Hi guys..

I just bought another mac (woooooohoooo!) on ebay..

it's a 500mhz G4 tower with DVD-RAM (apparently apple OEM) with AGP graphics with VGA and DVI outs...

I've had a powerbook ti 15" for 18 months so i'm not a newbie to macs, but just not sure what the difference between "Quicksilver" and the rest of the macs are... I've tried googling but can't find a definitive answer...

My other question is about upgrading.. Currently there is a 28gb hard disk in there, but i want to put it at least another 100gb.. can i use any old PC hardware ATA 7200rpm disk?
Likewise with ram? Any old SD RAM?

Thanks guys!!

Impatiently waiting for my new G4...

jimmy

also, could someone tell me about what a "mirrordoor" G4 is and how it varies? thanks.

try this place...

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

try this link

http://www.apple.com/support/powermac/g4/

Mark

As far as RAM and Hard drives/dvd drives go, they will all work with no problem.
Video cards and some other cards like Serial ATA controllers will require firmware updates, due to the difference between BIOS (PC) and Open-Firmware (Mac).

Thanks guys. Yinyang, your website did show me what the mirror door was all about: its a mirrored drive door.

However, it has a major mistake in the latest powerbook entry describing our powerbooks: It says that only the 17" pBook got the extra option of 128MB RAM, when in fact it should read "both the 1.5Ghz 15" and the 1.5Ghs 17" powerbooks came with the BTO (or CTO same thing) option of 128 MB VRAM"

Its VRAM in the GPU, not just normal RAM. It is misleading and just plain wrong.

Ah i think pedantisism is a genetic trait of my family. (grins at kim)

thanks for the links

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58418

i'm pretty sure mines an "AGP Graphics"

but the apple site mentions 350, 400, 450, dual 450, dual 500, 466, 533, 667, 733, etc.. but no single 500mhz...


but it has a DVI & VGA graphics card, and a DVD-RAM (but that could have been upgraded)
the card is a ATI 16MB AGP RAGE 128

so confused as to what i got! i guess i'll find out soon!
So long as it can take airport and lots more ram and HDD!

at least now i know what the differences between them are and how to upgrade thanks for your help guys h34r:


:P

I think Apple shipped a single 500mhz, and then pulled it for a while when Motorola had the infamous Mhz-drought.

Looks like it could be this one:

http://everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac...mac_g4_500.html

Be careful with generic RAM in AGP 'sawtooth' based G4's. Updating the firmware to the current version CAN disable it COMPLETELY. RAM does not need to be Apple branded but must be compliant with Apple specs. Could you tell us what the 'about this mac' found under the 'apple' menu says about your machine (including 'boot ROM version')

I was not aware that any of these machines were actually marketed or manufactured. G4 500's are not what I would call common. (I mean I have one but its not exactly standard and yours would make two)

kim

The first G4's were at speeds of 350, 400 and 450. Apple literally overclocked those machines to 400, 450 and 500Mhz for the second revision, changing little else. The 500 is rare, as it was a top-of-the-line version.

factory overclocked? eek!

i hope it's all good

now i'm nervous.. but it comes with a warranty for 30 days

god i hope it gets here ok!!!!

No need to be nervous, I think the processors were underclocked from their potential in the first place. Machines of that age would generally overclock by 50mhz, sometimes 100, depending on the batch and manufacturer.

Yes, they take airport. but if you want 54Mbit, then you can get (only because I know this works with ZERO modification) a Linksys WMP54G Wireless NIC which has a chipset supported natively in OS X.

I now have 54Mbit Wireless access with a G4 400MHz Sawtooth. It does take up a PCI slot, mind you.

<!--QuoteBegin-internet@Oct 1 2004, 07:55 PM

factory overclocked? eek!

i hope it's all good

now i'm nervous.. but it comes with a warranty for 30 days

god i hope it gets here ok!!!![/quote]

Above mentioned Sawtooth is running fine. Previous to my ownership, it had been on 24/7 at the Department of Education...... /pipsqeek looks for remains of his disgraceful HSC marks.

Pipsqeek

that's good to know! i thought it was dodgey, but sounds ok now

i'll probably be getting the linksys card, thanks for the advice pipsqueek!

it should be here within the next few days... i got my 17" LCD for it today.. using it with my 15" ti book now... mmmm so nice and clear!!

will let you know how it goes on the new mac!