So, I bought a 2003 PowerPC G5 (1.8 1x) w/ 3gb ram on OfferUp. I installed TenFourFox browser, and even some of the most basic sites (like reddit or the HTML version of Gmail) will lag. Stuff like youtube and cnn dont even work. I've seen videos about this machine, and that it should still be able to even watch youtube, but mine can't. So, is there a solution to this? Thanks in advanced for any help!
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PowerPC G5 - very bad during browser usage
- Thread starter JackHS
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Other than the 1.6Ghz G5, you have one of the lowest end G5s with only 3GB of the 4GB of ram it's capable of using.
I'm sorry to be so blunt, but if you were expecting performance equivalent to what you'd find in a late MacBook Pro or Mac Pro - that isn't going to happen. You have a 17 year old Mac.
There are ways to improve performance, but they require work on your part, or using different apps to get what you want. That said, the experience is not going to be precisely like a new Mac would.
At the top of this forum are two pinned threads about TenFourFox. If you want to make this browser faster, look through those. The only other modern option is finding a copy of Leopard Webkit, but even that is out of date. Also, keep in mind that support for Firefox died on PowerPC with version 4. So, TenFourFox, while a fork of that is subject to the limitations of the OS it runs on.
I will leave others to suggest alternative YouTube apps you can use.
I'm sorry to be so blunt, but if you were expecting performance equivalent to what you'd find in a late MacBook Pro or Mac Pro - that isn't going to happen. You have a 17 year old Mac.
There are ways to improve performance, but they require work on your part, or using different apps to get what you want. That said, the experience is not going to be precisely like a new Mac would.
At the top of this forum are two pinned threads about TenFourFox. If you want to make this browser faster, look through those. The only other modern option is finding a copy of Leopard Webkit, but even that is out of date. Also, keep in mind that support for Firefox died on PowerPC with version 4. So, TenFourFox, while a fork of that is subject to the limitations of the OS it runs on.
I will leave others to suggest alternative YouTube apps you can use.
What OS are you running? How does it run otherwise (boot up, in the Finder)? Are you sure the HDD isn't failing? Wireless or connected through ethernet? As stated, a single 1.8GHz G5 is not exactly a high spec PowerMac and you will certainly see lag while online, but you might also be fighting some other issues that come with a box so old.
I agree that you should look at the hardware and make sure it's all good. I have lower end G4s that load reddit/Gmail just fine, as well as a few more intensive sites. Other than that, use all the tweaks available and you should be able to get some reasonable performance. I don't own a G5, but in-browser youtube has sucked on PPC for years. With their semi-recent redesign, I wouldn't be surprised if it's entirely broken now.
For youtube, I like this new program, it runs very well even on my iBook G4:
forums.macrumors.com
You can use sites like Invidio.us or Tonvid to find links to the videos, they're a lot fater than the normal youtube page.
For youtube, I like this new program, it runs very well even on my iBook G4:
12-11-2021 - PPCMC 7.2.6 - YouTube/Twitch Streaming, Downloading, File Conversion, Web Interface, & More For Panther-Leopard PPC/Intel
I found out PPC Media Center had its last release last month, being officially discontinued. Well I’m taking over development of new versions in a different direction. Learn more at the official release page on the Garden...
forums.macrumors.com
You can use sites like Invidio.us or Tonvid to find links to the videos, they're a lot fater than the normal youtube page.
OS: OSX 10.5.8
HDD seems to be in good shape, its fast to load programs and load the OS, passes the test in drive utility
Ethernet, the internet speed isnt an issue
@JackHS, I would highly recommend you install Leopard WebKit (v604.5.6_2) and see if this is more usable:
sourceforge.net
I find Leopard WebKit is far more performant and makes web browsing much more responsive on lower end G4 or G5 hardware. The only downside is it can be a little crash happy - or at least the older versions were.
Then if you want to go back to TenFourFox as it is likely to be more secure as it is more up to date. Make sure you are running the very latest version (FPR21 as of writing) and install FoxPEP:
forums.macrumors.com
My personal recommendations in addition to FoxPEP are to then enable the Basic Adblocking feature in Preferences > TenFourFox and install uMatrix or disable Javascript entirely at about:config
leopard-webkit - Browse /604/Leopard/PowerPC at SourceForge.net
WebKit for OS X Leopard
sourceforge.net
I find Leopard WebKit is far more performant and makes web browsing much more responsive on lower end G4 or G5 hardware. The only downside is it can be a little crash happy - or at least the older versions were.
Then if you want to go back to TenFourFox as it is likely to be more secure as it is more up to date. Make sure you are running the very latest version (FPR21 as of writing) and install FoxPEP:
foxPEP and TenFourFoxPEP - For A Faster Firefox / TenFourFox
The Firefox Partitioned Engine Patch, officially abbreviated as foxPEP, is a finely tuned all-in-one preferences patch designed exclusively for Firefox-based browsers that automatically applies a number of advanced under-the-hood configurations to achieve a superior Web browsing experience on...
forums.macrumors.com
My personal recommendations in addition to FoxPEP are to then enable the Basic Adblocking feature in Preferences > TenFourFox and install uMatrix or disable Javascript entirely at about:config
As you can see in my video all of this is possible and more so on your more powerful G5. One starting point, for Youtube make sure you have MediaSource box ticked in preferences. After this, it's just a case of streamlining your apps.
I can back up what other people have said here. I run two PPC OS X machines, a 733MHz Power Mac G4 and a 1.42GHz Mac Mini G4. Both of these handle the web pretty much fine (with the exception of some pages that seem to be almost exclusively JavaScript) and I've actually been using them as well as my 500MHz iBook G3 as my primary machines for almost three weeks at this point, so it's not impossible to have a good browsing experience. 
Personally I use TenFourFox with uMatrix and FoxPEP for browsing and I use PPCMC for YouTube playback. On Mac OS 9 I use Classilla.
Personally I use TenFourFox with uMatrix and FoxPEP for browsing and I use PPCMC for YouTube playback. On Mac OS 9 I use Classilla.
See this thread and watch the first video in the first post:
You Can/Can't Still Use PowerPC Macs in 2020!
In this thread you can see where I demonstrated (and received a ton of pushback) how poorly a PPC based system is for browsing the Internet. I have the same PowerMac G5 as you so I have first hand experience with your frustration. A 2009 Mac Mini (which is based on the x64 processor) which I picked up for $60 (shipped) easily bests a PPC based Macintosh.
Unless you're an enthusiast, have a specific need, or some other unique situation PPC based systems are best avoided when it comes to browsing the Internet. Save yourself a lot of hassle and pick up an older Intel Macintosh.
Cool box - congrats It will be a slow poke of a browsing machine however & Available tweaks n’ adjustments while improving usability, are not going to get you close to the speed of a modern computing experience. That’s just the reality of your Powermac (and mine) & where the www’s at in 2020.
If you’re ok with that & have the time & inclination to tinker, then there are plenty of tweaks, workarounds, documented info & how-Tos on this forum & a helpful community of folks here who will help you along.
Long live the cheese grater
It will be a slow poke of a browsing machine however & Available tweaks n’ adjustments while improving usability, are not going to get you close to the speed of a modern computing experience. That’s just the reality of your Powermac (and mine) & where the www’s at in 2020.If you’re ok with that & have the time & inclination to tinker, then there are plenty of tweaks, workarounds, documented info & how-Tos on this forum & a helpful community of folks here who will help you along.
Long live the cheese grater
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I don't believe that the OP ever stated they were trying to use it as a main web browsing machine...
When I first got my Power Mac G4 I threw TFF on it to see what it could do on the internet (not a lot at that point in time admittedly, it's a lot more functional now). I wasn't planning to use it as a daily (although I am using it as one with my Mac Mini G4 and iBook G3 right now), I just wanted to see what it could do. I assume the OP is the same.
Lol my first TFF PPC video experience was a cnn news feed on a single 733mhz, 32mb gpu QS with like 512mb sdram lol! Needless to say it was slower than molasses dropping frames like nobody’s biz.
This forum, the ppl, the info & a lil cashola n elbow grease changed that.
This forum, the ppl, the info & a lil cashola n elbow grease changed that.
Same, only DA and with an 8MB GPU.
A RAM upgrade, ShadowKiller, AquaTrim/AquaAccelerator, FoxPEP, and uMatrix helped a ton
I have a G5 2x2 GHz here and TFF is also really fast while compiling with macports (compiler is using both CPUs).
With compiler in background I need 5-6 seconds to load macrumors.com mainpage, Mac pro needs around 2 seconds.
Setup is Leopard, TFF, uMatrix 1.1.4, Noscript 2.9.0.14 and foxPEP
With compiler in background I need 5-6 seconds to load macrumors.com mainpage, Mac pro needs around 2 seconds.
Setup is Leopard, TFF, uMatrix 1.1.4, Noscript 2.9.0.14 and foxPEP
I don't recall having said he was trying to use it as his main web browsing machine either.
That said it appears the OP is exactly the type of user the YouTuber in the original video was targeting with his advice. Not sure why people on this forum can't understand this reality.
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Key words. Elbow grease. One needs to expend "elbow grease" to tolerably use a PPC system on the Internet. Or they could use an older Intel system and, well....just use it.
The OP was asking us for help, which indicates that they are willing to work to get acceptable results. If they are wiling to work and put in the "elbow grease" required, then why not give them the answers they seek as opposed to directing them away from using PPC machines?
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It is clear to me the OP wasn't fully aware of the limitations on the PPC platform and was hoping for a quick fix. A quick fix which doesn't exist. All the options to reasonably use a PPC system on today's Internet are full of compromise. The best thing users of this forum could do would be to acknowledge these limitations and guide the OP to a more useful solution. That solution is a older Intel based Macintosh.
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Now i have tested youtube with TFF for the first time but i dont get a video. Is this normal?
On Roccat youtube is working well
Your browser currently can not recognize this video formats.
Click here for our FAQ related to HTML5 videos.
On Roccat youtube is working well
Your browser currently can not recognize this video formats.
Click here for our FAQ related to HTML5 videos.
Have you enabled MSE in the preferences? Go to Preferences, then the tenfourfox tab, make sure it's checked.
Heh Jack,
Guess what, I have the exact identical machine as yours, which I got for free as a donation from a customer when I worked at the computer recycling facility. First of all, let me tell you a little history on this little puppy and by the way, I am currently typing on this single processor G5 right now as part of my PowerPC Covid 19 challenge.
Anyhow, this is a pretty rare machine and I mean rare because this is the only G5 that is NOT, and I mean NOT designed as a high performance PowerPC G5 tower. It is basically Steve Job's cost cutting iMac G5 without the screen enclosed in a tower case that comes with a 4 expansion slots (AGP and 3 PCI). While this tower is faster than an iMac G5, it is SLOWER than a dual processor G4 in terms of processing power. This PowerPC G5 is no where close to even a PowerPC G5 Dual Processor 2.0Ghz. It is 50% SLOWER (just quantitatively judging by experience) than the dual processor 2.0Ghz. I know this for a fact, because I had a Dual Processor 2.0Ghz for a month briefly before the memory controller packed in and got this as a replacement. Suffice to say, everything on this puppy is not fast. Certainly, you don't want to load Leopard on this thing. It will slow it down even more.
The appropriate OS for this iMac G5 wannabe PowerPC tower should be Tiger OSX 10.4.11 also a SSD would help speed it up. I have a Hybrid SSD/HD hard drive installed and this made it more tolerable -- No lag, at least typing this message here. It would be a breeze with the Dual Processor 2.0Ghz, but not with this.
You can obviously still use this wannabe PowerPC G5 tower and you must first downgrade it to Tiger. You will immediately see a speed difference. Secondly, install FoxPEP and uMatrix as these will help TenFourFox with speed and less lag with CNN and Youtube; my most frequent sources of Covid 19 news as I need them for the Covid 19 challenge.
With TenFourFox, select useragent to "iOS iPad" and any video will pop up in a small window which is kind of like browsing with an iPad. With Youtube, you will be presented with the mobile version of the same. There will be some lag, but much better than what you are experiencing right now for sure. Youtube video setting must be set to 144p or else you will get severe lag. My former PowerPC G5 dual processor could do 240p or even 360p barely. Not this puppy. Hope this helps. Let me know if you need any more help on this.
Once you set it up, the system is quite manageable when watching CNN and Youtube, albeit at much lower quality. However, sound output from this tower is something else. I actually use it to play HIFI music off this beast and to be honest sounded better than my supposedly more pricier AudioEngine D1 DAC (Digital Audio Converter). Sound is richer and has volume, which is why I am using it as a Youtube sound tube, albeit a rather energy sucker HIFI audio player or use it to make music. And if I get bored, play Nintendo Wii games with this tower as my sound and big display driver (using a Diamond OneTouch video capture card). LOL!
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yesterday i have set it to off, thanks for your fast reply
EDIT: does not help, perhaps something to do with foxPEP?
Edit2: yes foxPEP https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/foxpep-a-faster-firefox.2209108/post-28284906
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Tell that to my lowly G4 mac mini with its 1gb ram and crusty old original 4200 rpm 40gb hard drive.
uMatrix does everything NoScript does and more, to my knowledge. Having the two together is unnecessary.
You should see slightly faster initialization times with NoScript removed.
@defjam An observation:
Going from experience (and nothing more), the average user will do as the average user does. Their actions, choices, and conclusions will vary greatly as does the person behind the screen. They may throw the machine in the garbage and move on. Conversely, they may become enthusiasts. Otherwise, they will continue about their routines and promptly forget their endeavor ever took place.
More often than not, their actions and thought processes are not reliably predictable, as you exhaustingly insist on claiming.
So here's a proposal...
The best thing users of this forum can actually do is to simply oblige the original poster's request to the best of their ability.
Not offer irrelevant conclusions built upon preconceived notions. Suggesting to abandon the poster's given hardware in favor of a deemed suitable alternative is not helpful to the question at hand and only serves to waste the time of most everyone involved - as that thread proved, and now this one is currently proving as well.
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@iluvmacs99 I suggest giving The Epoch Times a look.
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Again, OP, see my first reply and take it from there - if that fixes Youtube you know you don't have problems elsewhere and use can proceed easily.
Another point, "average user" - file that next to "how long is a piece of string?"
The average users I know wouldn't dream of looking at computers on Youtube, let alone post on a niche forum - any computer advice would be met by bemusement and a glazed expression.
The average users I know wouldn't dream of looking at computers on Youtube, let alone post on a niche forum - any computer advice would be met by bemusement and a glazed expression.