iMac G4

[fatfreddy]

I got given by an old couple an iMac G4 that they didn't need or want anymore (they were upgrading). I thought it was going to be a bit of a dog, but I was completely wrong! It runs great, and it now replaces the old dell family computer! It runs OSX 10.3.9 has a 1Ghz PowerPC G4 Processor with 768mb of RAM.

Personally I think the iMac G4 is a better looking machine than the new iMacs!

Apple really build their computers to last!

 

[MacHamster68]

congrats to the best looking iMac Apple did build in recent years ,
yes the iMac G4's are great computers with a even greater design , and i can only agree, its far better looking then the new unibody design where everything from the ipad to the iMac 27 " looks practically the same and you can only guess from the screen size if you got a ipad or a iMac in front of you ,
some may even think the new iMac's are just tv's,(happen to a mate from me who bought a 27" iMac , his mum did ask him when she saw the new iMac in his living room ..."i though you did want to buy a new computer , what you need a second tv' for in the living room ? ") ,
if you look at a iMac G4 everyone instantly knows it is a Apple computer
but i still have hope that apple goes back to their roots with innovative and unusual designs that cant be mistaken for a TV and away from that sad looking grey

 

[davidinva]

G4

I have a 644 mz G4 purchased in 2001. It still runs well, a bit slow, but adequate. I have a Macbook that I now use for my main computer, but occasionally use the G4. I installed Tiger on a external hard drive and boot the G4 from that and have OS 9.1 on the G4 when I need that. (I have some ancient software, such as Type Styler, that I still use.) I also like how the side drops down for changing memory and the hard drive.

 

[Hrududu]

I have a 644 mz G4 purchased in 2001.

I think you mean 733.

 

[raysfan81]

I got given by an old couple an iMac G4 that they didn't need or want anymore (they were upgrading). I thought it was going to be a bit of a dog, but I was completely wrong! It runs great, and it now replaces the old dell family computer! It runs OSX 10.3.9 has a 1Ghz PowerPC G4 Processor with 768mb of RAM.

Personally I think the iMac G4 is a better looking machine than the new iMacs!

Apple really build their computers to last!

Nice pickup! That is the best looking computer of any brand ever made!

 

[fatfreddy]

I found one small problem with it, which is that the cd drive doesn't work. It opens and closes, but it doesn't read the CD which is been put in there. Is it expensive to get repaired? If so can any of you recommend some good external CD/DVD drives?

 

[MacHamster68]

expensive that depends if you go to a apple store it certainly will be expensive
but there are some websites offering repairs fairly inexpensive
i only know that one here in the uk , dont know where you live you might find something similar
http://www.macupgrades.co.uk/store/machine.php?name=imac-g4

they also offer a pioneer dvd/rw that runs under tiger and panther with third party patch

but on the other hand fitting the drive on your own is not impossible , there are loads of instruction and how to'os around the www
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/imac_g4/imacg4_takeapart.html

 

[fatfreddy]

Cheers, yeah I am from the UK. Though it says that the drive they use is only fully supported under OS X 10.5, and i'm using 10.3! I might just buy an external one. Thanks for your help.

 

[Giuly]

Cheers, yeah I am from the UK. Though it says that the drive they use is only fully supported under OS X 10.5, and i'm using 10.3! I might just buy an external one. Thanks for your help.

Any ATAPI CD/DVD-Drive works with Mac OS X, thanks to generic drive support.

Replace it yourself, a DVD-Burner is like £10 (I have the S222A in my PowerMac, it fits in the iMac as it's short). Get canned air and clean the interior while it's disassembled. In the same step, I'd install 1GB of RAM inside and install Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) then. You also need thermal grease when you reassemble the machine.

If you are comfortable with a soldering iron, you could also overclock the iMac to 1.25GHz.

As you need thermal grease anyways to reassemble the machine, renew the thermal grease on the processor. First clean both the CPU and the heatsink with pure alcohol or lighter gasoline and Q-Tips, then put the amount of half the size of a rice grain on the CPU and spread it with a toothpick to cover the whole black area in the center with a very thin layer of thermal grease, then put the metal heatsink on top and secure it with the clamps.

Also, I'd replace the fan with a silent one.

For around £50, you'll have a pretty good machine then.

Btw, your iMac supports large hard drives, so you if you feel like spending £120 on a 2TB hard drive (and £12 on an IDE-SATA-converter), it's possible.