OS X on a Rev. D iMac

Hypernate

Hypernate

McGeek
First of all, I'll start by saying that I'm not sure where this question belongs, in hardware, or software, so I'm putting it here.

Basically, what I want to know is what do I have to do to a Rev. D iMac to get it to run OS X acceptibly.

I only want it to run Office v.X, but to do so, of course, I have to run OS X. Mine will be comiong with 96mb RAM, which I KNOW isn't enough to run it. What is the best amount of RAM to put in, in what size DIMMs?

Also, is it possible to change the HDD to a larger one?

What should I do once OS X is installed to get it running faster? Which effects can be turned off? (I'm not on my G4 iMac at the moment to investigate)
 
First of all, for OS X, stick all the RAM you can fit into that sucker. You'll need it. :p As for the HD, installing a different one into a Rev. D iMac could be like extracting teeth; you have to disassemble the entire thing in order to get to it. Not very fun.

I used to have a Rev. C iMac and I had to take the CPU out of the case JUST TO GET TO THE RAM, AND THIS IS JUST THE TOP SLOT. I tried to get to the bottom slot but stripped the screw trying. The older iMac models were not meant to be expanded. If you must expand these things, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU CONSULT A PROFESSIONAL.

My recommendation:
RAM: Use 128 megs in the top and bottom slots (This is the max it will hold)

As for speed, I cannot help you; I don't know many techniques to enhance the performance. Consult with someone else about this...

Good luck.
 
About the difficulty to getting to the RAM slots:
I know :S I was investigating some iMac upgrade sites, and I was AMAZED at how difficult they managed to make it JUST TO ADD SOME RAM! The Rev. E (DV and up) have a slot that is easy to get to from the bottom, don't they?

I heard a couple of people managed to stick a 512mb DIMM into a Rev. D and get it to work. Do you reckon that it's worth seeing if any AppleCentre (Which is where I"m gonna have to go to get memory put in, because no other stores will know how to get into an iMac) will try to stick a 512DIMM or two into it? Maybe 2x 256 (like I have in my good iMac)
 
I felt the same way the first time I needed to open my iMac revB to install the voodoo2 card. However, it's not as bad as it looks. Just unscrew the plastic casin' screws, yank it off(yank hard). Then unscrew the two screws that hold the chassis on, then slide the chassis off, and that's it! Now to change out the HD, I think you might have to unscrew the motherboard, I'm not sure. Anyway, just make sure you touch some metal on the chassis to unstatic yourself. Believe me, once you do it once it will seem really easy. I opened up my case so many times I ended up just leaving the screws off to make it easier.

As far as upgrades, I seem to recall their being iMac G4 upgrade cards, around 466 mhz I think. I'm not sure what models they worked with, I think RevA-D. I think one of those and maxing the RAM would cost 450 bucks, but would make it a nice little machine. Also, if you have a larger monitor sitting around, I notice when I take my iMac case off that there is a monitor connector right on the chassis, you might be able to connect a larger monitor!

Good luck!
 
Yeah, the slot loading iMacs are much easier. There's just a hatch in the bottom to pop off. The HD installation isn't too difficult either. But as for the RAM, like I said... stick all the RAM you can fit into that sucker. :)
 
Don't try to put more than 2x128 MB in the iMac as long as you're not completely sure it's going to work. 256 MB chips are most likely read as 128 MB chips.

Changing the HD isn't too hard. You don't have to remove the motherboard as some guides on the internet show. A bit tricky the first time, but it will feel incredibly easy the next time, if you have to to it again ;)
I did it all the time back when I had one of these myself :p

How to take out the machine from the chassis is described in the manual that came with the iMac.
The HD is located under the CD-ROM drive. Push on the CD-ROM drive to unlock it from the lock mechanism. Then disconnect the ATA cable and lift it up. You will now see the HD. Disconnect the ATA and power cables, and unscrew the 6 screws on the side of it. You should now be able to push the HD a little towards the motherboard and lift it up.
I guess you'll find out how to assemble it again yourself ;)
 
I don't know what these guys are talking about, I've put a 256 in the top slot of many rev b-d iMacs without problem. Just make sure you get the right kind - smalldog.com can hook you up easily.

[256, 257, what's a megabyte between friends?]
 
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