Looking to buy a powermac g4

[zen.state]

Also, again, no one is "peeing" on anything. You are clearly taking our opinions too close to heart. This is a forum, where anyone can post to any thread (while following the rules of course). You could argue thread crapping, but I see no evidence.

People are asking for opinions on PPC, getting them, and not liking the results. This can't be helped.

All you understand is raw performance. You seem to have absolutely no appreciation for how things work.

It also seems like all you do is blurt out the same ignorant yop about how PowerPC is aging, less capable etc. You have even used the word "useless" to describe them. Well thats is your opinion and certainly doesn't pertain to everyone. Do you really think someone buying a PowerPC system needs to be told it's old and won't run the newest apps? When someone posts here they want advice from people who actually know about PowerPC and all it's capabilities. You.. well you just have a blind bias against them and therefore will probably always advise people with simple needs that they need more power and in turn will have to spend hundreds more. Honestly man.. how is a $50-300 used Mac purchase a bad investment? If they had more they would spend more. I certainly don't go into all the intel Mac areas here and say what I dislike about them. Why? Because i'm not you.

You're seriously shaping up to be a troll. Almost as if you're stalking us here. A total party crashing buzz kill. Your mother would be proud!

 

[zen.state]

Wow, looks like i have a lot of replies to make... first off I'm going to say that i live in the UK anyway, so thanks for your offers of cases and spares etc, but i noticed most of you lived in the US and the cost of delivery would probably eclipse the case itself.

Secondly, zen.state and desmopilot... chill out! I was just asking for advice on the price of a case. I hadnt even considered running the PPC, I was either going to gut it and make a hackintosh, or gut it and install a dead macbook internals / mac mini internals. Or even gut it and install a mac mini and a windows machine. I just really like the case thats all.

If i did decide to run it, I would want the one with the best specs, i dont know much about PPC's and he hasn't given me any other information than this...

800Mhz PPC G4
896Mb RAM
40GB HDD

733Mhz PPC G4
640MB RAM
40GB HDD

867MHZ PPC G4
640MB RAM
60GB HDD
Internal Zip Drive

So my next question is.. which one should i go for and why?

The 800 is the best choice there.

Even though it's a tad slower than the 867 it is better with drive capacity. The 733 and 867 won't be able to use more than 128GB per drive. .The single 800 though was from the second revision (called the 2002) and does not have the hard drive size limitation. It also has the most RAM.

 

[cluthz]

edit: nvm saw it was already answered

 

[zmttoxics]

All you understand is raw performance. You seem to have absolutely no appreciation for how things work.

It also seems like all you do is blurt out the same ignorant yop about how PowerPC is aging, less capable etc. You have even used the word "useless" to describe them. Well thats is your opinion and certainly doesn't pertain to everyone. Do you really think someone buying a PowerPC system needs to be told it's old and won't run the newest apps? When someone posts here they want advice from people who actually know about PowerPC and all it's capabilities. You.. well you just have a blind bias against them and therefore will probably always advise people with simple needs that they need more power and in turn will have to spend hundreds more. Honestly man.. how is a $50-300 used Mac purchase a bad investment? If they had more they would spend more. I certainly don't go into all the intel Mac areas here and say what I dislike about them. Why? Because i'm not you.

You're seriously shaping up to be a troll. Almost as if you're stalking us here. A total party crashing buzz kill. Your mother would be proud!

Insults are uncalled for, against for forum rules, and generally not appreciated.

If you can not take the scrutiny of others (especially of those who may understand even more about the platform you love and still not consider it a viable option), then perhaps it is time you retired from the internet. No one has trolled anything. These are public forums where opinions are allowed, and the more you argue, the more you shall receive!

 

[zen.state]

Insults are uncalled for, against for forum rules, and generally not appreciated.

If you can not take the scrutiny of others (especially of those who may understand even more about the platform you love and still not consider it a viable option), then perhaps it is time you retired from the internet. No one has trolled anything. These are public forums where opinions are allowed, and the more you argue, the more you shall receive!

The problem with you is that you focus everything on your opinion. You think PowerPC is not a viable option and therefore have a bias against it and use that in your advice.

Bias has NO place in advice as it suits you and not the person you're advising. If someone asked me for advice on a state of the art photoshop system I would advise a Mac Pro. My bias has no place in other peoples end computer choice.

An example about what I mean specifically...

In another thread you told someone to not buy an imac G3 as it is useless. If someone has simple needs and can get by with it then it is certainly not useless to them. You mostly seem to stay away from the threads where us PowerPC lovers just talk and such and concentrate on the ones where people need buying advice. In virtually every case you advise against.

Advice should not be what you would do but rather what is objectively best for the person asking and their situation/needs. Keep your bias to yourself and just help people.

I have a PowerPC bias but I do not use it in advice and at least I am in the right area of the forum.

Also, you can't honestly expect not to be seen as a troll when you are constantly badgering the very architecture and computers all the regulars here love.

 

[zmttoxics]

The problem with you is that you focus everything on your opinion. You think PowerPC is not a viable option and therefore have a bias against it and use that in your advice.

Bias has NO place in advice as it suits you and not the person you're advising. If someone asked me for advice on a state of the art photoshop system I would advise a Mac Pro. My bias has no place in other peoples end computer choice.

An example about what I mean specifically...

In another thread you told someone to not buy an imac G3 as it is useless. If someone has simple needs and can get by with it then it is certainly not useless to them. You mostly seem to stay away from the threads where us PowerPC lovers just talk and such and concentrate on the ones where people need buying advice. In virtually every case you advise against.

Advice should not be what you would do but rather what is objectively best for the person asking and their situation/needs. Keep your bias to yourself and just help people.

I have a PowerPC bias but I do not use it in advice and at least I am in the right area of the forum.

Also, you can't honestly expect not to be seen as a troll when you are constantly badgering the very architecture and computers all the regulars here love.

Of course we tout are opinions when giving advice, its human nature. You however have consistently assaulted everyone who's opinion didn't line up with yours, to the point of character profiling by the looks of it.

That iMac g3 thread is almost 2 years old, and I posted in it over a year ago. FYI, I still think the 400mhz imac g3 is worthless for modern tasks and shouldn't cost $50 ESPECIALLY when at that time, I got a 1.25ghz eMac for free and another for $50. You do the math.


@OP: I hope you find a wicked G4 case and gut it like a fish man! I love computer mods! Be sure to post it when done so we can feed the fire that is "zen.state".

 

[zen.state]

Of course we tout are opinions when giving advice, its human nature. You however have consistently assaulted everyone who's opinion didn't line up with yours, to the point of character profiling by the looks of it.

That iMac g3 thread is almost 2 years old, and I posted in it over a year ago. FYI, I still think the 400mhz imac g3 is worthless for modern tasks and shouldn't cost $50 ESPECIALLY when at that time, I got a 1.25ghz eMac for free and another for $50. You do the math.


@OP: I hope you find a wicked G4 case and gut it like a fish man! I love computer mods! Be sure to post it when done so we can feed the fire that is "zen.state".

I have decided to stop arguing or trying to interact with you. You continue to keep ignoring valid points and bringing up empty self involved ones.

Take care.

 

[velocityg4]

I have been looking at the old powermac g4 cases ( cos theyre awesome!) specifically the quicksilver ones. I am thinking of buying one and either building a windows pc into it, a hoackintosh into it, or a faulty mac. However i cannot figure out how much is too much to pay. Someone is asking 50 pounds for a working one with an apple keyboard, but im thinking of offering about 30 - 40. It is the highest spec g4 that they made so i dont want to offend the guy. I cant figure out though, for something i am essentially going to gut, whether its too much?

I have posted on another section about buying a mac mini if i decide against this.

When I did mine I paid $50 for a busted Gigabit Ethernet (I could not bring myself to trash a functioning computer). Personally I prefer the look of the Yikes to Digital Audio cases. I would consider a good price to be the same as what you would pay for a mid grade PC case. Since it has limited ventilation and can only handle m-ATX.

It is difficult work and you have to choose the board carefully as many have the RAM too far away from the CPU which will make it difficult or impossible to install and optical drive, so no socket 1366 with its triple channel DDR3. I looked at many boards on Newegg before I found an optimal one.

You will need a drill, dremel, general hand tools and some creativity. I cut out the port area and replaced it with acrylic so the ports would line up, cut small plastic tubing for the motherboard stand offs and attached expansion cards align the board to the case to drill mount holes. For the dremel you will want a reinforced cutting disc as Apple used heavy gauge steel the normal cutting disc will be used up within a three inch cut.

When doing this you should take off the other plastic panel covering the vent fan. This will likely be filled with a knot of dust bunnies the size of a fist.

Wow, looks like i have a lot of replies to make... first off I'm going to say that i live in the UK anyway, so thanks for your offers of cases and spares etc, but i noticed most of you lived in the US and the cost of delivery would probably eclipse the case itself.

Secondly, zen.state and desmopilot... chill out! I was just asking for advice on the price of a case. I hadnt even considered running the PPC, I was either going to gut it and make a hackintosh, or gut it and install a dead macbook internals / mac mini internals. Or even gut it and install a mac mini and a windows machine. I just really like the case thats all.

If i did decide to run it, I would want the one with the best specs, i dont know much about PPC's and he hasn't given me any other information than this...

800Mhz PPC G4
896Mb RAM
40GB HDD

733Mhz PPC G4
640MB RAM
40GB HDD

867MHZ PPC G4
640MB RAM
60GB HDD
Internal Zip Drive

So my next question is.. which one should i go for and why?

As stated by another poster I would go with the single 800 as well. Though considering how cheap they are why not go for the dual 800?

 

[DesmoPilot]

800Mhz PPC G4
896Mb RAM
40GB HDD

733Mhz PPC G4
640MB RAM
40GB HDD

867MHZ PPC G4
640MB RAM
60GB HDD
Internal Zip Drive

So my next question is.. which one should i go for and why?

Go for the single 800 as it supports HDs larger then 128GB; you probably have more upgrade options as well.

Bias has NO place in advice as it suits you and not the person you're advising. If someone asked me for advice on a state of the art photoshop system I would advise a Mac Pro. My bias has no place in other peoples end computer choice.

Agreed about the bias thing. My posts in advice threads come from 11 years experience as an Apple tech and a realization of the state of Apple PPC hardware. You want to call that anti-PPC bias? Go nuts, but you'd be wrong,

The problem with you is that you take everything I say as a personal insult. You do not even properly comprehend my posts and opinions; you even go so far as to insult me over this (which to be honest, is a little sad, take a step back and look at what's really going on). You decide to take my posts as insults and anti-PPC rants and raves - which they simply aren't.

Mostly seem to stay away from the threads where us PowerPC lovers just talk and such and concentrate on the ones where people need buying advice. In virtually every case you advise against.

Well there's nothing to really add on those threads; Consequently I typically just post in "advice" threads (maybe in time I will come to post in them). In virtually every case I advise against because, in every case I have come across - thus far - I don't see the need for the person asking to acquire a PPC system. It's as simple as that. You don't have to like it; but taking my opinions the wrong way - so very personal as you do - and insulting me is uncalled for and a little sad to watch.

I have a PowerPC bias but I do not use it in advice and at least I am in the right area of the forum.

No one is in the "wrong area of the forum". We enjoy this forum; we posts in its many sub-forums (this being one of them). Deal with it.

Also, you can't honestly expect not to be seen as a troll when you are constantly badgering the very architecture and computers all the regulars here love.

Yes, I can honestly expect not to be seen as a troll. You're the one that comes off as a troll to be honest, your handle is "zen.state" yet you ignore most of what I post instead you try to insult me.

 

[zen.state]

DesmoPilot: You make some great points and do seem to have a reasoned approach after all. Keep in mind that a lot of the stuff you quoted was directed at zmttoxics.

I suddenly have a new found respect for you.

Cheers.

 

[alex.purple.mac]

When I did mine I paid $50 for a busted Gigabit Ethernet (I could not bring myself to trash a functioning computer). Personally I prefer the look of the Yikes to Digital Audio cases. I would consider a good price to be the same as what you would pay for a mid grade PC case. Since it has limited ventilation and can only handle m-ATX.

It is difficult work and you have to choose the board carefully as many have the RAM too far away from the CPU which will make it difficult or impossible to install and optical drive, so no socket 1366 with its triple channel DDR3. I looked at many boards on Newegg before I found an optimal one.

You will need a drill, dremel, general hand tools and some creativity. I cut out the port area and replaced it with acrylic so the ports would line up, cut small plastic tubing for the motherboard stand offs and attached expansion cards align the board to the case to drill mount holes. For the dremel you will want a reinforced cutting disc as Apple used heavy gauge steel the normal cutting disc will be used up within a three inch cut.

When doing this you should take off the other plastic panel covering the vent fan. This will likely be filled with a knot of dust bunnies the size of a fist.



As stated by another poster I would go with the single 800 as well. Though considering how cheap they are why not go for the dual 800?

Thanks velocityg4 for all your help. I will take it all into consideration. I'm definitely going to buy the best specced one, the guy is also throwing in an extra gb ram and apple keyboard, so even if i dont run it, i still have the option.

 

[alex.purple.mac]

Whilst this is going to sound like a noob question... I know that i should put a m-atx board into a powermac, but what is stopping me from putting in an atx and just drilling holes? I know this probably sounds stupid, but as long as they were perfectly lined up, what would be the problem?

 

[velocityg4]

Whilst this is going to sound like a noob question... I know that i should put a m-atx board into a powermac, but what is stopping me from putting in an atx and just drilling holes? I know this probably sounds stupid, but as long as they were perfectly lined up, what would be the problem?

It is too large.
- There are not enough spaces for expansion slot on the rear of the case. The curvature of the back would preclude adding more.
- Eve if you somehow stuffed a board in there you could never have an optical drive.

If you are looking for multiple PCI-e x16 I believe there are a couple m-ATX with two slots. Though they will have four or six ram slots making an optical drive impossible. Plus it is rather pointless as that G4 case would not have sufficient ventilation to handle two heavy duty GPU's.

If you want a larger board with multiple GPU's I would suggest a G5 or Mac Pro case.

Also for a PSU I would suggest the minimum wattage needed and 80+ certified or better to minimize heat production. Further one that flows air straight through. Side fans will be pressed against the case and provide no cooling. Most aftermarket CPU coolers are too big so you will likely be stuck with the stock Intel/AMD cooler and given the limited ventilation I found I could not overclock much, so choose a good CPU.

 

[drewdle]

Wow, looks like i have a lot of replies to make... first off I'm going to say that i live in the UK anyway, so thanks for your offers of cases and spares etc, but i noticed most of you lived in the US and the cost of delivery would probably eclipse the case itself.

Secondly, zen.state and desmopilot... chill out! I was just asking for advice on the price of a case. I hadnt even considered running the PPC, I was either going to gut it and make a hackintosh, or gut it and install a dead macbook internals / mac mini internals. Or even gut it and install a mac mini and a windows machine. I just really like the case thats all.

If i did decide to run it, I would want the one with the best specs, i dont know much about PPC's and he hasn't given me any other information than this...

800Mhz PPC G4
896Mb RAM
40GB HDD

733Mhz PPC G4
640MB RAM
40GB HDD

867MHZ PPC G4
640MB RAM
60GB HDD
Internal Zip Drive

So my next question is.. which one should i go for and why?

Get the fastest CPU you can afford, as they're the part that's hard to upgrade later. When a friend of mine first mentioned he was selling an iMac G4, I jumped on it like flies on a rib roast, only to find out my offer was probably a little rich for a first-gen 15" 700Mhz machine. Regardless, I've maxed it out with memory and a new hard drive and I'm using it right now (I've got iTunes, Mail, Safari, and Adium running, and earlier I was playing around in Final Cut Pro 4).

Still, more power is more power, and I had kind of hoped the system I was going to buy was at least in the 1Ghz territory. Also worth noting, the 867Mhz machine is the only one that you don't need to hack to install 10.5 Leopard (minimum requirements being 512Mb of memory and an 867Mhz G4).

From a purely case perspective, assuming these are all Quicksilver models, they're identical, so if the project is to tear out the guts anyways, any of them will do. Be advised that the clearance in these cases is a little tight in some areas (a good example is my Yikes G3 tower which is of the same design; the memory in a space next to the optical drive that is only just big enough to squeeze the DIMMs in), so if you have a motherboard in mind, see what it's height clearance is in multiple areas.

Edit: I did not realize there was a hard drive size limitation on the 867Mhz machine, so if this system will be a file server or anything where drive size is paramount, probably better to listen to zen.state and DesmoPilot.