Where to get an OS?

[HumblePie]

Friend had an old G4 with a bad power supply. He gave it to me but kept the hard drive with the OS loaded on it. Figure I'd give it a shot and see what I could do to get this thing up and going. I doubt I can load any form of windows or linux on it, so that leaves a form of the Mac OS.

I heard some of the newer versions of the Mac OS don't always work with these older Mac systems. I am not exactly sure which PC this is, but based off the case design and pics I've seen on the web, it looks like a G4 to me. It does take regular SDRAM though. I had some extra laying around so through that in.

So unless anyone can tell me I can load something besides a MAC Os, could you please point me int he direction of what type of OS I would need and where to get it?

 

[dclive]

I'm sure you can find 10.4 for dirt-nothing somewhere.

 

[Kmax82]

For a G4, you're going to need OS X, of course.. and you can grab an older copy on eBay, or pickup Leopard at an Apple Store for $129.

 

[DW in UT]

Short term fix - there are Linux "live disks" you can download for free. That would let you run it off a cd, and even install it to a hard drive if you wish. See more info at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PowerPCFAQ

Long term fix - buy almost any version of osx off eBay, as long as it is a retail disk for a "full install" any mac instead of a disc keyed to only install or re-install on a specific model. If the dealer doesn't state the difference specifically, just skip it and buy from someone who does give that kind of detail. There are dozens of sets available on eBay at any given time, so you can afford to be picky. Versions 10.2 through 10.4 should be fine if you have enough ram - 256+. (Also make sure whether you have a cd or a dvd drive installed before buying the wrong disc.)

 

[HumblePie]

So 10.5 wouldn't work?

 

[DW in UT]

Not sure - but G4s had chip speeds in the 300s when they first came out, so an older G4 might struggle or run slowly with 10.5 (But someone who DOES use it can give better advice than me, and they certainly will . . . )

Check the small sticker on the back of your computer and look for a line that gives the specs. Usually includes cpu speed, ram, ethernet speed, and optical drive style all on one small line of type. The higher the numbers the better for using 10.5, but then a previous owner may have changed the configuration for better or for worse, making the sticker obsolete.

 

[umrigar]

You can load ubuntu on it.

http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ports/releases/gutsy/release/

Mac (PowerPC) and IBM-PPC (POWER5) desktop CD
For Apple Macintosh G3, G4, and G5 computers, including iBooks and PowerBooks as well as IBM OpenPower machines.
You will need at least 320MB of RAM to install from this CD.

http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ports/releases/hardy/release/

Mac (PowerPC) and IBM-PPC (POWER5) desktop CD
For Apple Macintosh G3, G4, and G5 computers, including iBooks and PowerBooks as well as IBM OpenPower machines.
You will need at least 384MB of RAM to install from this CD.

 

[Agentbolt]

Really depends on what G4 chip you're talking about, dude. Technically 10.5 requires a 1.0 GHZ and 512 of RAM. You can get away with a lower processor speed (forget how to do it, but there's a way. It runs fine on an 867MHZ from my experience) but the 512MB of RAM is definitely required. A GB is much better, a lot of people use the phrase "it will run like crap with less" but 10.5 with less than a gig of RAM truly is painful to work with.

 

[AnthroAndStargate]

I have an extra copy of Leopard I'll sell you for cheaper then the Apple store if you want, PM me if interested.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: HumblePie
Friend had an old G4 with a bad power supply. He gave it to me but kept the hard drive with the OS loaded on it. Figure I'd give it a shot and see what I could do to get this thing up and going. I doubt I can load any form of windows or linux on it, so that leaves a form of the Mac OS.

I heard some of the newer versions of the Mac OS don't always work with these older Mac systems. I am not exactly sure which PC this is, but based off the case design and pics I've seen on the web, it looks like a G4 to me. It does take regular SDRAM though. I had some extra laying around so through that in.

So unless anyone can tell me I can load something besides a MAC Os, could you please point me int he direction of what type of OS I would need and where to get it?

Just look at the serial/model # information on the back of it - google a bit, search on Apple a bit (if the Mhz number isn't actually written there) and you can then tell us how fast it is.

If it's under 867 mhz, OS X 10.5 won't install on it (without your hacking it, which typically isn't a good idea.)

 

[umrigar]

10.4 is not easy to find for "dirt nothing" since Apple no longer sells it, and people want it for machines that 10.5 won't install on.
(there's a minimum MHz & processor requirement)

Plus like it's been said, you really want to pump up the RAM on any OS X machine. 1 GB is a good starting point; 768 MB is acceptible if you do minimal email, web browsing & word processing. Also notable is that most 10.4 releases are on DVD; you had to specially order a 10.4 set on CD.

10.3 is a very nice OS, and most software still runs on it. I have a G4 1 GHz at home that's still on 10.3.9, mainly because my PCI/ATA controller card doesn't want to boot from a 10.4 partition, seems to be a driver issue. :/

 

[dclive]

One only needs to look on eBay to see that it's being sold here and there for cheap - $1 plus $10 shipping (subject to bidding, but I suspect it won't get much attention). Net net, if the OP wants it, he can find it.

RAM for a G4 will be cheap, so that shouldn't be a big concern either.

I am content to stay with my "dirt nothing" cost estimate. Not $129, by any stretch - OP should be able to get it for anywhere from $20 to $60.

Here are a few ebay auctions:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Mac-OS-X-T...VWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Tiger-OS-X...VWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
and search:
http://search-desc.ebay.com/leopard...mtsZinsifQQsatitleZleopardQ2010Q2e4QQsbrsrtZd

It's out there. And all that's before looking on Craigslist / posting a 'wanted' on Craigslist.

 

[dclive]

Later added:
Bear in mind that spending more is questionable. Best to fix it, sell it to someone who already has 10.4 DVDs, and move on. I'm seeing minis go locally for $330-ish (1GB, 80GB, 1.83 CD), so spending much on a old G4 should be questioned and examined.

 

[umrigar]

Looking at closed auctions, most typical is $48 shipped for Tiger. Yes, sometimes it can be had for less. $1 auctions rarely stay that way... always look at closed auctions.
I also agree that putting money into that old G4 (RAM, power supply, OS, etc) is not the best $$ spent.
I'm considering a dual G4 1.0 GHz, maxed out RAM, PCI FW800 card, 256 MB VRAM, etc, for around $300 shipped.

 

[dclive]

Dual G4/1.0 for $300? I'd grab the mini for that much or a touch more, no doubt. PPC is obsolete, G4 even more so. Is there a reason you want the G4?

 

[MovingTarget]

Worse comes to worse, you can always load up OS 9 onto it. All the G4 machines did ship with Classic and a separate disk for OS9. Personally though, if you can't get a cheap copy of Tiger/Leopard, I'd go with a Linux distro.

 

[LtPage1]

If its specs are below the 10.5 minimum, try to find a copy of 10.2 or 10.3. 10.4 was a hog, and in my experience is a little slower than 10.5. 10.3 was a very stable OS, though, so you're not missing out on anything. eBay.

 

[umrigar]

G4 tower can hold 3 hard drives inside, much cheaper versions, too.
The G4 would be a stop-gap upgrade until I have the $$$ to get what I really want, which isn't fully clear yet - white 24" iMac for $1200, or maybe a MBP for $1700.
My current G4 single processor has 3 HDs inside, which is why I'd like to move them over and part out that unit. Probably end up spending $100 for the upgrade.

 

[dclive]

Cost to make an IDE or SATA drive into an external is around $15-$20 per drive. If you have 3 and it's $20, then $40 to increase CPU speed sounds like a great deal, but over the long term, if you're going to a consumer Intel Mac (iMac, mini) you'll eventually have to do that, so why not bite the bullet now?

(I'm really down on G4/G5 hardware; it's just ... old, slow, no longer in favor, I'm guessing 1.6 will be the latest G4 OS and 1.7 the last G5 OS... )

 

[umrigar]

I just don't have the $$$ right now for what I want. Too many other things rank higher - car repairs, credit card debt, etc. Important stuff.
I am starting to get enclosures when I can get them cheap, in anticipation of moving them out of the G4 tower. I do know what you mean about performance of newer hardware... I'm glad to be skipping the G5 machines. Favor... well that I could care less about. I'm a Mac user, after all... used to being "out of step."
Oh, and as for the dual G4, I have a 128 MB 4x AGP card in my tower now, that beats the pants off 80 MB "shared w/RAM" integrated video on a mac mini. A decent Intel iMac with 128 or 256 MB GPU, that's another story.
Saw a 17" MBP on CL today for $1500, the beast has 512 MB GPU!

FWIW, eBay auctions for 10.4 are ending around $100 shipped... not exactly dirt cheap.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...rd=1&item=260246338627
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...rd=1&item=150253827689

 

[DW in UT]

Originally posted by: umrigar

FWIW, eBay auctions for 10.4 are ending around $100 shipped... not exactly dirt cheap.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...rd=1&item=260246338627
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...rd=1&item=150253827689

For Mac OS software try looking at the "newest listings" twice a day or so. I've seen many great deals as "buy it now" listings by sellers who somehow had multiple copies or were upgrading to newer systems and just unloading the old discs. They rarely last more than a day before someone snaps them up.

 

[umrigar]

excellent advice, DW