Running Osx On An Ooold Imac

The short story is this: I managed to get hold of a Tangerine iMac for free, but the specs aren't exactly great: 266MHz G3, 96MB RAM, 6MB video...since the video RAM is maxed out and the CPU can't be messed with, how much would it help to upgrade the system RAM? I was thinking of taking out the 32MB SODIMM and putting in 128 instead, thus doubling the RAM quantity. Of course I couldn't help myself and installed Jaguar 10.2.6 on this baby and...it runs, though it ain't smooth by any margin. So, question is: is it worth shelling out 40$ for another 128MB or will the other two system bottlenecks make the difference nil?

Thanx in advance for any replies

#61644

While OSX will "run" on older iMacs, adding more memory won't help you too much.

Not saying you won't see any improvement since OSX is more of a memory hog than a CPU one, but if you are lacking the memory, the CPU gets nailed pretty hard.

You're gonna crunch the CPU every time you resize a window or open an app.

I have a G3 iBook with a 500Mhz CPU, 8MB video ram and 576MB of ram and it runs pretty smooth.

When I first got it, it only had 128M of ram and it sucked, pegged the CPU every time I opened anything up.

#61654

Where are they selling free iMacs?!

I'd say shell out for more RAM, or (if need be) upgrade the hard-drive and boost up the virtual memory (I presume 10.2.6 has that right?). I have to use over a GB of virtual memory for my machine to run nice and smooth.

#61808

Originally posted by es.xxi@Oct 4 2003, 11:33 AM

Where are they selling free iMacs?!

I'd say shell out for more RAM, or (if need be) upgrade the hard-drive and boost up the virtual memory (I presume 10.2.6 has that right?). I have to use over a GB of virtual memory for my machine to run nice and smooth.

X has virtual memory, but it does not let you control it. The system automatically controls it.

#61817

Thanks a lot for the replies, guys, I guess I will slap some extra memory in it and see what that changes. And even if it's still slow, it's a Mac, it's OSX, it's free (university storerooms rule :own: ), what more could I ask for?

#61831

The proccesor can be upgraded in an original iMac. I know a company makes/made an upgrade kit and I'm pretty sure it was Sonnet but I'll try to look it up for you.

#61898

Originally posted by iindigo@Oct 4 2003, 12:29 PM

The system automatically controls it.

Darn that for a lark! So if we had 500GB of free space we couldn't go mad and use 300GB for extra RAM?

Damn!

#61932

Actually, X automatically controls it by default, but of course it can be changed.

Its a commandline option,google around to find out how.

You can only have at most 4GB of 'RAM + Virtual Memory' though. (Well, you can allocate more, but it wont be used).

#61933

Originally posted by contrasutra@Oct 4 2003, 08:54 PM

Actually, X automatically controls it by default, but of course it can be changed.

Its a commandline option,google around to find out how.

You can only have at most 4GB of 'RAM + Virtual Memory' though. (Well, you can allocate more, but it wont be used).

Unless, of course, you're on a 64 bit system...

#61943

You mean unless you're on a 64bit system not made by Apple.

Panther wont allow for more than 4GB of RAM allocation either (even though the hardware supports it)

#61946

Originally posted by contrasutra@Oct 4 2003, 09:40 PM

You mean unless you're on a 64bit system not made by Apple.

Panther wont allow for more than 4GB of RAM allocation either (even though the hardware supports it)

But they advertise that G5 boxes can come with up to 8Gb of RAM preinstalled <_<

Methinks Apple are playing games with their users...

#61947

I wish I could get an Imac for free ... it matters not how old, I just like to run OsX.

#62192

There are CPU upgrades for this iMac. There is a 500MHz upgrade card out if you look for it. Its not priced to bad either. Now I used to run OS X 10.2 on my iMac rev.A. I had 256MB of Ram and I had modified the CPU card to get it to run a 300MHz. The system ran quite until the hard drive controler went out due to a stupid mistake I made when installing a new hard drive. So its toast. But I still have the CPU card just in case I come across another one.

#62372

The 500MHz upgrade card sounds very interesting, but pricing is around 200-250$ from what I've Googled...that sure doesn't seem reasonable to me. Have you seen it online at better prices?

#62395

Also, how would heat issues appear with a 500MHz CPU in that not-at-all ventilated case? Did you also replace that 8cm fan?

#62399

Originally posted by lecter@Oct 6 2003, 02:23 PM

The 500MHz upgrade card sounds very interesting, but pricing is around 200-250$ from what I've Googled...that sure doesn't seem reasonable to me. Have you seen it online at better prices?

Thats a pretty reasonable rice really. Esecially considering that you can shoehorn a G4 into the slot loading iMacs for about £700. Besides, I posted about processor upgrades earlier (albeit vaguely) and was ignored

#62507