PowerMac G4 Back in service

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Level 1

5 points

PowerMac G4 Back in service

While cleaning up the house I found my old Mac computers. Would like to make 1 G4 computer useable for my old games and business files.

My 2 questions are:

1 Can I add a superdrive to the mainframe? I have an external brand x USB drive, but I would like to use the old reliable Apple drive in the unit.

2 I have 4 drives installed. 2 60Gb (Apple of course) and a 320 and a 500Gb are installed. Can I set them up so I can boot up as System 7, or System 8, or System 9, or OSX? I would like to be able to go to the Startup Preference pane and choose the "system of the day"?

I have been an Apple user since their stock was $8 and have an SE20, so I am familiar with some Apple products. Any help or guidance would be great.

Posted on Feb 7, 2024 7:30 AM

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Answer 1

Jeff

Level 6

12,202 points

Feb 7, 2024 10:41 PM in response to Hawk12-74

You can add a DVD±RW drive to the G4, which would be an IDE/ATAPI version. The Pioneer models manufactured at least 10 years ago were the most compatible with Apple computers in terms of recognition and functionality. You'd have to search online for what would likely be a used drive, like the DVR-109BK. When ASUS began manufacturing some of Pioneer's 16x optical drives and all of the 18x models, many users felt that the quality wasn't as good. One way to differentiate is the location of the manual eject hole on the front bezel. Pioneer-made drives had it positioned over to the left and the ASUS-manufactured models had it on the right side, close to the eject button. As for booting from a number of OS versions, you can do that with the Startup Manager. Keep in mind that your G4 can't boot from a version that's older than what it shipped with, so that leaves out OS 7.x and most versions of OS 8.x. The first G4 towers (PCI and AGP) shipped with OS 8.6, so that's the earliest OS version you can expect to boot from, IF you have one of those models. The Gigabit Ethernet models that followed shipped with OS 9.0.4. As far as running OS X, 10.4.11 is the last supported version on any of them. Locate your model on Everymac's database for specifics.

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Answer 2

Feb 8, 2024 11:54 PM in response to Hawk12-74

You can some useful detailed specs, like OS compatible versions for all Macs here:

https://everymac.com/

I think the G4's were mostly shipping with OS 9 or later, I am not sure if any of them can run OS 7 or 8.

MacOS 9 can only boot from a partition less than 200GB in size. But it can be installed on the same partition as a version of OS X.

You can use a MacOS 9 System Folder for the Classic Environment emulation when booted into OS X, until 10.4 I think, but some OS 9 games won't work in Classic Emulation mode, I think TIE Fighter/X-Wing might have been in that category.

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Answer 3

Hawk12-74 Author

Level 1

5 points

Feb 9, 2024 1:41 PM in response to Jeff

Thanks for the responses. The computer label says is: PMG4 867MHZ DP/256MB PC2100/60GB/Combo/GF4MX 56K. I'm running Version 10.5.8. DVD drive appears to be a Toshiba DVD-ROM SD-R1312. I do have a Pioneer to put in. I'll check the eject location.

Back in the early 2000's I was running my laser tag business with a 7100-66. Bungie had the best games at the time (I am not a regular game player but the Marathon game was great.) All my records are on 1.40M 3.5" disks.

I used the Startup Manager and just restarted the computer to OS 9.2.2. Found over 1800 songs on iTunes 2! Plus a lot of business and personal files. Actually found what I was looking for. Still want to get the Marathon game running, but I think that is available on a DVD.

Looked up my computer on the link you sent. Found the info. I definitely have the wind tunnel power supply!

Thank you for your help Jeff.

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Answer 4

Feb 9, 2024 1:45 PM in response to Hawk12-74

Best Bungie game ever, just before HALO came out, so perhaps overshadowed by that release somewhat:

Oni.

Not sure if you can find that one around anymore.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oni_(video_game)

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Answer 5

Hawk12-74 Author

Level 1

5 points

Feb 9, 2024 1:56 PM in response to Glen Doggett

Thank you for responding. I found an old drive that had OS 9.2 on it. Since I was using an external drive adapter the G4 took a long time to find the OS 9 operating system tucked away on an external drive. However the G4 would not Restart after I chose it as the restart OS. Ended up unplugging the primary hard drive and the computer had to do some searching to find OS 9.2. But it did, and found a lot of old files from yesteryear.

I don't remember my old computer screen looking so ancient. I am going to research the Classic Environment you mentioned. I remember using Classic, but not how I got to it.

I have all the install CD's and DVD's for most of the Operating Systems going back to the SE20. Just have to find them...

Thanks for your help.

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PowerMac G4 Back in service

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