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lc25

macrumors 6502
Jul 31, 2009
271
0
tbh for a $100 that has to be the most amount of fun anyone could have
 

Medic278

macrumors 6502a
Feb 1, 2012
657
0
New York
I gotta say for $100 you really can't go wrong. As others have said its a great cheap way to gain invaluable experience fixing computers. If I were you I would turn one of the dead ones into a fish tank, I am currently looking on craigslist for cheap iMac o turn into a fish tank lol.
 

Cox Orange

macrumors 68000
Jan 1, 2010
1,814
241
I'm looking on ebay for the ram it looks as if i spend $40 i can get a pound of ram mayby 25 pieces i just don't know if it is pc133 but i might be willing to take a risk as to get all the iMacs working i had to use 2.5GB+ of Pc133 from my own macs and now they have none even if it was not pc133 i can still find a use for Them:D. I still have to try new ram in my iMac or try the old ram in my G3 B&W Tower, i some what don't want to see the imac right now as i spent 3 Days getting it as i like it and then it does this:D But i will make This my job for tomorrow at lest the HD is ok i think. yep,it is a 500MHz indigo, most of the other ones are 500MHz as well and some are 350MHz BlueBerry's but no 600MHz:(. I Do have 3 spare 500MHz logic board's from iMacs with dead CRT's so i can use one of them if i need to. i might put the spare 500MHz logic board's in the 350MHz blueberry's to get them a little faster:)

((40USD sounds a lot (I would always prefer auctions)))

Before you do that!!!
Try to find a professional recycler via google just to know the prices. So you do not pay double the price, you will get back, if they are all broke.

If you do not find a recycler. go to Ebay use variable search terms. Search e.g. kg RAM. Then hit enter. Now scroll down, until you see "ended auctions" (might be named different in the US). Click on it and then choose "sort by price, lowest to highest".
There you can see, if you pay to much or if you will get back a bit at least, if you sell them again on Ebay.
I also would ask the seller, if he knows, if there is 512MB SDRAM (with two cuts, other than DDR-SDRAM with one cut).

Also, do know, what you buy, otherwise you could end up with old EDO or FPM RAM, that only works in 20-30 year old computers (also Lisa or MacIIPlus and the like) and some printers or music-samplers. They are shorter than SDRAM/DDR-RAM and longer than Notebook-RAM. They 72Pins.

SDRAM has 128Pins, as far as I remember.

If you find your pair of 512MBs run the test I linked for you, just to be super save and not giving another 512MB pair away, while yours is actually faulty and you do not see it at the first time.

Also, if you have a hard disk you urgently want to know the health of, use "SMART Utility" by Volitan Software. They have a Demo, you can use 30 Days or 5 launches, whatever comes later. After that you have to buy a license (there is a student discount to pay only 19USD, I can give you the code).
If you have several HDDs and did not just copy your own OS to it, you can download this Utility again and again for every HDD you want to test. Once, if you have a job and money you can kindly give Volitan a small money gift, because you used it so often now. I would say :)
 

MAC MAN JW

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 12, 2011
320
17
Buffalo,Ny
((40USD sounds a lot (I would always prefer auctions)))

Before you do that!!!
Try to find a professional recycler via google just to know the prices. So you do not pay double the price, you will get back, if they are all broke.

If you do not find a recycler. go to Ebay use variable search terms. Search e.g. kg RAM. Then hit enter. Now scroll down, until you see "ended auctions" (might be named different in the US). Click on it and then choose "sort by price, lowest to highest".
There you can see, if you pay to much or if you will get back a bit at least, if you sell them again on Ebay.
I also would ask the seller, if he knows, if there is 512MB SDRAM (with two cuts, other than DDR-SDRAM with one cut).

Also, do know, what you buy, otherwise you could end up with old EDO or FPM RAM, that only works in 20-30 year old computers (also Lisa or MacIIPlus and the like) and some printers or music-samplers. They are shorter than SDRAM/DDR-RAM and longer than Notebook-RAM. They 72Pins.

SDRAM has 128Pins, as far as I remember.

If you find your pair of 512MBs run the test I linked for you, just to be super save and not giving another 512MB pair away, while yours is actually faulty and you do not see it at the first time.

Also, if you have a hard disk you urgently want to know the health of, use "SMART Utility" by Volitan Software. They have a Demo, you can use 30 Days or 5 launches, whatever comes later. After that you have to buy a license (there is a student discount to pay only 19USD, I can give you the code).
If you have several HDDs and did not just copy your own OS to it, you can download this Utility again and again for every HDD you want to test. Once, if you have a job and money you can kindly give Volitan a small money gift, because you used it so often now. I would say :)

I'm good on RAM now i found my old pc in my attic and it had 768MB of pc133 (3x256) so now every iMac has 256MB Ram:) I did get my iMac to work as well it seems that the RAM just needed to be reseated i am typeing this with it right now useing TenFourFox. I sold two iMac's and used the money from them to buy a pair of wireless headphones (To use with my tv in my bedroom) and a charger for my iPhone:) This weekend we are metting someone off of Craigslist that wants to buy 2 as well, and if that works out i will have made my $100 back:D

----------

I gotta say for $100 you really can't go wrong. As others have said its a great cheap way to gain invaluable experience fixing computers. If I were you I would turn one of the dead ones into a fish tank, I am currently looking on craigslist for cheap iMac o turn into a fish tank lol.

i was thinking of makeing one and putting fake fish in it, if i get some free time i may make one:D
 

MAC MAN JW

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 12, 2011
320
17
Buffalo,Ny
Update!!

Just a Quick update!. As of yesterday i am down to 9 and have someone coming this week to buy one as well:) I am very happy with the outcome, and a 15in 1.5GHz PowerBook G4 is in my Future to replace my beat up 12in PowerBook G4 and My MacBook that i will be selling to a family member. I could not help my self i admit it i bought a iMac G3 Graphite off Craigslist for $15 so then That leaves a Blue Berry iMac G3 that someone posted For $100 or the ones i am selling for $20, the idea of buying the $15 iMac seems to have paid off:D
 

minifridge1138

macrumors 65816
Jun 26, 2010
1,175
197
Yes,i did have fun and learned alot:). I did end up making $75 so far but lost 2.5GB's of PC133 Ram:(

Then you're better off than I am.
I have fun, but usually lose more money than I make. Good thing I don't try to do this as a living.

Congratulations.
 

California

macrumors 68040
Aug 21, 2004
3,885
90
Yes,i did have fun and learned alot:). I did end up making $75 so far but lost 2.5GB's of PC133 Ram:(

If it makes you feel any better, back in about 2003 or 2004, when I was helping my mom upgrade her 500gz iMac G3, ONE stick of kingston 512mb pc133 ram went for $179.00.

You read that right.
 

MAC MAN JW

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 12, 2011
320
17
Buffalo,Ny
ohh my god! gold mine <3 lol

Yes it some what was:D I would do it all again if i had the chance!.


This looks cool i have a few dead ones i might do this to:) But as of now all but 4 are sold!.



So far this is what i bought with the money from the iMacs. And no i did not spend it all:D

1. flat screen tv for my room
2. 1.25GHz eMac
3. 1.33GHz 15in PowerBook G4
4. 5 CD Stereo with iPod dock
5. iPhone charger
 

TacticalDesire

macrumors 68020
Mar 19, 2012
2,286
23
Michigan
I like to fix up old machines from time to time but I don't bother selling them. Makes for some fun projects. I don't even know exactly how many I have sitting downstairs in my basement atm.

----------

So far this is what i bought with the money from the iMacs. And no i did not spend it all:D

1. flat screen tv for my room
2. 1.25GHz eMac
3. 1.33GHz 15in PowerBook G4
4. 5 CD Stereo with iPod dock
5. iPhone charger

You did good!
 

MAC MAN JW

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 12, 2011
320
17
Buffalo,Ny
I like to fix up old machines from time to time but I don't bother selling them. Makes for some fun projects. I don't even know exactly how many I have sitting downstairs in my basement atm.

----------



You did good!

Thanks! I did keep 3 for my self, i would have keep more but i already had to many macs even before i bought the iMac G3's:D
 

gavinstubbs09

macrumors 65816
Feb 17, 2013
1,386
256
NorCal boonies ~~~by Reno sorta
I'd love to get a lot of something, maybe in the future (say 4-6 years) I can go to a local government auction (in the middle of nowhere) and buy back all the iMacs I set up for a school just this summer. That would be so cool at like $400 each!
 

Xandros

macrumors regular
Sep 19, 2010
211
13
I'd like to buy a lot of 31 iMac G3's.

Then I'd use science to turn them into a transforming robot to take over the world!

I-have-no-idea-what-I-am-doing.jpg
 

jita1

macrumors newbie
Nov 16, 2013
20
0
I would say...nice buy!

Lets say you have to give 16 doa ones away...that still leaves you with 15...even if you take lowball price of $20 each and keep one good one for yourself...leaves you free imac + $180 profit and a great learning experience...

Yes well done young man!

I agree! Well done.
 

RedCroissant

Suspended
Aug 13, 2011
2,268
96
White Pro keyboards

Hey OP,

I saw a lot of orange, black, and indigo, but did you happen to score a white Pro Keyboard?
 

zackkmac

macrumors 6502a
Jul 7, 2008
879
129
Denver
I don't believe the OP will be back anytime soon, seeing as how his last activity here was in February. Unless he has a new account. :p
 
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