Help Me Upgrade my New G4 iMac :)

[ohsnaphappy]

Just got my dream computer. A G4 iMac. Boots slow, but seems pretty fast after it boots.

Questions:

Ok this is going to sound crazy, but I have en eMac upstairs and I'm going to rob the wireless card and stick it in the G4 iMac, yes!!! BUT can I swap the processors!?!? Haha!

What's the best OS to upgrade to? I'm running 10.2. I've read that 10.3.9 is the way to go, anything newer is too much for the old girl. What are your opinions? And where should I look for this software? Thanks!!

 

[DeltaMac]

Both the eMac and the G4 iMac have two major generations of hardware.
The older models take PC133 SDRAM, limited to 1GB maximum.
The newer G4s take PC PC-2100 or PC-2700 RAM, maximum of 2GB
And, the eMac takes two sticks, standard desktop RAM.
All G4 iMacs have one slot easy to access (which takes a SO-DIMM), and another requiring removing the bottom housing, to get at the logic board for a full-size RAM stick.
So, it depends on which iMac G4 you have. (and which eMac you have, too!)
(The eMac was available with 1GHz processor in both generations, each uses different RAM sticks. The other big difference was USB 2.0, and upgraded video on the newer eMacs)
The only stick that would transfer from the eMac to the iMac is the one that is hardest to access, and again, depends on which Macs you have.

If you have 1 GHz or higher, iMac G4 has a socket on the logic board to add an optional bluetooth module (if you can find one), and again, depends on which iMac G4 model you have.

Which Mac OS X? if you have an older one (less than 1Ghz processor), then you are essentially limited to Tiger, although it would be possible to go to Leopard. Tiger is probably the best for the older ones.

You can find what you need for installing OS X (Panther, or Tiger, etc.) on this page ...

 

[ohsnaphappy]

Both the eMac and the G4 iMac have two major generations of hardware.
The older models take PC133 SDRAM, limited to 1GB maximum.
The newer G4s take PC PC-2100 or PC-2700 RAM, maximum of 2GB
And, the eMac takes two sticks, standard desktop RAM.
All G4 iMacs have one slot easy to access (which takes a SO-DIMM), and another requiring removing the bottom housing, to get at the logic board for a full-size RAM stick.
So, it depends on which iMac G4 you have. (and which eMac you have, too!)
(The eMac was available with 1GHz processor in both generations, each uses different RAM sticks. The other big difference was USB 2.0, and upgraded video on the newer eMacs)
The only stick that would transfer from the eMac to the iMac is the one that is hardest to access, and again, depends on which Macs you have.

If you have 1 GHz or higher, iMac G4 has a socket on the logic board to add an optional bluetooth module (if you can find one), and again, depends on which iMac G4 model you have.

Which Mac OS X? if you have an older one (less than 1Ghz processor), then you are essentially limited to Tiger, although it would be possible to go to Leopard. Tiger is probably the best for the older ones.

You can find what you need for installing OS X (Panther, or Tiger, etc.) on this page ...

Ok so this one is the 800mhz PowerMac 4,2 and according to OWC maxes out at 512MB of ram, which is what it has. But I'm still going to order the Airport card from them.

You sure I'll be able to handle Tiger?

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

As DM suggests Tiger is the go for you. Leopard required a minimum of an 867MHz CPU to install Leopard. You can get Tiger on auction sites, but make sure it is a PowerPC version,as Tiger came min both PowerPC and Intel varieties. I think you would be very brave to to the G4 online and you will find b browsers of all varieties are probably too old to do banking and other secure business on.

It is going to be as slow as molasses but if you are prepared for that just great.

This is on eBay if you do not have a full retail install DVD and not a silver grey 'system' disc. Retail price is usually $99-$150.00so good luck if you can get it for less than fifty bucks.


https://www.ebay.com/p/Apple-Mac-OS-X-Tiger-10-4/127670698?iid=332490675333

 

[DeltaMac]

Ok so this one is the 800mhz PowerMac 4,2 and according to OWC maxes out at 512MB of ram, which is what it has. But I'm still going to order the Airport card from them.

You sure I'll be able to handle Tiger?

Not sure where you were looking at OWC for RAM info, but the OWC upgrade page for your iMac G4/800MHz, shows maximum of 1 GB.
https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple/memory/iMac/G4_700MHz_800MHz
Remember there are two slots, and the slots do not take the same RAM sticks. One slot is easy to do, user accessible (a simple metal panel on the bottom), where the second slot (OWC calls it the factory installed memory slot) requires opening the bottom housing. Each slot can take 512 MB, so maximum is 1GB.
Even Tiger will run better with that 1 GB RAM

As nambuccaheadsau says - don't accept a grey Tiger installer disk, for ANOTHER reason. It will be a dedicated installer for a newer Mac (the eMac never shipped with Tiger), and a grey DVD will probably not be useful to you on the iMac.
The correct (commercial installer) disk will have a black label, with a purple "flash".

 

[thefriendshipmachine]

I upgraded my G4 to 2gb of RAM and run 10.4 on it. With a heavily modified tenfourfox it runs great!

There's a powerpc section on the forum you could check out too. That's where I read about how to upgrade mine, there and youtube.