Upgrading to an iMac from a G3

JustBen said:

How easy will it be to transfer all the data over to a new iMac, what is the best way to do this?

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First you would need to find out if your G3 has a firewire port or not. If you're not sure look up its model on http://www.everymac.com. If it does than you can use "target disk mode" to transfer everything over. If it does not have firewire (doubt it does) then you would use an ethernet cable and network them. If for some reason they can see each other (I have never networked Macs that difference in age before), then you could transfer all info from the G3 to either the G4 or G5, then from there to the new iMac. Just remember that G3 is probably from around 1997-1999.

JustBen said:

Is it possible to install OS9 as well as the latest OS onto an iMac so he can switch back to applications he uses on the G3?

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Nope. Will have to buy all new apps (expensive) if you want that iMac. Probably a new scanner too. You can always check online to see if the scanner manufacturer updated its software to run on 10.8, but I highly doubt it.

JustBen said:

Are there any obvious problems when moving from a very old set of macs onto a more recent model and OS?

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Depends on what design software he has everything saved in and what version. Quarkxpress 3 or 4? Pagemaker 6.5 or older? Freehand 9 or older? If using those apps then you might have a hard time opening those files correctly in something like creative suite 5 or 6 if that's what you get. If he has newer design software on either the G4 or G5, you could always transfer any problem files over to one of those and update them there, but like I said it depends on what he's using.

n8mac said:

If for some reason they can see each other (I have never networked Macs that difference in age before)

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I have tried to link an eMac running OS9 to a 2010 MacBook once, it didnt work.
BUT... a G4 running 10.4 (or 10.2 as i did once) will work nicely.
(this is with an Ethernet cable, not firewire)

JustBen said:

Thanks very much for your replies, very helpful.

I have spent time looking at scanners and we can get a better spec one than he has now for not a lot of money so that to me seems the most sensible way forward, rather than having an old scanner hold the whole transfer of 3 old macs onto one new one, hostage.

A quick question about the spec of the mac. He'll be doing the odd bit of scanning, some Photoshop work, a bit in Illustrator and the other odds and sods of Office/Email/Internet.

What sort of spec iMac will he need? I've been discounting i3s and going for minimum i5 with 8GB of RAM.

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If those G3/G4/G5 macs have been doing the work he needs, the lowest-end iMac will easily be enough power and more. No need to spend money for power/features that won't be used.

SkyBell said:

If those G3/G4/G5 macs have been doing the work he needs, the lowest-end iMac will easily be enough power and more. No need to spend money for power/features that won't be used.

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Yep, even the Mac Mini would probably do the trick. But still, the new iMacs are a really elegant setup (if you don't mind not having a CD drive, or using an external one), and I like the all in one nature of it all. It's just beautiful.

JustBen said:

Hello all, first post here. I'm a PC user and not very experienced with macs I'm afraid. My old-man has 3 macs, a G3 - OS 9, G4 - 10.4 and G5 - 10.3.

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In the meantime, while you're fixing your dad's setup, you need to be trying to find a Mac for yourself. Time to dump that PC