How to run Mac 10.2 on a powerlogix G4 card?

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wooly-booger

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Currently I have a Powerbase 180 model computer running the Powerlogix G4 Powerforce card in it. I running Mac OS 9.2.1.

Is their another computer that I could install this G4 upgrade card into to run Mac OS 10.2? I'd also like to move all the existing memory, yamaha CDRW drive, and firewire/usb card to the new computer too?

Anyone have any suggestions?
 
Sure there is, check this page to see all the Macintosh models that are compatible with that card:

http://powerlogix.com/products2/pfg4/index.html

It looks like most PCI-based PowerMacs can use that card. You can pick these systems up for $100 or less on http://www.ebay.com or http://www.powermax.com

You'll also need to install at least OS 9.1 on the new machine and use a utility called XPostFacto available at http://eshop.macsales.com/OSXCenter/XPostFacto/ to install 10.2 on these machines. You need at least 9.1 to run the utility. 10.2 will not install on pre-G3 machines without this utility, and since your machine originally shipped with a 603 processor, it's not supported. But with this utility, you can install OS X 10.2 on that machine, although you MAY have to do some tweaking with XPostFacto to get it to work. The down side is that 10.3 is not supported yet with XPostFacto, so the highest you can go is 10.2 so far, but the author of that software is working on 10.3 compatibility and I have no doubt he'll get it working soon -- he's a brilliant guy.
 
wooly-booger said:
Thanks for the info on the upgrade.

Would you happen to know the processor speed on the powermac 7600 & 9600?

Thanks
Click to expand...

According to MacTracker, the 7600 was avaiable with 120 - 200 Mhz
the 9600 was between 200 Mhz and 350 Mhz (also a dual 200), the 300 and 350 Mhz were a processor somewhere between a 604e and a G3
Your powerbase uses EDO memory, which may or may not work in either 7600 or 9600 (anyone know for certain?)
 
I don't know for sure about the 7600 or 9600, but I've got an 8500 here that can use either Non-EDO or EDO 5v RAM, and those machines are kinda similar.

Either way, if you're going to purchase an older 7600 or 9600 to upgrade with your G4 card, the original processor speed doesn't matter. You could purchase a 7600/120MHz for cheaper than a 7600/200MHz and upgrade it with your G4 card and there'd be no difference.

If you'd like to purchase more RAM for your new 7600 or 9600, check out these two places for RAM... they've got some pretty good deals:

http://www.owcomputing.com
http://www.ramjet.com

These two machines support something called "memory interleaving" which is installing RAM into these machines in "pairs" into the RAM sockets. The RAM sockets are labeled A1, A2, A3 and so on and B1, B2, B3 and so on. Interleaving the RAM would mean installing identical memory modules (like 128MB and 128MB or 64MB and 64MB) into corresponding sockets, like 128MB in A1 and 128MB in B1, 64MB in A2 and 64MB in B2... however, sometimes, if you plan on loading OS X, it doesn't work right... you have to DEinterleave the RAM... like installing 128 in A1 and 64 in B1, 128 in A2 and 64 in B2.
 
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