How Did You Acquire Your PPC Macs?

[ifrit05]

Title says it all.

Machintosh 5400/120: Been in my family for quite a while and it got passed on to me. (first Mac I ever used)

iMac 233: Saved it from a scraper friend.

eMac: Was one of my cousin's, he didn't want anything to do with it. (idk why, its an amazing piece of machinery...)

All G3/G4 Desktops: Saved 'em from the dump. They seem to have been used for some kind of school/institutional use.

G5: Wanted one for a LONG time so I caved in and bought one off Ebay for 150 bucks.

 

[jrsx]

My first iBook G4: old, bro's comp, passed down to my family, then the DC in board went out for a few years. I got that replaced, but then I busted the power button connector on the MB. (MB still works when all contacts are touched together, though!)

My second iBook G4: bought it off of eBay with no OS. Installed 10.4 Tiger and currently use as a school/internet computer

 

[eyoungren]

TiBook 400: Christmas present, December 2001.
PowerMac 6500: Salvation Army purchase.
PowerMac 7200: Gift from my mom.
17" PowerBook G4 1Ghz: eBay, December 2009.
17" PowerBook G4 1.67Ghz DLSD: eBay, May 2010.
PowerMac G4 Quicksilver 1.2Ghz (Sonnett): Part of exchange/purchase, Nov. 2013.
iMac G3/233: Part of exchange/purchase, Nov. 2013.

I had three iBook G3s at one point, all gifts from my mom. Those were exchanged for the iMac and the Quicksilver.

 

[FigmentNewtonII]

iMac G4: Bought it at a shop that resells recycled computers.

iBook G4: I asked my grandparents if I could have it since they weren't using it.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

My first PowerPC Mac was also the first Mac that was "mine", rather than a Mac at school, a Mac my dad brought home from work temporarily, etc.

A PowerBook 5300c. It had been my dad's, but he had just upgraded to the then-brand-new PowerBook 1400cs (he won it from MacMall,) so he gave me his 5300c. I was in college, and was already the only one there with a laptop (an old black-and-white 386 that I then gave to a friend.) I still have it. (Although it sat in a closet for quite a few years after college, and before I started collecting Macs.)

Then, around 2000, I started collecting. Most of my PowerPC systems are currently in storage, and are beige 7x00 systems I got from various people who were retiring them from active use between 2000 and 2002 who knew I collected Macs. Likewise with a few more PowerBook 5300s, and a couple 1400s (including the one my dad had upgraded to.)

In 2001, when OS X came out, I decided I needed an OS X capable machine, so I bought a used beige Power Mac G3 tower from local reseller PowerMax. Later I got a first-generation iMac used, too, as a "play machine."

In 2003, I sold both of those, plus my main PC, my "workstation" PC, and my PC notebook, all so I could get a brand-new 12" PowerBook G4. It was the first brand-new Mac I had ever owned, and only the second time I had ever bought a "ready to use" computer brand new. (My PC notebook purchased in 1999 was the other - every other computer I had ever owned had either been purchased used, or was a PC with parts I bought separately and assembled myself.)

Later, in building my "collection", I ended up getting another beige G3 tower for free, as well as another first-gen iMac.

Of my "collection" machines not mentioned above, most were bought used for small amounts of money. iMac G4, Power Mac G4 Cube, PowerBook Duo 2300c, Power Mac G4 "Digital Audio", etc. A few I received free from people who knew I collected (B&W G3, another iMac G3, a couple Lombard PowerBook G3s.)

When I was running a small business, I bought an eMac to be the business machine - only my second brand-new-Mac ever, and my first-ever brand-new-name-brand desktop machine.

 

[gooser]

g3 600 mhz imac and 800mhz g4 imac. bought new in 2002. still have them and they both still work. two more g4 imacs. 1.25ghz's. bought off e-bay in july this year. ibook 12" 1.33ghz g4. bought off e-bay in october this year along with a 2009 macbook bought a week earlier. there's my six computers, five of them ppc's. the two imacs that i bought in july are the ones that get used the most.

 

[Colpeas]

4/2012 - Purchased - my 1st PPC Mac
1/2013 - Obtained a 400MHz PowerMac G4
4/2013 - Purchased a lot of retired Macs from a French institution INRIA (2 TiBooks 500 and 667, 2 14" iBooks 1GHz and 1,42GHz, 3 15" AluBooks 1,25GHz, 1,33GHz and 1,5GHz, 1 17" AluBook 1,5GHz and 2 CoreDuo MacBook Pros)
5/2013 - Purchased 3 dead G5s (2 Late-2005 G5 Dual 2.0s and 1 Mid-2004 G5 Dual 1.8)
7/2013 - Auctioned a Late-2005 G5 Quad 2.5 (Single Pump)
9/2013 - Purchased a beat up and incomplete (but still 100% working) Late-2005 G5 Quad 2.5 (Single Pump) with 7800GT. Refurbished with spare parts from Dual 2.0s I had laying around to its factory condition.
10/2013 - Obtained 2 20" G5 iMacs 2.1GHz with iSight Camera and a Mid-2004 Dual 2.0 G5

By the time I also collected numerous non-working G4 AlBooks including several DLSD models, which I plan to fix.

 

[Ih8reno]

Ibook g3 was given to me by a friend

Emac ati purchased $10 off kijiji

Emac 1.42ghz/imac g5 1.8ghz purchased imac off kijiji $60 and he threw in the emac

Powermac 6500/250 kijiji included original keyboard/mouse and a screen for $10

 

[gavinstubbs09]

Shoot, I got a lot, and of owning 17 Macs, just about all were PPC.

iBook G3: One of my friends was thinking of getting one, and I got one for $175
PMG3 B&W: Found at a thrift store for $20, a friend gave me parts to fix it
iBook G3 #2: Given to me, but needed lots of work
iMac G4: sold a dell and bought one from ebay for $50. only owned a week
iMac G5: Bought it (ebay) after selling the iMac G4, sold later to a friend
Mac mini G4: Bought as a WTH mac for $96 on ebay (wayyy too much)
iMac G5 #2: Bought for $66 on ebay for another WTH machine
PM G5: Bought on ebay for $50 and used for the PPC Archive
PBG4: Bought to fix up for $30, given to a girlfriend who moved
iMac G4 #2: Bought for $50 at a flea market, still have it, used for PPC Archive

Probably more, but these I know off my head

 

[jrsx]

gavinstubbs09-that first PPC iMac G4, did you just get it a week ago, or was it something you owned for a week and got passed on?

 

[gavinstubbs09]

gavinstubbs09-that first PPC iMac G4, did you just get it a week ago, or was it something you owned for a week and got passed on?

Actually I had bought it and resold it again in 7 days after owning it - for $150. Nice little profit! This was earlier this year, I believe in March.

 

[gooser]

it looks like several of us have been on ppc buying sprees this year.

 

[Nameci]

My first PPC mac is a powermac G4 Yikes! I have rescued from the trash bin. It is still alive up until now.

My second PPC mas is powermac G3 B&W, same as with the Yikes, it never misses a heartbeat.

From there I have acquired a lot of them and still have it with me. My favorite is my Powermac G5 Quad.

 

[noodle654]

iBook G3 Clamshell Graphite (FW400) - December 2001 *Sold
iBook G4 (Mid 2005) 14" - August 2005 *Replaced by Apple with MacBook
PowerBook G4 1.5GHz 12" - February 2007 *Sold
PowerBook G4 1.67GHz 17" (Late 2005) - November 2012 *Sold
PowerMac G5 DC 2.3GHz - December 2012 *Still running
PowerMac G5 DP 1.8GHz - December 2012 *Dead, parted out

 

[mccjim12]

Bought a PowerBook G4 1.5 ghz new in October '04. I'm currently typing on it though it is on its second logic board.

Bought another PB G4 last January on ebay, this time a 1.67 ghz. It has no RAM and I haven't felt like getting any.

Bought an iBook G4 same time on ebay. It splits time with the PowerBook.

 

[Jessica Lares]

Mine were all thrown out from school. I bought the 466 iBook Clamshell off eBay.

 

[JaguarGod]

Well, I have used Macs for a long time and had a Powermac 7500, but when the G4 Sawtooth came out, I was sold. I took out a loan in '99 and bought a fully loaded G4 450 with matching 21" monitor and a crapload of software. I used most of the loan for the Mac and my Wife was surprisingly supportive as we had just had our 2nd Child and were struggling a bit. The funny thing is that the computer still runs perfectly and looks just as good.

From there, I have purchased over the years many new PPC Macs as they were released, or at least fairly close to release. Some were; iMac DV, iBook G4 1.2, Mac Mini G4 1.25, Quicksilver 933, G5 DC 2.3 and of course, my favorites, the G5 Quads. One of the Quads I bought new and the other was a used one from Mac of All Trades.

 

[SkyBell]

eeeeeeeeeeBay. Well, one of my iMac G3's was purchased from a friend of my sister, but that's the only exception.

 

[iMacC2D]

Removed.

 

[Mikeske]

I am one to see what is on Craigslist and I have acquired and sold many a iBooks through Craigslist. I got a broken 20" iMac G5 that needed a hard drive and RAM. I replaced the hard drive and installed new RAM that I had on hand and then sent it to my brother who is using this computer today.

My most recent discovery yesterday for $75.00 off Craigslist is a Cube G4 450 Mhz with a 17" Apple display, keyboard and mouse. It has .750 GB of RAM and a new 80 GB replacement hard drive. I have ordered a additional .5 GB RAM from OWC. The Cube might be a keeper for me as I have many Intel Apples as in 3 each 2007 iMac's 20", A 2012 Mac Pro, 2 Aluminum MacBook's.

I am planning with the iMac's to start selling them off and buying a new iMac for the wife. I have gradually been moving away from the power PC's as they are getting more expensive to find replacement parts as they are getting older.

 

[xtempo]

Some years ago I originally bought a b&W G3 locally and also a LCII then I upgraded to a G4 (can't remember which one) off ebay.

I since got rid of them a year or so ago. the G3 and G4 I wasn't using and they were running hot and didn't have enough power so they were both recycled.

Finally and I mean finally bought a G5 on Dec. 26 and it came down within a day or day and a half since it was the state above me. While it was ok owning those other macs I should have gotten the G5 first. I was thinking Mac Pro but the G5 has enough power for me and it looks great! (I hate the nMP).

Two years ago I bought a PowerBook G4 and enjoy that more than the Acer laptop I have.

I would like to compeltely switch to Macs but I need windows around for a few programs like DVDProfiler.

 

[joplinG5]

I've had numerous G3's and G4's all coming from a flea market booth in a neighboring town where the seller specializes in electronics salvage. Last two I bought from them were G4 MDD's with dual 1 GHz processors and Airport cards for $15 each a few years ago. The MDD's are awesome and I've never let them go. Haven't seen a Mac in that booth since, so their connection must have dried up.

Right now I'm working on getting a Late 2005 G5 2 GHz dual core up and running. Paid $30 for it less video card and hard drive from another local electronics scrapper and looks like I'm going to have $50 total in it when complete.

I've probably bought 20 or so G4's over the years from recyclers and every single one has booted and ran just fine after replacing whatever has been scrapped out of them.

 

[davidg4781]

I bought my iMac G4 for $100 from a guy in Houston. Found it on Craig's List. I had to make the drive but, other than needing to be cleaned up a bit, it was cosmetically in great condition.

There's a really nice Quicksilver for sale locally on CL but I think I'm going to have to pass. I hardly even use the iMac and while I'd love to have the QS I know it won't get much use. Also there's a really low priced Cinema Display that I think I'd rather have instead.

 

[128keaton]

PowerMac G5: Scored from a church media booth for free.
G4 Cube: Scored from a friend who got it from a media editor.
Macintosh Classic: Bought for $40 off of craigslist.
PowerMac G4 QuickSilver: Same friend didn't want it, as it needed new mobo.
iMac 2003 20": Diagnosed an older couple's iMac and they gave me their older one as payment.

 

[JaguarGod]

Just curious, are there many PPC users here that bought their PPC Mac's when they were originally released? I bought most of mine as they were released (shown in my earlier post) and noticed that a lot of users here bought from places like eBay or craigslist. Maybe I am just old? Well, I am old.

I bought my 7500 (which I still have) back in '95 I think. I forget sometimes that there are so many younger people using Macs and some start on, or simply buy, PPC Macs as they are a bit cheaper and some still look absolutely fantastic.