some questions from a new member and new mac user

drew2drew2
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Hello,

This is my first post and my first mac.

I've just picked up an old g4 power mac. After looking around http://www.everymac.com/systems/appl...ac_g4_466.html i have found out that my mac is a 466 digital audio.

It has OS 10.3 running on it but there are no discs at all. Is this the best OS to run on my machine?

It has a total of 512 MB of PC133 RAM (1 x 256, 2 x 128 boards), but I have also been given a 512 MB board of PC100 RAM. Can I take out the PC133 128 MB board and put a PC100 512 MB board in there?

I'm now finding my way around and enjoying it so far . I like the look of Firefox as a browser so I will download that i think.

Thanks for any help.

Andrew

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    bevosbevos Posts: 59member
    Welcome to Apple



    As you can see, your mac has 3 RAM slot, you would have to take RAM out and put more in. Anyway 512Mb is enough for an old machine like that. Do you have any purchased software that need alot of RAM.



    Safari rocks, as you can save (web achrive) your web pages and the address, search, bookmark menu, tabs work smart and well. And you can Applescript it.
  • Reply 2 of 7
    chris vchris v Posts: 460member
    The RAM in those can go in any order, in any slot. It will definitely feel a bit snappier with 1.25 gig than with 512.



    There's no reason why that machine won't run OS 10.4 should you choose to purchase it, but there's not just a ton of features you're missing with 10.3, really. Also 10.4 takes up more HD space and uses more RAM.



    Firefox will definitely be more up to date than the version of Safari that shipped with 10.3.
  • Reply 3 of 7
    royboyroyboy Posts: 458member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by drew2 View Post


    Hello,

    This is my first post and my first mac.

    I've just picked up an old g4 power mac. After looking around http://www.everymac.com/systems/appl...ac_g4_466.html i have found out that my mac is a 466 digital audio.

    It has OS 10.3 running on it but there are no discs at all. Is this the best OS to run on my machine?

    It has a total of 512 MB of PC133 RAM (1 x 256, 2 x 128 boards), but I have also been given a 512 MB board of PC100 RAM. Can I take out the PC133 128 MB board and put a PC100 512 MB board in there?

    I'm now finding my way around and enjoying it so far . I like the look of Firefox as a browser so I will download that i think.

    Thanks for any help.

    Andrew



    I have a G4 466 Digital Audio I bought new a little over 6 years ago. It has been a great machine. I've running 10.4.9, so if you happen to want to install the latest OS, then it works great. I upgraded from 10.2.8 without a hitch. Very smooth transition and all my programs still work. Can't say about OS 10.3 because I totally skipped over it. I'm running 640 MB. Your 512 MB is fine. I would put the PC100 in a drawer. I keep a lot of programs open, as well as several browsers and I have no problems. Currently I have 2 browsers, 2 Adobe programs, and my mail program open and I have plenty of memory left.



    I have a 16 year old and all his friends think my G4 is a new computer. They say it's "Cool". Better than there mostly new Windows PC's. My son can't wait until I get another computer because he wants the G4 totally for himself.
  • Reply 4 of 7
    royboyroyboy Posts: 458member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by chris v View Post


    The RAM..............It will definitely feel a bit snappier with 1.25 gig than with 512.



    ..snip...



    Now would that be true if your computer only had a demand for say 300 to 400 MB and never any higher than 512? Wouldn't that be a waste of money?
  • Reply 5 of 7
    smalmsmalm Posts: 677member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by drew2 View Post


    Can I take out the PC133 128 MB board and put a PC100 512 MB board in there?



    No. You need PC133 RAM.

    Your G4 will be faster with more RAM than 512MB.

    Your G4 will be faster with Mac OS 10.4.

    Your G4 will be more stable with Mac OS 10.4 than with 10.3.



    Is it worth the extra money? You have to decide yourself.

    Just use your Mac and in several month buy a new Mac Mini
  • Reply 6 of 7
    feartecfeartec Posts: 119member
    Welcome my friend, you have entered a world of opportunity you will never turn back from. I recently switched from BSD/LINUX and have been more than impressed with Apple, and the programming. I have to tell you one thing, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE FREEWARE!!! Since it's based off of LINUX and BSD you can get great freeware that rivals the real programs that cost gazillions. As for the RAM, OS X doesn't need much unless you are doing very specific tasks. I have 3gb in my new IMAC, and I see only a slight difference from the 1 Gb for the regular tasks, but open up adobe, and you would definitely see the difference. Well, I wish you luck and hope you don't turn back. It would be a waist.
  • Reply 7 of 7
    drew2drew2 Posts: 2member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Feartec View Post


    Welcome my friend, you have entered a world of opportunity you will never turn back from. I recently switched from BSD/LINUX and have been more than impressed with Apple, and the programming. I have to tell you one thing, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE FREEWARE!!! Since it's based off of LINUX and BSD you can get great freeware that rivals the real programs that cost gazillions. As for the RAM, OS X doesn't need much unless you are doing very specific tasks. I have 3gb in my new IMAC, and I see only a slight difference from the 1 Gb for the regular tasks, but open up adobe, and you would definitely see the difference. Well, I wish you luck and hope you don't turn back. It would be a waist.



    Thank you everyone for all of the help.

    So far I'm enjoying my mac. I've downloaded firefox, and it works really well.



    andrew
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