More Mac questions

[crokett]

So I traded some HW I wasn't using for a Mac G3 clone for the inlaws. 300mghz processor, undetermined amt of RAM (be surprised if it is more than 128MB). Not much but then they don;t really need it (yet). He says it has Mac OS 8 on it. Where would I go in the OS to find exact specs?

I haven't booted it yet but my initial research says Mac OS 9 will run on the existing HW. Where could I get it cheap (or free)? Does OS 8 support USB? Does 9? Specs for OSX say G3 or better. Does this include the 266 Mghz models? I know I'd need to upgrade the RAM. I have a USB 2.0 card, is there a driver I need or would the Mac OS ship with some sort of generic driver? Assuming I can get USB working and find a card reader, does the MAC OS treat a card like Linux does - just another volume to be mounted?

[dlminehart]

To find out which OS is in use, boot the system, go to the Apple menu in top left corner, select About this Macintosh (or whatever variation is current with your system) from the top of that menu. It'll give you the basics: OS version, amount of RAM. Further down that menu is the Apple System Profile; it'll give you lots more details.

For OS 9 installation CD: OWC may still have OS 9.1 and OS 9.2 install disks available: Mac OS 9.1 full install CD OEM gray (compatible with a Mac or clone that either has a stock G3 processor or has been upgraded), $34.99. Mac OS 9.2 full install CD OEM gray (compatible with a Mac or clone that either has a stock G3 processor or has been upgraded with either a G3 or G4 processor, $37.95.

I'd also check eBay or your local classifieds. Someone selling an old Mac might have a spare copy.

OS 8.1 supported USB on the original Bondi blue iMac. OS 8.5 supported that plus FireWire. I don't think anything short of OS X supported USB 2, unless drivers come with the card. If you can find a driver, Mac OS should treat the card reader like a mountable volume.

See http://www.lowendmac.com/best/beige-g3.html for discussion of using a G3 for OS X.

- David

[crokett]

Ok, so a few more tidbits. The OS is Mac OS 8.5. I have a rockin 96MB of mem, a 300mghz processor and some weird proprietary HW architecture that I am not pleased with. But near as I can tell everything works. Also there are some HDDs in there but it says 'no media inserted' whatever that means.

I think I figured out how to get an IP address from my router, but couldn't figure out how to get to cmd line to check. Also there does not appear to be a web browser installed. There is nothing listed when I click the Apple icon and the control panel thingy says 'can't start or not installed' when I try to configure it. So where can I get one and is there a cmd line ftp client I can use to get it on the system?

Overall, it was nice to use. When the kids are old enough, we may be gettin' a Mac of some sort.

[Anna]

Hi, David,

I only work with 8.x when I really have to, so you'll have to take what I write here with some caveat.

One, 8.6 is a much better/stabler version of that OS. There was a petition circulating some time back to get Apple to release it for free, but I don't know what happened after that. I bought a copy off of eBay two years ago when we lost ours (we have about 7 computers still running that OS). Os 9.1 is the last stable version of the classic OS, so you might want to upgrade to that instead.

You have to read this site: http://www.lowendmac.com/ppc/g3b.shtml. I replaced one logic board because it was Rev A. In any case, you can use pretty much any off the shelf hard drive with it, although I think you're limited to 120 GB. For these older machines, I've only installed up to 80 GB, so I never really found out the upper limit.

For networking, click on the apple thingy on the upper left hand corner, then Control Panels, then TCP/IP. It should behave similarly to other systems from there.

With 8.x, I think the browser was Netscape. Click on the HD, go to the folder Internet. There should be an setup assistant of some sort in there.

Most of the applications that are installed default to the Applications folder, actually.

I'm trying to remember why nothing would show up in the Control Panels.... That problem sounds vaguely familiar. Oh, well. Senior moment.

One more thing, do not ever ever delete stuff from the System Folder. Unless you really know what you're doing. And even then. Some people I know thought they're recovering hard drive space.... Hah.

I haven't installed OS X in a beige G3, but I know it works with the G3 iMacs and the Blue and White G3 and my G3 iBook. You really should try the newer machines, though. Even a G4 will be much much better.

[russd]

Ok, so a few more tidbits. The OS is Mac OS 8.5. I have a rockin 96MB of mem, a 300mghz processor and some weird proprietary HW architecture that I am not pleased with. But near as I can tell everything works. Also there are some HDDs in there but it says 'no media inserted' whatever that means.

I think I figured out how to get an IP address from my router, but couldn't figure out how to get to cmd line to check. Also there does not appear to be a web browser installed. There is nothing listed when I click the Apple icon and the control panel thingy says 'can't start or not installed' when I try to configure it. So where can I get one and is there a cmd line ftp client I can use to get it on the system?

Overall, it was nice to use. When the kids are old enough, we may be gettin' a Mac of some sort.

What make clone is it? OS 8.6 is a free upgrade, also I belive two web broswers came standard with the OS 8.5/8.6 ( netscape and internet explorer) they may not have been installed at time of OS install( user can decide)

As for 'no media inserted' whatever that means. Put a CD/CD rom in the drive and it should show up on the desktop, same thing with a floppy disc if Mac formatted if not it will ask if you want to format?


Been a few years since I have used 8.5/8.6, but i think there also a finder choice under the edit menu/preferences finder (simple finder give you less pull down menus)

Hope this helps and makes it a little clearer

[mac_daddy]

Hi, David,

I only work with 8.x when I really have to, so you'll have to take what I write here with some caveat.

One, 8.6 is a much better/stabler version of that OS. There was a petition circulating some time back to get Apple to release it for free, but I don't know what happened after that. I bought a copy off of eBay two years ago when we lost ours (we have about 7 computers still running that OS). Os 9.1 is the last stable version of the classic OS, so you might want to upgrade to that instead.

You have to read this site: http://www.lowendmac.com/ppc/g3b.shtml. I replaced one logic board because it was Rev A. In any case, you can use pretty much any off the shelf hard drive with it, although I think you're limited to 120 GB. For these older machines, I've only installed up to 80 GB, so I never really found out the upper limit.

For networking, click on the apple thingy on the upper left hand corner, then Control Panels, then TCP/IP. It should behave similarly to other systems from there.

With 8.x, I think the browser was Netscape. Click on the HD, go to the folder Internet. There should be an setup assistant of some sort in there.

Most of the applications that are installed default to the Applications folder, actually.

I'm trying to remember why nothing would show up in the Control Panels.... That problem sounds vaguely familiar. Oh, well. Senior moment.

One more thing, do not ever ever delete stuff from the System Folder. Unless you really know what you're doing. And even then. Some people I know thought they're recovering hard drive space.... Hah.

I haven't installed OS X in a beige G3, but I know it works with the G3 iMacs and the Blue and White G3 and my G3 iBook. You really should try the newer machines, though. Even a G4 will be much much better.

OSX on a beige G3 is shabby...at best. I usually turn off ALL of the special effects to get the speed up.

I've got a G4 Sawtooth with a wireless card with Tiger on it. I was thinking of playing around with yellowdog, but just don't want to spend too much time away from my other hobbies. Especially since I already do tech support to fund my habits.

[Anna]

What make clone is it?

Didn't Apple kill the clones before the G3?

Mac_Daddy: Haven't tried OS X with the beige G3, but it works okay with the other G3s I have. I don't think it's the CPU as much as the RAM that's important. For email and websurfing, the G3 should be just fine. I'm actually unsure which is faster on the G3: OS 9 or OS X. It never ceases to amaze me that each OS X update seems to make my machines run faster. I won't do heavy video or photo editing on my G3 iBook, but it's okay for most other things.

I also have the Sawtooth with an upgraded CPU (1 GHz) and 1 GB of RAM. Works fine with Tiger. I even used it for some video editing, in a pinch.

[crokett]

Well this one is a 233 mghz machine with 96 mg RAM and a 1 GB HDD Since it is so old and proprietary I'd have to work real hard to find any upgrades.

I think the best I think I could do is Mac OS 9. I would have to find a copy and then figure out how to install it. For the moment I can't find a web browser on it, that is the first problem. after that it is trying to figure out the modem and how to get it to connect to dial-up service. It does have some weird ethernet transceiver but my inlaws probably won't pay for high-speed. I will pull it back out of the closet in a few weeks and probably bother you all some more.

meantime I will do more research on the HW and see what info is out there. I can say the thing is a tank. wondering if was some sort of hardened industrial machine.

thanks for the link to the low end mac site. looks like a lot of good info there.

[russd]

" Didn't Apple kill the clones before the G3? "

I recall Power Computing coming out with a G3 right before Apple/Steve Jobs came back. Of all the clones I have /still own( Power Computing,Starmax,Umax) I like the Power Computing best. Some Of them can only take a certain amount of RAM ( Umax C600, 144 meg) G3 daugther cards will fit a varitey of machines.

Crokett stated it was clone so that is why asked what make/model it is.

If it is turned on, Apple guide/help can walk you thur most tasks on the Mac.