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Older iBook G3?

slooksterPSV

slooksterPSV

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 17, 2004
3,546
309
Nowheresville
Ok I found a really cheap iBook here is all I can give you on specs:
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iBook G3/300Mhz (128/3GB/CD/eth/56k/usb/12") - $289
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Would I be able to install OS X or even Panther on that machine? I know that I'd be extremely limited for space, but would it work? That'd get me by till I could save up for a brand new iBook. But I only want it if it can support OS X 10.2 or OS X 10.3
 
It'll work. It won't be fun if you try to do anything more than write email, but it'll work. Can you give it some more RAM? It would make a big difference.

Panther is going to give you the best chance of non-sucky performance. Do a custom install and leave out anything you won't use--or can't use because of the speed of the computer. At typical installation will take up nearly all of that hard drive--and that's before applications and your own files.

On the other hand, if you just want a Mac--OS 9 is still pretty great and that computer will run it perfectly.
 
I'm using 10.2.8 on a 300 MHz B&W G3 with 128 MB of RAM. I do have a faster 100 MHz system bus and a 16 MB RAGE 128 graphics card. It runs acceptably, but is not a great primary machine. The iBook has the same amount of RAM and processor speed, but is on a 66 MHz bus and has a 4 MB RAGE Mobility. Be aware that the screen resolution is limited to 800x600. It would run quite well in OS 9. The biggest problem you will encounter is disk space. This Rev. A iBook should have a 3.2 GB hard drive, as this is what came with the original. You'll use half of it in your system, and won't have much room for much else. I use a 1.6 GB drive for my system, and a 60 GB external drive for everything else. (I can't boot from the 60 GB hard drive, even when it's internal.) BTW, how does this computer have a 3.2 GB hard drive and 128 MB of memory? The Rev. A (the only one with a 3.2 GB HD instead of a 6 GB or greater) had 32 MB soldered on and a slot to bring it up to a max of 544 MB with a 512 upgrade. To get to 128 MB from 32MB would require a 96 MB, and I don't think that you can get a 96 MB PC66 compliant SO-DIMM, which is what the iBook needs. Perhaps it was a Build-to-order that came with more RAM soldered on.
 
Either way it'd still be fun to mess around with. I dunno the site just says it has 128MB or RAM. If I install Mac OS X 10.2, I'll be able to use an external drive right?
 
Thats actually a pretty good price for a clamshell iBook they got for a lot on ebay. It should have decent 10.3 perfromace for word and basic appliactions. Try and buy extra RAM for it that should help a lot. Also do a custom install and leabe out the printer drivers, and extra language items, that should limit the size of the install to 1 GB so you have enough space to work with.
 
I'm running a Windows network. Would I be able to access my music files and that off a Windows PC? If so could I also store Mac files on a PC? I'm buying it for sure. Oh and if I did use a USB/Firewire Drive drive would I be able to install applications to that and run them? Also it has a 64MB soldered ram chip and a 64MB RAM chip
 
slooksterPSV said:
I'm running a Windows network. Would I be able to access my music files and that off a Windows PC? If so could I also store Mac files on a PC? I'm buying it for sure. Oh and if I did use a USB/Firewire Drive drive would I be able to install applications to that and run them? Also it has a 64MB soldered ram chip and a 64MB RAM chip
Click to expand...

Networking to your PC will be fine, I do it between my PC desktop and iBook all the time. I was trying to determine for you if you can run applications from a network drive (works fine on a mac network, but I haven't tried it off of a PC network) since the ethernet will probably be faster than trying to use a USB drive. Since the machine only has USB 1, I doubt it would faster with a portable drive than with a network drive at 100 mbit. (Some one else might be able to verify this)

If you want to run Panther, which I would recommend, (strip it down as indicated in other posts) you will definitely want more ram. Add at least a 256, but if you can afford it go to a 512. This will help noticeably when you are running anything off of network or USB drives. (based simply on the machine using ram more and accessing hard-drive less)

All that said . . . if you price everything out (portable drive, ram, etc) and you find that with the ibook you are getting up to around $600 . . . I think I would be inclined to save a little more and try are get a white ibook. G3/600/12" run about $650 to $700 on the refurb lists. This would give you more hard-drive space, faster ram and processor, better video and a much better display plus firewire.
 
I think I'll still get the iBook anyways because I can upgrade it to Mac OS X Panther and all I would really use it for immediately would be going on the internet, using messengers, and typing up documents. It'd be good because then I can focus on saving up for an iBook but still have a computer to mess around with and figure out. Thanx All. I've made my final decision unless I find a better one for same or cheaper price.
 
Slookster, for what you want, you'll be happy. :)

Coupla weeks ago I bought my wife an iBook G3 366. It only had 64Mb so added 256. Installed Panther which took up about 1.5Gb. Altho it is 800x600, she doesn't know any better and is as happy as a pig in mud. It runs really well too. And it looks FANTASTIC! I'm jealous coz I've only got a boring old Titanium PowerBook.

For what you want it for, I think you'll find it more than adequate.
 
After I buy it I can update my signature so that it says the specs of my mac lol. I can't wait. I'm pretty sure if I ask my brother, he'll loan me some money to get it if I don't have quite enough. I get paid Friday and I'm expecting my check to be $150. If I get another $150 check next time (two weeks) I'll have that laptop. Its on baucomcomputers.com
If you guys know where to get it cheaper but still a Laptop w/G3 processor let me know ASAP. (Although I could save up $649 and get a refurb ibook from Apple, iBook G3 - 20GB etc.)
 
Do you mind sharing the site where you found the iBook for $289? I'm looking for an internet/email machine for my wife and this would be perfect.

Do they have stock, or just the one unit?
 
If you're going to be using the iBook for web surfing and messaging, the lack of screen real estate might get pretty painful. I've got an old iBook G3 366 running Panther, and I can tell you that even web-surfing is harsh when you're used to bigger/higher-res screens. And it doesn't support Quartz Extreme, so no Expose or window animations or such (or at least, these things work but are so choppy as to be intolerable). All of this is with maxed-out RAM, too.

Also, the model you're looking at may not have Firewire, and only has USB 1.1, so it may not be the best thing to hook up external drives to.

That said, it runs Panther well enough, and if you turn off the animations and don't use Expose, it's a decent enough user experience. And yes, definitely strip down the install by eliminating languages and printer drivers you don't see needing. The network stuff should work OK, since this is Panther, which is supposed to get along with Windows better.
 
sigamy said:
Do you mind sharing the site where you found the iBook for $289? I'm looking for an internet/email machine for my wife and this would be perfect.

Do they have stock, or just the one unit?
Click to expand...
I found it at http://www.baucomcomputers.com
I'm not going to buy it I've decided after reading that last post. I'll wait and buy a 12" iBook for $1099. Besides there is so much more I want to do with it. Like I would like to use GarageBand and all those fun tools. If I have to strip it down just to run decent then its not really worth getting unless I can have all of the items that panther has. Thanx. Lets close this Thread People
 
you still might want to get an older G3 desktop to "tide you over." Then use it as a file server when you get your iBook. G3 B&Ws go for under $200 on ebay.
 
There lies the problem. I'm not 18, and we don't have a credit card so we don't use E-Bay otherwise I would. But yeah thanx for the idea though. This baucomcomputers.com has some G3's on there:
G3/300 (192/8GB/CD) . . . . . . . . . . . . $285
or should I get an iMac
iMac/400 (Strawberry) (512/20G/CD/56k/Firewire) . . . . $335
because I don't have a mac keyboard, or video converter for my SVGA monitor to work in a Mac video card right?, or mouse... I guess thats all I need to buy... Lemme check compusa.com Well dangit, we don't have another monitor in the house... thats too much for a keyboard and mouse... in the end you know I'll just buy the laptop probably. We'll see when I get the $$$
 
Horrortaxi said:
It'll work. It won't be fun if you try to do anything more than write email, but it'll work. Can you give it some more RAM? It would make a big difference.

Panther is going to give you the best chance of non-sucky performance. Do a custom install and leave out anything you won't use--or can't use because of the speed of the computer. At typical installation will take up nearly all of that hard drive--and that's before applications and your own files.

On the other hand, if you just want a Mac--OS 9 is still pretty great and that computer will run it perfectly.
Click to expand...

While I agree that Panther is better, the Panther installation takes about 3 GB of space. This iBook has only 3 GB of space! I'm seeing a problem! Anyway you can upgrade that hard drive to something bigger?
 
slooksterPSV said:
There lies the problem. I'm not 18, and we don't have a credit card so we don't use E-Bay otherwise I would. But yeah thanx for the idea though. This baucomcomputers.com has some G3's on there:
G3/300 (192/8GB/CD) . . . . . . . . . . . . $285
or should I get an iMac
iMac/400 (Strawberry) (512/20G/CD/56k/Firewire) . . . . $335
because I don't have a mac keyboard, or video converter for my SVGA monitor to work in a Mac video card right?, or mouse... I guess thats all I need to buy... Lemme check compusa.com Well dangit, we don't have another monitor in the house... thats too much for a keyboard and mouse... in the end you know I'll just buy the laptop probably. We'll see when I get the $$$
Click to expand...

I believe Paypal can take bank account numbers and deduct it from your bank account. Though if your family had a bank account you'd probably have a Debit Card.

Any USB KB and Mouse will work on Macs.
 
Yeah things have changed alot lately. When things change, big changes come. My parents did have a Debit card, but then their account got shutdown. So its kinda difficult to do some of those things. The Baucomcomputers.com website accepts money orders so thats why I was thinking about going with that.

I thought someone told me that I can strip down Panther's installation? Like I could take out installing alot of items such as printers etc. and that installation would only take about 1GB or leave me with 1GB or something. I need to know which it is thank you.
 
I found a better laptop that is basically cheaper. Here are the specs: (I think its a lombard)
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PowerBook G3 400MHz
64MB RAM
6GB HDD
CDROM
Ethernet
Firewire
USB 1.1
Mac OS 9.1 Installed
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I'm not telling where I found it either so there :p lol all for $350
 
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