Upgrading a G4 iMac - Stupid Question Amnesty Please

Question

Upgrading a G4 iMac - Stupid Question Amnesty Please

So I've been looking into buying a classic (old) Apple as a starter product, to learn about Mac and to use as a media library to use with my iPod Classic (which is my only Apple product so far and I love).

I was thinking of buying a Clamshell iBook G3 in Graphite because I liked the style so much but since looking into in I think that bearing in mind its memory and usability and the limited effect any upgrades might have I've decided that something a little more current might be better.

I then looked at a G4 iMac, again partly because it looks so good, it really is a modern icon, and I have agreed to buy a iMac G4/1.0 15 inch "FP" (USB 2.0)

I should point out that my experience of Apples is limited to just my iPod and my technical upgrade knowledge is limited to just upgrading my iRiver's battery and memory by following some instructions, so good at learning and following instructions, beyond that iffy!

It has only 512 RAM which I think will be the first thing I upgrade but from looking to guides on the web and YouTube I think I can handle that in that its just a case of using the expansion slot in the base and then swapping the larger RAM with the stick deeper in the base.

So that being okay (I think?)

I want to upgrade the hard drive from its present 80GB to something a little bigger to dump MP3s (which are propably already near to the limit of the G4's capabilities) and I've been looking at a 500GB upgrade which should be future proof for what I have in mind, which is to use it as a music and film jukebox.

So I was looking to install a Western Digital 500GB Blue 7200rpm 16MB SATA 6Gb/s as an upgrade.

Aside from the swapping of the hard drives physically I don't know too much more about what I might have to do, I think I can hand the unplugging and plugging in part but after that I am pretty clueless

So I am a little worried if I plow on mindlessly to do this I might end up with a non-working G4, can anyone advise me as to what I will need to do?

I know this sounds like dreadful newbie behaviour but I think these upgrades could be really great and mean that a beautiful G4 will go on to years of love and constant use, any thoughts? Particularly I want to know if this system will need more done to it to work with my WiFi?

Thanks, Wizard

iBook

Posted on Jan 6, 2013 2:43 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 6, 2013 2:50 PM in response to wizrad of drivel

What is your budget?

When you think about how much you wil spend after doing all the upgrades, you will realize that you might be less than $100 below buing a new Mac MINI.

If I were you I would not waste your time with G4.

Especially due to your media library compatibility with future iTunes versions.

If you buys a used mac, I suggest you buy a mac mini.

If you buy a laptop or iMac, and the LCD, keyboard trackpad dies, you might end up with a pile of scrap.

Mac mini would be a perfect starter solution.

If you can afford it I suggest you go no lower than Core 2 Duo, o you can run at least Snow leopard.

I bought a refurboshed mini directly from Apple for $400 and free shipping.

If I were you, I'd wait until apple releases a new MINI and then lep watching their refurbished store every day - they will release some good discounted old models, way below $500.

Most importantly: you can't make a mistake with a Mac! :-)

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Answer 2

Jan 6, 2013 2:58 PM in response to Jiri Krecek

Hmm thats an interesting thought but unfortunately here in Ireland the Mac mini works out at around €400 more than a G4 even after I've thrown a load of new kit on to it 😮

Plus I like the idea of reusing something classic that looks so cool and the thought of learning about it and upgrading seems pretty fun to me

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Answer 3

Jan 6, 2013 4:23 PM in response to wizrad of drivel

Do you mean this beauty?

I own one, but just for fun. I have spent time and money on it. I have upgraded the RAM - this is not a fun job, (in fact the RAM that is not supposed to be for Users' to upgrade is hidden deep, and by the way, the two RAM sticks are not interchangeable) and I installed an Airport Wireless card - not difficult. That for wireless connectivity.

If you plan to get this because it is a jewel to be cherished, more power to you. The Harmon Kardon speakers alone are unique, real beauties. But as an everyday computer, with the maximum OS being 10.4.11, it is a decade too late.

See here for detailed specs:

http://www.apple-history.com/imac_flat

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Answer 4

Jan 6, 2013 4:23 PM in response to Eustace Mendis

Well its not really meant as a work unit more just as a beautiful thing and a cool way of play music or the odd dvd

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Answer 5

Jan 6, 2013 4:25 PM in response to wizrad of drivel

If that's it, why not? I'd go for it. But then, I already did!!

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Answer 6

Jan 6, 2013 4:31 PM in response to Eustace Mendis

So just to clarify if I'm upgrading the RAM with 2x 1GB sticks, these aren't the same model number? they are two distint and different models and if I order two of the same I'd have gone wrong?

The one I'd seen was:

http://www.dabs.ie/products/crucial-1gb-200pin-sodimm-pc2700-ddrram-non-parity-3 1BB.html

I was going to order up two of these ba-boys to get the project started

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Answer 7

Jan 6, 2013 4:56 PM in response to wizrad of drivel

There are two different types of RAM in there - at least there are in mine. And I have been inside mine!

Here's what RAM Direct - my RAM provider of choice - has to say:

These RAM upgrade specs are the same for both versions of this flat-panel iMac.

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Answer 8

Jan 6, 2013 6:16 PM in response to Eustace Mendis

Thats brilliant !

I'm much more on track with this now 😁

Does anyone have a model number for a replacement upgrade Hard Disk?

I was trying to track down one of these:

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Western%20Digital/WD5000AAKB/

But they look to have been discontinued??

Are these a good substitute or have I got the wrong kind of unit here?

http://www.dabs.ie/products/western-digital-500gb-blue-7200rpm-16mb-sata-6gb-s-7 823.html

It looks close but is this the right thing?

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Answer 9

Jan 6, 2013 6:32 PM in response to wizrad of drivel

It looks close but is this the right thing?

No, that is a SATA drive. You need the old style ATA (aka PATA) drive. ATA and SATA are not interchangeable. There are adapters, but you won't be able to fit one inside the globe.

To my knowledge no one makes ATA drives any more - you will have to find someone with old stock, or perhaps a used drive.

By the way, this is useful video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXVIgTaNjoY

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Answer 10

rccharles

Level 6

12,957 points

Jan 6, 2013 6:54 PM in response to Eustace Mendis

I like xlr8yourmac for technical write-ups.

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/imac_g4/imacg4_takeapart.html

--------------------------------------------------

You will want to run Leopard on the g4.

Requirements for Mac OS X v10.5

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3759

Or at least Tiger.

Mac OS X 10.4: System requirements

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1514

---------------------------------------------------

An external drive would be more flexiable.

It might destroy the look. You could hide it under a table.

I run my iMac g3 600 off of an external firewire 400. Seems to run the same as my internal drive.

Check that you can get the older version of iTunes you will need. ( I assume so. ) Check that it supports your ipod. Don't expect to get support for a newer iDevice. Apple supports xp but not equally old versions of Mac OS X.

You need an external Firewire drive to boot a PowerPC Mac computer.

I recommend you do a google search on any external harddrive you are looking at.

I bought a low cost external drive enclosure. When I started having trouble with it, I did a google search and found a lot of complaints about the drive enclosure. I ended up buying a new drive enclosure. On my second go around, I decided to buy a drive enclosure with a good history of working with Macs. The chip set seems to be the key ingredient. The Oxford line of chips seems to be good. I got the Oxford 911.

Has everything interface:

FireWire 800/400 + USB2, + eSATA 'Quad Interface'

&

save a little money interface:

FireWire 400 + USB 2.0

This web page lists both external harddrive types. You may need to scroll to the right to see both.

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/1394/USB/EliteAL/eSATA_FW800_FW400_USB

The latest the hard drive enclosures support the newer serial ata drives. The drive and closure that I list supports only older parallel ata.

Here is an external hd enclosure.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/MEFW91UAL1K/

Here is what one contributor recommended:

http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=10452917#10452917

Folks in these Mac forums recommend LaCie, OWC or G-Tech.

Here is a list of recommended drives:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=5564509#5564509

FireWire compared to USB. You will find that FireWire 400 is faster than USB 2.0 when used for a external harddrive connection.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Serial_Bus#USB_compared_to_FireWire

http://www23.tomshardware.com/storageexternal.html

How to format an external harddrive:

http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=11095144#11095144

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Answer 11

Jan 7, 2013 9:43 AM in response to rccharles

Thanks for the info and the links, I think I'm going to stick my neck out and try for the internal upgrade though, for the challenge and space reasons

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Answer 12

rccharles

Level 6

12,957 points

Jan 7, 2013 2:21 PM in response to wizrad of drivel

How are you planning on installing software on the new drive? Will the seller be supplying the original cd/dvds?

?

Here are two utilities for making a complete backup of your internal hard drive. I've recommend using one of these so that you can create a bootable system on your external hard drive. ( PPC require a firewire connected drive. ) Once created, you can run your system from the external drive. Hold down the option key on your keyboard then power on your machine. This will bring you in startup manager click on the drive image you wish to boot then click on the arrow key to the right.

"Clone, synchronize, backup. Schedule and forget it."

http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html

"SuperDuper is the wildly acclaimed program that makes recovery painless, because it makes creating a fully bootable backup painless."

http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html

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Answer 13

Jan 7, 2013 2:34 PM in response to rccharles

This is the part that I was very concerned about, I was a bit concerned that if I took out the hard drive and put in a new (blank) one I might be up he creek, so thanks ALOT for this!

I don't have a second Apple to boot it from though, if I cloned onto CD maybe would that work? or could I use my samsung laptop?

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Answer 14

rccharles

Level 6

12,957 points

Jan 7, 2013 3:03 PM in response to wizrad of drivel

You might attached both drives to the iMac g4 when you have it apart. One hd to the hd drive & the other to the cd/dvd connector. Can not tell what size cd/dvd drive they are using. Sometimes there are funny cables to cd/dvd drives/ This reports seems to imply "standard" ide/ata cables & power cables.

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/imac_g4/imacg4_takeapart.html

I don't think cloning to cd is possible/easy.

Don't forget:

"There are now two silver heatsink bars instead of one, creating two spots that need to have the thermal paste replaced."

Robert

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Answer 15

Jan 7, 2013 3:20 PM in response to rccharles

Hmm I like the sound of that, so in other words I might be able to take apart the iMac, disconnect the CD/DVD drive and connect the new blank HD in it's place, clone from the old HD to the new one, power down, unplug the two HD drives, replace the old HD with the new cloned drive, replace cd/dvd drive and proceed to reassemble?

... all the time being sure to apply lashings of heat sink paste😝

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