I have no idea how to even use a mac so please cut me some slack! I just recently was given an older mac from a friend of mine. I looked on the box and it is a 1st generation iMac G5 20". It has never been upgraded so everything is still from 2004. I really need help figuring this out. I can't download anything because it basically says that everything is too old! I've been looking for ways to download upgrades but when I try again it says I don't have new enough versions to download. I am so confused and I just want to be able to download apps. Any advice? Please keep in mind that I am completely mac illiterate.
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need upgrade from 1st generation iMac G5 20"
- Thread starter Cherokee707
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I think we first need to know what version of the operating system is installed.
Click the Apple menu, then About this Mac. In big bold letters it says Mac OS X, and beneath it it should say something like “Version 10.3.4” or whatever.
It probably starts with 10.3 if the operating system hasn't been upgraded at all. Right now we're at 10.5, and soon 10.6 will be released but that won't run on the G5. If you want to keep using the computer, it may be a good investment to buy Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) which is a $129 upgrade. That's just the operating system. If you want Apple's ‘lifestyle’ and productivity apps iLife and iWork (the version of iLife that came with the Mac doesn't work on 10.5), you can buy them together with Leopard in a box set for $169.
If you're a student you can get a little discount on both by visiting the Apple Store for education.
Any of those are good investments and will let you use lots of apps, but you should know that the transition to Intel processors happened some time ago already, and that less and less programs – especially games and pro apps – will continue to run on a G5.t
Click the Apple menu, then About this Mac. In big bold letters it says Mac OS X, and beneath it it should say something like “Version 10.3.4” or whatever.
It probably starts with 10.3 if the operating system hasn't been upgraded at all. Right now we're at 10.5, and soon 10.6 will be released but that won't run on the G5. If you want to keep using the computer, it may be a good investment to buy Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) which is a $129 upgrade. That's just the operating system. If you want Apple's ‘lifestyle’ and productivity apps iLife and iWork (the version of iLife that came with the Mac doesn't work on 10.5), you can buy them together with Leopard in a box set for $169.
If you're a student you can get a little discount on both by visiting the Apple Store for education.
Any of those are good investments and will let you use lots of apps, but you should know that the transition to Intel processors happened some time ago already, and that less and less programs – especially games and pro apps – will continue to run on a G5.t