10.3.9 G4 GMac

It would be helpful to know more about your computer. Go to the apple in the upper left corner of a Finder window, select "about" and then "More" Copy and paste the main information such as:

Machine Name: Power Mac G4
Machine Model: PowerMac3,5
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (2.1)
Number Of CPUs: 2
CPU Speed: 800 MHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 256 KB
L3 Cache (per CPU): 2 MB
Memory: 1.5 GB
Bus Speed: 133 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.2.5f1
Serial Number: omitted
Sales Order Number: M8361LL/A

but leave out the serial number.

If you are running 10.3.9 the question is how far to upgrade. Your computer may be able the run Tiger or Leopard, but which depends upon the model. Both Tiger and Leopard are hard to find and may even cost more than when they were being sold by Apple (who does not sell old OS versions).

Upgrading may involve more than buying a new OS. If it gets too costly one then needs to consider buying a new or used computer. If that's the case you might want to jump to a model which can run the current OS, Snow Leopard. Note that if you use a lot of old software this may no longer work under SL and you have to factor in the cost of those upgrades too.

Do you ever sleep? 😉

I'd go for 2 of these...

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/2700DDR1024/

But how much Free Spave do you have on your Hard Drive?

Your computer is capable of running Leopard. BDaqua posts links to RAM upgrades that would be necessary to run Leopard but would make pretty much any version of OSX run faster.

Advantages to Leopard: You're still running an OS that is supported by Apple and software developers. Tiger is kind of like Panther except it isn't old enough yet for the lack of support to be really noticeable.

Disadvantages to Leopard: No Classic, if you still run OS9 generation software.

Disadvantages to both: Neither is easy to find and both will likely cost as much as they did new.

General comment: The PPC generation of computers is being left behind. The newest OS only runs on Intel Macs. Apple typically supports the newest OS and the OS that is one generation old (Leopard right now). Yes, Leopard is still being supported but already I see "Intel only" software out there. Figure out bottom line cost for doing what you want to do. Software. Hardware. Other considerations on keeping the old computer current for a few more years. Hard drive upgrade? I know, for example, that I hesitate doing any further upgrades on any component on my computer because it won't be economical. I might as well ave my money and get a used Intel Mac rather than spend $100 on a PCI card, $100 on a bigger HD, $130 on Leopard (which in theory I can't run anyway), etc. For all that I could get a low-end used Intel Mac.

Tracy,


As said in the most recent post, your computer is "capable" of running Leopard. If you think its unusable now, wait until you drop 10.5 on the poor eMac. Leopards is the best system so far for sure! but not on your machine. Givin' the specs of your machine, the best operating system is tiger. I will tell you from personal experience as i owned a G4 Sawtooth with processor upgrades, an expensive video card, and 1.5GB ram. The Operating system totally choked on the bus and it was like watching paint dry. Bottom line, It will not be the latest and greatest, but will be geared more appropriately toward your hardware. Leopard was a transitional operating system for the PPC/Intel move. PPC is older hardware and requires code written for the architecture to be the most optimal. The good news is, Tiger is still supported by many applications and hardware vendors.

Best of luck!


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