[iMac] A funny thing happened . . .

[Steve Goldstein]

. . . after I ordered a refurbished 20" iMac Intel Core-Duo.

It was listed as a standard 250 GB SATA HD, 512 MB RAM, and 128 MB 
video card.  So, even before it arrived, I ordered two 1 GB SO-DIMM 
memory modules from Data Memory Systems.   They arrived days before 
the iMac.  First thing I did, even before firing up the iMac, was to 
open the bottom cover to install the new memory (good thing I never 
opened the anti-static baggies!).  Never would have guessed it, but 
there were already two 1 GB (Samsung) memory modules installed!!! 
(Good thing that Data Memory Systems accepts returns for full refund 
within 30-days--the ordered modules went back to New Hampshire in the 
mail today!)

So, I spent a long night sucking the data innards out of my old G4 
Quicksilver in Firewire target mode and then setting up a Virtual 
Windows XP Machine with Parallels Desktop for Mac (wow!  HUGE 
WOW!--that sucker really flies; much faster than my 1.3 GHz HP PC, 
and absolutely beautiful...well, as beautiful as Windoze can be, 
anyway).  Explanation: I have to use FrontPage, in all its ugliness, 
to maintain a web site.  That, and maintaining the contacts 
information on my Sanyo mobile phone are the only things that I need 
a PC for.

So, along the way, I checked to see how much space was left on my 
Hard Disk.  Are you ready for this one?  The HD was a 500 GB SATA 
drive!

I can't figure out how to learn the identity of the video card or how 
much memory is installed, but I would not be surprised if it were 
bumped up to 256 MB rather than the stock 128 MB.  Wouldn't that be a 
perfect hat-trick if it were true?

Moral of the story: don't be afraid to order an Apple Certified 
Refurbished Mac.  Although I would suggest buying AppleCare along 
with it (cheaper, by far, from LA Computer Company (dot) Com).

Oh, yes, I like everything about it, except for the ergonomics of the 
Mighty Mouse.  Every time I try to click-drag with it, I set off the 
side buttons which summon up running applications (like CMD-TAB). 
And Right-Clicking takes a lot of extra care and effort to invoke.

Best,

Steve