Got my old 12" G4 back, what should I do with it?

[designgeek]

I'm so excited! I got my first mac back from my little sister since she is using my mom's old mini and new i3 MBP. I'm cleaning it off as we speak, the screen is a little dim and the hardware is old for sure, but it's a G4 so obviously it still works.

I was just wondering what y'all think I can and should do with this thing. I'm thinking of squeezing leopard on there if I can. Otherwise, it's really old and far from supported so I'm really at a loss. I guess I really don't know what it's capable of.

It's a Powerbook6,8 12" with a 1.5 GHz PPC with 768MB RAM with an 80GB hard drive. Any tips are much appreciated

 

[designgeek]

Well crap, the disk drive is broken, and on top of that I can't find my retail copy of Leopard. I tried setting up remote disk, but alas, the G4 won't recognize anything. Not to mention my restore disk from my MBP wouldn't work anyway. I wonder if target disk mode would work...

 

[0007776]

Well crap, the disk drive is broken, and on top of that I can't find my retail copy of Leopard. I tried setting up remote disk, but alas, the G4 won't recognize anything. Not to mention my restore disk from my MBP wouldn't work anyway. I wonder if target disk mode would work...

It should my old 12" had a broken optical drive and I was able to upgrade it to leopard using the disk drive of my mini in target disk mode, but you would need a retail copy of leopard to instal it.

 

[Heavertron]

Well crap, the disk drive is broken, and on top of that I can't find my retail copy of Leopard. I tried setting up remote disk, but alas, the G4 won't recognize anything. Not to mention my restore disk from my MBP wouldn't work anyway. I wonder if target disk mode would work...

Target disk mode will work fine, it would be best to run it from another G4 if you can.

 

[designgeek]

Little update, I found my disk and after numerous problems what ended up working was making an image of the disk and copying It to a partition on the PB's drive. Make sure the partition scheme is not GUID but Apple Partition Map. I then booted from that and installed. I got it all updated and now I'm running 10.5.8 smoothly thanks everyone for the help, I'm still not sure what to do with it though.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Aw, that's a really good story. Good for you.

Use it, enjoy it, salute it for what it (once) represented (the acme of technological achievement), and contemplate the impermanence of might and power, technological, or otherwise.

Cheers

 

[QuarterSwede]

I turned my old 12" 1.5GHz PowerBook into a file and print server and wireless Time Machine backup NAS. Just max the RAM out (1.25GB) and OS X is perfectly suited to the task; server addition not needed.

 

[Hrududu]

My 12" Powerbook is probably my most used computer these days. Get a 1GB stick of RAM for $15 off Newegg and make it your coffee table Mac.

 

[-tWv-]

Give it to me

 

[mabaker]

My PB 12’ with a 1GHz processor is still in flawless condition, working pretty nicely, running Leopard and some CS2 suite. Brilliant computer, brilliant size. Still going strong after so many years… almost 10 now!

Do not give it away, it will serve you well on journeys or on the road.