Score! G3 Blue and White

[Temetka]

I just picked up a B&W machine from a friend.

Price: $0

Specs:

300MHz G3

16MB Rage 128

60GB (dead) HD

CD-ROM

Ethernet / Modem / Firewire USB

1024MB RAM (2 of the 256mb sticks show as 128 giving a total of 768MB)

Upgrades performed:

Powerlogix 500MHz G3 @ 550MHz

Sonnet ATA/100 Card + new IBM 60GB HD

Rage Orion 32MB PCI Card

USB 2.0 Card (doesn't seem to work, damn you Fry's)

It is currently running Panther right now until I can figure out how to get Tiger on it. For it's specs and age and I quite surprised by how nicely my apps work and how quick the machine is. I don't plan on putting any money into the machine as all the upgrade parts I already had and I am saving for a Macbook Pro.

 

[MacNoob]

Super! Especially for the price!

 

[MacMan]

Good score, especially with the large amount of RAM. It'll run even better once you've got Tiger on it.

 

[Temetka]

UPDATE:

The machine is now running at 500MHz. The extra 50MHz was causing random kernel panics. That has now been fixed.

I am quite amazed at the speed of the machine given it's meager upgrade that I put into it. I am looking at picking up a DPG4 in the near future and based on the performance of the B&W machine, I can't wait for the near future to hurry up and get here. A few upgrades, and then Leopard.

Yes I will be attending the launch.

 

[Patrickool93]

The Leopard launch?

 

[Quadraman]

A few years ago I had a chance to buy a pair of them for $100, which was a good price at the time. One was a 300 the other was a 350. I still kick myself for not grabbing them.

 

[quinterro]

USB 2.0 Card (doesn't seem to work, damn you Fry's)

What chipset is on the card? If it's Via, forget it. I couldn't get it to work on a PC either. NEC and Ali chipsets seem to work well though.

My G4 has an NEC 5-port card that I got for less than $20.

 

[LSD]

Heh, that's VIA for you

 

[Temetka]

VIA = Stay Away.

Didn't check the chipset. Didn't really care. So I will just the USB 1.1 connection for now. I am saving up money for both a MBP and a Quicksilver. The B&W wouldn't be in my house unless it was free.

 

[iMac600]

Agere Systems made some good cards as well, those work in the Power Macs flawlessly.

I'll join in by throwing my blind rage at VIA.

 

[Unknown_K]

Won't be long before the early G4's will be a throw away item, then my quest for the last OS 9 booting G4 will be complete.

 

[jkoci]

Won't be long before the early G4's will be a throw away item

I agree. Maybe within a year or two.

 

[Quadraman]

Won't be long before the early G4's will be a throw away item, then my quest for the last OS 9 booting G4 will be complete.

You can probably pick up a Yikes! motherboard cheap and just swap it directly into the G3 since it is pretty much the same design. You won't be able to use your ADB devices anymore, though.