PowerPC G3 and Mac OS 10

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Hi

I own a PowerBook G3 (266Mhz, 64Mb RAM, 4MB VRAM, 4Gb HDD) running a Mac OS 8, which I would like to upgrade to Mac OS 10. Is that possible? If not, What about mac os 9?



Thanks

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    mr. memr. me Posts: 3,221member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by yoava View Post


    Hi

    I own a PowerBook G3 (266Mhz, 64Mb RAM, 4MB VRAM, 4Gb HDD) running a Mac OS 8, which I would like to upgrade to Mac OS 10. Is that possible? If not, What about mac os 9?



    Thanks



    You can upgrade to MacOS X 10. (There is no such thing as MacOS 10.) Download MacTracker or visit the Apple-History website for information on your specific model. It will tell you the latest OS that is supported on your machine. BTW, I strongly recommend a larger hard drive and you will most certainly need more RAM--no less than 256 MB.
  • Reply 2 of 12
    Turns out this is a PowerBook G3 Rev 2. I understood it supports Mac OS X 10.2.8, though I still have a couple of quiestions:

    How do I install the OS? does it come on a DVD or CD?

    What kind of RAM does the computer use?



    thanks again
  • Reply 3 of 12
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by yoava View Post


    Turns out this is a PowerBook G3 Rev 2. I understood it supports Mac OS X 10.2.8, though I still have a couple of quiestions:

    How do I install the OS? does it come on a DVD or CD?

    What kind of RAM does the computer use?



    thanks again



    You have apparently a Wallstreet Powerbook. And yes, it cannot go beyond 10.2.8 without hacking the installation using XPostFacto. For this particular model I do not recommend doing this, since there was (and probably still is) a problem with the video chip (ATI Rage LT Pro if I remember correctly) under Panther.



    Anyway, for memory there is this place where you can buy it really cheap now.



    As for Jaguar (10.2), I think the retail package was in CD's. Just do a search on ebay and you will find it.



    Mac OS X is heavy for such an old machine. Even Jaguar is going to slow it down considerably, compared to the Mac OS 8 experience. However, the system stability, much better multitasking and the unix foundations of 10.2 may make it worth to consider upgrading.
  • Reply 4 of 12
    pevepeve Posts: 518member
    installing mac os x 10.2.8 is possible - but prepare to get a very slow experence
  • Reply 5 of 12
    So I guess this isn't worth the trouble and I should go with Mac OS 9? If so, what version should I install? Could I still get that nice-Macintoshi-OS X look from OS9 or OS8? xD
  • Reply 6 of 12
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by yoava View Post


    So I guess this isn't worth the trouble and I should go with Mac OS 9? If so, what version should I install?



    As I said it depends. If using your computer at comfortable speed levels is your priority and don't mind it crashing, then you can stay with either Mac OS 8 or Mac OS 9. "Speed" here means speed of interaction between you and the computer and not processing speed which is inherent to the CPU and does not depends on the OS. What Mac OS X will slow down considerably is exactly that, because of its heavy graphics motor. Everything will react much slower on a Wallstreet. However, once you launch some processing, then it will go at the speed this G3 can achieve. Also, if you use the Powerbook for web browsing, then it is probably better to go 10.2. For OS 8-9 there is today only one web browser that runs acceptably (some old Mozilla version not so easy to find).



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by yoava View Post


    Could I still get that nice-Macintoshi-OS X look from OS9 or OS8? xD



    Not so clear what you do ask about here. If you mean that OS 8-9 have the same look as OS X, then no, OS X is radically different.



    PS: Mac OS 9 goes up to 9.2.2. Once you have a working OS 9 system you can download and apply the update.
  • Reply 7 of 12
    yamayama Posts: 427member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by yoava View Post


    So I guess this isn't worth the trouble and I should go with Mac OS 9? If so, what version should I install? Could I still get that nice-Macintoshi-OS X look from OS9 or OS8? xD



    There was a dodgy Aqua-style theme released for Kalidoscope on Mac OS8/9.



    Here's the software, but good luck finding that Aqua theme... At the time Apple was threatening legal action against anyone copying the MacOSX look and feel.
  • Reply 8 of 12
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by PB View Post


    Also, if you use the Powerbook for web browsing, then it is probably better to go 10.2. For OS 8-9 there is today only one web browser that runs acceptably (some old Mozilla version not so easy to find).



    Actually, iCab is a modern web browser that will run on Mac OS 8/9.



    version 3.0.3
    • PowerPC: Mac OS X - G3, G4 or G5 processor

    • Universal Binary: Mac OS X 10.3.9 or newer - G4, G5 or Intel processor

    • Classic: MacOS 8.5 - 9.2.2

    version 2.9.9a (PPC)
    • MacOS 7.6.1 - 9.2.2

    version 2.9.9b (68k)
    • MacOS 7.1 - 8.1

  • Reply 9 of 12
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by troberts View Post


    Actually, iCab is a modern web browser that will run on Mac OS 8/9.



    version 3.0.3
    • PowerPC: Mac OS X - G3, G4 or G5 processor

    • Universal Binary: Mac OS X 10.3.9 or newer - G4, G5 or Intel processor

    • Classic: MacOS 8.5 - 9.2.2

    version 2.9.9a (PPC)
    • MacOS 7.6.1 - 9.2.2

    version 2.9.9b (68k)
    • MacOS 7.1 - 8.1




    I know about iCab. And probably Opera for Mac OS 9 is still around. But "acceptably" is the keyword in my post.
  • Reply 10 of 12
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by PB View Post


    As I said it depends. If using your computer at comfortable speed levels is your priority and don't mind it crashing, then you can stay with either Mac OS 8 or Mac OS 9. "Speed" here means speed of interaction between you and the computer and not processing speed which is inherent to the CPU and does not depends on the OS. What Mac OS X will slow down considerably is exactly that, because of its heavy graphics motor. Everything will react much slower on a Wallstreet. However, once you launch some processing, then it will go at the speed this G3 can achieve. Also, if you use the Powerbook for web browsing, then it is probably better to go 10.2. For OS 8-9 there is today only one web browser that runs acceptably (some old Mozilla version not so easy to find).





    Not so clear what you do ask about here. If you mean that OS 8-9 have the same look as OS X, then no, OS X is radically different.



    PS: Mac OS 9 goes up to 9.2.2. Once you have a working OS 9 system you can download and apply the update.



    I'm not sure I understood you. What do you mean by ""Speed" here means speed of interaction between you and the computer and not processing speed which is inherent to the CPU and does not depends on the OS."? Does this mean the G3 would run OS X in it's current state or not?



    Sorry, I'm not a native english speaker
  • Reply 11 of 12
    mr. memr. me Posts: 3,221member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by yoava View Post


    ... Does this mean the G3 would run OS X in it's current state or not?



    ...



    You need more RAM and hard drive space, but your computer will run MacOS X.
  • Reply 12 of 12
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by yoava View Post


    I'm not sure I understood you. What do you mean by ""Speed" here means speed of interaction between you and the computer and not processing speed which is inherent to the CPU and does not depends on the OS."? Does this mean the G3 would run OS X in it's current state or not?



    In its current state (Tiger-Leopard) no. It will run up to Mac OS X 10.2.8.



    With "speed" I mean that the interface elements will react too slowly. For example, when you click on a menu you will have to wait to see the menu elements unveiled. It is not instant as it is under OS 8-9. Resizing a window is really glacial in this machine. Waaaaayyyy too slow.



    The reason is that the Mac OS X graphics behind everything you see are too much demanding in processing power. A Wallstreet Powerbook can barely manage it.



    If you decide to go with Mac OS X, you will certainly need at least 256 MB more RAM to have some reasonably running system. It is also advisable to update your hard drive, but there is the 8 GB limit with Mac OS X installations in this machine.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by yoava View Post


    Sorry, I'm not a native english speaker



    Me not either.
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