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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Desktops > What to do with old PowerMac G4 500MHz

What to do with old PowerMac G4 500MHz
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shining-nickel17
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Mar 13, 2007, 06:28 PM
 
I was just wondering if anyone could come up with what I could do with my old G4 tower? It still runs fairly well, 500MHz Single G4, 640 RAM, DVD-R, Zip Drive. Just a standard G4. So all suggestions on what can be done with this are more than welcome, also if anyone has an idea of its value? ~Thanks
( Last edited by shining-nickel17; Mar 13, 2007 at 06:29 PM. Reason: spelling)
     
imitchellg5
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Mar 13, 2007, 07:40 PM
 
You could do alot with it. I use a similiar G4 for my everyday computer (see sig). It would make a great home network server. It's worth about $200 I think. I got mine for $250.
     
shining-nickel17  (op)
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Mar 13, 2007, 09:53 PM
 
I've thought about the server idea before. Is there any particular server software that you recommend?
     
GlobalNomad
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Mar 13, 2007, 10:25 PM
 
File sever / bittorent
I have 1tb on my old 733Mhz Digital Audio.
     
shining-nickel17  (op)
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Mar 14, 2007, 12:34 AM
 
Sorry, but I don't think I follow you. I get the idea of a file server, but whats the best way to go about setting this up?
     
imitchellg5
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Mar 14, 2007, 09:33 AM
 
Just put a large hard drive in it (or leave it the same if it's enough for you) and make sure it has a wired internet connection. Turn Remote Access on and FTP access on in the Sharing tab of System Preferences. It should give you an address from which you can access it. Also you can use backup software to make it a network backup machine. Then all of your other Mac's contents will be backed up on your Power Mac if you have sufficient HD space.
     
utw-Mephisto
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Mar 14, 2007, 09:35 AM
 
Originally Posted by shining-nickel17 View Post
I was just wondering if anyone could come up with what I could do with my old G4 tower?
Send it to me .. the old G4 of my cousin just died
     
dowNNshift
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Mar 14, 2007, 09:49 AM
 
You could run a 10-client license of Tiger Server if your interested in a file / mail / proxy / or gateway type of setup.

If you're looking to have your very own web server, I highly recommend SWSoft Plesk 8.1. It installs via Terminal app, but has a web browser based control panel. The best part is that it doesn't cost an arm-and-a-leg to purchase a simple 30-domain license.

Some food for thought

-dowNNshift
     
mr. burns
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Mar 14, 2007, 11:46 AM
 
i just gave mine to my dad. he had a ruby red imac lol.

not all who wander are lost.
     
olePigeon
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Mar 14, 2007, 12:10 PM
 
iTunes/Movie/File server. That's what I'd do.
"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
     
DrBoar
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Mar 14, 2007, 12:15 PM
 
If you do not have a backup solution and valuble files on your other computers.
Get Retrospect Desktop edition 6.1 for mac. That includes licences for two clients. Mac or PC. For that you also need a free harddisk on that backupcomputer. Backups that are not automatic tends to not get done.

You can also join the macnn team and do Fold@home or other projects.
     
shining-nickel17  (op)
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Mar 14, 2007, 12:59 PM
 
Wow so many ideas.... Well as soon as i can get the time freed up i'll prob. turn it into a nice file server for my home...thanks for all the helpful suggestions..!
     
imitchellg5
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Mar 14, 2007, 07:20 PM
 
No problem. Be sure and tell us how it works out!
     
Moderator
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Mar 14, 2007, 07:29 PM
 
I could get about 20 of them from my job if I cared to...I dont think they are worth $200 though.. A quicksilver barely pulls 300 nowadays.
     
Mac Write
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Mar 14, 2007, 07:41 PM
 
Remember any PowerMac Pre-MDD is limited to 138GB per hard drive (not partition). Get an SATA2 controller and put in 320-500GB HD's (depending which is cheapest per GB). Then use one for files and the other for Time Machine when Leopard comes out.
Get busy living or get busy dying
--Stephen King
     
imitchellg5
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Mar 14, 2007, 07:55 PM
 
Originally Posted by Mac Write View Post
Remember any PowerMac Pre-MDD is limited to 138GB per hard drive (not partition). Get an SATA2 controller and put in 320-500GB HD's (depending which is cheapest per GB). Then use one for files and the other for Time Machine when Leopard comes out.
128 Gb. And the QS 2002 can do over that too.
     
Northeastern292
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Mar 14, 2007, 09:34 PM
 
Originally Posted by Moderator View Post
I could get about 20 of them from my job if I cared to...I dont think they are worth $200 though.. A quicksilver barely pulls 300 nowadays.
Technology is going too fast.
The Mac Collection:

Power Mac G4 Sawtooth at 450MHz, Power Mac G4 Gigabit Ethernet at 400MHz, three Power Mac FW800's at 1.0GHz, MacBook Pro at 2.0GHz, my late father's G3 iMac at 350MHz, an iMac at 500MHz, a PowerBook G4 (12-inch VGA) and a PowerBook 170
     
papadopolis
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Mar 14, 2007, 10:18 PM
 
Originally Posted by Moderator View Post
I could get about 20 of them from my job if I cared to...I dont think they are worth $200 though.. A quicksilver barely pulls 300 nowadays.
do you think you could get a few for me
     
QuadG5Man
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Mar 15, 2007, 12:13 AM
 
Originally Posted by Mac Write View Post
Remember any PowerMac Pre-MDD is limited to 138GB per hard drive (not partition). Get an SATA2 controller and put in 320-500GB HD's (depending which is cheapest per GB). Then use one for files and the other for Time Machine when Leopard comes out.
what would it cost for the SATA2 controller?
2002 Mac Mini i5 8GB 256GB SSD
2013 Macbook Air 4GB/128GB
iPad Mini A7 32GB
     
Mac Write
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Mar 15, 2007, 12:42 AM
 
Not sure, but that is my longer term goal for my MDD, is to tern it into a file server hopefully with RAID5.
Get busy living or get busy dying
--Stephen King
     
rubaiyat
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Mar 15, 2007, 01:12 AM
 
Originally Posted by Mac Write View Post
Not sure, but that is my longer term goal for my MDD, is to tern it into a file server hopefully with RAID5.
Tern it into spillchucker.
     
bloodshot
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Mar 19, 2007, 12:03 PM
 
Um, where did you get this idea? There has been no artificial limit to HD sizes for a LONG time on the Mac platform, and especially not on a PowerMac G4. I've seen 300+GB drives in all sorts of PowerMacs. I'd love to know where you got this information...
     
FastAMX79
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Mar 19, 2007, 12:46 PM
 
I took my old B&W G3/400 with 1 GB RAM, and turned it into a file server. I have it running OS X 10.4.6 Server. Has three HDDs installed on it and all my other computers (Powerbook G4/Panasonic Toughbook/Dell PC) are connected to it sharing files back and forth. The dell is hooked up to my tv so i can watch movies, or listen to music that is all hosted on my G3

Works really well. Once i get my SATA card installed, im loading more HDDs into it as a backup solution.
Powerbook G4 15" 1.0GHz FW800 60GIG HDD / 1.5GB RAM 10.5.X
iBook G3/800 12" 30GIG 640MB RAM 10.4.11
Mirror Door G4 1.0DP .5TB/1.5TB/40GB/30GB 1.5GB RAM 10.5 Server
Mini 1.83GHz C2D 80GB HDD 1GB RAM
     
tr
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Mar 19, 2007, 04:31 PM
 
Originally Posted by bloodshot View Post
Um, where did you get this idea? There has been no artificial limit to HD sizes for a LONG time on the Mac platform, and especially not on a PowerMac G4. I've seen 300+GB drives in all sorts of PowerMacs. I'd love to know where you got this information...
yes, there were limits to HD size on the Powermacs. i have a sawtooth G4 as my main computer, i can verify that you can't address more than 128 gb. you can if you run off an ATA/SATA PCI card, or install some special drivers. i believe the first Powermacs to address more than 128 gb were the Quicksilvers.

What Macs natively support large IDE drives? (over 128GB formatted) from xlr8yourmac.com
     
rubaiyat
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Mar 20, 2007, 11:35 AM
 
Originally Posted by tr View Post
i believe the first Powermacs to address more than 128 gb were the Quicksilvers.
True.

I had to get a new ATA card for my 400Mhz G4 AGP. Just one of the many expensive extras I needed to get it to work properly with OSX and my peripherals.

Belatedly I found my SCSI card was incompatible with OSX and the original video card was a real drag on the system as well as not supporting 2 monitors.
     
   
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