Looking for suggestions on how to run both my G3 and Mac Pro...

[BiikeMike]

So here is the deal. I'm looking to re-hookup my Powermac G3 and hide it under my desk. My thought is that I can just let it run there, be a print server, File Server/host my external drive, run downloads, folding at home, etc. I am looking at this option so that nothing slows down my work computer when I'm working on it.

The ideal way I could do this is through VNC from my mac pro. Is it reliable enough to run a computer with no monitor and just control it through another machine? And if they are both hard wired to the router, will there still be a ton of Lag?

And there is another problem, all I have in my apartment right now is my 30" ACD. Can I stick the spare 7300GT in a PowerMac G3, or will it just blow up? If not, I can't really set it back up.

Thoughts? Comments?

 

[mustang_dvs]

In my experience, most of the pre-G5 Power Mac's wouldn't boot headless -- I'm not sure if this was something that was set in the firmware/bootROM or if it was an OS thing (I'm thinking it was the former).

Why not buy a cheap KVM?

As for your router, unless you're moving >500MB files back and forth over your LAN, you shouldn't see an internal hit on speed (especially since your G3 only has 10/100Base-T ethernet). As for your WAN, if you're maxing out your connection while downloading (using BitTorrent?) it doesn't matter whether it's your G3 or your Mac Pro that's doing the downloading, a saturated connection is still a saturated connection.

As for your 7300GT, assuming you're talking about a Blue and White G3, PCI-Express and PCI are different animals. If you're talking about a beige G3, it's also a no-go. I don't think either machine could handle 2 video cards at once, especially with the B&W only having one PCI-66 slot.

 

[cruzrojas]

I can comment on the VNC respect. I tried this at home between my windows machine and my mac mini. If they are connected to the same router it does work just fine, you won't have any trouble reading webpages or doing other set of activities, but forget about watching video or playing games. One of the nice things you can do is set the resolution of the G3 much lower than your mac pro, then you have a complete operating system in a window that does not occupy your hole screen.

I hope this helps. Chuy

 

[BiikeMike]

I'm not quite sure what a KVM is, and I'm definitely not maxing out m internet connection. I'm talking smaller DL's. As for the Video Card thing, I kinda figured that it wouldn't work, which means that I can't use my 30" with that computer, right?

I guess I could always set it up with a monitor in the washer/dryer closet that is next to my desk and just run an ethernet cable in there

 

[mustang_dvs]

A KVM switch lets you use one keyboard, video device and mouse between multiple computers... but since you have the 30" ACD, it's a moot point, as I don't believe the G3 can drive it, due to the lack of PCI-33 DVI video cards.

If you can find a cheap 15" VGA LCD, that's probably your best solution, other than trying the VNC (which you're going to need a monitor to set-up, probably).

 

[BiikeMike]

Yeah, I have one of those switchers, I used it when I had my Windows Box and my G3. But its VGA, plus my KB and Mouse are Bluetooth

My lady sold her 15" LCD to her sister for $35 when I got this 30", I almost said "I'll give you $40" but I decided to be a good future brother-in-law and let the deal go. Now, I'm Kicking myself!