G3 memory

The Apple documentation of maximum memory sizes is inaccurate. Apple never tested denser DIMMs in all models of the beige G3's before they were discontinued, and has been unwilling to certify denser memories.

Many users on these forums, and Mac-saavy memory vendors have done the "heavy lifting" required. Three DIMMs up to 256 MB each can be installed in every model of beige G3, provided that have the correct speed, signal timing, row/column organization, chip density, and for some models, module height.

The desktop model has a 1.15 inch module height limit, the tower model has a 1.25 inch module height limit.

Many users have installed the faster modules intended for the Blue & White G3 -- which are otherwise identical to those for the beige G3 -- in their beige G3, thinking ahead to future processor upgrades. They are generally about the same price.

You can invest the time and energy to become an expert for a one-off memory purchase for your beige G3, or you can follow these rules:

• Buy from a Mac-savvy Vendor, never a department store or PC-only store.
• The memory they sell you will work in your Mac, or your money back. [This costs them money if they sell you bad stuff or the wrong stuff.]
• The memory they sell you will work for your lifetime, or they will replace it, free.

Or if you are in the US, you can just buy these:

http://www.datamem.com/partsthat_fit_list.asp_Q_M_E_PowerMacintosh+G3%28B%26W%29_A_MF_E_Apple_A_C_E

I have been using 3 of these 256MB chips for a few years now with no problems in a Desktop G3. That is the max amount of memory the G3 can utilize. You really need at least 512MB for OS X, with the more the better.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/100SD256324/

If your G3 has the original hard drive of 4 or 6 GB you will find that OS X will be very cramped, if it will fit at all. If you replace the stock drive with a larger drive on the built-in on-board ATA interface, you must have the first partition smaller than 8GB for the OSX installation and booting to work. A PCI expansion ATA interface card of any kind will be much faster than the built-in ATA interface where the original drive is connected, and the PCI ATA drives do not have the 8GB partition requirement.

Up to Mac OS 10.2 is supported on the Beige G3, but if you want to install 10.3 or 10.4, either being more stable than 10.2, you must use a free software utility called XPostFacto to perform the installation and set your boot drive instead of using the Mac OS Startup Disk.
http://eshop.macsales.com/OSXCenter/XPostFacto/

To share a single high-speed internet connection (either DSL or Cable) in your home with multiple computers, you need a router/hub. These also provide a hardware firewall which can provide additional security. You configure the router by a web-based interface, just make sure it is Mac-browser friendly. That would not only allow you to share the internet connection, but also to share files, hard disks for backups, and a printer, (and I think with the latest version of Toast a CD/DVD burner) between the Macs. The built-in Ethernet port on the G3 is rated at a much slower speed than a fiber-optic line is capable of, but it should be adequate for normal home use.

Good luck.

Hi Patrica,

Your beige G3 needs 16 chips on the memory stick, 8 front, 8 back. For some dark reason if you use an 8 chip stick only the front (or is is the back?) 4 are "seen". I noticed that on one of the links posted you have some choice in modules having 8 or 16 chips.

Good luck.
Don Rieg

I seem to be having a problem with some of the memory i have. I recently got 3 128MB sticks from a guy who had them in another model G3. Well, i stick them in mine and only one of them shows up as a 128MB stick (this stick has only 8 chips on it) The other 2 have 16 chips on it and they show up only as 32MB sticks. It is really annoying.

So right now i have the 128MB strip in a 64MB strip i had laying around and the one that is showing up as a 32MB strip.

Anyone know if i install OS X (which i plan to do anyway) if the memory wil be recognized liek it should be?

I don't think the OS will make any difference as to how the machine recognizes the memory. Sounds like they aren't all the same type of memory, (or might be damaged or not fully inserted?) If you plan to install OS X, I think you would really need more than 3x128MB.

Need help with that?
Did you get the package with the router?

To set the parameters (in the router) fire up a Browser and enter the physical address of the router, often 192.168.0.1. The router will send html-formatted screens to the browser which allow you to set its parameters.

When configured, the router will act as your agent on the Internet. It has an Internet-visible address (which may be permanent or assigned by a router farther upstream using DHCP) -- and has an address visible only to your own little Network of Macs. When passing a packet to the Internet on your behalf, it changes the address to its own address. Answers are translated back to your Address and forwarded to you. Unsolicited packets from the Internet are discarded. This process is called Network Address Translation, and provides a simple firewall function.

The router can also pass out local Internet addresses to your Macs using DHCP. So the best way to set it up is to configure it to be a DHCP Server, and enter the DNS - Domain Name Server address there too.

When your Mac starts up, configured for DHCP, it sends out a broadcast packet that says, "Any routers out there who can lease me a [local] Internet Address and tell me where to look up symbolic names (like apple.com)" The router responds, "I'm a router, this is my router address for the Internet, and this is the DNS address you should use". The Mac plugs it into the
System Preferences > Network > (your active interface) TCP/IP panel, and away you go!

If you have installed Mac OS X, Safari should be sitting in the "Applications" folder at top-level of your Boot disk. If you drag it to the dock, you can launch it with a single click.

To make sure it has been updated to the most appropriate version, you can run Software Update from System Preferences or off the Apple menu.

Just curious, but when you get everything working can you run one of those internet connection speed tests on the two computers to do a comparison? (Google "Speed Test" and pick one nearby or use one from your ISP homepage).

Did your ISP provide the router or did you buy it? Do you know what your rated Ethernet speeds are on the router and the G4? What speed is your Fiber Optic Service rated?

Glad you were able to get things working. I hope the Tiger install goes well for you. I could not get the Setup Assistant to run unless I booted with the Shift Key into Safe Mode. Then, I never got the On-line Registration to work, but that is after the computer set up is completed. Apple has a web-page where you can complete the registration. Also, upon the first boot you may notice some sluggishness as the computer is creating searchable indexes of you hard drives. You can see the work the computer is doing by running /Applications/Utilities/Activity Monitor. Or you can click on the magnifying lens in the top right to see that Spotlight is indexing. Wait until that finishes before you start trying to use the machine.

I don't think that you have to have all the same size memory installed, but it may help if they are all the same rated speed. So, you might be able to add one of your original RAM chips back in the empty slot, but if its an older slower type it might not work reliably with the new RAM. Not totally sure about that. If you decide to fill the third slot later, get the same type as the other two.