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iMac G3 revival

Ahh thats what i forgot to meantion, the USB stick was riddled with Write errors. The computer shop replaced it and then i have used the same Lion Unibeast installation 6-7 times now without corruption so ultimatly, that was the ball ache!

ohhh, well i will have to lookout for that one xD, mind saying that like i try to keep my fingers away from the capacitors on boards as they really do hold quite a charge!

The only reason i cant start installing this into the iMac as of yet is because without having full control over the graphics i cant force it to boot at a fixed resolution. the iMacs CRT does not give out EDID data.

On the other hand i finally got round to buying a Crucial M4 256GB SSD for my 27" iMac... im itching to fit it! but im going to have to force myself to hold off until Mountain Lion... YEAH RIGHT! haha
 
Well i finally have full acceleration! after days and days of messing on i accidentally kicked out the monitor cable on trying to boot as i went to make a cuppa... plugged it back in and the friggin thing booted with full acceleration, resolution you name it! so i just need to find out why it doesn't auto detect it :-S

17de55f9.jpg


there is some evidence ^.^ I also tested HDMI and that is auto detected but i don't know what a HDMI to DVI adaptor will be like so i might have to buy one. Also on a side note, i fitted an SSD to my iMac 27", wow it was scary pulling off the nice glass front and then getting the screws out past the magnets was a test of my patience lol. But i fitted the drive after making a modification to the iMacs hdd mounting bracket. Looks great and runs AMAZING!

1c42dab1.jpg

323661f4.jpg


Anyways back to the G3, the new extra PSU is on its way. 300W and only measures 150.00x81.50x40.30 and OMG just as I've been typing this message its just been delivered ^.^

so I've quickly tested it and it runs the system no bother and look at the size of this thing!

ef5f40ab.jpg


hopefully we will have much progress shorty ^.^
 
Something really amazing strikes me about this project, I'm as big of an enthusiast as anyone, I lack some of the skills to revive such an amazing machine which is a shame.

I would gladly buy something like this off you! I'd pay £800+ for something like this! which for you is a big profit(Once you've nailed the perfect setups)

The eMac has a tiny Mainboard, and I'm not fully sure its worth it, i have a practically perfect eMac thats like new, would be a shame to rip apart the machine! I can get a crappy broken one for about £10 which might be worth it so long as the casing is nice enough!

Got a spare ATX mobo. with a core2 sitting here, may try and fiddle with this PMG4 and see what happens!

Good progress, your setup is looking VERY Vanilla!

Keep it up, would love a tour video once she's running!
 
Vorlox said:
Something really amazing strikes me about this project, I'm as big of an enthusiast as anyone, I lack some of the skills to revive such an amazing machine which is a shame.

I would gladly buy something like this off you! I'd pay £800+ for something like this! which for you is a big profit(Once you've nailed the perfect setups)

The eMac has a tiny Mainboard, and I'm not fully sure its worth it, i have a practically perfect eMac thats like new, would be a shame to rip apart the machine! I can get a crappy broken one for about £10 which might be worth it so long as the casing is nice enough!

Got a spare ATX mobo. with a core2 sitting here, may try and fiddle with this PMG4 and see what happens!

Good progress, your setup is looking VERY Vanilla!

Keep it up, would love a tour video once she's running!
Click to expand...

Wow! well if this thing works good i might make another this time knowing exactly what to buy!

On the issue of the DVI port not being recognised on startup... this is because no Mac actually comes with a DVI port, only a mini display port. The mini display port is very similar to a mini HDMI port and therfore is detected as the same. So what i have done is ordered a HDMI to VGA converter that looks like this;

$(KGrHqR,!iwE9TbMzSFnBPmWIhjyhQ~~60_12.JPG


this doesnt need an external power supply, it uses power supplied via the HDMI cable. It also doesnt split sound but that doesnt matter as im not using it. So Hopefully this will allow me to work with the iMac monitor without issues! but it will be here tomorrow or the day after so im itching to try it out!

As for the Mountain Lion release, i was going to try installing it straight away, but im waiting for some support software before i dive in the deep end.

My plan over the next few days (if the weather is bad as its been half decent lately), is to install the new PSU and run the board and crt together. I need to learn how to force a resolution to boot as last time i tried i got nothing.
 
Arkious said:
Wow! well if this thing works good i might make another this time knowing exactly what to buy!

On the issue of the DVI port not being recognised on startup... this is because no Mac actually comes with a DVI port, only a mini display port. The mini display port is very similar to a mini HDMI port and therfore is detected as the same. So what i have done is ordered a HDMI to VGA converter that looks like this;

Image

this doesnt need an external power supply, it uses power supplied via the HDMI cable. It also doesnt split sound but that doesnt matter as im not using it. So Hopefully this will allow me to work with the iMac monitor without issues! but it will be here tomorrow or the day after so im itching to try it out!

As for the Mountain Lion release, i was going to try installing it straight away, but im waiting for some support software before i dive in the deep end.

My plan over the next few days (if the weather is bad as its been half decent lately), is to install the new PSU and run the board and crt together. I need to learn how to force a resolution to boot as last time i tried i got nothing.
Click to expand...

I know that there is a .plist file that you modify to force a resolution at boot up, but I cannot recall it. You can boot up in single user mode and type something like the following to force a resolution before loading OS X (just insert desired resolution):

"Graphics Mode"="1024x768x32"

EDIT: If you add that to com.apple.boot.plist it will force your desired resolution.
 
alexreich said:
I know that there is a .plist file that you modify to force a resolution at boot up, but I cannot recall it. You can boot up in single user mode and type something like the following to force a resolution before loading OS X (just insert desired resolution):

"Graphics Mode"="1024x768x32"

EDIT: If you add that to com.apple.boot.plist it will force your desired resolution.
Click to expand...

Ahh thanks! Is 32 for colours or refresh rate? Will it automatically set 75hz as the refresh rate? Thanks very much :)
 
Arkious said:
Ahh thanks! Is 32 for colours or refresh rate? Will it automatically set 75hz as the refresh rate? Thanks very much :)
Click to expand...

Based on the Googling I just did, if you want it to perform at a 75Hz refresh rate add @75 to the end. I'm not sure what it defaults to if you do not state a specific refresh rate, but I haven't ever stated a refresh rate and that boot flag has always worked fine for me.

Example:
"Graphics Mode"="1024x768x32@75"
Click to expand...

By the way, fantastic work. I'm amazed at all of the stuff you're doing to revive that iMac G3. I wish I was that talented... Maybe someday... :rolleyes:
 
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alexreich said:
Based on the Googling I just did, if you want it to perform at a 75Hz refresh rate add @75 to the end. I'm not sure what it defaults to if you do not state a specific refresh rate, but I haven't ever stated a refresh rate and that boot flag has always worked fine for me.

Example:


By the way, fantastic work. I'm amazed at all of the stuff you're doing to revive that iMac G3. I wish I was that talented... Maybe someday... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Ahh brilliant! That will be fantastic if it works! The iMac monitor does not have EDID data so is not detected when plugged in, hence the force.

But thanks very much, the project is getting closer and closer to its end and I'm very exited to see this running in its complete state :-D

Seth Mac Fan said:
Cool project .
Click to expand...

Thanks very much :) keep watch and it will only get better ^.^
 
Arkious said:
On the issue of the DVI port not being recognised on startup... this is because no Mac actually comes with a DVI port, only a mini display port.
Click to expand...

Well actually I'm afraid that I will have to contradict you on that one, there was an option on Pre Unibody MacBook Pros that came with a DVI port (as well as a particular model PBG4 but its pre Intel) And also The 2006 Core(2)Duo macbook comes with a Mini DVI Port (which most people convert to VGA with a MiniDVI to VGA adaptor instead of a MiniDVI to DVI adaptor)

Awesome project by the way and hope to see more progress soon!
 
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Septim said:
Well actually I'm afraid that I will have to contradict you on that one, there was an option on Pre Unibody MacBook Pros that came with a DVI port (as well as a particular model PBG4 but its pre Intel) And also The 2006 Core(2)Duo macbook comes with a Mini DVI Port (which most people convert to VGA with a MiniDVI to VGA adaptor instead of a MiniDVI to DVI adaptor)

Awesome project by the way and hope to see more progress soon!
Click to expand...

I believe the Mac mini g4 and core solo also had one.
 
Septim said:
Well actually I'm afraid that I will have to contradict you on that one, there was an option on Pre Unibody MacBook Pros that came with a DVI port (as well as a particular model PBG4 but its pre Intel) And also The 2006 Core(2)Duo macbook comes with a Mini DVI Port (which most people convert to VGA with a MiniDVI to VGA adaptor instead of a MiniDVI to DVI adaptor)

Awesome project by the way and hope to see more progress soon!
Click to expand...

Orange furball said:
I believe the Mac mini g4 and core solo also had one.
Click to expand...

Yes I stand corrected, I remember the mac mini I fixed had a Dvi port but because I used the adaptor I completely forgot haha. So basically I have no idea why it doesn't work. All I know is the HDMI does so I'm preying that this works lol
 
Arkious said:
will this only switch at the point when the app launches? or will this work from the OS X boot?
Click to expand...

I have a distinct feeling that SwitchResX only takes effect from user login, which is not what you want. I did however think that if you set the machine to a specific resolution that it would start up into that resolution at the OSX boot. Somewhat like how on my iMac if I set it to 800x600 in OSX when it reboots everything from the grey screen with the apple onwards would be in 800x600
 
Septim said:
I have a distinct feeling that SwitchResX only takes effect from user login, which is not what you want. I did however think that if you set the machine to a specific resolution that it would start up into that resolution at the OSX boot. Somewhat like how on my iMac if I set it to 800x600 in OSX when it reboots everything from the grey screen with the apple onwards would be in 800x600
Click to expand...

I've tried both with no success. But you can purchase an EDID Emulator for £50 so once I have the computer supplies working in tandem and I know that it's worth the extra cost, then I will purchase one. But it will mean it will work all the time with multiple resolutions more like an out the box monitor
 
mactmaster said:
Is there any update on this mod? I am looking to do this myself in the future.
Click to expand...

I would hazard a guess that life and good weather have been getting in the way. Perhaps now that it is getting close to being Winter in the UK and there is nothing else to do other than freeze (and Christmas) there will be some more updates soon.
 
mactmaster said:
Is there any update on this mod? I am looking to do this myself in the future.
Click to expand...

Septim said:
I would hazard a guess that life and good weather have been getting in the way. Perhaps now that it is getting close to being Winter in the UK and there is nothing else to do other than freeze (and Christmas) there will be some more updates soon.
Click to expand...

haha :-D couldn't agree more! yes everything is still there but after getting told by my partner that i totalled the spare bedroom with computer parts, i had to finally get round to building my workshop/ shed. sizing at 3.1M squared, im quite looking forward to moving the project into it hopefully (if the weathers decent) this weekend lol.

Plus on top of the small fortune it cost to build that i went and treated myself to an iPhone 5 leaving myself rather penny less hahaha
 
Just found this awesome thread! Love it! I have G4 PowerMac powered by an i5, but also have a pile of iMac's under the stairs and am feeling inspired to create something else now....

Woo Hoo!
 
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