iMac G4 and Mac OS 9 question.

[Kristenn]

😱 I want to get a iMac G4 someday. Mostly the 1.25 Ghz model that comes with Leopard. I could add a Wireless card and upgrade the ram from 512 MB to 1 GB. But I have a question because I'm not sure.

But I don't remember if OS 9 supports... or even runs at all with more than 512 of ram. I was thinking about getting rid of Leopard or making a partition and just installing Mac OS 9 on it or install it on its own partition. So does Mac OS 9 support the wireless card or more than 512 of RAM? I guess a google search would work. But anyway. This iMac is like under 300 bucks I think and I really want to get one some day before they are all gone ^^''


Thanks

 

[DoFoT9]

the imac 1.25GHz shipped with 10.3, so i am pretty sure that it would not support OS9. but it is most definitely worth a try!

OS9 supports up to 2GB RAM total i believe.

it should support the wireless card, that's if you can get it to install.

if you want to be sure that OS9 will install, you should go with a G3.

information gathered from a handy little program called "MacTracker". give it a try 😀

 

[savoirfaire]

I'm pretty sure that all the G4 iMacs starting with the 1.0ghz models can only boot into OS X. OS 9 can be run in the classic environment only. I know my original 15" 800mHz G4 iMac could boot into OS 9. My 20" 1.25gHz G4 iMac can not.

 

[MacTech68]

IIRC, if your iMac G4's Serial Number starts with XX303 or later, it won't natively boot OS 9.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2321

Yup

And OS 9 will see all the RAM, but only use 1.5GB. The remainder will show up as being used by the system in "About This Computer", even though it isn't really using it all.

So, if you get a 700 or 800Mhz 15", 17" with a serial number below XX303XXXXXX then it should natively boot OS9, but you will need the OS 9 disks that came with it. Unfortunately this means USB 2.0 is out of the picture, as is the faster BUS speeds. 🙁

That also means you only get the original Airport card which will do WPA with the Airport Software 2.0.4 for OS 9 (which might already be included on the original OS9 disk for those models).
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