What to do with G4 mac?

al_bundy · 07-09-09, 06:44 PM

Got my hands on a 400mhz model today for free. How much can I upgrade and will os x 10.5.7 run on it?

mbs · 07-09-09, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by al_bundy

Got my hands on a 400mhz model today for free. How much can I upgrade and will os x 10.5.7 run on it?

10.4.11 is the latest version of OS X that a 400 MHz G4 will support.

al_bundy · 07-10-09, 08:29 AM

will 10.5.7. install or will anything later than 10.4.11 refuse to install?

Adboy151 · 07-10-09, 09:52 AM

Natively from a disc, I would guess that it generates some sort of error message and won't start the process.

I bet it could be done if you Firewire the G4 to a faster/newer Mac that supports Leopard and install from the faster Mac via target disc mode. (To that end as well, you could take out the HD, put it in an enclosure, connect to another Mac and do an install.)

There's likely also some sort of Terminal trick out there too; the Google may be your friend.

fumanstan · 07-10-09, 10:11 AM

What to do? It's hammer time!

al_bundy · 07-10-09, 01:47 PM

what kind of hardware upgrades can i do on it? OS X 10.5.7 says 867MHz CPU

http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-Power-Mac-...3%3A1|294%3A50

ebay is full of cheapo parts like this. will this work? then all i have to do is find RAM, HD and buy the OS

printerati · 07-10-09, 10:55 PM

No, the 400 MHz models cannot use the "MDD" or "Digital Audio" G4 processor pulls due to a bus speed difference. I believe there is also a voltage issue. Your only option is to purchase one of the G4 ZIF upgrades from Powerlogix, Sonnet, or Newer Technology, none of which are cheap (or, IMHO, even worth it, unless you need a screaming fast OS 9 box).

EDIT: Alternately, you can see how well one of these work for you...

http://charlesorourke.com/2007/11/in...c-g4-sawtooth/

http://lowendmac.com/osx/leopard/openfirmware.html

07-09-09, 06:44 PM	#1
al_bundy DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Transfatfreeville Posts: 22,210	What to do with G4 mac? Got my hands on a 400mhz model today for free. How much can I upgrade and will os x 10.5.7 run on it?

07-10-09, 08:29 AM	#3
al_bundy DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Transfatfreeville Posts: 22,210	Re: What to do with G4 mac? will 10.5.7. install or will anything later than 10.4.11 refuse to install?

07-10-09, 09:52 AM	#4
Adboy151 DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 3,706	Re: What to do with G4 mac? Natively from a disc, I would guess that it generates some sort of error message and won't start the process. I bet it could be done if you Firewire the G4 to a faster/newer Mac that supports Leopard and install from the faster Mac via target disc mode. (To that end as well, you could take out the HD, put it in an enclosure, connect to another Mac and do an install.) There's likely also some sort of Terminal trick out there too; the Google may be your friend. Last edited by Adboy151; 07-10-09 at 10:10 AM.

07-10-09, 10:11 AM	#5
fumanstan DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 22,203	Re: What to do with G4 mac? What to do? It's hammer time! __________________ XBox Live: Fu Man Stan "I've never derived "joy" from either comicbooks or torture porn, so you can imagine how I feel about the mainstream marriage of the two in The Dark Knight" - baracine

07-10-09, 01:47 PM	#6
al_bundy DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Transfatfreeville Posts: 22,210	Re: What to do with G4 mac? what kind of hardware upgrades can i do on it? OS X 10.5.7 says 867MHz CPU http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-Power-Mac-...3%3A1\|294%3A50 ebay is full of cheapo parts like this. will this work? then all i have to do is find RAM, HD and buy the OS

07-10-09, 10:55 PM	#7
printerati DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 2,057	Re: What to do with G4 mac? No, the 400 MHz models cannot use the "MDD" or "Digital Audio" G4 processor pulls due to a bus speed difference. I believe there is also a voltage issue. Your only option is to purchase one of the G4 ZIF upgrades from Powerlogix, Sonnet, or Newer Technology, none of which are cheap (or, IMHO, even worth it, unless you need a screaming fast OS 9 box). EDIT: Alternately, you can see how well one of these work for you... http://charlesorourke.com/2007/11/in...c-g4-sawtooth/ http://lowendmac.com/osx/leopard/openfirmware.html Last edited by printerati; 07-10-09 at 11:03 PM.