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Thomasluigi07

Cancelled
Original poster
Jan 21, 2018
7
0
Hi Everyone,
I would like to try putting Windows XP on my Powerbook G4,
Can I wipe Mac OS X and put on Windows XP or can I only use a Virtual Machine to Emulate Windows XP? Please answer!

Specs:
Version: 10.4.11
Processor: 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4
Memory: 768 MB DDR SDRAM​
 
Your 1.33Ghz G4 could run VirtualPC 7.0.2 with WinXP Pro. It would probably be the equivalent of a ~300Mhz Pentium. You would get the best balance by assigning 256MB RAM to VirtualPC and leave 512MB for Tiger.

You'll have a much better experience with Windows 2000, which had fewer bells and whistles than XP. On my G5, Win2K is almost fast enough to be comfortable, but XP feels slow.

If you want XP instead of OS X, the better option will be to buy an old PC notebook from that era.
 
as others have said you have to be running some sort of of Host OS ether OS X or Linux first then install Windows XP as a guest

you cant run XP on bare metal on any PPC mac (well has anyone ever got Windows XP running on the PC compatibility cards shipping in 1990s beige macs? :) )

I would recommend using Virtual PC, or QEMU if you need to emulate newer/more fine tuned hardware

but be warned emulating x86 on PPC is very slow.

in OS X my weapon of choice is Virtual PC, in Linux ill use QEMU (usually on my Quad trying to get windows 10 or some modern OS X going :) )
 
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HOW DO I GET VIRTUAL PC?

Quick Note: I am not using windows. i am using my mac.
Also,
I dont wana pay for Virtual Machines. Also QEMU will not work on my mac since it is not 10.5 :(
 
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IIRC macintoshgarden.org still have 7. Adding connectix to search keywords will generally help to raise mac-related results on the web, also.
 
Sorry, but Virtual PC is a paid Microsoft program and still under license. Also, you need to possess a legal licenses for XP or whatever other OS you use.

It IS a Mac program.

I bought my copy with a copy of XP Pro included for I think less than $20 on Ebay.

Also, I found it agonizingly slow even on a Quad. I've been told that it's best with less than the maximum amount of RAM allocated.
 
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Search macintoshgarden, use Windows 2000 instead and search how to optimise it and expect performance of a 200 - 300 Mhz Pentium. Is there any software in particular you need XP for?
 
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Can I wipe Mac OS X and put on Windows XP or can I only use a Virtual Machine to Emulate Windows XP? Please answer!
This quote makes me think you're not aware of the vast architectural differences between the Apple/IBM/Motorola PowerPC and Intel/AMD x86(-64) processors. Basically, these two families of processors use such a different architecture, that an operating system needs to be specifically written and compiled to run on either one or both. With Windows 2000, Microsoft mostly stopped focusing on other architectures other than the Intel x86 family (MS only started working with ARM next to x86 fairly recently, and Itanium wasn't a huge interest), which are used by a few companies like Intel, AMD, Transmeta, and VIA. On the other hand, from the early 90s to 2005, Apple used a completely different family of CPUs, the PowerPC line. In 2006, they switched to the same family as Microsoft, x86. Due to this, Windows XP cannot natively run on a PowerPC Mac.

Emulation such as Virtual PC is an option, but I must warn you that this is a very, very slow ordeal. Basically, your PowerPC CPU runs an x86 emulation layer, on which Windows XP would run. That emulation layer takes a LOT of CPU power, and then XP still needs to run on top of it. This can be really, really slow, especially on a G4 single core processor. I'd suggest getting a cheap second hand Windows XP laptop for whatever you need XP for, a decent one shouldn't be hard to find for well under $50, and will be way more pleasant to use.
 
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This quote makes me think you're not aware of the vast architectural differences between the Apple/IBM/Motorla PowerPC and Intel/AMD x86(-64) processors. Basically, these two families of processors use such a different architecture, that an operating system needs to be specifically written and compiled to run on either one or both. With Windows 2000, Microsoft stopped focusing on other architectures other than the Intel x86 family (MS only started working with ARM next to x86 fairly recently), which are used by a few companies like Intel, AMD, Transmeta, and VIA. On the other hand, from the early 90s to 2005, Apple used a completely different family of CPUs, the PowerPC line. In 2006, they switched to the same family as Microsoft, x86. Due to this, Windows XP cannot natively run on a PowerPC Mac.

Emulation such as Virtual PC is an option, but I must warn you that this is a very, very slow ordeal. Basically, your PowerPC CPU runs an x86 emulation layer, on which Windows XP would run. That emulation layer takes a LOT of CPU power, and then XP still needs to run on top of it. This can be really, really slow, especially on a G4 single core processor. I'd suggest getting a cheap second hand Windows XP laptop for whatever you need XP for, a decent one shouldn't be hard to find for well under $50, and will be way more pleasant to use.
This is why I feel OP is setting himself up for disappointment.

It indicates a lack of understanding which is only going to breed frustration when the equipment does not perform to the level of expectation that OP probably has for it.
 
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Sorry, but Virtual PC is a paid Microsoft program and still under license. Also, you need to possess a legal licenses for XP or whatever other OS you use.

It IS a Mac program.

I bought my copy with a copy of XP Pro included for I think less than $20 on Ebay.

Also, I found it agonizingly slow even on a Quad. I've been told that it's best with less than the maximum amount of RAM allocated.
Its actually slower on a G5 compared to a G4 because of architecture differences, its not too bad on a G4 at all
 
Get 2nd-hand VirtualPC7.
Get WindowsXPFundamentals (=SP2)
That combination will give you the best XP-performance, but only for just basic functions and light-weight progs.
I use it only for the purpose/need of RDP-Client6 to connect with a WinServer2008
Full WinXP-Pro SP3 is overkill for a G4-Book. Just proof of concept. Take care of your coronaries!
--
Instead of WinXPFundamentals you may try VPC7/Windows2000Pro.
I use that combination to run a few old games, Office2000, irfanView etc. Unfortunately it's RDP-Client5 doesn't meet specs of WinServer2008.
Even snappier: Win2k with VPC3/4/5 on os9.
---
There's no kind of intelMac-BootCamp-Windows for PowerPC, just the hard work of real full emulation.
[doublepost=1516660353][/doublepost]
This is why I feel OP is setting himself up for disappointment.

It indicates a lack of understanding which is only going to breed frustration when the equipment does not perform to the level of expectation that OP probably has for it.

Well said!

IMHO an intel Core2Duo with BootCamp or Fusion will be the minimum to save him from that dooming frustration ...
 
Search macintoshgarden, use Windows 2000 instead and search how to optimise it and expect performance of a 200 - 300 Mhz Pentium. Is there any software in particular you need XP for?
The reason why i want XP so I can do gaming (roblox, Minecraft etc) and i do not own windows 2000.
[doublepost=1516855114][/doublepost]
The reason why i want XP so I can do gaming (roblox, Minecraft etc) and i do not own windows 2000.
Roblox or Minecraft doesnt work on my mac because its not supported. also, my son wants to do roblox on it, so I dont have to buy a XP laptop. Thanks for the responses and your help!
 
The reason why i want XP so I can do gaming (roblox, Minecraft etc) and i do not own windows 2000.
[doublepost=1516855114][/doublepost]
Roblox or Minecraft doesnt work on my mac because its not supported. also, my son wants to do roblox on it, so I dont have to buy a XP laptop. Thanks for the responses and your help!

theres no way your going to be able to play anything out side of minesweeper in any sort of emulator running windows on your G4

x86 emulation is far too slow for gaming (not to mention VPC7 does not emulate many instruction sets)

if you want to run minecraft your best bet is https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-cider-powerpcs-minecraft-solution.1827849/
 
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Your best bang-for-buck these days in a Mac laptop that will run XP is an early CoreDuo MacBook. They're virtually give-away items but will run XP(or Windows 7) natively just fine.

I know a couple of CoreDuo iMacs at work that I've personally milked a few more years of usable life out of with Win 7 32 bit.
 
Roblox or Minecraft doesnt work on my mac because its not supported. also, my son wants to do roblox on it, so I dont have to buy a XP laptop. Thanks for the responses and your help!
Well, what kind of Mac do you have that isn't supported? If it's an Intel Mac, you could probably still bootcamp it with an operating system like Windows 7 and run said games on that. It's just not going to work on VPC, the games would either run so slow it's unplayable, or not at all. Also, given both games are still getting updates, I don't even know if XP supports them any longer either. Windows 7 is becoming the bottom line for games and software these days. But again, if you have an Intel Mac, 7 on Bootcamp is an option.
 
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The reason why i want XP so I can do gaming (roblox, Minecraft etc) and i do not own windows 2000.
[doublepost=1516855114][/doublepost]
Roblox or Minecraft doesnt work on my mac because its not supported. also, my son wants to do roblox on it, so I dont have to buy a XP laptop. Thanks for the responses and your help!

As the others already said: forget about native windows or virtual full-XP (VPC7+fullXP-SP3) on any G4-Book. Only pain and frustration.
VPC7+Win2k is ok, but not for "heavy" gaming. WinXPFundamentals works fine for specific basic routines, like RemoteDesktopClient or lightweight-progs.
So no way even to think about MineCraft and such stuff on a PowerPC G4.
But, there's always a workaround by using your G4-Book for ScreenSharing or VNC to any working-horse MineCraft-playing Mac/PC.
If that host is an intelMac you may log in in the background. Same with a PC with a WinServer OS.
VNC won't offer those background-operation - so sitting at the real thing certainly will be the better solution...
You may also go for an old intel-Mac(Book). I'd prefer an early 2008 15" C2Duo 2,4-2,6MHz MacBookPro. It's currently my main device and it can boot natively into Win7-64bit (with BootCamp) or ElCapitan. SSD-upgrade is highly recommendable. Great non-glossy bright display and great sound - especially when combined with a BassJump-Subwoofer...
 
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