macinbot
Well-known member
I've got an iMac G4/800 Flat Panel. It's the original "high end" launch model (everymac.com info page), that boots into both OS X 10.1+ and OS 9. I want to max out the RAM, upgrade the hard drive and put in a different DVD reader.
My plan with this computer is to create an Mac OS museum on the machine that will boot OS 9 and OS X 10.1-10.5, plus OS 1.0 through possibly 8.x via emulation.
I know Apple initially shipped these with PC100 and then later revised the spec to call for PC133. Does anyone know if that's because a bus speed issue, or is it because there was RAM floating around that was being under-speced (labeled PC100, but not meeting the speed) and causing problems? The reason I ask is I have two 512mb 168-pin DIMMs that have been happily living in a G4 tower without problem. I would like to take one and use it for the upper slot of the iMac. Also, if that works, does anyone see a problem with PC100 mixed with PC133? I have a 512mb 144-pin 133mhz so-dimm ready to go into the lower user slot.
Despite Apple's official docs, I don't believe there is a problem using HDs larger than 128mb in the original launch iMac G4s, as long as OS X 10.2 or later is used. If I install a larger hard drive and partition into smaller chunks, will that allow 10.1 to see at least its own partition? Can OS 9 see larger HDs natively or do 10.1 and/or OS 9 need a special driver for that?
I think from 10.4 on, OS X allows basically any standard DVD drive to be installed, but on earlier versions it requires a special driver/kext, is that correct? The Pioneer in this iMac (and the one from my G4/800 "X Only") is really flaky. I've been testing out a LG drive that seems to be really solid under 10.4 and I would like to use that.
My plan with this computer is to create an Mac OS museum on the machine that will boot OS 9 and OS X 10.1-10.5, plus OS 1.0 through possibly 8.x via emulation.
I know Apple initially shipped these with PC100 and then later revised the spec to call for PC133. Does anyone know if that's because a bus speed issue, or is it because there was RAM floating around that was being under-speced (labeled PC100, but not meeting the speed) and causing problems? The reason I ask is I have two 512mb 168-pin DIMMs that have been happily living in a G4 tower without problem. I would like to take one and use it for the upper slot of the iMac. Also, if that works, does anyone see a problem with PC100 mixed with PC133? I have a 512mb 144-pin 133mhz so-dimm ready to go into the lower user slot.
Despite Apple's official docs, I don't believe there is a problem using HDs larger than 128mb in the original launch iMac G4s, as long as OS X 10.2 or later is used. If I install a larger hard drive and partition into smaller chunks, will that allow 10.1 to see at least its own partition? Can OS 9 see larger HDs natively or do 10.1 and/or OS 9 need a special driver for that?
I think from 10.4 on, OS X allows basically any standard DVD drive to be installed, but on earlier versions it requires a special driver/kext, is that correct? The Pioneer in this iMac (and the one from my G4/800 "X Only") is really flaky. I've been testing out a LG drive that seems to be really solid under 10.4 and I would like to use that.