[X4U] Powerbook question

[Nick Scalise]

On Dec 17, 2005, at 10:12 PM, Randy B.Singer wrote:

> eleventhvolume said:
>
>> I've inherited a G3 Powerbook in fine physical condition - it's a  
>> firewire
>> model with the semi-transparent keyboard. Lovely piece of kit,  
>> arguably as
>> elegant as the current Powerbooks. Two problems: firstly it won't  
>> start up
>> and secondly it has a zip drive instead of a cd drive. My two  
>> questions are
>> - if I get it repaired, will I be able to install OSX on it by doing
>> target-disk mode from my Albook?
>> - will OSX run serviceably on the machine or will it be painfully  
>> slow?
>> If the answer's positive on both these counts I'll go ahead and  
>> get it
>> fixed.
>
> You can definitely get OS X on this computer, though you will have to
> partition the hard drive to do it:
> http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106235

That is incorrect. From the fine link you provided:

> PowerBook G3 Series, excluding PowerBook G3 Series (Bronze Keyboard).

His is a Pismo which has a Bronze Keyboard. No partitioning is  
required. I have a 20Gb drive with only 1 partition in my Pismo.

> You don't say what clock speed your Pismo is running at, and you don't
> say how much RAM and hard drive space it has.
>
> A 400Mhz G3 will run OS X comfortably, but slowly.  Some folks are
> annoyed by the speed, others find it to be okay.
>
> The speed problem is exacerbated by the fact that a Pismo can only be
> upgraded to 512MB of RAM, max:
> http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=43126
> OS X likes slightly more than that to run well.

Again, that is incorrect. While it is Apple that wrote that page, it  
must have been at a time when Apple did not have 512MB sticks to test  
with. I have 640 in mine, and it will take 512MB sticks in both slots.

> Pismo's are going for about $450 right now.
> http://www.powermax.com/cgi-global/generate_css_temp.cgi?p=c-u58720
>
> If you have to spend a lot of money on this Powerbook to repair it,  
> add
> RAM and hard drive space, etc., it might be a better value to  
> purchase a
> newer, faster, running, used PowerBook.

Probably sound advice.

--
Nick Scalise
nickscalise at cox.net