Firmware update iMac G3

[Kilgore Trout]

...iMac 7oo Mhz G3.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120048

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86117


I read about a bunch of problems people have had with OSX on imac g3's if they did not have firmware 4.1.9. The screen goes black etc.

My (new to me) G3 has 4.1.7f4 (off the top of my head) but IS running OSX The latest update. But I figured what the hell, why not update the firmware to 4.1.9, and the power management update. It will not allow me to update because OS9 classic is not on my hard drive.

Since my machine was shipped to me used, I have no disc(s) for the OS.

It seems that the version on my iMac is for an iBook perhaps????....BUT it does work fine. I know if it works don't fix it, I was just wondering what my options were. The firmware update is supposed to speed things up a bit with OSX.

How can I update, and is it worth it?

Thanks.

 

[Makosuke]

The "How" unfortunately, is "Find a copy of OS9"--that's the only way to run the updater on those machines so far as I know.

As for "why", I suppose if it's working properly, there's no obvious reason, although generally speaking if Apple has bothered to release a firmware update there's SOME reason for it. In some cases (older iMacs, I thought, but maybe all the way up to the 700MHz ones?) the machine would physically damage itself without the update, while in other cases they mention the stock "improved reliability", meaning (in THEORY) less crashes. If you're having zero, of course, less would still be zero.

Were it my computer, I'd update it just to be extra-careful, particularly given the potentially disastrous side effects of bad firmware, but I wouldn't worry too much.

On your iBook comment, no. Just because the firmware is the same version number as what might be on an iBook, that doesn't meant that it's the same as what's on yours. You almost certainly can't put the wrong firmware on a Mac, and if you were somehow to do so it almost certainly wouldn't work properly.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Thanks Makosuke! Very helpful indeed.

Ostensibly, the battery update is also a good idea..

My machine will lose date and time if left un-plugged for more than a day.

I have tracked down a few reasonably priced OS9 discs. I just wanted to make sure it will not harm my machine by loading it.

Now for the $20 question; I have seen 2 different options for 9.2.2. Do I want a boot-able from the OS9 disc version, or the one which is an install disc, but uses OSX to install it? I hope I asked that right.

On e-bay for instance, I have seen both types of OS9 discs; bootable from disc, and install version. One is white with a gold 9 on it, and the latter is grey.

Thanks.