Problems Installing 7.5.3 on a 7300

[l008com]

I was able to install 7.5.3 then 7.5.5 update with a copy of the original system CD from macintoshgarden. My plan which has worked, is to run a copy of every version: 7.5.5, 7.6.1, 8.1, 8.6, 9.1. I do plan on running ideally 10.0 and 10.4 too but I don't have enough RAM for it yet. Technically I do have enough RAM for 10.0 but xpostfacto still says I don't have enough (64 MB)

 

[just.in.time]

Unless you have a G3 upgrade I don't think you can run past 10.2.8. It was the last one that could be booted on a 603/604 (with the help of xpostfacto). And 10.2.8 is way more refined than 10.0 (when being compared on the same hardware).

All that said, I'd love to be proven wrong and see 10.3 or 10.4 run on a sub G3 processor

 

[l008com]

I'd be happy with literally ANY version of OS X, still got my eye out for this old RAM.

 

[just.in.time]

I've had pretty good luck hunting down RAM for desktop Macs on eBay. Laptops are a bit more difficult.

 

[l008com]

What keywords do you search for? This seems to be nameless memory. I've found a little but the ones I've found were not impressive prices. I almost freaked out when I saw 128 MB DIMMs on OWC for $7.50, but they are out of stock and they told me they're never getting any more.

 

[just.in.time]

Sorry, just now saw this. Getting to 256mb for $20 seems fair. Here is a listing of 4 sticks of 64mb ram that should work... double check specs first just to verify:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/162065692999

256mb will open you up to 10.2.8 comfortably. If the seller has 2 sets and you can get to 512mb, that would only improve things... you do have 8 ram slots, correct?

 

[l008com]

Sorry, just now saw this. Getting to 256mb for $20 seems fair. Here is a listing of 4 sticks of 64mb ram that should work... double check specs first just to verify:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/162065692999

256mb will open you up to 10.2.8 comfortably. If the seller has 2 sets and you can get to 512mb, that would only improve things... you do have 8 ram slots, correct?

I do believe I have 8 ports. What exactly are you searching for to find this old RAM? It doesn't seem to have any unique specs or 'name'. Can you find any 128 MB chips on ebay? If not, I'll grab some of these 64's. 

 

[just.in.time]

I searched for "168 pin 5v dimm"

Everymac site says it needs 70ns or faster, those 64mb sticks are 60ns at 5volts so they should work. I didn't see any 128mb sticks that explicitly say 5volts. I know a lot of RAM at 128mb was also 3.3volts (so the 7300 would fry the lower voltage sticks). If you decide to go hunting for more sticks just make sure it explicitly says 5 volts somewhere in the listing.

On the listing I provided it says that 5 have already sold, and I was able to add 10 to my cart so I think you should be able to do 2 to get 8 sticks total. Hopefully you can locate some 128mb dimms though

 

[rsolberg]

Also of note, the Power Mac 7300 comes standard with FPM (Fast Page Mode) RAM, but can also accept EDO (Extended Data Out) RAM without any performance penalty or benefit. It cannot accept the later SDRAM (it's electrically and mechanically incompatible.) 168-pin 5v (EDO or FPM) modules are keyed differently than 3.3v (SDRAM) modules to avoid disaster, but I have seen the magic smoke released when somebody stubbornly forced the wrong RAM into the slot. It was SDRAM in a 7300, as it happens.

Here's MemoryX's 7300 page for reference.

http://www.memoryx.com/powermac7300.html