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SoundTheSurrender

Diamond Member
Mar 13, 2005
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Alright I have a G4 with Os9 installed. The people that have it got it for free from some people that forgot the password.

So I tried to see if I could crack it, but not much info came up.

I see Os 9 on ebat for 35 bucks and the guy didn't want to spend too much. He knows nothing about computers.

Here is what I am going to buy.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-Mac-OS-9-Soft...93QQcategoryZ80257QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Will this work with least amount of hassle? This is my first experience trying to get a Mac Running.

Thanks

 
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tyanni

Senior member
Sep 11, 2001
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Why would you buy OS 9? For 69.99 on ebay you can get OSX, and it should work on your G4 depending on the model. Way better than OS 9.

Tim
 
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imported_Lucifer

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 2004
5,139
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Thats a hardware specific disc. That ebay auction is for an Imac software restore disc. It won't install on the G4.

I agree with Tyanni. OS X is going to be a lot better than OS 9. I've used OS 9 for quite a while. Although I did somewhat like it, it was a bit of a hassle to maintain.
 
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SoundTheSurrender

Diamond Member
Mar 13, 2005
3,126
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The guy doesn't want to spend a lot of money.

Plus, its only a 400 Mhz and 128 megs of ram, I don't think OSx would run well?
 
D

drag

Elite Member
Jul 4, 2002
8,708
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Originally posted by: djmihow
The guy doesn't want to spend a lot of money.

Plus, its only a 400 Mhz and 128 megs of ram, I don't think OSx would run well?
Click to expand...

The CPU is fine. The memory is the bad part. If you can upgrade it to 256 or even 512 megs it would run OS X fine. As it is right now it will chug, but be usable.

I think it will probably use regular (non-ddr) sdram modules. You'll want to check around Mac sites for RAM limitations, Apples docs lie about it or at least there are work arounds.

Aside from upgrading the RAM, upgrading the harddrive (maybe), and installing OS X on it I wouldn't put any more money into it.

OS 9 may work out ok, but it realy sucks.
 
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imported_Lucifer

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 2004
5,139
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The G4 is a great computer. I own one, except the processor was upgraded from 400mhz to 1GHz. It also has 2 hard drives, 18gb and 20gb. Also has OS X on it with 768mb of RAM

OS X will run fine on 400mhz. More RAM would be nice.
 
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SoundTheSurrender

Diamond Member
Mar 13, 2005
3,126
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imported_Lucifer

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 2004
5,139
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Originally posted by: djmihow
Originally posted by: alfa147x
http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-Mac-OS-9-2-1-...66QQcategoryZ80257QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bootable-Mac-OS-9-0...10QQcategoryZ80257QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

i realy liked this one
http://cgi.ebay.com/Install-OS-10-1-and...95QQcategoryZ80258QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Click to expand...


I don't care if its dead or not, its not my pc. The guy just wants a working computer. So anyt of these will work alfa147x?

Thanks
Click to expand...

No, those won't work. 2 of them are hardware specific disc's, while the other is just updates to the OS.

http://www.applerescue.com

You can find a retail version of both OS 9 and OS X fairly cheap.
 
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chcarnage

Golden Member
May 11, 2005
1,751
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If the donors just "forgot the password" but the system CDs still are there I would reformat and begin from scratch. It's not that difficult to find some free OS 9 software for basic needs. It's all ok if the guy just wants a working computer. To get introduced to the Macintosh however, OS 9 is no longer the state of the art ;)

Originally posted by: spherrod
OSX is a far better operating system than OS9, but what will the system be used for? If it's just general browsing, then why not consider Yellow Dog which would cost nothing?

http://www.yellowdoglinux.com/index.shtml/
Click to expand...

YDL is a commercial Linux distribution. (It's still possible to use some free alternatives.)
 
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redbeard1

Diamond Member
Dec 12, 2001
3,006
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It is not absolute that the Imac disks will not work to install the OS. I've used cd's that were supposedly for one model Mac on another. Apple didn't used to that picky with what disks you could use for an installer for OS 9, especially when going backwards to older hardware. I'm pretty sure we had a customer bring us Imac OS 9 disks to restore his G4.
 
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chcarnage

Golden Member
May 11, 2005
1,751
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Yes you need drivers (except for the normal functions of USB mouses and keyboards). Maybe there are Mac drivers on the CDs that came with your peripherals? However it is likely that new and future hardware doesn't have OS 9 support.

Do you have specific peripherals in mind asking this question?
 
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Steve

Lifer
May 2, 2004
15,945
11
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Get more RAM and OS X at least v 10.3. What kind of video card is in there, AGP or PCI?
 
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ub3rnewb

Member
Nov 2, 2005
170
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Ubuntu makes a PowerPC linux, and they'll ship you CDs free. Provided you're willing to wait a couple months...
 
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imported_goku

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2004
7,613
3
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Whats up with these "ram whores" here....? Look, he wants something cheap so he went with OS 9, I personally hate macs but I can definately see his perspective. Who cares if ram is cheap, some/most people don't feel like spending more money. I think what the OP should do is either 1. get the "password cracked" 2. Get the cheapest OS he can find and or just put linux or there.
 
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thirdlegstump

Banned
Feb 12, 2001
8,713
0
0
Originally posted by: djmihow
oh well, its not my computer, hes just learning and doesn't want to spend cash on something this old.
Click to expand...

It's not that old and it'd be well worth it to upgrade to 512MB or even 1GB of memory to run OS X on. It's actually close to performance of a 2.4GHz PC and should last another 5 years or so. Unlike PCs, Macs hold their value and leading performance edge much longer.
 
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Steve

Lifer
May 2, 2004
15,945
11
81
A 400MHz G4 is close to a 2.4GHz PC? Sorry, I don't think so. My mother has a G4 400 and it doesn't feel like 2.4GHz at all.
 
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imported_michaelpatrick33

Platinum Member
Jun 19, 2004
2,364
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Originally posted by: deathkoba
Originally posted by: djmihow
oh well, its not my computer, hes just learning and doesn't want to spend cash on something this old.
Click to expand...

It's not that old and it'd be well worth it to upgrade to 512MB or even 1GB of memory to run OS X on. It's actually close to performance of a 2.4GHz PC and should last another 5 years or so. Unlike PCs, Macs hold their value and leading performance edge much longer.
Click to expand...

You are saying a 400mghrtz G4 will run like a 2.4Ghtrz PC (I am assuming you mean a Pentium IV and not an AMD64 4000+)? That seems a bit of a stretch.
 
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