[josh6190]

Hi all! I have an iMac G3 that I am looking to upgrade. It's the iMac 350mhz Indigo version, with 128MB of RAM, a 7GB Hardrive and only a CD-R drive not even DVD! What I plan to put in it is 1GB of RAM, a 80GB HD, and later on a DVD-RW Drive to replace the CD-R. It's also running Mac OS 9.1...perhaps the largest let-down (I have nothing against Mac OS 9, but OS X is much more modern). I have no problem with installing the Hardware, but I've been researching and Mac OS 10 can be hard to install on systems sometimes. I would really like to install 10.2 on the machine, only because 10.3 requires a DVD-R which I wont put in until later on. Can someone please help me step-by-step install OS 10? I will be installing it to the new drive, not the old one if that makes a difference. So any information regarding the topic would be greatly appreciated!

[P]

Don't spend any money on it. If you can find spares for free, then go ahead, but do not spend any money buying e.g. old SDRAM memory.

Installing OS X can be tricky on some old models, but it's no big deal on that machine. Pop in the disc and follow the instructions, really. As long as it will fit on the drive and you have enough RAM, even 10.4 runs nicely enough.

[OreoCookie]

I wouldn't put any money in such an ancient machine -- unless you collect them and you want to put them in your private museum. You should save up for a used Intel-based Mac, a used MacBook, Mac mini or iMac.

[Waragainstsleep]

Does it have firewire on it?

Easiest way is to borrow another Mac and install onto yours using firewire target mode.

[P]

That model does not have Firewire.

[Waragainstsleep]

Sure? Its a 2nd edition slot loader. There was only one model of slot loader without firewire and they are rare. I only ever saw one or two (out of several hundred).

[Doc HM]

Some early iMAcs need a firmware update prior to installing OS X Check yours doesn't or you may have some problems.

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep 

Sure? Its a 2nd edition slot loader. There was only one model of slot loader without firewire and they are rare. I only ever saw one or two (out of several hundred).

The slot-loaders were Rev. D.

Only the models 400 MHz and above had Firewire (in the initial Rev. D they were called "iMac DV" and "iMac DV SE"). The 400 MHz G3 was the slowest processor that could edit DV (they came with iMovie), so it didn't make sense to include FW on anything slower at the time.

The 350MHz Indigo version was a budget machine that came without Firewire, and with a CD drive only (no DVD reading).

[P]

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot 

The slot-loaders were Rev. D.

ObSeriouslyNitpicking:

Actually, the 333 MHz slotloaders were Rev. D. Rev. A was the 233 MHz Bondi original with Rage IIc graphics, the little seen Rev B was still 233 MHz, still Bondi but with Rage Pro graphics (and more VRAM), Rev C was the first multicolored model with 266 MHz and Rage Pro and Rev D was the 333 MHz version of the same. The whole "Rev" thing came from the fact that the first two models were officially known as revision A and B of the same Apple model number. Rev C and D had new numbers, but the tradition lived on for a while until the slotloaders were different enough that something bigger than "Rev E" was required.

TidBits once suggested that Apple give their computers version numbers. iMacs Rev A-D would then be iMac 1.0-1.3, and the first slotloader would be iMac 2.0. According to that idea, the OP has an iMac version 2.1. I liked the idea at the time, but now it would be confusing - the motherboards don't stay identical for as long as they did in the G3 days. Depending on how you judge the versions (if the iSight G5 qualifies as a new one or not), I have an iMac 7.0 or 8.0 these days.