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What parts are missing from this G4 tower?

A

aggrolounge

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 23, 2009
8
0
Okay - so I got this PowerMac G4 tower as a hand-me-down machine. I am
a long time Mac user but I've NEVER dissected one or installed any
hardware myself. I was warned that the machine might be missing some
parts.
So what I need to know is.. what's missing?
The computer will boot up, but it isn't recognizing my KDS monitor
(although I don't think I need any kind of adapter, since it hooks up
and fits and everything). I'm worried that perhaps I'm missing a
graphics card?
That's the only concern I've run into so far, but if there are other
parts missing I need to know about those as well! TIA
 

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Eidorian said:
The lack of RAM and a hard drive is glaringly obvious.
Click to expand...

:p I told you I didn't know what I was doing. So there is a graphics card? I don't even know what I'm looking for. Can I run my computer from an external HD? If so, that's not a problem.. as for RAM.. well, what do you recommend?
 
Eidorian said:
The video is there in the AGP slot. You'll need PC133 SDRAM. It will run off of an external FireWire hard drive.
Click to expand...

It's actually a USB external.. and it requires two USB slots x.x

EDIT: Oh, so it won't even support that drive? That's def a problem..
 
I got a chuckle out of the foxconn sticker, but other than what has been mentioned, I don't see anything obviously missing. Unless, of course, they swapped out the G4 for part of a wooden door shim then put the heatsink back on. ;)


Also, it seems to be missing its Windows 2000 certified logo on the front. :p
 
PenguinPower said:
I got a chuckle out of the foxconn sticker, but other than what has been mentioned, I don't see anything obviously missing. Unless, of course, they swapped out the G4 for part of a wooden door shim then put the heatsink back on. ;)


Also, it seems to be missing its Windows 2000 certified logo on the front. :p
Click to expand...
Apple was very creative with the PowerPC 74xx heatsinks. You'd see them vary on the same model line but with different processors.

spinnerlys said:
Also using an external Firewire drive as a boot volume should work, but you can't use USB drives, as the PPC chipset doesn't support it.
Click to expand...
Open Firmware could be modified to allow booting off of the USB device but you were pretty much stuck at just enabling it.

PC133 SDRAM is the safest be for compatibility and availability.
 
aggrolounge said:
Eh, is there any kind of USB-to-Firewire adapter or something? Desperation ensues..
Click to expand...
It doesn't exist. Putting another PowerPC Mac into Target Disk Mode, installing a new hard drive in one of the other trays, or using a FireWire external are your options.

Unless you happen to have an OS X Server around to NetBoot off of.
 
Eidorian said:
It doesn't exist. Putting another PowerPC Mac into Target Disk Mode, installing a new hard drive in one of the other trays, or using a FireWire external are your options.

Unless you happen to have an OS X Server around to NetBoot off of.
Click to expand...

Ugh, I doubt this thing is even worth the amount I'd spend on a harddrive. Oh well, thanks for the help!
 
IDE drives are cheap, otherwise known as PATA, as opposed to SATA that is currently used. Just plug it in to the loose ribbon connector that's under the power supply and the four pin power plug that's lying closest. They're one way plugs, so you can't screw it up.

The hard drive can just lie there beneath the power supply until you get things sorted out.
 
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