Best Mac to Test Old Releases

[ifrit05]

Hey all, it started with me wanting to get an iBook or a TiBook 1Ghz to run OS 9 but then I started getting interested in trying out older OS X releases (Rhapsody, DP1-4, Server, Public Beta, 10.0, etc).

I was wondering what was the best machine to test these, one that could run most if not all of them.

The current machines I have are in my signature. I would like a Laptop due to how small they are and if I need to buy one shipping would be relatively cheap.

Thanks!

 

[eyoungren]

Paging @bunnspecial, paging @bunnspecial!

Please pick up the white courtesy phone!

 

[bunnspecial]

I did a similar project a while back, and settled on a Gigabit Ethernet. A Sawtooth would work just as well, while a Digital Audio will give you problems with PB.

With that said, I ended up using a B&W for DPs and later Rhapsody releases. I think OS X Server 1.2v3 is the only one that will run on the GigE, and possibly only DP4. Unless you upgrade the processor to a G4, Leopard isn't possible on a B&W(and even then it's not plug and play like using Leopard assist on a Sawtooth or later) and I'm not sure how much I would trust beta software on an upgraded computer. You'd PROBABLY be alright with a 7400-based G4, but I wouldn't push it beyond that.

BTW, some versions of Rhapsody have a weird USB quirk. I think it's OS X 1.2v3(and maybe a few others) where only one USB port is functional so if you're going to use USB input devices you must plug the keyboard into one USB port and the mouse into the keyboard. One nice thing about the B&W is that it has an ADB port so you can avoid USB completely if you want.
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Please pick up the white courtesy phone!

I've got it!

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[ifrit05]

Thanks for chiming in.

Both my GigE's PSU's are dead... Also don't know where my GPU's went. The PSU's are expensive ($100+) and I'm terrible at hacking/modding stuff to do a proper ATX to GigE adapter.

My Sawtooth does work. I actually put a Dual 500 CPU from one of the GigE's in it and it runs great. I can't remember if it still has the original GPU in it or not... I'll have to bust it out tomorrow after work.

Still though, I really want a TiBook for OS 9... Even though the oldest OS X it supports is 10.1 or 10.2.1 depending on what model I get. Or would an iBook be better?

 

[Anonymous Freak]

I'd go for the Sawtooth. New enough to be able to have an AGP video card that can run decent graphics, but old enough to run the earliest developer previews. And with dual G4s, the Public Beta will run smooth as silk. (I remember testing it on a G3 with PCI Rage128 graphics, and it was very slow, a friend with a Cube with AGP Rage128 could run it incredibly well. A Dual G4, especially with, say, a Radeon or GeForce2, would kick ass. (Although some of the older builds probably won't work at all with the newer video cards, you may have to back down to a Rage128 to get some of them to run at all.)

 

[Altemose]

Still though, I really want a TiBook for OS 9... Even though the oldest OS X it supports is 10.1 or 10.2.1 depending on what model I get. Or would an iBook be better?

The difference is going to be a cut and dry G3 and G4 difference. The last iBook to run OS 9 was a 900 MHz G3, while you could get a 1 GHz Titanium G4. The PowerBook obviously is more suited to heavier programs, but both will boot natively into OS 9 as well as OS X. Furthermore, the PowerBook can run OS X Leopard natively. I believe @Macdude2010 had a 1 GHz TiBook in fantastic shape the last I spoke with him.

 

[ifrit05]

Well I don't know what happened but one of my GigE's just decided to start booting again.
I checked the "Power On" and the 25v pins and both output 5v and 25v respectively. I was sure the PSU was dead but when I put everything back together it booted right up.

I'm going to have to put this adventure on hold though, I just got a nasty cold.