# Macintosh Powerbook G3 Questions - Various



## akiraHz (Dec 12, 2006)

Hi there, i have a Macintosh power book g3, 233mhz, 64mb of ram, 4mb video ram, 2gb hdd, no fire wire, no usb.

It has Mac OS 8.01 on it right now, but its screwed up pretty bad cant surf the internet on it at all because the browsers keep malfunctioning and quiting automatically after only 1 or 2 websites. 

I'd like to install Mac OS 9.2.2 on it, i have the installation cd, but i can't figure out how to get it to boot from it, I've tried holding down C, ive tried holding down the option key, ive tried switching the start up control panel too boot from the CD. Inside the current 8.01 os, the cd is read perfectly, only it wont run the install, in the read me it says something about not being able to upgrade from 8.01 to 9.2.2 without having OS 9.0 first, but im not really interested in upgrading, I'd like to wipe it and start clean with mac OS 9.2.2, can anyone tell me how i might go about doing it? if i could get it too boot from the CD some how, or does this older system not do that?

i have pictures of it, here they are, this laptop here looks just like mine, any and all help/suggestions are appreciated


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## Qion (Dec 12, 2006)

I had one of those. You can't install 9.2.2 without having 9 installed in some form already. 9.2.2 is really just an upgrade package. It should fairly easy to find some old 8.6/9.1 CD's out there in eBayland or the likes.


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## akiraHz (Dec 12, 2006)

oh really? awesome! thank you so much, ill see if i can get ma grubby paws on 9.1 and try that  thanks again!


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## iamgelinru (Jan 8, 2007)

I have a G3 400MHz system and bought an "All in One" printer/scanner/copier from Epson and later realized that it was compatible with OS 10.2X and above. I am running 8.6 now. Can this old timer be upgraded to a 10X OS? and if so, how? Please advise and thanks.   Please send replies to :

iamgelinru@yahoo.com

Thank You.


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## nixgeek (Jan 8, 2007)

iamgelinru said:


> I have a G3 400MHz system and bought an "All in One" printer/scanner/copier from Epson and later realized that it was compatible with OS 10.2X and above. I am running 8.6 now. Can this old timer be upgraded to a 10X OS? and if so, how? Please advise and thanks.   Please send replies to :
> 
> iamgelinru@yahoo.com
> 
> Thank You.



Hi there and welcome to the forum.  Just for future reference, it's best to start your own thread with a title stating your problem that way others can see your thread when they log in.  If it's embedded in someone else's thread not only does it make it difficult for people trying to help the original poster (since you've basically "hijacked" the thread) but you might not get all the help you need because it's in someone else's thread and not readily visible to everyone.  Also, be sure to include the specifics of your Mac so that it makes it easier to pinpoint the problem ("I have an 867 MHz Power Mac G4 Quicksilver with 512 MB of RAM running Mac OS 9", for example).  You can check in the Apple System Profiler (located in the Apple menu) for the specs or you can head over to Low End Mac and check there.

That said, here's my answer: It seems that you should be able to install Mac OS 10.2 or 10.3 (the latter being recommended but with at least 512 MB of RAM for better performance).  Depending on the model Mac you have, you might need a firmware upgrade which you can check for here.  Disc sets can be purchased at AppleRescue.


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## nixgeek (Jan 8, 2007)

akiraHz said:


> oh really? awesome! thank you so much, ill see if i can get ma grubby paws on 9.1 and try that  thanks again!



http://www.applerescue.com

Recommended by *bobw *and has good prices.


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## iamgelinru (Jan 8, 2007)

nixgeek said:


> Hi there and welcome to the forum.  Just for future reference, it's best to start your own thread with a title stating your problem that way others can see your thread when they log in.  If it's embedded in someone else's thread not only does it make it difficult for people trying to help the original poster (since you've basically "hijacked" the thread) but you might not get all the help you need because it's in someone else's thread and not readily visible to everyone.  Also, be sure to include the specifics of your Mac so that it makes it easier to pinpoint the problem ("I have an 867 MHz Power Mac G4 Quicksilver with 512 MB of RAM running Mac OS 9", for example).  You can check in the Apple System Profiler (located in the Apple menu) for the specs or you can head over to Low End Mac and check there.
> 
> That said, here's my answer: It seems that you should be able to install Mac OS 10.2 or 10.3 (the latter being recommended but with at least 512 MB of RAM for better performance).  Depending on the model Mac you have, you might need a firmware upgrade which you can check for here.  Disc sets can be purchased at AppleRescue.




Hello ..
Thank you for replying to my question so fast....
I have never felt as incomepetent as in trying to start a new thread with a question here... I didn't read all the mumbo jumbo associated with these forums so forgive me for plugging my question into someone elses...   I'm still unsure how to start a new thread..Is there a shortcut or icon I should be using to do that?  If so, I must be glossing over it... Oh well..
Anyway, I'm relatively new to the iMac world and am only trying to assist my elderly aunt with hers.  I'll take your advice and try the download /upgrade via your instructions but maybe you can answer another question...
She has dial up on her system and I'm on a PC with Cable so isthere anything I can download on mine and store it on a jump drive or cd to save time? Thanks again for your help...


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## fryke (Jan 8, 2007)

Go to the correct forum and press the button labelled "New Thread".


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## Natobasso (Jan 8, 2007)

I used to have that very computer, though a bit upgraded. 64MB of RAM isn't going to run OS X, and it might be very slow on OS 9. I recommend upgrading your processor and RAM as high as you can, get 9.1 then install 9.2.2 and get os x.

It won't be a 'scream machine'  but it will pass. I had 10.2.8 installed on my Powerbook; I assume yours is the 'Pismo' version.


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## fryke (Jan 8, 2007)

64 MB RAM runs OS 9 nicely. Rather depends on what you want to do with it. The Pismo version _would_ have the firewire ports AFAIK. Sounds rather like a Wallstreet, the very _first_ version of the PowerBook G3 Series after the PowerBook G3 that looked like a PB 3400c.


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## Natobasso (Jan 8, 2007)

Well I'll be damned! It works on as little as 40MB of RAM!
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=60498

Available OS 9 updates:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75288


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## iamgelinru (Jan 9, 2007)

Thanks


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## Ferdinand (Jan 12, 2007)

Though 40 MB is in reality waaaay to less. I have 94 MB on my iMac G3 with Mac OS 9 and that _barely_ works. (Ok, but I'm used ti OS X, so...)
I use normally:
50 MB Finder
7 MB iTunes
30 MB Mozila.
Which is 87 MB. The remaining 7 MB? Well, a bit of free space is always needed, if some app needs a bit more. For example normally the Finder is sometimes at 54 MB... so then it's 3 MB left. So with 60 MB, you could run the Finder in OS 9 and then iTunes and maybe a small app like Simple Text.


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