I do the install for Tiger with the 768mb I have now or should I wait and install at least 1GB of memory?

Click to expand...

Good that the disks are black...those are the ones you need. Here are OS 10.4 & 10.5 system requirements:

Mac OS X 10.4: System requirements
Requirements for Mac OS X v10.5

- Nick

Updating old MAC

Thanks. Where should my system be at when I install Tiger? Should I be connected to the internet or just at the desktop with all apps and browsers closed not connected to the internet?

ggmen1 said:

Thanks. Where should my system be at when I install Tiger? Should I be connected to the internet or just at the desktop with all apps and browsers closed not connected to the internet?

Click to expand...

I usually have all apps. closed, and have my computer connected to the internet (but this really isn't 100% necessary when installing from disks).

Once you have 10.4 installed from the disks...then you definitely want to be connected to the internet...to get the software updates for 10.4...to get you fully updated to the latest & last version of 10.4...which is 10.4.11.

- Nick

Upgrading Old MAC

Ok, I understand. Will I lose all my current bookmarks, apps, plug-ins and so on that I have now? Kinda scared!

ggmen1 said:

Ok, I understand. Will I lose all my current bookmarks, apps, plug-ins and so on that I have now? Kinda scared!

Click to expand...

Being in the military & getting shot at by the enemy is a reason to be scared...no need to be scared doing a computer OS upgrade.

The most important things on your HD are probably personal videos, photos, music, word processing or spreadsheet documents, personal photos, etc. Back-up all of this stuff on an external drive...and there's nothing to be scared about.

- Nick

Updating an old MAC

Will do, thanks for your help. Experiencing bad weather down here in New Orleans and thought it would be best to wait for it to pass. Do not want to perform this install and have a power failure during install.

Upgrading Old MAC

PS Thank you pigoo3 for your time in the military and protecting our country and me. Thanks again!!!

ggmen1 said:

Will do, thanks for your help. Experiencing bad weather down here in New Orleans and thought it would be best to wait for it to pass. Do not want to perform this install and have a power failure during install.

Click to expand...

Very understandable. I know that folks in the South get your nightly rain/thunderstorm.

I spent 2.5 years in the Savannah, Georgia area when in the military...and traveled quite a bit on business to the Jacksonville, FL area. Also have been to New Orleans a couple times.

The OS install should be relatively uneventful...do it when you can.

- Nick

Upgrading Old PPC Mac

Hi guys, Just wanted to give an update on upgrading my operating system.

Upgraded from Panther 10.3.9 to Tiger 10.4 and then to Tiger 10.4.11. System ran faster. Then upgraded to Leopard 10.5 and now current is 10.5.8.

Updated all my browsers and plug-ins. Now I can view video from u-tube and do all sorts of things. Using Opera as my default browser but in the process of looking at other ones to see whats the best for this system.

My system has slowed down some but hoping if I upgrade my memory from 768mb to 1 or 2GB that will fix that problem.

Cannot use time machine without an intel processor but thats okay.

Thanks to all you guys and reading post on this site taught me many things.

Did not realize how outdated my system was. Suggestions? Thanks again.

Time Machine works just as fine with PPC machines as with Intel in Leopard, just connect an external hard drive and the system will jump in and offer to back up to it.

Cheers

Hugh

thanks for the info.

ggmen1 said:

Did not realize how outdated my system was. Suggestions? Thanks again.

Click to expand...

Aside from the Ram upgrade you've been talking about, not much. You could install a newer and faster 7200RPM Hard Drive, or even a SSD drive, but it's not easy to do it yourself, and installation + HD costs probably wouldn't be worth it in the end.

My advice would be just to get the Ram upgrade and see how much that helps.