Neowin Forums > Bondi iMac G3

MonkeyClaw

Apr 4 2005, 21:18

Well i just got an old iMac G3 and its in aweosme condition, and i was just wondering, how long do those things last, as in the crt and the logic board, etc... its the original 233, with 192mb of ram and its running os x at well respectable speeds considering the circumstances, but i was just wondering, how long will my blue beauty last?

KeR

Apr 4 2005, 21:40

should last you a good while...they are quality products.

MonkeyClaw

Apr 4 2005, 21:46

yea, im just hoping i didnt waste 60 bucks on something that i wont have for too long, i mean i still have my old lc2 and it runs os 7 jsut fine and its all original, i guess its just that little voice thats getting to me that i hear after purchases, heh

macman87

Apr 5 2005, 10:18

They last too long IMO. They are a potential risk to Apple's business

Just back from work experience at an Apple Service Center, and they have a few iMac G3s there they use for their electronic paperwork. With a little ram, and a loving, they will go a long way. Don't worry that you spent $60 on it. If it's in good condition think of it as memorabilia - the iMac you have was what really turned Apple around and if it wasn't for that computer that said "Hello (again)" there probably won't be Apple today.

MonkeyClaw

Apr 5 2005, 21:00

well thats great news, thank you phillip, yea thats one of the reasons why i wanted a bondi one was for memorabilia sake. i was using os x on an indigo 400 g3 with 128mb of ram, and well it was pretty snappy interms of speed, and i was wondering will the increase of ram on the bondi make up for the decrease in clock speed on the processor interms of os x performance? im mainly going to use it for email, web, music, and chatting, so nothing too intensvive... (oh yea forgot to tell, its not here yet if you hadnt caught on, hehehe)

dreamsINdigital

Apr 5 2005, 21:10

So how does OS X run on it? Do you get the cool Quartz effects? I have an old iMac like that, but I don't use it anymore... just sits in the closet. Maybe I can put OS X on it and put it back to use. I only have the 32 MB RAM though. Don't you need some other program or something to install OS X on old legacy Macs?

MonkeyClaw

Apr 5 2005, 22:04

well i installed os x on the 400 mhz indigo imac g3 at school, and nope it went on just fine, but i mean you need to run os x atleast a g3 and 128mb of ram. this one that i bought has a slower processor but 64 more megabytes of ram than the 40omhz, so im curious as to the difference in performance... Tiger should run even better according to what i have heard; its supposed to be even faster than panther so it should run well on the bondi

macman87

Apr 8 2005, 13:51

I think there would be a considerable differene. Cuase 400 Mhz is like a 40% Mhz increase over 266 Mhz. Also, the RAM in the original iMac is slower than the slot loading, and graphics is AGP vs. PCI.

Hey Nick, weren't you gonna buy a iBook?

MonkeyClaw

Apr 8 2005, 20:10

lol yea i sitll am, i just wanted a new toy, lol. and i just found out, that its not a bondi 266 but a 350SL. the auction said it was a 233, but i looked at the pictures and its blueberry, has a slot loader, and the audio ports are on the left side, next to the speaker spaced horizontally instead of actually like built into the right side speaker spaced vertically, but it lacks firewire so i am most def its a 350, not a 266. but yea i most likely will have my iBook this summer for a thing im doing, im thinking about doing the credit deal, as in pay monthly payments for one, it would seem like a better idea than rather saving for a long time, lol.

roadwarrior

Apr 8 2005, 20:18

QUOTE(DrEaMs In DiGiTaL @ Apr 5 2005, 16:10)

Don't you need some other program or something to install OS X on old legacy Macs?
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You are thinking of XPostFacto. It is not required for any iMac. It is needed on beige G3's if you want to install Panther (which otherwise requires systems with built-in USB), and it is needed for Jaguar if you want to install on pre-G3 machines that have been upgraded to a G3 processor (such as the old machine I used to have).

Your concept of "legacy Macs" is a little off. That term pretty much only applies to any of the beige machines, not any of the colored machines or newer. When talking about notebooks, it refers to the machines before the Wallstreet PowerBook.

roadwarrior

Apr 8 2005, 20:22

QUOTE(MonkeyClaw @ Apr 5 2005, 17:04)

Tiger should run even better according to what i have heard; its supposed to be even faster than panther so it should run well on the bondi

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You are going to need a DVD drive and built in FireWire for Tiger if they stick to the current system requirements (the installation media is only coming on DVD). Your iMac probably won't run it without replacing the optical drive, and probably waiting on the next version of XPostFacto.

macman87

Apr 9 2005, 07:28

QUOTE(MonkeyClaw @ Apr 9 2005, 06:10)

lol yea i sitll am, i just wanted a new toy, lol. and i just found out, that its not a bondi 266 but a 350SL. the auction said it was a 233, but i looked at the pictures and its blueberry, has a slot loader, and the audio ports are on the left side, next to the speaker spaced horizontally instead of actually like built into the right side speaker spaced vertically, but it lacks firewire so i am most def its a 350, not a 266. but yea i most likely will have my iBook this summer for a thing im doing, im thinking about doing the credit deal, as in pay monthly payments for one, it would seem like a better idea than rather saving for a long time, lol.
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Even better then. I loved the slot loading iMacs. I had one of them (the 400 Mhz) but sold it ages ago. It is differently one of the coolest computers Apple has even produced. You will love it

Liandros

Apr 11 2005, 13:33

now is it possible to replace the slot loading drive on the iMac to a different one so then you could install tiger on it. if so then i might think about getting one.

macman87

Apr 11 2005, 14:20

QUOTE(Liandros @ Apr 11 2005, 23:33)

now is it possible to replace the slot loading drive on the iMac to a different one so then you could install tiger on it. if so then i might think about getting one.
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Yes. There are articles on how to replace the optical drive, and hard drive in the slot loading iMacs. I've done it and it's fairly straight forward. Much easier that G4

roadwarrior

Apr 11 2005, 14:45

QUOTE(Liandros @ Apr 11 2005, 08:33)

now is it possible to replace the slot loading drive on the iMac to a different one so then you could install tiger on it. if so then i might think about getting one.
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Yes, there are some companies that make kits to do just that (either combo drives or superdrives). If you can find a drive from a PowerBook or iBook, it should fit just fine without any extra parts anyway (I've seen combo drives on eBay for about $100).

MonkeyClaw

Apr 11 2005, 21:12

now is it a given that you will need a dvd to install tiger, because you can still buy an ibook on apple's site with just a standard cd rom if you are a student (its the 899 american model).

roadwarrior

Apr 11 2005, 21:49

As of the current build that I'm running, the system requirements still list it. You'd think that Apple would have released a CD version of at least some build to developers if they intended to change that, and they haven't.

MonkeyClaw

Apr 13 2005, 01:18

well its here!!! and just in time since tiger was announced today, heh. but interestingly enough, it doesnt say on apples website if you need dvd, but it does say you need firewire, which is something that my little imac doesnt have, so i guess i wont be able to upgrade

Help

Apr 13 2005, 01:46

Can you hook it up with a external DVD-ROM? (USB)

I have had personal experince of the Bondi iMac and for me, it tends to freeze when using IE. But maybe that was just because IE was still new for macs.

Emon

Apr 13 2005, 01:53

QUOTE(MonkeyClaw @ Apr 11 2005, 15:12)

now is it a given that you will need a dvd to install tiger, because you can still buy an ibook on apple's site with just a standard cd rom if you are a student (its the 899 american model).
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you can install Tiger without a DVD drive .. there's a way ..

http://www.therealduckie.net/apple/tigerinstall/

It shows how to install Tiger on PearPC .. but this should work for real Macs too.

Martog

Apr 13 2005, 05:47

You guys haven't looked into Tiger all that much on the Apple's website:

QUOTE

Tiger ships on a DVD, but if your Mac doesn’t have a built-in DVD-ROM player, you’ll need CD media. When you buy Mac OS X Tiger, you qualify to purchase Tiger CDs for only $9.95.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/upgrade/

Otherwise, Apple would have just abanded a crap load of people if there was no CD verison, it just costs $10 more to get it

Liandros

Apr 13 2005, 13:05

well im glad you like the imac monkeyclaw. i wont get a mac for a while since i have like no money now. once prices drop on the imac g4s i might consider getting one. now i am supposing that tiger WILL run on an imac g4.

roadwarrior

Apr 13 2005, 13:31

QUOTE(MonkeyClaw @ Apr 12 2005, 20:18)

well its here!!! and just in time since tiger was announced today, heh. but interestingly enough, it doesnt say on apples website if you need dvd, but it does say you need firewire, which is something that my little imac doesnt have, so i guess i wont be able to upgrade

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Well, actually it does imply that you will need a DVD drive to install it. Look at the page that lists what's in the box. It only lists a DVD for installation (no CD's). I'm probably going to do the install on my iBook (which only has CD) the same way I did for this build. I put it in FireWire disk mode, hooked it up to my PowerMac, and installed to the iBook's drive. Works just fine.

roadwarrior

Apr 13 2005, 13:34

QUOTE(Martog @ Apr 13 2005, 00:47)

You guys haven't looked into Tiger all that much on the Apple's website:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/upgrade/

Otherwise, Apple would have just abanded a crap load of people if there was no CD verison, it just costs $10 more to get it

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Good find. I guess they got too many complaints from people about not having CD versions available. That is the first I've heard of it, and I'm an ADC member.

roadwarrior

Apr 13 2005, 13:35

QUOTE(Liandros @ Apr 13 2005, 08:05)

well im glad you like the imac monkeyclaw. i wont get a mac for a while since i have like no money now. once prices drop on the imac g4s i might consider getting one. now i am supposing that tiger WILL run on an imac g4.
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Uhhh, why would you think otherwise?

Martog

Apr 13 2005, 15:31

QUOTE(roadwarrior @ Apr 13 2005, 09:34)

Good find. I guess they got too many complaints from people about not having CD versions available. That is the first I've heard of it, and I'm an ADC member.
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I just happened to see it when I was browsing on the Apple's site, i was curious if it was only DVD or not. I just hope they send ADC members it on DVD, I don't want the CD version.

roadwarrior

Apr 13 2005, 15:35

QUOTE(Martog @ Apr 13 2005, 10:31)

I just happened to see it when I was browsing on the Apple's site, i was curious if it was only DVD or not. I just hope they send ADC members it on DVD, I don't want the CD version.
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I'd like both really. My iBook doesn't have a DVD drive, so I have to install Tiger the way I described earlier. More than likely, we will only get the DVD, since it seems that the CD's are a special-request-only thing.

Martog

Apr 13 2005, 15:45

QUOTE(roadwarrior @ Apr 13 2005, 11:35)

I'd like both really. My iBook doesn't have a DVD drive, so I have to install Tiger the way I described earlier. More than likely, we will only get the DVD, since it seems that the CD's are a special-request-only thing.
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Well, almost would be nice if they asked what people would prefer. I only have a PowerBook recent model, so it has a combo drive in it.

Oh, and if anyone hasn't looked at the form to send in for the Tiger cds...Apple tells you that you should makea copy of your Install DVD

QUOTE

Apple recommends that you make a copy of the completed order form, install DVD, and proof-of-purchase for your records.

http://images.apple.com/macosx/pdf/tigermediaexchange.pdf

What kind of implications might his have? LOL

roadwarrior

Apr 13 2005, 17:26

QUOTE(Martog @ Apr 13 2005, 10:45)

Well, almost would be nice if they asked what people would prefer. I only have a PowerBook recent model, so it has a combo drive in it.

Oh, and if anyone hasn't looked at the form to send in for the Tiger cds...Apple tells you that you should makea copy of your Install DVD

http://images.apple.com/macosx/pdf/tigermediaexchange.pdf

What kind of implications might his have? LOL

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Yeah, I noticed that. That begs the question: If you have a SuperDrive to copy the DVD with, why do you need the CD's????

Martog

Apr 13 2005, 19:47

QUOTE(roadwarrior @ Apr 13 2005, 13:26)

Yeah, I noticed that. That begs the question: If you have a SuperDrive to copy the DVD with, why do you need the CD's????

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Well, I don't know. I think someone would get the CD's, after copying their DVD if they also have a Mac that only has a cd-rom drive in it, and not pay for the extra copy of OS X, that would be my guess. I only have a combo drive, my iMac that I owned had a superdrive, but I never used its dvd burning capibilities, especially after I got a DVD burner for my desktop.

I guess where it said "Redmond, start your photocopiers" might be true, that or "All Mac users, start your DVD burners"

MonkeyClaw

Apr 13 2005, 20:44

well is there a way to fool it into thinking i have firewire, cause the g3 doesnt and well i really want tiger on there...

roadwarrior

Apr 13 2005, 22:34

QUOTE(MonkeyClaw @ Apr 13 2005, 15:44)

well is there a way to fool it into thinking i have firewire, cause the g3 doesnt and well i really want tiger on there...
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You'll probably have to wait a little while. There is a utility called XPostFacto that allows the installation of OS X on unsupported machines. I'm sure it will be updated for Tiger once it comes out. It allowed people to install Panther on machines that didn't have USB, so it will probably allow Tiger to be installed on your iMac.

JK1150

Apr 13 2005, 22:35

PearPC would probably run any flavor of OSX better to be honest.

roadwarrior

Apr 13 2005, 22:36

QUOTE(JK1150 @ Apr 13 2005, 17:35)

PearPC would probably run any flavor of OSX better to be honest.
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You are so wrong it's not even funny. Even a 233Mhz Mac runs OS X better than the fastest PC running PearPC.

MonkeyClaw

Apr 14 2005, 03:05

QUOTE(JK1150 @ Apr 13 2005, 17:35)

PearPC would probably run any flavor of OSX better to be honest.
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yea im assuming you have no idea what you are talking about since you troll so often on here, as a matter of fact that i have tried panther on pear pc on my athlon rig and let me assure you, you have no idea what you are talking about. my 350mhz g3 runs it 100 times more smoothly than pear pc does.

I am very suprised how fast it does run actually, i can use photoshop with no probs, and have itunes, safari, ichat, and msn open at the same time with no hitches or real slow downs. now of course its not a speed demon, ive tried panther on a g5 and its much much faster of course, but for a little imac g3 made in what 99 or 00, its pretty impressive just how fast apple got it to run...