New-Old G4

Hello All
New user here to both the site and the Mac. so be easy please.
I hope this is the right area for this otherwise general first post.
Firstly, I was given an old G4 "Sawtooth" as I've come to find out more about it. I've managed so far to replace the whining 20gb HD with a partitioned 60.
2 30gb partitions each, and another different 20gb drive with a single partition.
I've also so far stumbled through firmware upgrades, memory upgraded to 1gb, OS 9.2.2 upgrade, and others from iTunes to IE.
I guess I'm trying to get to a point here of whether it's better to continue learning to use this thing as it is (old, outdated, basically unsupported), or buy a retail version of Tiger and start clean.
As I have no documentation, software cd's for OS 9 install, restore, etc., if I trash it during the learning process as I'm sure will be inevitable, I have no way to put it back to "original".
I have to say that I'm astounded as to the relative speed of this old monkey.
It starts up and shuts down faster than my self built overclocked sempron 3000+ Geforce 4 2gb pc 3200 XPSP2 box.
So, I guess that's long enough for a first newbie post.
Thanks in advance for any/all suggestions and opinions.
Looking forward to learning more.
I just might become a convert, time will tell I guess.

I would definatelly upgrade to Tiger. It is a completely different OS than 9.2.2
If you're just starting on Macs, then start fresh!
Also, I found some links for your machine.
http://www.apple-history.com/?page=gallery&model=g4agp
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac_g4/stats/powermac_g4_500.html

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac_g4/index-powermac-g4.html

Thanks for the links Soulwar. Good info. if not a tad confusing.
Now I'm not sure what I have.
Audio ports are vertical, rage pro with vga and dvi outs suggest Sawtooth, but it has no modem, and no internal firewire. While the label on the back states gigabit enet, it has no ADC as Mystic would.
No matter really I guess, just a "want to know" thing.
Guess I'll look on ebay for retail Tiger. Kind of "iffy" but bound to be less than $130.00 from apple.


I'll edit my own here.
Upon further inspection, it does have VGA and ADC, not DVI.
It also does have a modem, it was just set to the covered positon.

Yeah, specs are hard to figure out with those. They were changing fast, but at least you have some more info...
Just make sure it's the Retail version. (black cd)
You'll love it though. Way better than OS 9!

Will it be CD or DVD ?
Just a few minutes on there with "Mac Tiger" found tons of different items.
Retail versions, CD, DVD, eMac, upgrade, iBook, .........
geez, maybe I'll just do the apple store thing to make sure it's the right one.

Mine was DVD. As long as you can use DVD on your Mac, it'll be fine.

fred go to the Apple Profiler 'About this Mac' and make sure the firmware, probably shown as Boot Rom Versionup is 4.2.8 with probably an f1 ater it before attempting to load OS X.

You say it has no Firewire? All PowerMac G4's had Firewire from the first Yikes model with a G3 B&W Motherboard to the last MDD. That does not sound right.

In system Profiler what is the speed of that G4? If it has Gigabit Ethernet it's not a Sawtooth but a Gigabit.

harryb2448 : Yes it is 4.2.8 I did manage to update it a few days ago.

dtravis7 : Yes it has 2 external FW ports on the back, but none internal on the board like the Sawtooth specs. describe. Speed displays as 400Mhz.
Another odd thing is I can view this site with it, but can't log in.
Must be the old IE 5.1 browser.
Guess it's a Gigabit "Mystic" rather than "Sawtooth" after all

Yes IE 5.1 has issues for sure. There is a browser that will work in OS 9 called iCab. See if you can download that till you upgrade the OS.

Well, after fits and starts, I'm here on the Mac with iCab.
Guess I did it right by dropping the app. file in the system folder and making an alias on the desktop, but MAN is it slow to render !
Got to get me a Tiger before I get too used to this if it's that much different.
Thanks for the help so far folks.
Sorry for the seemingly mindless chatter, but you are helping and my eyes are numb from reading.
Back to ebay I go.

Glad the iCab helped. Yeah get OSX soon! You will love it.

Thought I'd help with some better accurate specs and some places to look for Tiger.
http://lowendmac.com/deals/best-mac-os-x-tiger-prices.html

Good Luck!

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac_g4/stats/powermac_g4_400_2.html
http://www.apple-history.com/?page=gallery&model=g4giga

Quick question about Tiger.
Some sites advertise the [OLD VERSION] (Amazon in particular).
Is this referring to the original released version ?
I'm sure there are updates available.
Thanks.

They probably put that on so that people don't buy Tiger thinking it's the latest release, Leopard.

Whatever version of Tiger you have on DVD, you can update to the latest Tiger version (10.4.11) for free through Software Update.

fred make sure you purchase the full retail version of Tiger. They are a black colored disc. The grey ones seen advertised so much are model specific restore discs that came f.o.c. with a computer. Folk look to spin a couple of bucks extra by selling the computer and then the discs.

Thanks all. Black disc, Full retail version for install on bare HDD.
Think I got it, now just hope what I buy is advertised correctly.

Bidding on a couple "Retail Tigers" on ebay at the moment.
Assuming they are advertised correctly, what's the general opinion on a max bid ?
Both are opened but, supposedly, either unregistered, or require no registraton.

I know from the Apple store I can get it for $129.00 + shipping, spanking new, but being the cheap A** that I am, I'm trying to get by as cheaply as poss.

I've been watching several others, and those folks are actually paying more on ebay for the thing than Apple wants for it.

Should I just bite down and order from Apple ? Is ebay just wasting my time?
From the previous links posted, I can get it a little cheaper than from Apple, but I'm just using Apple as an example.
Not being the most patient person in the world helps none at all on ebay, but still........
Cheap is as cheap does.
Any one care to give up a retail full version for $.... PM me if so.
OS 9, as good as it may be, is outdated and unsupported as far as my research shows, (my home page continually requests updating flash, though none exist per "unsupported OS".), so until I can move to a "modern" supported OS (Tiger appears to be the newest this box can run without hardware upgrades), I'm sort of on the fence as to being a dual user or full-fledged convert.
I'm thinking, depending on shipping costs, $50.00-$60.00 for Tiger on ebay. Is that unreasonable to you in the know ??
Help an old guy out here please.

As an aside, if/when I do upgrade to Tiger, will it share files (music and pictures mostly) with my PC very easily ?
I want to connect the mac to the A/V stuff as a sort of music juke box/movie player, yet still get online if the PC is in use by others.

The more I learn, the more I question.

As an aside, if/when I do upgrade to Tiger, will it share files (music and pictures mostly) with my PC very easily ?

Click to expand...

If your PC is running XP or Vista, you should have no problem. I have 2 Windows machines and 2 Macs all sharing with Tiger.

I'm thinking, depending on shipping costs, $50.00-$60.00 for Tiger on ebay. Is that unreasonable to you in the know ??

Click to expand...

Seems better than $129.00... (I'd say reasonable) Just don't get "caught up in the moment". (My wife over spends with the fever...)

Soulwar said:

Just don't get "caught up in the moment". (My wife over spends with the fever...)

Click to expand...

LOL, I hear that! got one of those myself. Jewelry TV, GEM TV (and her too I think) are gonna send me to the grave still owing them.

The shared music and pics. on the PC are an XPSP2 box so I assume that will work. I've not yet jumped completely over the edge to the Vista virus infection !. So much negative press for Vista so far, and XP has been working fine (assuming the standard windows issues) for me thus far.
With any luck, I'll have this Mac with Tiger installed and she can have the PC.
My only thing is that most of my work apps. only run on Windows, so for the time being, I'll be stuck with an XP Laptop.
Ah well, 1 out of 3 is a start I guess.