iMac G3 - New HD and Ram - Now?

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paolaccio

Registered
Hi guys,
i've got an iMac g3 (500mhz slot) for free..it had no hd and no ram so i installed a 60 gb hd that i had and 512mb ram (2x256). Now i wanted to install tiger but i get till the language selection and then the computer shuts up..what can i do?is it a good idea to install os9 (i don't have a copy) first and check all the firmwares?
 
Yes, you should obtain a copy of OS 9 because I believe the iMac needs a firmware update to run Tiger. If you have 10.3 or 10.2 you could try installing it and see if it will update the firmware.
 
#1 Rhapsody said:
Yes, you should obtain a copy of OS 9 because I believe the iMac needs a firmware update to run Tiger. If you have 10.3 or 10.2 you could try installing it and see if it will update the firmware.
Click to expand...

That machine should run Tiger albeit dog slow. Have you tried reformatting the drive to Mac OS extended yet? Is the RAM the correct spec? Do you know for sure the drive is good? Did you set the jumper to match the removed HDs configuration?
 
The OP said the iMac came with no RAM or HD. Hard to match the removed HD jumpers, in that case. A slot-loading iMac HD will be jumpered as a master drive.

If the iMac shuts off after being powered on for a few minutes, maybe that's the reason you got it for free.

If the firmware is not up-to-date, installing OS X will not update the firmware. You have to boot to OS 9.1 to install the last firmware update. OS 9 is only needed to install the update, and not needed to check for the presence of that update. You only need to boot into Open Firmware (Option-Apple-O and F), where the first line of text will tell you that you have version 4.1.9 firmware. You will need to install OS 9, and run that update, if it's not listed on that Open Firmware screen.
 
Thanks for your support guys...The hard drive's jumper is set to master...Yesterday i've installed ubuntu for ppc to check if the hardware was working..The installation went fine but now i've the above-mentioned problem...when i try to boot from the hd the imac shuts up....any idea?is there a problem with the ram or with the hd?
 
I guess you mean it shuts 'down' or off?
The most likely between RAM, and the HD, would be a bad HD causing a shutdown.
As the G3 iMacs get older, I see more that simply have power problems, which can be the power supply (that's on the video board, known as a Power-Analog-Video or PAV board), and is a major part of your iMac. The other is the logic board itself, or what's called the down-convertor board, which distributes power several places in your iMac.
I would try replacing the hard drive, as that's the easiest, and you really don't know the condition of the hard drive that you tried first.
Also, you can try replacing the PRAM battery....
 
i am resurrecting my old iMac Tray Load 333MHz G3 i have read that 512MB is the max you can unofficially install into this machine however i also read this only works SOME of the time i have 256MB in it using RAM from a old laptop is that enough? also sitting unusable since late 2009 i have lost and found meny parts except the plastic case cover over the logic board, looking online i can buy the entire case however all i need is the logic board cover which i cannot find seperatly any idea where i can find one?
 
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