Software :: Upgrade Imac 1.8GHz PowerPC G5 From 10.3.9
Jan 22, 2010
I've got an old iMac 1.8GHz PowerPC G5 that I love to use for surfing the web etc.
I'm finding that I can't view anything that requires Flash as my system (10.3.9) won't allow me to download the latest Flash or Firefox.
I tried asking in the local Apple store how I could upgrade my OS but the guy said they don't sell the OS upgrade anymore.
Is there anything I can do to upgrade my OS so that I can download newer versions of software like Flash or Firefox?
I have another computer (imac intel) but I really don't want to have to get rid of this one as I like it and apart from the OS issue, it still works fine.
i recently bought a used imac g5 1.8ghz version 10.3.5.
is there any way i can change the processor to an intel processor as i cant seem to upgrade my os (and a lot of other programs) running on the current version.
I have a June 2004 revision Power Mac G5 (DP 1.8Ghz) with an AGP slow that is dying for a more powerful graphics card.
I have had the machine since new and have it paired with a 23" Cinema Display, Magic Mouse, BT Apple keyboard, 4GB of Kingston RAM, a pair of 500gb internal HDs, several TBs of external storage, Logitech Z2300 speakers, etc. We also have a new 15" Mac Book Pro, a 13" Mac Book, an Apple TV, Airport Extreme, etc. The desktop doesn't get a TON of use but it is still snappy enough for a lot of what I use it for.
However, since I installed Leopard on it, the OS is nowhere near as fast as it was before (with respect to UI graphics, etc).... I should have expected the newer OS would take more of a toil on the system (especially the graphics card) then did Tiger.... the system has only the factory-installed 64mb GeForce card.... I'm assuming that Leopard, probably more than Tiger, can draw from the GPU for graphic-needs/UI work and I'm assuming that a new graphics card would make a difference....
I just need help deciphering the cards that are available.... 9800XT?? X800??? Any advice on compatible 8x AGP cards would be AMAZING.
I have put a brand new hard drive in the machine. I took off the plastic bezel to the power cord, to make sure it's plugging in all the way. I turned the computer on while watching the LED's on the logic board. All 3 stayed on, and the 4th never came on.
I have unplugged it, left it unplugged for a few minutes, plugged the cord back in while holding the power, then turned it on (forgot what that was supposed to accomplish). No change.
I have reset the PVRAM (or whatever) 3 times in a row by holding command-option-p-r until I heard 3 chimes after the initial boot. No change.
I can get into open firmware, but have no idea what I could even try in there (other than ejecting the DVD).
I hold down "C" while booting, it chimes, it goes to a blank grey background, then proceeds on to the white screen with the apple. It sits there for a few seconds, then starts spinning the circle for a while, then shuts down. I hear the optical drive spin up, but it does nothing.
The HD2600XT is, well, old..I want to get a new graphics card for my mac pro, but I don't want to pay the premium for mac only cards, I've read that you can flash a 8800GT to a mac card, but they're nowhere to be found anymore, which of the currently available cards can be flashed to be a mac compatible cards? I want to be able to use just that card only...
I just put 2 sticks of 512mb in my g5 with these specs pc3200r-30330, the machine doesn't recognize them. I notice that the existing ram got this on the label pc3200u-30330. Pease someone tell me the difference between these 2.
Though I love buying new stuff (and that Blackbook is so damn sexy) I just want to stick with my Single 1.8Ghz G5. I get soo fed up with the problems I face when I'm surfing the web.... which is ALL I DO!
My G5 has 1GB of memory and 160HDD and am still running 10.3.9. All I do is surf the web; so I don't want to buy a new Mac. Is it 10.3.9 that sucks... or what? I am faced with A SURPLUS of "Safari Unexpectedly Quit" signs and MYSPACE never loads right and hardly ever loads photos on myspace pages.
If it's 10.3.9 thats messing my Mac up, I'll get 10.5 the day it comes out and 1GB more of memory. Otherwise I'll get a Blackbook... but I just rather not spend that money.
I am wondering if it's possible to use a GeForce 6600GT 256mb AGP card in this machine?
I have this card from another machine that a friend gave me. It was out of a PC, but is a perfectly good card, and would be an upgrade to the 64mb GeForce FX5200 card that's currently in the G5 we have.
I got the 3 dreaded blinking lights on a PowerMac G5 dual 1.8ghz. Turns out the memory is OK but it's the physical slots that are screwy.I found that applying pressure to one of the banks gets it to boot with no problem but then I remove that pressure and the Mac freezes .
Just bought a fantastic condition deep-blue 500 MHz G3 DV iMac yesterday for 15. Steal! The original hard drive was knackered so I've replaced it with an 80gb 5400RPM one which should be more than adequate. I'm aiming to get OS X on it. My 350 MHz G3 runs is well, so this should scream. Unfortunately, OS9.0 and OS9.1 disks in the optical drive still produce a flashing folder icon. I need to boot OS9.0 in order to flash the iMac's firmware before I can stick OS X on it, but it just won't boot at all. I'm thinking it could possibly be a knackered optical drive, but before I go to the trouble of finding a workaround, I wondered if anybody here might have some ideas.
I was planning to upgrade our family's computers to a new MBP 13 inch with a 320 HDD and a iMac 3.06 GHz base model.
I was going to do a the Apple financing of no interest for 18 months since the 13 inch MBP came out but after reading online that an iMac update may be out in the near future I am wondering if I should wait.
Would like advice on whether I should just buy the 2 computers now and not worry or should I wait for next iMac. We have five kids that are using the computers and iPhones/iPods and speed is what they want for web-based games. The iBook is fine for me doing Quicken, e-mail and normal stuff but is seizing up sometimes. Hard Drive space is biggest issue since iMac only has around 160 gig HDD.
Everything I have read I believe that these 2 computers will be fine. We hold computers for 5 years and so I am getting to end of life on the ones I have.
My wife has also been using a 2006 circa MacBook Pro 17 inch that I use for work and loves it. She thought the 13 inch MBP keyboard was smaller but I told her I believe they are the same.
I'm still hanging in there with my powermac g5 from 2004 (dual 1.8 g5, 2gb ram, ati 9800xt 256mb).
I do a lot of photo processing, and some video editing. This summer i'll be upgrading my SLR (10mp to 15mp), and I'll also be shooting 720p 30fps video.
I'm thinking I should upgrade my computer the same time as the camera. The g5 has leopard and CS3, Apeture, Final cut pro. these programs are really chugging along (sigh, the g5 used to be SOOO fast).
SO my question is... will the new imac (3.06, 4gb ram, ATI HD) be a noticeable bump in performance, worth the upgrade? Also, how much should I sell my g5 for (including the aluminum 20" apple cinema display).
Just picked up a 24" iMac on clearance and the Internet seems to hang up and just be a bit slower in general compared to my 4yr old MBP. I can't really get a cable to it so I'm using a Belkin N1 router. Is there anything I can do to see if it's the router or possibly the iMac?
The 3.6GHz BTO option for the low-end 27" is only a dual-core but has hyperthreading while the 2.8GHz in the high-end 27" is a quad-core but doesn't have hyperthreading. Both CPUs can execute four threads at once, but which one's faster??
I've got an iMac 2.8GHz 24", a set of Grado RS 1s, a HeadRoom Ultra Micro amp w/ an Astrodyne power supply ... the connection is to the headphone jack in the iMac; will there be a difference in sound if I add the HeadRoom Ultra Micro DAC? I can't imagine better sound than my current set up, but I keep hearing that a DAC is the way to go.
I just received the 2GB ram upgrade I ordered for my home iMac. I already have the factory 2GB. I thought it would have 1 2GB stick alredy, and that I could add another 2GB stick, but a friend just told me it probably has 2 1GB sticks in it...anyone know?
My iMac won't get past grey screen, I've tried holding down c. I've tried holding cmd+s. I've reset my PRAM etc, I've put back in RAM it came with, and when I turn it on I just get grey screen, apple logo and the spinning thing! Updated it to new snow leopard OSX 10.6.6 and it has a DVD in the drive and I can't even get that out! What can I do?
Every few weeks my iMac will suddenly freeze, the screen going black or white or pink etc. The only way I can get the computer back is to hold down the power button to force a shutdown. Then after a restart everything is OK for a few more weeks. Usually it occurs when I am on the internet. I click on something and suddenly the computer is frozen. I am on OS X 10.6.8 and usually use Safari. Ironically when I opened this forum 5 minutes ago there was a similar sounding problem at the top of the list!
Info: iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), FCE 4 + FCS 3 . . . Little Knowledge, Many Opinions.
I curently have 10.3.9 with a PowerPC G4 dual w/ 1.25 processors and 2 gig of ram. I want the highest upgrade I can get that will be compatibe with my software which is:
Quark 6.5 Acrobat 7.1 Acrobat Distiller 7.0 Illustrator CS1 Photoshop CS1 Microsoft Office (don't know what version but I've had it for years)
I really can't afford to go buy all the software again and I don't want my system to crash. Any suggestions?
This upgrade is mostly spawned due to the recent purchase of a new iPod Nano... Not supported by my current OS! Man, I didn't read the requirements, shame on me. However, the dang thing will work on my kid's PC w/ XP Pro. I only got the Nano cause it's mac - he wanted the Zune that ONLY works w/ PC.
I have a few questions about upgrading my mac in order to use the new iPod touch 4th gen (requires 10.5 or later).
First, here's what I'm working with: I have a PPC G4, dual processor 1.25 GHZ, 80GB HD, 768mb RAM, running Tiger 10.4.11. I use CS2 for freelance graphic design (and very occasionally Quark 4 on OS 9). I have 2 external hard drives backing up my system, storing personal files, photos, music, etc. Yes, I've got an oldie, but it's been cranking out loyally over the years with tune ups and TLC, and I need it to live on a while longer.
1. Can I upgrade to Leopard 10.5 (not snow leopard) and still use my CS2 programs? From what little information I've been able to find, the answer is most likely yes, but with quirks and decreased speed... which I can deal with. I simply cannot afford a new mac (nor the software upgrades required once that happens), so I need to work with what I've got.
If the answer is yes, then... 2) are there any other updates in between 10.4.11 and 10.5 that I will have to purchase before upgrading to 10.5?
3) Also, since I will have to upgrade to a minimum 1GB RAM, can anyone please suggest a good site to buy it from? There seems to be a million options out there. I know that I should really have more RAM anyhow with what software I am using.
