lots of old iMacs but no OS

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this. I wasn't sure.

Living as an artist with the abject poverty it so generously distributes, I am always on the lookout for older iMacs to work on. G3's G4's and they are plentiful and cheap. There's just this one caveat. They never come with an OS disk. I spoke with a really nice rep at Apple and she informed me that "if I had a Mac I had the right to the operating system". So where do I get it withoiut paying a fortune (I can't believe I have to pay at all if I have the 'right' as the nice lady said I do). I need OS 9.x (That's what's best for the software I use) but getting it is another matter. So what to do? Lots of cheap older iMacs with plenty of life left in them, but no OS. I was wondering if anyone on here could give me some advice.

If you want to bring any old Mac's back to life...and you don't get any OS disks with the purchase of an old Mac...you need to purchase them.

Sometimes you can call Apple's "800" number...and maybe they can work out a deal where you pay a lot less for them (like $20 bucks or under). Otherwise...you have to search Craig's List and e-Bay for "previously-owned" install disks for the OS version(s) you need.

And for "newer" versions (like OS 10.4 and 10.5...which really aren't very new)...you'll pay $80-$100 (e-Bay). And also realize that it's 1 legal OS install...per disc..per computer. Unless it is a "Family Pack" disc...which allows 5 legal installs/disk (as long as the computers reside in your household).

Here's a great thread to read as well:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/os...49-what-os-disk-do-i-need-brief-overview.html

HTH,

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

If you want to bring any old Mac's back to life...and you don't get any OS disks with the purchase of an old Mac...you need to purchase them

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Yeah see now that's the thing. I have one iMac, and as the nice lady at Apple said I have the 'right' to the OS. Except there are sooooooo many old iMacs out there and where the heck are the OS's that came with all those computers? Frankly I see some of them for sale on sites for as much as $50! Not sure what the Apple lady meant by my 'right' to own the OS.

You could always try Linux on the older units that will not except SL.

bondiblue said:

Yeah see now that's the thing. I have one iMac, and as the nice lady at Apple said I have the 'right' to the OS. Except there are sooooooo many old iMacs out there and where the heck are the OS's that came with all those computers? Frankly I see some of them for sale on sites for as much as $50! Not sure what the Apple lady meant by my 'right' to own the OS.

Click to expand...

I'm not exactly sure what this lady means by the "right to the OS" either.

If she means the original "gray disks" (or whatever OS disks shipped with the computer when new)...well sorry...in the used computer world...these disks get lost or misplaced VERY VERY often. And when we're maybe talking about the 3rd or 4th owner of a computer...forget about getting them (unless you're VERY lucky).

Also (many times)...the OS version on the original disks that shipped with a computer when new...are probably an OLD version of the OS anyway (such as OS 10.1 or 10.2)...which still leaves you with the task of sourcing newer OS install disks anyway (OS 10.3, 10.4, or 10.5).

So this "lady" may be right...that a person may have the "right to the OS"...but only the ACTUAL OS disks that shipped with computer when new. Otherwise...if no OS disks came with the computer when purchased used...get out your wallet to purchase OS disks (e-Bay), ditch the computer, or wait until a good inexpensive set of disks can be found.

- Nick

Seriously? You find OS disks get lost a lot? No disrespect intended, and I do value your input, but I have from 1.0 (on the original 128k) to 8.1 and pretty much every one in between and I can tell you exactly where they all are. If you still own the computer you still know where your disks are. I find the reason Macs are sold without the OS is greed. People want to sell the old OS separately.

The conversation with the lady at Apple was much more amiable that perhaps I have indicated. I was frustrated I had bought a G3 running 9.1 (probably half of the OSX/9 original installation) and is all the operating system I need, or could afford for that matter. I still run Illustrator 5.5 and Photoshop 6 and they run like lightning, and are all I need as software for the work I do. But when the system stops working and I need a clean install, I got bubksas. The conversation with Apple was about my NOT wanting to get a copy. I always want original disks and mentioned to her how incredibly available copies were. She was very friendly and said she could understand my frustration and that "if I owned a Mac I had every right to an operating system." I will take her at her word.

Again thanks for the input. Seems like a great forum.

bondiblue said:

Seriously? You find OS disks get lost a lot? No disrespect intended, and I do value your input, but I have from 1.0 (on the original 128k) to 8.1 and pretty much every one in between and I can tell you exactly where they all are. If you still own the computer you still know where your disks are. I find the reason Macs are sold without the OS is greed. People want to sell the old OS separately.

Click to expand...

Tech savvy people (like you and me) are more likely to keep things like that. Most people don't, so they get lost, discarded, whatever. As for people keeping the disks to sell, really? Come on, they only work on that model machine, nothing else, so they won't get much for them.

bondiblue said:

Seriously? You find OS disks get lost a lot? No disrespect intended, and I do value your input, but I have from 1.0 (on the original 128k) to 8.1 and pretty much every one in between and I can tell you exactly where they all are. If you still own the computer you still know where your disks are. I find the reason Macs are sold without the OS is greed. People want to sell the old OS separately.

Click to expand...

I think that you totally missed my point! I'm NOT saying I lose my OS disks a lot...I'm saying that the sellers of used Mac's seem to lose or misplace them a lot.

And also consider that some sellers of used Mac's may be the 2nd or 3rd owner of the computer...so when buyer #4 comes around...owner #3 doesn't have the disks because owner #2 didn't have them.

You also may not be considering that many used Mac's are sold by "professionals". These are folks who buy computers by the pallet load from high schools, universities, and companies who are getting rid of old computers...and upgrading to new ones. Imagine about 25+ used Mac's all stacked up & shrink-wrapped on a pallet...by possibly an IT person or a janitor at a high school...then loaded on a truck going to an auction. Nobody knows where those original OS disks are...they were probably lost or misplaced long ago.

Finally. Some folks just aren't that organized. They may have had a computer for 5-10 years...they may have moved their residence 2, 3, 4, or more times during that time...and the OS disks get lost or misplaced.

There are dozens of ways the original OS disks can get lost or misplaced by previous owners. You shouldn't already know this...since you're the one experiencing the problem with some iMac's with no OS!

- Nick

bondiblue said:

People want to sell the old OS separately.

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Possibly. Like "Stretch" mentioned...the original 2-disk set of gray disks that shipped with many older Mac's ONLY work on that model computer. They are basically totally useless on a different model. And many of these disks don't have enough info on them to know which computer model that they work on.

For example...a set of gray disks may say "Powermac G4 OS Install Disk"...but which MODEL Powermac G4...there were only about 20-25 of them.

Also (for example)...original retail versions of OS 10.4 or 10.5 (which were purchased separately from the computer) can years later still sell for $80-$100 (and more) on e-Bay.

Not many knowledgeable people are going to include a $100 OS install disk (that they purchased separately) with the sale of a 10 year-old Powermac G4 that's only worth $20 bucks!

So in some cases...you're darn right...folks do sell the OS install disk separately from the computer...when it was an OS install disk that they purchased separately, and can get good money from ($80-$100).

- Nick

bondiblue said:

Seriously? You find OS disks get lost a lot? No disrespect intended, and I do value your input, but I have from 1.0 (on the original 128k) to 8.1 and pretty much every one in between and I can tell you exactly where they all are.

Click to expand...

You are the exception, not the rule. Most people don't keep software discs like that.

If you still own the computer you still know where your disks are.

Click to expand...

Really, I wish that were the case. Heck, I even foolishly threw out the discs that came with my MacBook when I upgraded the OS to Snow Leopard thinking I couldn't possibly find a use for them. Silly me.

I find the reason Macs are sold without the OS is greed. People want to sell the old OS separately.

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I think you're giving the owners of these old Macs more credit than they deserve.

As for what the lady at the Apple store said, I'm not sure what you expect Apple to do about your situation. It has no control over what happens to these computers after they're sold. It has no obligation to provide you with OS discs for computers that are upwards to 10 years old or more and are sold second- (or third- or fourth-) hand. It doesn't even support hardware that's more than five years old with software updates for goodness sakes. Unless you're paying Apple directly for something, there's nothing they owe you.