Keeping my old powermac G4 cube...

I think it depends on what software is already on it. You can;t get anything new that still works on PowerPC.

I kept a G4 MDD for two reasons:

1) it had a paid-for, non-subscription copy of Adobe Creative Suite that still does what I need today.

2) My MDD is the last of the OS9-bootable models and I have a CAD program and old version of Freehand that I need to maintain a series of technical drawings I started 17 years ago. Neither was updated for OSX and neither works properly in OSX's "Classic" environment. If I boot in to OS(, they fill my needs completely

The downside I suffer is web browsing. A lot of the "behind-the-scenes" function in web pages is not longer optimized for PowerPC processors. I find that, even with the very nice TenFourFox browser for PPC, some things take forever to load. Looking at the status line I can see it is usually some background connection that is the hang up. On my Intel Macs, those background things are so fast that they are completely transparent. Embedded video will fall between difficult and impossible to play.

If I had Office 2004 I would probably do all my writing on either the G4 or a 1.42ghz eMac we still have. Office 2004 was the best version of Office; everything since seems a step backwards. 2004 was the last PPC-only Office release.

So if you can get software that is contemporary with the Cube at estate sales or through a Mac User Group, the Cube still works.

There may be an iFixit.com repair guide w/ section on how to replace

the clock battery (or what it looks like, & how to get old out out, etc)

because several older models need the battery to even start up.

•Power Mac G4 Cube Repair - iFixit

//ifixit.com/Device/Power_Mac_G4_Cube

Some older games and a few applications may be found on sites such

as this http://macintoshgarden.org/all however as acquisitions by some

larger companies of smaller ones continue, their intellectual properties

and holdings may no longer be available under previous agreements.

The LowEndMac site may still have some links that work, about G4 Cube.

Replacement ATA/IDE hard disk drives and memory chips may be found

online, however not having researched their numbers, I'm at a loss there.

owc macsales site offers 'mercury legacy SSD' ATA/IDE drives; also a few

optical drives for G4 such as the Mac mini. One may have to ask what fits.

Given the vintage, older pre-X applications from the era should be available

from sites where vintage collectables sometimes reside or go for a coffee.

welovemacs.com may have some titles, for a price. amazon affiliates may,

ebay could have; and old mac users in your location could have some.

A way to look inside without taking it apart; this is not a repair guide:

Power Mac G4 Cube Teardown - iFixit

Hardware replacement original equipment parts to restore/repair these,

are likely the larger issue. Power supplies, logic boards, & etc. Few to

none, refurbished or old-pulls could be equally questionable, if found.

Or maybe new-old stock? A few lurkers hiding from landfill collectors.

owc macsales has info:

PowerMac G4 Cube

Model ID: PowerMac5,1

450MHz, 500MHz

Detailed specs

Install Videos

So the clock battery and its replacement may be among first priority.

~ This before it may even awaken, or begin to act like it is sleeping.

Looks to use 3.6V 1/2AA Lithium battery such as one from here:

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer+Technology/BAA36VPRAM/

And old hard disk drives may have 'frozen' so the platters don't spin.

Styli have forgotten how to trace the essence of data long forgotten.

Keyboard shortcuts for use in old pre-X Mac OS? Some haven't changed.

Have fun...

Good luck & happy trails! 🙂

You could turn either or both of those into a Macquarium!

I run a cube as an itunes server. If it’s still going I’ll take it off you- shame to waste still-working tech!

If need a power supply for a G4 MDD, let me know. I got a free one when they offered replacements for the "hair dryer issue," but never got around to using it.