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Annorax · Mar 4, 2006, 06:30 PM

Hi all,

I have an iMac rev A or B, not sure which. It's the teal color and everything is stock. It has a 233mhz processor 32mb RAM, and a 4 or 6 gig hard drive (not sure which) and runs OS 8.6. My current machine died and I remembered I had this guy that I bought from a friend a while back.

The Mac has always worked fine, but is slow, so I want to do some low cost upgrades. I figure that RAM will be the best bet, so here are my questions:

1.) I found this RAM stick online. It's a 256mb stick and it says it supports my model, but I've heard some iMacs don't take 256mb sticks. Is this a good deal and will it work on my machine?

2.) After I do the RAM upgrade, I'll want to upgrade the hard drive, but this is not a priority as I just want the guy to work. Does this model take regular 3.5" drives? What's the highest capacity, RPM, and buffer size it will take? What's the RPM and buffer of the stock drive?

3.) Eventually I might want to get a CD-RW/DVD drive. Is it possible to switch to a better CD drive and if so, what specs does the new drive have to be?

4.) I'm fine running OS 8.6 and don't need OSX right now, but finding hardware for this old OS has been a challenge. Can you recommend me a good (preferably tabbed) web browser, AIM client (better than the regular one), and some cool things to have? Is there a list somewhere of good pre OSX software?

I think that about covers it. I appreciate any help I get.

dbhud · Mar 4, 2006, 11:09 PM

Hello Annorax --

If your Bondi (Teal color) iMac has 6MB VRAM, then it's probably a Revision B. Use System Profiler to check for the Video Memory. The "A" model is restricted to 384 MB of RAM memory.

Here are some of the upgrades that we made to jazz up our "B" Bondi iMac.

RAM chips: 2 - 256MB SDRAM for a total of 512MB.
Hard Drive: 120GB, 7200 RPM, 8MB Cache 3.5" (max is 128GB)
Processor: G4, 433 MHz on inserted card (Maxpowr)
Mac OS: 9.2.2

The same upgrades were made to our Tangerine iMac. We also replaced the CD-ROM drive with a CD-RW drive - a 24X MCE/Teac. Burns CDs smoothly. Upgraded to Mac OS X, but were maxed at Panther 10.3.9.

Make sure that before you start any of these modifications, you apply iMac Firmware Update 1.2 from Apple.

For a web browser, you may want to try Opera 6.0.3 for Mac OS 8 & 9.
I can heartily recommend A-Dock 3.0.1 as a very handy tool in Mac OS 8 or 9 (and it is now freeware!)

Hope this helps. D-B

Tuoder · Mar 5, 2006, 05:45 AM

Originally Posted by dbhud

Hello Annorax --

If your Bondi (Teal color) iMac has 6MB VRAM, then it's probably a Revision B. Use System Profiler to check for the Video Memory. The "A" model is restricted to 384 MB of RAM memory.

Here are some of the upgrades that we made to jazz up our "B" Bondi iMac.

RAM chips: 2 - 256MB SDRAM for a total of 512MB.
Hard Drive: 120GB, 7200 RPM, 8MB Cache 3.5" (max is 128GB)
Processor: G4, 433 MHz on inserted card (Maxpowr)
Mac OS: 9.2.2

The same upgrades were made to our Tangerine iMac. We also replaced the CD-ROM drive with a CD-RW drive - a 24X MCE/Teac. Burns CDs smoothly. Upgraded to Mac OS X, but were maxed at Panther 10.3.9.

Make sure that before you start any of these modifications, you apply iMac Firmware Update 1.2 from Apple.

For a web browser, you may want to try Opera 6.0.3 for Mac OS 8 & 9.
I can heartily recommend A-Dock 3.0.1 as a very handy tool in Mac OS 8 or 9 (and it is now freeware!)

Hope this helps. D-B

I'll bet he could XPostFacto Panther or Tiger onto it if he had that G4 in it, but the graphics card may be a problem.

Annorax · Mar 5, 2006, 09:30 AM

I don't have the Mac with me now so I can't tell whether it's an A or B.

Will the RAM I linked above work on a rev A? The website says it will but I've heard some rev A's can't take 256mb sticks.

So this model of iMac can take any 3.5" hard drive up to 128 gigs? Very nice.

What is invovled with applying the firmware upgrade? Is it like flashing the BIOS on a PC?

Thank you for the help.

tooki · Mar 5, 2006, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Annorax

Hi all,

I have an iMac rev A or B, not sure which. It's the teal color and everything is stock. It has a 233mhz processor 32mb RAM, and a 4 or 6 gig hard drive (not sure which) and runs OS 8.6. My current machine died and I remembered I had this guy that I bought from a friend a while back.

The Mac has always worked fine, but is slow, so I want to do some low cost upgrades. I figure that RAM will be the best bet, so here are my questions:

1.) I found this RAM stick online. It's a 256mb stick and it says it supports my model, but I've heard some iMacs don't take 256mb sticks. Is this a good deal and will it work on my machine?

2.) After I do the RAM upgrade, I'll want to upgrade the hard drive, but this is not a priority as I just want the guy to work. Does this model take regular 3.5" drives? What's the highest capacity, RPM, and buffer size it will take? What's the RPM and buffer of the stock drive?

3.) Eventually I might want to get a CD-RW/DVD drive. Is it possible to switch to a better CD drive and if so, what specs does the new drive have to be?

4.) I'm fine running OS 8.6 and don't need OSX right now, but finding hardware for this old OS has been a challenge. Can you recommend me a good (preferably tabbed) web browser, AIM client (better than the regular one), and some cool things to have? Is there a list somewhere of good pre OSX software?

I think that about covers it. I appreciate any help I get.

1. It takes up to 256MB of PC66 or PC100 RAM as SO-DIMMs. You can put in two of them to make 512MB. Be sure it's not high-density RAM, which won't work properly.

If the machine doesn't have the full 6MB of VRAM, I recommend that you add the 4MB SGRAM module that you can get for cheap (check www.macsales.com for that, too).

2. It uses standard 3.5" ATA hard disks up to 137GB (128GiB). Cache size and RPM are irrelevant to compatibility. The stock drive is 5400RPM, with probably a 512KB buffer (can't say for sure).

3. That model uses standard ATA tray-loading notebook optical drives. Those are, IIRC, 1/2" thick. You just pop off the included bezel and snap on the original iMac one. You'll need Toast 5 (the last non-OS X version) to burn discs.

4. OS X on that machine would be a nightmare, IMHO. Stick with OS 9 and some of the software people here have recommended. I am not aware of any alternative AIM clients for OS 9.

tooki

Annorax · Mar 5, 2006, 06:44 PM

Thanks for the help. So that stick of RAM I linked to will work on my iMac, even if it's a Rev A?

I couldn't find that VRAM upgrade at macsales.com, but perhaps I missed it. Can you please link it here?

Is there any software for OS 8.6 that is similar to OpenOffice?

dbhud · Mar 5, 2006, 09:30 PM

Tuodor is correct about the 6MB VRAM and video chip being the limitation on running many visually intensive programs such as games. We were unable to find any way to upgrade the graphic chip processor and VRAM beyond the factory installation specifications.

Yes, Annorax, that RAM stick you linked will work on your iMac (A or B) in the UPPER slot. The LOWER slot needs a low-profile stick, which costs $10 more and can be found at the same source you listed, but on this page: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other.../100SO256168L/. But at those prices, I would install both if you have the "B" revision. By having the maximum RAM possible, it helps to avoid using Virtual Memory, whose hard drive retrievals slow down your applications.

iMac Firmware Update 3.0 is included on the MacOS 8.6 Install CD-ROM. Just follow the ReadMe instructions. It's not difficult, but you need to PRECISELY do the steps listed.

ClarisWorks (now AppleWorks) is a multiple application which had word processing, spreadsheet, database, drawing/painting, and communication modules. No mail module.
It works with MacOS 8.6. It may have been bundled with your Bondi iMac.

D-B

runningdog · Mar 6, 2006, 12:56 AM

Beware that if you must partition your hard drive so that the first partition is no bigger than 8Gb. Plus the OS 8 - X must be installed within that first 8Gb partition.

My mom is still using my old Rev. A iMac which i upgraded with Sonnet Tech's HARMONi G3/500, 768Mb of ram, Microconversion's Game Wizard video card, and a 40Gb drive. i did have to replace the original cd drive which went bad but i just replaced it with an identical model. Currently it's running OSX Panther. The HARMONi card has a firewire connector so i passed on installing Tiger which would have rendered that connection useless due to driver conflicts which XPostFacto could not resolve. The old Game Wizard card works great with old games under OS9 but doesn't work at all with OSX.

Here's some info about the Rev. A iMac.

Annorax · Mar 6, 2006, 09:21 AM

Thanks all for the replies.

dbhud, which slot is the lower one? I've been studying how to take apart this little guy and in the picture I see two RAM slots: one by a heatsink (processor I would assume) underneath a metal shield. and one off to the side. Which slot is the factory 32mb stick in? Can I use both the 256mb and 32mb stick at the same time?

Or should I just spring for the low profile stick so I can use it anywhere?

runningdog, thanks for the info. I plan on keeping OS 8.6 for a while, but those upgrades might prove helpful in the future, as finding 8.6 software is getting more and more difficult.

tooki · Mar 6, 2006, 12:05 PM

Runningdog is not quite right.

On this model iMac, only an OS X boot partition must be completely contained within the first 8GB. If you do not plan to use OS X, you can leave a disk of any size as one partition. Mac OS 8-9 will boot just fine.

tooki

dbhud · Mar 6, 2006, 04:28 PM

Hey Annorax, have you yet checked the ID plate on your Bondi iMac? The Model Number will tell you if it's an A or B version. Part Number M6709LL/B = B version.

Replacing memory chips: The slot off to the right side is for VRAM Expansion. The UPPER SDRAM slot is located under the perforated metal processor card top shield. It should be unpopulated (i.e., the factory chip should be in the lower slot). To get to the LOWER slot, which is on the underside of the processor card, remove the card from the metal "cage" in which it resides. Make sure you ground youself and the "guts" housing that you have removed from your iMac plastic housing.

Yes, you can use both memory sticks at the same time for a cumulative amount of RAM (32MB+256MB=288MB).

MacOS 9.2.2 runs very well and still has lots of useful software available.

D-B

Annorax · Mar 6, 2006, 05:01 PM

The iMac is at my parent's house now, that's why I've been unable to see if it's Rev A or B. Within a week or two I should have it at my place.

If I buy the $33 RAM I linked to, it should fit in the slot that's right underneath the metal shield? I don't plan on touching the lower slot now. Maybe down the road I'll toss a 128mb stick in there (if it's Rev B I'll go for 256mb but the low profile one you linked to).

Is OS 9.2.2 significantly better than 8.6? Would it run substantially slower?

dbhud · Mar 7, 2006, 01:29 AM

It's been my experience that OS 9.2.2 is faster than 8.6, more stable and is compatible with a greater number of software applications to meet your various needs.

Good luck in getting your new-to-you computer into action.

D-B

msuper69 · Mar 10, 2006, 01:28 AM

The Bondi iMac is a real pain in the butt to upgrade. I upgraded mine with the VRAM upgrade, RAM upgrade and HD upgrade.

I ended up with a few extra screws left over but everything ended up working just fine.

Panther runs ok on it with 256mb RAM but I'm probably not going to go with Tiger. The iMac isn't really up to it.

Still quite amazing that an 8 year old iMac can run OS X at all.

Annorax · Mar 10, 2006, 02:16 PM

I plan on keeping OS 8.6 in it for a while, unless I can find a store to get OS 9.2.2 from. Is it even sold still?

These little guys are quite good machines with a few simple upgrades. I won't be installing Halo 2 on him, but for regular, non-gaming use, it's quite effective.

Hopefully I'll be picking him up within a week or two.