[snorkytheweasel]

I have an imac G3 - slot-loading - that I would like to upgrade from 8.6 to OS X (any breed of feline is OK for now)

• 10 GB drive (I can install a bigger drive)
• 512 MB RAM
• No 8.6 Install disk

Can someone direct me to comprehensive instructions for doing this?

When I say "comprehensive," I mean instructions that don't create more questions than than they answer, and instructions that anticipate the "gotchas" that might turn this into a miserable experience. For example

• is there a direct upgrade version-to-version, or do I have to install intermediate versions?
• do I do this from a CD or DVD?
• exactly what kind of CD (or DVD) do I need? "upgrade," "update," "full install," "complete," b"uy-me-and-pray-sucker"?
• is there a firmware upgrade required? I'm assuming yes, since the apple website discusses the firmware.
• etc., etc., ad nauseum

Then there is "how do I upgrade the firmware? The Apple website has instructions that assume that the person doing the upgrade already knows the first several steps. It's like instructions to drive from the east coast to the west coast (USA) but starts the instructions in kansas ... obviously everyone knows how to get from the east coast to kansas, right?

I have the firmware file on a CD (ISO format, not Joliet format). Now what? If I click on the " iMac Firmware Updater icon," will it tell me what to do the the CD I'm holding? Or will it assume (like the website's instructions) that I know what to do?

As I said - "comprehensive instructions."

THX, STW

[Headrush]

The problem is to install the firmware update, you must have Mac OS 9.1 first.

1) After that installing the new firmware is as simple as running the firmware app. It will copy what it needs and ask you to reboot machine and do it's thing.

2) There is no upgrade from 8.6 to OS X. You will be putting a clean OS X install on the HD.
If you want to have a dual OS system, you need to upgrade to 9.2.2 first and then install OSX.

3) You will need a CD version of OS X. This machine can support up to 10.4.x (aka Tiger) Once you install the base 10.4, and 10.4.x updates are free and can be downloaded within OS X. You MUST make sure the CDs you get are universal for any Mac. Be careful as there are versions that only work on specific models and auctions places like eBay some sellers don't mention that.

4) Once you have the CD, it's as simple as inserting it iMac and restarting Mac. Just follow the easy to follow instructions on screen.

I've read that if you don't upgrade the firmware, you can install up to OS X 10.2 but I don't have first hand verification.
Do you know what firmware version is on it now?


P.S. I think you mean ISO9660 format and the Mac can read those fine. If the installer doesn't run from the CD, copy it to your HD first.

Whether its worth the time and costs to get both Mac OS 9.x and OS X 10.x is up to you. It is an old machine.

[Headrush]

P.S. You can use the Apple's System Profiler application on 8.6 to find the firmware currently installed.

Found this link that might help also: http://db.tidbits.com/article/7978

[snorkytheweasel]

Does that mean that if I want a clean install of OS X I can
1) skip the firmware
2) install from a proper OS X CD

I work for a tech support/network admin company. We've always done DOS/Windows/Linux. We just took on a contract to support a large mac-only organization. Interestingly, they have many G3 computers running OS X.

We're switching the servers over to Windows and installing fiber and wireless ... their WAN has been a bit sluggish (!!) using CAT-5, with several runs much longer than 100 metres.

I have to get familiar with OS X so that I can learn to perform miracles on a mac. No doubt we'll eventually get good macs in here, but I'd rather not wait for who-knows-how-long. With 25 years programming and supporting VMS, UNIX, Linux, DOS, and Windows, I think I can learn mac fairly easily.

Macs are much easier to use, right?

Thank you for your help. I might be back.

[Headrush]

If the firmware isn't updated, only up to OS X 10.2 can be installed.

If you're going to be providing network support for Macs you want to be familiar with 10.4 as a minimum.
If you're supporting Macs, there are networking differences between 10.4, 10.5 and 10.6 so using these machines will only get you so far.

Easier to use, some things.
Anyone with experience with computers like yourself won't likely have any problems. Any real differences are more cosmetic GUI than anything else.

[aprillove20]

Thanks Headrush for the link it is very useful.