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Post Your "About This Mac" Screenshots (PowerPC)!
- Thread starter redheeler
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Take a closer look at his ATM
Good spot. The only 68k here is in emulation! My mistake
Hey all,
First post, but I'm no stranger to computers, a bit naive about PPC Macs. Recently acquired a few pretty cheaply. Please bear (bare?) with me as I get used to the forum software.
First up: A TiBook (my mistake saying AlBook, that's below!) for $10 at a local Savers. No power supply, but eBay helped me fix that. It still had the previous owners' data on it! Still going through it, no plans to really do anything with the information, though.
Looks like PRAM battery is dead-dead: When this first booted, I thought I'd just set the time, either manually, or via WiFi (which I found this one has!) No luck. Pull the power, even when shut down, and that error comes back up.
Interesting to note the Virex thing by McAfee, you'll soon see why.
Open up 'About This Mac':
Surprisingly spry for such an old Mac, and such an old version of OSX. Couldn't get it to update any farther up the chain, though. Seems to have been in-use until sometime in 2005, and 12 years later, ended up at my local Savers.
Here is a better look at the System Profiler:
It has since seen an update to 1GB RAM (via 2 512MB PC133 SO-DIMMs, courtesy of OWC), which seems to be the max, since I don't have anything larger, and I am not sure PC100/133 went any higher before DDR really took the stage in the early 2000s
Next up was an as-is Powerbook G4 15", which 'wouldn't boot' for $60 via Craigslist.
So far all I've done is find out the DVD drive don't work, and how to boot from USB, despite not 'officially' able to (I imagine they mean via option keys at boot up).
Anyway, installed OSX 10.5 (Leopard) and it actually updated to 10.5.8 from Apples' servers!
So far that's all I've got from it; installed TenFourFox, been trying to install some type of Linux on a second partition (using same OF USB boot), and obviously signed up here to show off a bit!
First post, but I'm no stranger to computers, a bit naive about PPC Macs. Recently acquired a few pretty cheaply. Please bear (bare?) with me as I get used to the forum software.
First up: A TiBook (my mistake saying AlBook, that's below!) for $10 at a local Savers. No power supply, but eBay helped me fix that. It still had the previous owners' data on it! Still going through it, no plans to really do anything with the information, though.
Looks like PRAM battery is dead-dead: When this first booted, I thought I'd just set the time, either manually, or via WiFi (which I found this one has!) No luck. Pull the power, even when shut down, and that error comes back up.
Interesting to note the Virex thing by McAfee, you'll soon see why.
Open up 'About This Mac':
Surprisingly spry for such an old Mac, and such an old version of OSX. Couldn't get it to update any farther up the chain, though. Seems to have been in-use until sometime in 2005, and 12 years later, ended up at my local Savers.
Here is a better look at the System Profiler:
It has since seen an update to 1GB RAM (via 2 512MB PC133 SO-DIMMs, courtesy of OWC), which seems to be the max, since I don't have anything larger, and I am not sure PC100/133 went any higher before DDR really took the stage in the early 2000s
Next up was an as-is Powerbook G4 15", which 'wouldn't boot' for $60 via Craigslist.
So far all I've done is find out the DVD drive don't work, and how to boot from USB, despite not 'officially' able to (I imagine they mean via option keys at boot up).
Anyway, installed OSX 10.5 (Leopard) and it actually updated to 10.5.8 from Apples' servers!
So far that's all I've got from it; installed TenFourFox, been trying to install some type of Linux on a second partition (using same OF USB boot), and obviously signed up here to show off a bit!
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Good score. The first looks like it could be the original Titanium PowerBook G4. The PRAM battery sure looks dead and is the cause of the loss of date and time, boot device selection and a variety of other errors. 1GB is the max on that machine. You can officially install Mac OS X Tiger (10.4.11) and unofficially install Leopard via Leopard Assist.
For Linux, I would recommend Debian 8 (Jessie) PPC for the older machine and Ubuntu Mate 16.04 PPC on the newer. Just be sure to read the Ubuntu PowerPC FAQ, specifically to disable Radeon AGP mode / acceleration during installation.
For Linux, I would recommend Debian 8 (Jessie) PPC for the older machine and Ubuntu Mate 16.04 PPC on the newer. Just be sure to read the Ubuntu PowerPC FAQ, specifically to disable Radeon AGP mode / acceleration during installation.
Thanks! Yeah, I have both a TiBook and AlBook, so that's a thing I'll have to remember.
I've tried Ubuntu MATE PPC 16.04.1 and tried one or two of the AGP disabling things. Also tried Yellow Dog Linux (could only find 6.2, but not sure where/how to get 7.0)
So far, I have gotten Ubuntu to actually boot to the desktop in live mode. Then it just freezes. With the option video=radeonfb.off (might be misremembering that one, but similar), it goes all high contrast and apparently color blind a human wouldn't be able to use (all the garish colors together).
YDL I got to the YABOOT prompt, but that was it. Tried it a few times, with some options, but it seemed it wasn't going to boot, plus it was using an older version of yaboot, I think.
I'll try again over the next couple days when I've got the free time to tinker, though
YDL I got to the YABOOT prompt, but that was it. Tried it a few times, with some options, but it seemed it wasn't going to boot, plus it was using an older version of yaboot, I think.
I'll try again over the next couple days when I've got the free time to tinker, though
So far, I have gotten Ubuntu to actually boot to the desktop in live mode. Then it just freezes. With the option video=radeonfb.off (might be misremembering that one, but similar), it goes all high contrast and apparently color blind a human wouldn't be able to use (all the garish colors together).
YDL I got to the YABOOT prompt, but that was it. Tried it a few times, with some options, but it seemed it wasn't going to boot, plus it was using an older version of yaboot, I think.
I'll try again over the next couple days when I've got the free time to tinker, though
Yes, I've seen that before. It seems to be an issue with the radeon kernel module / driver on the installer Live CD/USB.
Use this full line at the yaboot prompt to get through the installation:
Code:
live radeon.modeset=1 video=radeonfb:off video=offb:off radeon.agpmode=-1This worked on my 1.5Ghz 15" and 1.67Ghz 17" AlBooks, which both have the ATI Radeon Mobility 9700 GPU.
Once the OS is installed, run the software updates and reboot with the latest kernel, try running without any of the special boot commands. If it still fails, try "Linux radeon.agpmode=-1" at the yaboot prompt. You should still get hardware graphics acceleration even with this option.
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Yep. my next plan of attack was to gather a list of all the acceleration disabling commands, and try them individually. But I sometimes forget they can be chained together with a single line. Outside of sudo apt-get every once in a while, Linux has come pretty far from when I was younger
So out of curiosity, when I do get 16.04.1 up and running, will the updates being it to 16.04.3, or to a newer 17.x release? I noticed there was only the ISO for PPC up to 16.04.1, but it looked like there were images for other popular architectures for .2 and .3.
While I'm at it, I am thinking about upgrading storage on both of my Powerbooks; not sure if I want to hunt for 7200RPM drives (both are 4200RPM (might be 5400 for the AlBook)), or grab some small-ish (30-60GB) mSATA SSDs and get an mSATA-to-IDE bridge thing going.
Also, probably need to repaste and redo all the heatsink stuff, especially on the AlBook, given it's speed. Maybe on the TiBook, too once I get the original drive replaced; it's a ton easier to get to the internals of the TiBook than the AlBook.
So out of curiosity, when I do get 16.04.1 up and running, will the updates being it to 16.04.3, or to a newer 17.x release? I noticed there was only the ISO for PPC up to 16.04.1, but it looked like there were images for other popular architectures for .2 and .3.
While I'm at it, I am thinking about upgrading storage on both of my Powerbooks; not sure if I want to hunt for 7200RPM drives (both are 4200RPM (might be 5400 for the AlBook)), or grab some small-ish (30-60GB) mSATA SSDs and get an mSATA-to-IDE bridge thing going.
Also, probably need to repaste and redo all the heatsink stuff, especially on the AlBook, given it's speed. Maybe on the TiBook, too once I get the original drive replaced; it's a ton easier to get to the internals of the TiBook than the AlBook.
16.04.1 will update to 16.04.3, but no further. This is long term service (LTS) release and it looks like it is the last Ubuntu and/or Debian based release to support our PowerPC platform.
There was a 16.10 release, but it's not as stable as the LTS and support is limited. I did try it, but returned to 16.04 once things I knew worked started breaking.
Yes, do re-paste the CPU+GPU and upgrade to mSATA. See my post detailing this procedure on the 12" PBG4 here.
I'm going to do my 17" PBG4 with the same brand 64GB mSATA SSD as soon as the IDE caddy arrives from Europe. (I'm hoping it is this week sometime).
There was a 16.10 release, but it's not as stable as the LTS and support is limited. I did try it, but returned to 16.04 once things I knew worked started breaking.
Yes, do re-paste the CPU+GPU and upgrade to mSATA. See my post detailing this procedure on the 12" PBG4 here.
I'm going to do my 17" PBG4 with the same brand 64GB mSATA SSD as soon as the IDE caddy arrives from Europe. (I'm hoping it is this week sometime).
Sweet. Given my under(un-)employed status, it's gonna be a piece-meal upgrade path. I work in IT (ostensibly) at a newspaper part-time, and that's supposed to have been part-time, second job until I found something more permanent, full-time. That was 2010
Also, your teardown and upgrade thread is actually what made me sign up here! I'm on a few other forums, that have Mac fora, but they tend to be up-to-date, it's just a single space. Here there's a dedicated PowerPC area all to its own!
Right now, not sure if I'm going to use these PPC for much, other than to play with and familiarize myself with older OSX and the particular architecture used.
Also, your teardown and upgrade thread is actually what made me sign up here! I'm on a few other forums, that have Mac fora, but they tend to be up-to-date, it's just a single space. Here there's a dedicated PowerPC area all to its own!
Right now, not sure if I'm going to use these PPC for much, other than to play with and familiarize myself with older OSX and the particular architecture used.
Well then welcome aboard! There's still life in these machines and you've got yourself two of the best. The TiBook can natively boot OS9 and 10.1 through to 10.5 (with a little help). So you can have a play with with the various iterations of historical OS X. They each had their pros and cons. 10.3 had some recent attention on the forum on The Panther Thread.
Hey all,
Not sure if this warrants its own thread, but I finally got Ubuntu MATE 16.04.1 to boot properly (if slowly) and in the process of installing!
EDIT: Just wanted to add, yeah the fan is almost constantly running in both OSX and Ubuntu (reinstalling because I forgot to update anything before trying to reboot). So I'm gonna research some thermal pads and thermal paste now....
Not sure if this warrants its own thread, but I finally got Ubuntu MATE 16.04.1 to boot properly (if slowly) and in the process of installing!
EDIT: Just wanted to add, yeah the fan is almost constantly running in both OSX and Ubuntu (reinstalling because I forgot to update anything before trying to reboot). So I'm gonna research some thermal pads and thermal paste now....
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oh we are doing intel now? here is 10.4.1 running on a emulated 486
View attachment 608088
IS THAT AN APPLE DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM????
That's what is being emulated, yes. And speaking of emulation, here's 9.0.4 running on my High Sierra 5K iMac. This OS was imaged off my Sawtooth G4 (theme and background changed since).
Nice! Would you mind putting a bit more of an explanation as to how to do this up on this forum? I'd be really curious, as I have a 10.3.9 system that i'd like to emulate
[doublepost=1506430819][/doublepost]
What a pretty computer... too bad they dont have them anymoreHey all,
Not sure if this warrants its own thread, but I finally got Ubuntu MATE 16.04.1 to boot properly (if slowly) and in the process of installing!
EDIT: Just wanted to add, yeah the fan is almost constantly running in both OSX and Ubuntu (reinstalling because I forgot to update anything before trying to reboot). So I'm gonna research some thermal pads and thermal paste now....
Nice! Would you mind putting a bit more of an explanation as to how to do this up on this forum? I'd be really curious, as I have a 10.3.9 system that i'd like to emulate
Take a look into QEMU for emulating a PowerPC environment to run Mac OS 9, through to Tiger (and possibly Leopard). I have OS 9.2.2, Panther 10.3.9 and Tiger 10.4.11 running with networking support in qemu-system-ppc on my Mac Pro (via Homebrew).
Another alternative is to run PearPC via Wine (also installed using Homebrew). I have this configured to run Puma 10.1.4 and Jaguar 10.2.8. Running PearPC like this through the current version of Wine doesn’t seem to like networking, but it’s fast.
The fastest option for Mac OS 8.6 and 9.0.4 is SheepShaver as @redheeler is demonstrating. Mac OS 8.1 and earlier (System 7.1, 7.5, 7.6) is best emulated in a 68k environment under Basilisk II.
Something old
PowerBook 520 with a luxury B/W display.
Something new
Latest acquistion - PowerMac G4 MDD
PowerBook 520 with a luxury B/W display.
Something new
Latest acquistion - PowerMac G4 MDD
The dual 1.25 with 4Mb L3...what a great Mac that is
It nearly is. Unfortunately, the ethernet port seems to be fried. It still appears in SysProf with all details but suffers from 'cable unplugged' syndrome. Need to replace it with something that won't prevent deep sleep. Preferably Gigabit.
im not sure what breaks deep sleep but I know theres a good few official Apple ethernet cards from Xserves and the like on ebay
if its worth anything Iv managed to boot OS X server 1.2v3 on a 500Mhz Snow iBook G3
(and a Flower Power iMac) I should try getting it going on one of my MDDs...I could guess what the above screenshot was on but i want to let others have a go