iMac G3 Slot Loader 400mHz 10GB HD upgrade questions..

[MacDude121]

Yes...no wiggles! The display should be rock solid to be a "perfect shape" CRT display. Those little "wiggles" means something inside is starting to give out. But that still doesn't mean there isn't a good bit of useful life left in the monitor.

Just like you mentioned in an earlier post in this thread..."most" CRT problems develop slowly...and take a long time before they are a problem.

But I do have to mention that I have had CRT monitors work one day...then a loud POP!!!...then you get the electrical smoke smell from burning electronics or wire insulation...and a non-working CRT display!

Anything is possible,

- Nick

p.s. One thing to remember is...MANY MANY of these G3 iMacs you see for sale are coming from academic environments...where they were used VERY heavily. Maybe being turned on 8-12 hours/day...lots & lots of usage hours. Then sellers buy them by the pallet load...and sell them for $25-$50 bucks each. If someone is able to get a used G3 iMac from an individual seller...who just used it in their home...these are usually in MUCH better shape (less use hours).

Thanks Nick,

The reason I never thought it was a problem is that we use CRT TV's here, and at least half of them "wiggle" a little at the top and bottom when you have a solid screen. Anyways, I actually got my iMac G3 from a guy that basically just had it in his closet, but before that, I'm not sure where it was. It seems to be in pretty good shape to be a school computer, as those things usually get beaten.

Right now, I need to get an airport card and adapter for it, so I can actually connect it to the internet. (I've only had it connected to the internet twice since I've had it) Either that, or buy a 100ft Ethernet cable and run it upstairs. Now... where do I find a gig of PC-100 ram and a 120 GB HD? ;D

 

[pigoo3]

The reason I never thought it was a problem is that we use CRT TV's here, and at least half of them "wiggle" a little at the top and bottom when you have a solid screen.

CRT TV's really shouldn't "wiggle" either...unless you're getting a weak TV channel signal.

Since CRT TV's can be bought for next to nothing these days (I've paid $50 or less for 36" CRT TV's)...I have a LARGE CRT TV in almost every room in my house (living room, family room, finished basement, and every bedroom). Most of these CRT TV's are 7-10 years old...and the CRT TV my wife & I watch the most is now 15 years old. None of these TV's have any sort of "wiggles". They are all hooked up to cable TV...and the pictures on them are rock-steady.

Right now, I need to get an airport card and adapter for it, so I can actually connect it to the internet. (I've only had it connected to the internet twice since I've had it) Either that, or buy a 100ft Ethernet cable and run it upstairs. Now... where do I find a gig of PC-100 ram and a 120 GB HD? ;D

You & I have been down this road before...you need an e-Bay account, get set up with Paypal, and not be too concerned about getting packages shipped to your home.

- Nick

 

[MacDude121]

CRT TV's really shouldn't "wiggle" either...unless you're getting a weak TV channel signal.

Since CRT TV's can be bought for next to nothing these days (I've paid $50 or less for 36" CRT TV's)...I have a LARGE CRT TV in almost every room in my house (living room, family room, finished basement, and every bedroom). Most of these CRT TV's are 7-10 years old...and the CRT TV my wife & I watch the most is now 15 years old. None of these TV's have any sort of "wiggles". They are all hooked up to cable TV...and the pictures on them are rock-steady.

Hmm... Maybe it's just me then? ;D Or certain stations do it.

You & I have been down this road before...you need an e-Bay account, get set up with Paypal, and not be too concerned about getting packages shipped to your home.

- Nick

I know! Ebay... I have to use ebay! In fact, I have a question. Sometimes when I go there, to browse and look at old macs people are selling, there's a starting price of like $.099 for say a G3 B&W and it only has 20 something minutes left! If I bid 99 cents would I actually get the item?

 

[pigoo3]

I know! Ebay... I have to use ebay! In fact, I have a question. Sometimes when I go there, to browse and look at old macs people are selling, there's a starting price of like $.099 for say a G3 B&W and it only has 20 something minutes left! If I bid 99 cents would I actually get the item?

Maybe. Many times...most of the action on an e-Bay auction happens in the last 5 minutes...or even the last 30-60 seconds (or maybe even the last 10 seconds).

So for example...something that's just $0.99 cents with 5 minutes to go...may actually end up selling for $20-$25 dollars. You also need to be very very careful how much the seller is charging for shipping. Those G3 B&W towers aren't lightweights...and so it's not uncommon for them to cost $20-$40 to ship. Some sellers even "gouge" buyers on the shipping and charge a lot more than necessary.

You and I both know that a G3 B&W tower is really only worth about $25 bucks...maybe less. So even if you get one for a high bid of $0.99 cents...if you have to pay say $40 dollars in shipping...you're final cost is $40.99 (a lot more than $25 or less). So it's your total cost (including shipping) is what you have to consider when bidding on an e-Bay item.

HTH,

- Nick

 

[Sonicjet]

Tyler, in all honesty I would not spend any money on the G3. Instead Search Craigslist for a iMac G4 or MDD Power Mac G4, they are machines you can buy for cheaper than modifications on the G3 and vastly out perform the G3; also,Your G3's color is called Blueberry, bondi was only made in the 233mhz models.

 

[MacDude121]

Maybe. Many times...most of the action on an e-Bay auction happens in the last 5 minutes...or even the last 30-60 seconds (or maybe even the last 10 seconds).

So for example...something that's just $0.99 cents with 5 minutes to go...may actually end up selling for $20-$25 dollars. You also need to be very very careful how much the seller is charging for shipping. Those G3 B&W towers aren't lightweights...and so it's not uncommon for them to cost $20-$40 to ship. Some sellers even "gouge" buyers on the shipping and charge a lot more than necessary.

You and I both know that a G3 B&W tower is really only worth about $25 bucks...maybe less. So even if you get one for a high bid of $0.99 cents...if you have to pay say $40 dollars in shipping...you're final cost is $40.99 (a lot more than $25 or less). So it's your total cost (including shipping) is what you have to consider when bidding on an e-Bay item.

HTH,

- Nick

Oh yeah. You're right, I totally forgot about shipping! Those B&W are like 30 pounds according to MacTracker. Definitely have to pay attention to that if I get an account!

 

[tyler_hubbard20]

Nick, thank you for all the help. It's much appreciated. I think I will just ride this comp out and get a newer one when this one fails and believe me you guys will know when it does. I will one upset writer haha

And Sonicjet, my computer is a teal color? Not really blue at all. I thought that was bondi blue

 

[Sonicjet]

Nick, thank you for all the help. It's much appreciated. I think I will just ride this comp out and get a newer one when this one fails and believe me you guys will know when it does. I will one upset writer haha

And Sonicjet, my computer is a teal color? Not really blue at all. I thought that was bondi blue

Then she's a bondi.
Then it sounds like a 233mhz, not a 400mhz model, how do you know it's 400?
Ironically I did own a Bondi 333mhz, but that was almost a one off from the factory and surprised everyone on here.
Throw your serial number into the first textbox on this site and post what it says: Klantenservice: Serienummers

 

[pigoo3]

Nick, thank you for all the help. It's much appreciated. I think I will just ride this comp out and get a newer one when this one fails and believe me you guys will know when it does. I will one upset writer haha

This is the best strategy...just too costly to repair the monitor. But hey...the CRT monitor thing was only a warning. You may get many years of use out of this iMac...and never have a display problem!

- Nick

 

[tyler_hubbard20]

Wow... I plugged in my serial number and it was made march of 2000 in mexico. 400mHz but the color does say blueberry... But it's teal! It's my favorite color(hence my love for this computer) It's bondi blue.. The exact color... I'm so confused haha

 

[pigoo3]

Wow... I plugged in my serial number and it was made march of 2000 in mexico. 400mHz but the color does say blueberry... But it's teal! It's my favorite color(hence my love for this computer) It's bondi blue.. The exact color... I'm so confused haha

Maybe the color faded over the last 10 years...or somebody at Apple was color-blind back in 2000!

- Nick

 

[tyler_hubbard20]

haha that's what I'm saying Nick! but it's definitely teal! The guy I bought it from said he had it made special order for his youngest daughter when she went off to college back in 2000, I didn't think anything of it until right now. Can that account for the color? lol

 

[pigoo3]

haha that's what I'm saying Nick! but it's definitely teal! The guy I bought it from said he had it made special order for his youngest daughter when she went off to college back in 2000, I didn't think anything of it until right now. Can that account for the color? lol

I don't know about the "special order color". Maybe the previous owner meant that of the 5 "fruit colors" available...they got the color that they knew the daughter would like. There were so many different G3 iMac models (and colors) that it gets confusing.

Also...just like old cars...the colors (or shells) of these old G3 iMacs...could have been swapped around. Thus some creative person could have taken the "colored shell" from one G3 iMac...and installed it on another G3 iMac that never came in that color originally.

I have one of the original Clamshell iBooks (that came in colors just like the iMacs)...and it's housing/shell is a combination of three different colors from three different Clamshell iBooks.

So anything can be done with these things if someone puts their mind to it.

- Nick

 

[Sonicjet]

Yeah, if the color was factory it would be in the serial,For example, take my old iMac G3, it was a "Fruit colors" G3 333Mhz model, that "did not come in bondi" but according to that site and it's color it was very factory original:
Serial number: RN9190NPGUX
Group1: iMac
Group2: G3
Generation: 4
ModelCode:
Model introduced: 1999
Production year: 1999
Production week: 19 (May)
Production number: 771 (within this week)
introduced test: 1999 (9) 1
introduced test: GOED
CPU speed: 333MHz
Screen size: 15 inch
Screen resolution: 1024x768 pixels
Colour: Bondi Blue
Factory: RN (Mexico)

 

[tyler_hubbard20]

Wow. Guess what guys? My screen has started shaking. It jiggles like crazy. This was after I picked it up and set it down. I needed to computer to last a month at least sigh my luck.

 

[Sonicjet]

Wow. Guess what guys? My screen has started shaking. It jiggles like crazy. This was after I picked it up and set it down. I needed to computer to last a month at least sigh my luck.

Thats the picture of a dieing CRT...sorry,better start looking at eMacs and iMac G4s.....

 

[tyler_hubbard20]

Well I am going to go ahead and make myself look like the biggest idiot ever and say... It was because of the high powered desk fan shaking the table and/or too much air flow inside the comp.. ugh. Scared me big time. but does that mean something is loose? Thanks haha

 

[Sonicjet]

Well I am going to go ahead and make myself look like the biggest idiot ever and say... It was because of the high powered desk fan shaking the table and/or too much air flow inside the comp.. ugh. Scared me big time. but does that mean something is loose? Thanks haha

Possibly, also it could be noise in the power-in line from the fan.

 

[pigoo3]

Well I am going to go ahead and make myself look like the biggest idiot ever and say... It was because of the high powered desk fan shaking the table and/or too much air flow inside the comp.. ugh. Scared me big time. but does that mean something is loose? Thanks haha

Sounds that way to me. The vibrations or air-flow from a fan shouldn't cause that. Could be a loose plug/connector...or a frayed wire coming loose after years of high voltage & exposure to a lot of heat.

Keep your fingers crossed,

- Nick

 

[tyler_hubbard20]

Ah, I figured. However the guy I got this comp from said he has another G3. It's much nicer. 700Mhz, 80GB HD, 512MB RAM. Its the all white one. Isn't it called snow or something? It's $60 and I think I am just going to get it and use my green one until death and then i'll swap out the body parts with my teal one to that one.. That's possible right?