I Just Got a Free Computer!

[Capt Underpants]

My cousin got a free iMac G3 Blueberry from a friend, who gave it away, thinking that, because the monitor only showed grays, it would be expensive to fix. It is running OS9, which i am unfarmiliar with, but within a few minutes, I found the monitor settings, and changed it from gray to millions of colors. The space bar on the keyboard was stuck down, so I pried it up and cleaned it off. I had to try a couple of times to reset it, but I eventually got it working. Now, the puck mouse was missing it's ball, and ball cover thing, so I took the ball and ball cover off of my old, non-working Dell mouse. I put the ball in, glued the cover on, and now I have a working puck mouse.

It me about 30 seconds to connect to the internet (shorter than with OSX, though that is allmyfault). <--- As you can see, the space bar needs to be hit hard in order to work, but at least it works!

Anyway, I am pretty excited about my new (old) computer. I will probably end up giving it to my grandma soon. She'll love it!

edit: Apperently the last owner forgot to uninstall Photoshop and Illustrator...

[Capt Underpants]

My spacebar is broke again. It doesn't pop up. It stays down, and still works, if tapped hard enough, but it sucks that it wont pop up...

[yellow]

Replacement USB keyboards and mice can be purchased at low prices..

And also.. it's a shame that you don't ask the "friend" if they want it back now that it's fixed.

[Capt Underpants]

Replacement USB keyboards and mice can be purchased at low prices..

And also.. it's a shame that you don't ask the "friend" if they want it back now that it's fixed.

Of course they can be had for cheap...

And also...:rolleyes: It's not my friend.... It's my cousin's friend. I have no sympathy for her, as

(A) She's too stupid as to not look at the monitor settings
(B) She got a new mac

[King Cobra]

(A) She's too stupid as to not look at the monitor settings
Not knowing who gave the iMac away, that was my first thought after reading the thread... http://www.thetechpub.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/new_shocked.gif

Of course, if she is one of those blonde mac newbs, then that would do it too. http://www.thetechpub.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif She might as well sell her hand on eBay because it hurts at night from cooking so much. http://www.thetechpub.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif http://www.thetechpub.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/new_snipersmilie.gif

[Capt Underpants]

Not knowing who gave the iMac away, that was my first thought after reading the thread... http://www.thetechpub.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/new_shocked.gif

Of course, if she is one of those blonde mac newbs, then that would do it too. http://www.thetechpub.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif She might as well sell her hand on eBay because it hurts at night from cooking so much. http://www.thetechpub.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif http://www.thetechpub.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/new_snipersmilie.gif

Apparently, she was a mac newb, even though she had owned the computer since it was new. Atleast she doesn't use windows. Being that ignorant with XP can be dangerous...

[King Cobra]

True, though it could be even worse: Wanting to switch to Windows ME. http://www.thetechpub.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif

[Capt Underpants]

How much do you think I could get for it, if I decided to sell it?

Rev A. Bondi Blue iMac
233 MHz Processor
96 MB RAM
4 GB Hd

[King Cobra]

Don't sell it... upgrade it (or keep it as is for the honor of having a collectable). Sonnet has a processor card for that model iMac that will give you a 500MHz G3 processor, a 100MHz bus (I think), and onboard Firewire. When we got it, it was $300, but I think you can find them around for less than $200 now.

[winwintoo]

Maybe she just gave it away because she'd rather give it to someone who wanted it rather than face the hassle of trying to sell it. I've given lots of good stuff away because I don't need them any more and I don't have the time and patience to sit by the phone waiting for people to call in response to an ad in the paper.

Also, in this market you wouldn't get much for a 233 Mhz iMac. I tried to unload a 600 Mhz iMac and ended up giving it away and even then I thought I have to leave it on a park bench or something, cuz nobody wanted it.

m

[jsw]

Also, in this market you wouldn't get much for a 233 Mhz iMac. I tried to unload a 600 Mhz iMac and ended up giving it away and even then I thought I have to leave it on a park bench or something, cuz nobody wanted it.

m
Wish I'd known about it. :( I'm looking for a cheap one for my folks.

[Capt Underpants]

Don't sell it... upgrade it (or keep it as is for the honor of having a collectable). Sonnet has a processor card for that model iMac that will give you a 500MHz G3 processor, a 100MHz bus (I think), and onboard Firewire. When we got it, it was $300, but I think you can find them around for less than $200 now.

I would be very eager to maybe mod it, or at least upgrade the thing, were I not a broke teenage high school student. I just spent my life savings on a PB. The novelty is cool, though. It's an awesome machine for surfing, email, and word processing. I wish it could run OSX, but I'd have to buy some more RAM, and the OS. I just don't know if it's worth the money (which I really don't have in the first place).

edit: I could always turn it into a fish tank. I never have had good luck with fish, though. I bought some fish at Wal-Mart, which I was told were compatible. I leave the store with five fish. By the time I get in the car, I only have 2 and 1/2. One was halfway in the other fish's mouth, and I assume the other two were in his stomach. Needless to say, I was crying. My mom had the task of explaining we had just bought 5 fish, but there were only 2 left. I was scarred for life.

OFF TOPIC

[Elan0204]

I would be very eager to maybe mod it, or at least upgrade the thing, were I not a broke teenage high school student. I just spent my life savings on a PB. The novelty is cool, though. It's an awesome machine for surfing, email, and word processing. I wish it could run OSX, but I'd have to buy some more RAM, and the OS. I just don't know if it's worth the money (which I really don't have in the first place).

Yeah, while the thought of upgrading the machine sounds cool, it might get kind of costly. After you spend $200-$300 for the processor upgrade, then you need to spend more money for more RAM and a bigger hard drive. When you are all done, you might not be that far from the cost of a education\refurb priced emac.

[Littleodie914]

You COULD try running Mac OS X on it... I assume it would at least be usable... If you remove the asian fonts, you can take a regular install down to about 700MB... Why not just use the 3 Mac OS X cd's that came with your PB? The ones that came with my iBook work fine on my B&W G3... Good luck! :D

[Capt Underpants]

Yeah, while the thought of upgrading the machine sounds cool, it might get kind of costly. After you spend $200-$300 for the processor upgrade, then you need to spend more money for more RAM and a bigger hard drive. When you are all done, you might not be that far from the cost of a education\refurb priced emac.

I wouldn't be doing it for the computing power, I'd be doing it for fun. I'd get some experience with a processor upgrade (which I haven't done before). I have done the RAM thing, and the HD thing, both of which almost anyone could do.

[King Cobra]

I leave the store with five fish. By the time I get in the car, I only have 2 and 1/2. One was halfway in the other fish's mouth, and I assume the other two were in his stomach.
The kissing fish have struck again! http://www.thetechpub.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif http://www.thetechpub.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_twisted.gif http://www.thetechpub.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/new_snipersmilie.gif

[gwuMACaddict]

congrats! a few years ago friends and i found an old performa by the side of the road, we turned it in to a dedicated mp3 server running OSX.

[Capt Underpants]

congrats! a few years ago friends and i found an old performa by the side of the road, we turned it in to a dedicated mp3 server running OSX.

Performa's can run OSX :eek: ??

edit: Think of this as a completely different post, as I didn't want to double post (again).

I have about 60 bucks. I am thinking that, with 512 MB RAM, this iMac could run OSX slowly. Apple says the max is 256. Has anyone ever tried to install 2x256 in their bondi blue iMac's?

2nd edit: I just looked up RAM prices, and I can't afford it...yet... But I would still like to know if anyone has tried it.

[yellow]

XPostFacto (http://www.opendarwin.org/projects/XPostFacto/)

Rev A max RAM is 256MB acccording to mactracker. They're pretty accurate.

[Capt Underpants]

XPostFacto (http://www.opendarwin.org/projects/XPostFacto/)

Rev A max RAM is 256MB acccording to mactracker. They're pretty accurate.

Yes. Most people will tell you that 256 MB is the max, because that's what the apple spec sheet says. I want to know if anyone has had success putting 512 MB in there. There seems to be nothing hindering this.

[stevehaslip]

I love free things! you're lucky (if you decide to keep it) you could use it for pretty much anything. We had some 233mhz imacs running os 9 at college and they still managed to open large image files for print in photoshop. Web browsing was fine on it too.

[yellow]

What I'm saying that I'm pretty sure that 256MB is the max. You can try and put larger DIMMs in there, but it'll only recognize 1/2 the size of the actual DIMM, so you'll be paying extra money for the damn thing.

[musicpyrite]

Just buy 1 256 stick now, and use the existing 64 or 32 MB sick, and if the computer recognizes it as 320 or 288 total MB of RAM, the you know it is Ok to go ahead and purchase the second 256 stick.

I've seen a 400MHz iMac with 1024 MB of RAM.

Apple just lists the maximum amount of RAM in a G4 iMac as 1 GB because it is too expensive to buy 2 2GB sicks. But the G4 iMac can actually handle 2GB.

[yellow]

I've seen a 400MHz iMac with 1024 MB of RAM.


Yes, the iMac DVs (and later) support 1GB of RAM.

I see no indication anywhere that modern G4 iMacs can support anything more then 1.5GB of RAM.

[Capt Underpants]

What I'm saying that I'm pretty sure that 256MB is the max. You can try and put larger DIMMs in there, but it'll only recognize 1/2 the size of the actual DIMM, so you'll be paying extra money for the damn thing.

:eek: okay... I asked if anyone had tried 512 MB. I appreciate the fact you believe only 256 MB is the max, but I see no reason 512 MB won't be recognized. I know someone here has had to try it. As musicpyrite has said, the 400 Mhz iMac's only "support" 512 MB, but he has seen a gig in them. Why shouldn't the same be said for my imac, only on a smaller scale?

[yellow]

*sigh* Because the hardware doesn't support it. But please try it out and see for yourself, or wait for someone else to confirm. Just because you can fit 2 1GB DIMMs in there (you can't, but if you could) doesn't mean that they will work. If the RAM doesn't fit the specs for the Mac, then it'll only see 1/2 the actualy size of the RAM (at best) or not see it at all.

[Capt Underpants]

*sigh* Because the hardware doesn't support it. But please try it out and see for yourself, or wait for someone else to confirm. Just because you can fit 2 1GB DIMMs in there (you can't, but if you could) doesn't mean that they will work. If the RAM doesn't fit the specs for the Mac, then it'll only see 1/2 the actualy size of the RAM (at best) or not see it at all.

*Bigger Sigh*

Once again, I asked for people that had tried it. Have you tried it???
I know that just because it fits, doesn't mean it's recognized. Let's face, it, though, in 1998, 256 MB chips were probably unheard of, and überly expensive. Maybe they were too expensive for apple's iMac. Think about it, dude. Some say the G5 can support 16 GB's or RAM, but the modules are too expensive, so Apple doesn't list it.

Once again, if you had tried it, your opinion would've weighed more heavily. AFAIK, though, all you did was look up a spec sheet (which I can do).

[musicpyrite]

Don't know if this means anything or not, I'm not thinking clearly, I've had too much coffee.....

http://www.macobserver.com/news/99/december/991208/transintlimac256.html

new high density low profile 256 MB SDRAM SO DIMM memory module these low profile SDRAM SO-DIMMs are also compatible with Apple's earlier Powerbook G3s (Wallstreet) and iMacs [233-333].......Maximizing these systems main memory up to 512 Mb with Trans Intl new low profile 256 Mb low profile DIMM

[yellow]

Interesting find musicpyrite..

http://www.transintl.com/store/category.cfm?Category=18&CFID=351479&CFTOKEN=44298149&RequestTimeOut=500

$89.00 each for top and bottom DIMMs. I've never even heard of this company.

[musicpyrite]

Interesting find musicpyrite..

http://www.transintl.com/store/category.cfm?Category=18&CFID=351479&CFTOKEN=44298149&RequestTimeOut=500

$89.00 each for top and bottom DIMMs. I've never even heard of this company.

hahah!

I found it!

http://www.macshack.com.au/table.html

Scroll down to the iMacs, it will clearly say 512 MB of RAM

And I've heard of transintl a few times before. There's nothing wrong with them.

[Capt Underpants]

I appreciate the link, musicpyrite. OSX should be usable with 512 MB RAM. I have never heard of a low and high profile DIMM, though. Heck, I didn't even know that you had to buy a "low profile" DIMM for my iMac. Thanks for the links. When I get the money, I will report back here with what I've done, though it may be a while.

[yellow]

Frankly I'm amazed.. it looks like one has to use 10 sources and average the info on all of them to get close to the correct info. :) That source above that you sited also says that G4 iMacs max out at 1GB of RAM, which isn't true. Shrug. I stand corrected. If you've got ~$200 to blow, max out the RAM on your Bondi iMac!

[Jimong5]

Don't know if this means anything or not, I'm not thinking clearly, I've had too much coffee.....

http://www.macobserver.com/news/99/december/991208/transintlimac256.html

not to mention that the lombard and pismo was apple rated at a 512 max when they came out. yet new 512 dimms came out and raised the limit to a gig. If you got a 512 (low profile id guess) chip I dont see why it wouldnt work.

plus, my friend has a bondi that has 384 MB Ram, so id imagine more would be possible on a later revision.

[Capt Underpants]

Frankly I'm amazed.. it looks like one has to use 10 sources and average the info on all of them to get close to the correct info. :) That source above that you sited also says that G4 iMacs max out at 1GB of RAM, which isn't true. Shrug. I stand corrected. If you've got ~$200 to blow, max out the RAM on your Bondi iMac!

I can't help but get a bad vibe from that last sentence...

In all honesty, I think 200 bucks isn't bad to get an OSX capable computer.

edit: Congrats on the 'tar. I see you're trying to get one that suits your tastes. It just changed from a simpsons character to a yellow blob, lol. Hope you find one!

[King Cobra]

http://www.macshack.com.au/table.html
Dude, that site is filled with so much wrong/not updated information. The site doesn't distinguish the 12 inch model from the 12 inch DVI model, which can hold 1.25GB of RAM. That site has 1.0GB listed. Also, they don't even have the right information for my iBook (Firewire) and the first iBook model. The number should be 320MB, not 544MB, as the site has it. I'm contesting all this using Mactracker, which gets their information from here (www.apple-history.com). The site says (http://www.apple-history.com/frames/body.php?page=gallery&model=imac) that the Bondi Blue iMac's maximum RAM is 256MB. I haven't tried to go that far, as there is only 192MB of RAM in my iMac (and 24KB of cobwebs).

[Capt Underpants]

Until I get the cash for the RAM (which will be a while), I figured I might as well update the OS to OS 9.2. I went to software updater, expecting for the update to be there, but it wasn't. How do I update the OS? Forgive me, I am not familiar with OS9.

[King Cobra]

If it's running OS 9.0 to 9.0.4, do steps [1], [2], and [3]. If it's running OS 9.1, do steps [2] and [3]. If it's running OS 9.2 or 9.2.1 already, then do step [3]. Check its version number by going into the Apple Menu and About This Mac....

[1] Download and install: http://www.download.com/Apple-Mac-OS-Update-9-1/3000-2283-4460985.html?tag=lst-0-10
[2] Download and install: http://www.download.com/Apple-Mac-OS-Update-9-2-1/3000-2283-6942882.html?tag=lst-0-9
[3] Download and install: http://www.download.com/Apple-Mac-OS-Update-9-2-2/3000-2283-8089156.html?tag=lst-0-11

[Capt Underpants]

If it's running OS 9.0 to 9.0.4, do steps [1], [2], and [3]. If it's running OS 9.1, do steps [2] and [3]. If it's running OS 9.2 or 9.2.1 already, then do step [3]. Check its version number by going into the Apple Menu and About This Mac....

[1] Download and install: http://www.download.com/Apple-Mac-OS-Update-9-1/3000-2283-4460985.html?tag=lst-0-10
[2] Download and install: http://www.download.com/Apple-Mac-OS-Update-9-2-1/3000-2283-6942882.html?tag=lst-0-9
[3] Download and install: http://www.download.com/Apple-Mac-OS-Update-9-2-2/3000-2283-8089156.html?tag=lst-0-11

Thanks. I am running 9.1, so I am in the process of downloading number 2. It kind of bugs me that I cna't see the progress of the download, but I guess I can't have everything.

Will 9.2 feel snappier????

[Archaeopteryx]

I found an old Mac LC in my dads office a few months ago.. I was too lazy to see if it still worked.. I remember back in the day I upgraded the ram to its max.. 10 MB... now i just flinch at thinking of turning that beast on :-P

[King Cobra]

--> It kind of bugs me that I cna't see the progress of the download

What browser are you using? Every browser that I've used/tried - Netscape 4, Netscape Communicator, IE Mac/Win, HotJava, OmniWeb, Safari, Mozilla, Netscape 6 (all in no particular order) - somehow tell me what I'm downloading, how much to go, etc., whether it's via a pop-up window, or a download manager. I fail to understand how your browser canot do the same.

--> Will 9.2 feel snappier????

Not necessarily. It's about the same as OS 9.1, but it will give you as up to date hardware/support as OS 9 can provide.

[Capt Underpants]

--> It kind of bugs me that I cna't see the progress of the download

What browser are you using? Every browser that I've used/tried - Netscape 4, Netscape Communicator, IE Mac/Win, HotJava, OmniWeb, Safari, Mozilla, Netscape 6 (all in no particular order) - somehow tell me what I'm downloading, how much to go, etc., whether it's via a pop-up window, or a download manager. I fail to understand how your browser canot do the same.

--> Will 9.2 feel snappier????

Not necessarily. It's about the same as OS 9.1, but it will give you as up to date hardware/support as OS 9 can provide.

I am using IE 5.0, and I get no progress window.

[yellow]

I am using IE 5.0, and I get no progress window.

No Kb/s at the bottom left within the outter boundry window of IE?

[King Cobra]

I am using IE 5.0, and I get no progress window.
Newb alert! :D

Watch this:
Hit Command-M in Internet Explorer.

[Capt Underpants]

Newb alert! :D

Watch this:
Hit Command-M in Internet Explorer.

It really wasn't my newbness, lol! I had to go to Apple's site and download the 9.2.1 updater. Thanks for the link, though. Without it, I would not have found Apple's page on the update. Now that I am downloading it from Apple's site, I get a progress window.

I really do appreciate all of the help you (king cobra) and all of the other MR members have given me. If I have any more problems (and I'm sure I will), I'll give you guys a shout...

[King Cobra]

Without it, I would not have found Apple's page on the update.
You mean I had to give you a link in order for you to find www.apple.com ??

Hey, I couldn't help it! :D

[Capt Underpants]

You mean I had to give you a link in order for you to find www.apple.com ??

Hey, I couldn't help it! :D

HAHA! You now what I mean!
It's 50% downloaded, and, after it's finished, I'm hittin' the sack...

[Datazoid]

I just wanted to throw this in there. I have put 512MB in a Rev D iMac (333 MHz), which is very similar architecturally to the Bondi's (almost identical). The important part is that you get it from a reputable vendor, because it is ram density that is vital with these computers. You have to get 256 MB cards that have 16 chips (8 on each side). If it is a one sided chip, send it back (the first set of sticks I received were not the proper type). But I can verify this works. There are many posts about this on Apple's support forums (or at least, there used to be).

[fuzzwud]

if you want components like keys etc... you can look at www.partsolver.com

last time i looked they carried various Apple computer components.

[sinbushar]

\I have about 60 bucks. I am thinking that, with 512 MB RAM, this iMac could run OSX slowly. Apple says the max is 256. Has anyone ever tried to install 2x256 in their bondi blue iMac's?

memory specs listed by apple are based on what is available on the market at the time of sale, they are not updated. so you very well may be able to put large amounts of memory into the machine.

also, its worth upgrading the hard drive...just get a cheap 40 GB...

we have a rev A imac, with 128 mb of ram and a 40 gb hard drive. it is running panther fine...

-adel

[Littleodie914]

I can't say I've installed Panther on a bondi iMac, but I DO have it installed on a B&W G3 (see sig), and it runs perfectly! I can have 4-5 programs open and once and still have it maintain its snappy-ness. Good luck!

[CubaTBird]

It really wasn't my newbness, lol! I had to go to Apple's site and download the 9.2.1 updater. Thanks for the link, though. Without it, I would not have found Apple's page on the update. Now that I am downloading it from Apple's site, I get a progress window.

I really do appreciate all of the help you (king cobra) and all of the other MR members have given me. If I have any more problems (and I'm sure I will), I'll give you guys a shout...

why couldn't u just have gone to the software update in the control panel? when u hit update, it would have automatically downloaded 9.2.2 for u, which is the latest version of 9.

[Capt Underpants]

why couldn't u just have gone to the software update in the control panel? when u hit update, it would have automatically downloaded 9.2.2 for u, which is the latest version of 9.

Well, since the 9.2 update wasn't in the software update panel, I didn't think the 9.2.2 update would have been. I never thought to check.

[MrMacMan]

How much do you think I could get for it, if I decided to sell it?

Rev A. Bondi Blue iMac
233 MHz Processor
96 MB RAM
4 GB Hd

How is it both a Blueberry and a Bondi Blue at the same time?
Your first post said Blueberry... and these are the specs for the original iMac... 233... Rev. A, would that have the mezzanine slot on the motherboard?

Yes. Most people will tell you that 256 MB is the max, because that's what the apple spec sheet says. I want to know if anyone has had success putting 512 MB in there. There seems to be nothing hindering this.
You can upgrade it.



--I own a iMac 233 Bondi Blue Rev. A.

In fact my machine has 320 Ram. I didn't touch the bottom slot because Apple said not to, but the *top* slot I added 256 into and there was no problem.

Trust me, this machine can and will take that ram.
look for something like: http://dealram.com/prices/systems/7/256MB.html