I was given a 2001 Mac computer. Tower type. I don't know the OS speed or memory. I can post model later this eve.
Can these be upgraded?
thanks!
Steve
Can these be upgraded?
thanks!
Steve
Mac question
- Thread starter Steve Tarak
- Start date
Silas Pradetto
Graduate Student
Re: Mac question
I know nothing about Macs, but I know enough about computers to assert that anything from 2001 is useless.
If you can identify the processor socket type you might be able to get a faster processor, but it's only going to be a couple percent better; you're not going to get double or anything out of it. You might find used processors on eBay.
RAM is usually easier, except it probably has original DDR or SD-RAM, and I don't think either are readily available anymore. If they were available, size would be limited and cost would be high, and you're probably going to not get more than double anyway.
Hard drives of that era were around 20GB. One Blu-ray movie is bigger than that. It's gotta be IDE, and those drives barely exist anymore. And, they're limited to 137GB unless you do a controller firmware update...not really worth the effort.
I'm quite sure that the newest Mac OS won't run on that hardware.
So you have acquired a nice wheel chock, or doorstop. Good luck and happy computing, chocking, or stopping! :lol:
I know nothing about Macs, but I know enough about computers to assert that anything from 2001 is useless.
If you can identify the processor socket type you might be able to get a faster processor, but it's only going to be a couple percent better; you're not going to get double or anything out of it. You might find used processors on eBay.
RAM is usually easier, except it probably has original DDR or SD-RAM, and I don't think either are readily available anymore. If they were available, size would be limited and cost would be high, and you're probably going to not get more than double anyway.
Hard drives of that era were around 20GB. One Blu-ray movie is bigger than that. It's gotta be IDE, and those drives barely exist anymore. And, they're limited to 137GB unless you do a controller firmware update...not really worth the effort.
I'm quite sure that the newest Mac OS won't run on that hardware.
So you have acquired a nice wheel chock, or doorstop. Good luck and happy computing, chocking, or stopping! :lol:
Re: Mac question
Silas is right, it's unlikely that you will be able to use a machine for much. However there's a good chance that it will at least run the Panther operating system (OS X 10.3) and could be put to use for something. We have a very old Powerbook (2002 model I think) which sits in the warehouse running iTunes and Spotify and acting as a glorified jukebox. I had another one that ran a simple database keeping track of repairs in the workshop. It was also handy for quickly looking up schematics online etc. Neither machine sets the world alight in terms of speed and capabilties, but they do what we need them to do and I certainly wouldn't invest any serious money to get computers for these tasks.
My wife's old iBook (with a broken screen) is about to be pressed into action running a presentation on a flatscreen at our hire counter. Again, I don't know if I could justify buying a machine for this, but the iBook has been replaced and is essentially worthless, so why not?
http://lowendmac.com/ is a pretty good resource for keeping old Macs running. There should be info on there on what you can and can't expect of the machine you've inherited.
Silas is right, it's unlikely that you will be able to use a machine for much. However there's a good chance that it will at least run the Panther operating system (OS X 10.3) and could be put to use for something. We have a very old Powerbook (2002 model I think) which sits in the warehouse running iTunes and Spotify and acting as a glorified jukebox. I had another one that ran a simple database keeping track of repairs in the workshop. It was also handy for quickly looking up schematics online etc. Neither machine sets the world alight in terms of speed and capabilties, but they do what we need them to do and I certainly wouldn't invest any serious money to get computers for these tasks.
My wife's old iBook (with a broken screen) is about to be pressed into action running a presentation on a flatscreen at our hire counter. Again, I don't know if I could justify buying a machine for this, but the iBook has been replaced and is essentially worthless, so why not?
http://lowendmac.com/ is a pretty good resource for keeping old Macs running. There should be info on there on what you can and can't expect of the machine you've inherited.
Re: Mac question
First step is to get it turned on... then hit the apple in the top left corner and choose the first thing on the list "About This Mac" . . .
You will see a screen like this that will tell you everything you need to know about what you've got going on.
If it has never been updated, then it would have the original version of OSX 10.0 or "Cheetah" . . . you could go to the trouble of upgrading up to 10.3 "panther" or even 10.4 "tiger"... which would be the last upgrade available for non-intel based machines.
Depending on what you want the machine to do, it could either be very useful to you, or a complete paper-weight. If it is fully functioning and you are not going to use it, perhaps donate it... I donated my original G4 tower to a older gentleman who just needed a way to do some basic internet and email stuff to keep in touch with his extended family.... he could not have been happier with the machine, although by my standards, it was obviously outdated.
Have fun... Old Apples are fun!
First step is to get it turned on... then hit the apple in the top left corner and choose the first thing on the list "About This Mac" . . .
You will see a screen like this that will tell you everything you need to know about what you've got going on.
If it has never been updated, then it would have the original version of OSX 10.0 or "Cheetah" . . . you could go to the trouble of upgrading up to 10.3 "panther" or even 10.4 "tiger"... which would be the last upgrade available for non-intel based machines.
Depending on what you want the machine to do, it could either be very useful to you, or a complete paper-weight. If it is fully functioning and you are not going to use it, perhaps donate it... I donated my original G4 tower to a older gentleman who just needed a way to do some basic internet and email stuff to keep in touch with his extended family.... he could not have been happier with the machine, although by my standards, it was obviously outdated.
Have fun... Old Apples are fun!
Re: Mac question
Technically Leopard was the last OS to support PPC chips but i'm not convinced i'd want to install it on something that old. Put it on one of the G4 iMacs (the ones with the screen on a pole thingies) and it ground to a halt.
Technically Leopard was the last OS to support PPC chips but i'm not convinced i'd want to install it on something that old. Put it on one of the G4 iMacs (the ones with the screen on a pole thingies) and it ground to a halt.
Re: Mac question
The monitor is large enough and heavy enought to inspire me to build a trebuchet
will the mac outperform a pc at distance?
The monitor is large enough and heavy enought to inspire me to build a trebuchet
will the mac outperform a pc at distance?
Re: Mac question
Technically I believe you are correct, although I remember during that transition that my G4 was able to receive free software updates through to 10.4 "tiger".... but when Leopard shipped it was an upgrade you had to purchase... much like the upgrade from "Leopard" to "Snow Leopard" cost a few bucks. I may be remembering this wrong... but at the time it made no sense to upgrade the G4 to Leopard for a price, as the Intel wave was obviously coming, and support for the old platform was quickly being taken off line.
It's all ancient history now... but a G4 tower with a decent set of original specs with 10.4 on it, is still a useful machine for many many tasks... and the OS was rock solid for it's time.
Technically I believe you are correct, although I remember during that transition that my G4 was able to receive free software updates through to 10.4 "tiger".... but when Leopard shipped it was an upgrade you had to purchase... much like the upgrade from "Leopard" to "Snow Leopard" cost a few bucks. I may be remembering this wrong... but at the time it made no sense to upgrade the G4 to Leopard for a price, as the Intel wave was obviously coming, and support for the old platform was quickly being taken off line.
It's all ancient history now... but a G4 tower with a decent set of original specs with 10.4 on it, is still a useful machine for many many tasks... and the OS was rock solid for it's time.
Re: Mac question
Ah i see. I came into the world of Mac's about the time of the panther/tiger change so i've also assumed you had to pay for the 10.x upgrades.
Ah i see. I came into the world of Mac's about the time of the panther/tiger change so i've also assumed you had to pay for the 10.x upgrades.