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calm down · Apr 12, 2006, 09:21 PM

I got no responce in the netwroking forum, so since this is more active I have migrated. Is a G3 B&W worth it to buy as a server? it is too weak to do anything else for me, but what about as a server? Or is it getign too long in the tooth for that? Or maybe the cost is too prohibitive to upgrade. I have an old amd-k62 400 as a linux server now, maybe a G3 would be better to have 3 Macs in the family.

However, I m concerned that the G3 might not read the 200 GB HDD that I have. Thoughts? I am thinking of having both a file server and maybe learn about running a web/e-mail server or something.

angelmb · Apr 13, 2006, 05:34 AM

Originally Posted by vcryption

However, I m concerned that the G3 might not read the 200 GB HDD that I have.

You right, B&W G3 doesn't support large drives, being 128 GB the limit per disk. You would need a third party PCI card; there was some software solution out there, but I don't know how good it is really. Anyway, a B&W G3 would be really cheap so you could buy that PCI card later, in fact I would not be surprised if the card itself was more money than the whole B&W computer.

angelmb · Apr 13, 2006, 05:35 AM

No, I don't want 2666 being my number of posts… ah solved

zmcgill · Apr 13, 2006, 06:00 AM

I'm using a B&W G3 as my web/file server right now, and it works great. The software solution was too expensive and tricky if I remember correctly, a PCI card is definitely the way to go.

Tuoder · Apr 13, 2006, 06:15 AM

I will be coming into a beige G3 soon, and have a couple of cards lying around. Any suggestions on PCI cards to use?

angelmb · Apr 13, 2006, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by Tuoder

I will be coming into a beige G3 soon, and have a couple of cards lying around. Any suggestions on PCI cards to use?

This seems a good option:

ACARD ATA-133
AEC-6280M PCI Ultra ATA-133 IDE Adapter for PowerMac

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/ACARD/AEC6280M/

* True Mac OS X support
* OS X, OS 8.5, OS 9 all on same firmware
* Designed for G4, G3, 9x00, 8x00 and 7x00 PowerMac Systems
* Supports Ultra 133/100/66/33 hard drives and ATAPI CD-writer

* Coexist with on-board IDE controller
* Open Firmware interface
* Max. 4 IDE devices

* 32-bit PCI Bus Master for up to 133MB/s data transferring rate
* Scatter / Gather function support
* Automatic FIFO threshold selection
* Low command overhead
* True PCI Plug and Play

* Dual independent channel of IDE bus
* Supports Ultra DMA 133 mode
* IDE Data transfer rate up to 133MB/sec per channel

zmcgill · Apr 13, 2006, 10:48 AM

The only problems with the Beige G3 are the lack of 10/100 ethernet and USB. USB you can probably live without on a server, but the ethernet is quite a bottleneck.
P.S. I have both a USB and and ethernet PCI card for sale...PM me if you're interested.

production_coordinator · Apr 13, 2006, 10:51 AM

Couldn't he also use a USB 2.0 PCI card and a USB hard drive?

Depending upon usage, this could be an option should you want to upgrade at a later time (then again, you could always take out the HD).

production_coordinator · Apr 13, 2006, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by Gossamer

The only problems with the Beige G3 are the lack of 10/100 ethernet and USB. USB you can probably live without on a server, but the ethernet is quite a bottleneck.
P.S. I have both a USB and and ethernet PCI card for sale...PM me if you're interested.

I'm rather sure the Beige G3 had 10Base-T Ethernet standard.

Exizl del Fuego · Apr 16, 2006, 12:46 PM

A B&W G3 makes an excellent server. They can be had for dirt cheap, so what you save on the computer you can spend on upgrades. I built a nice server for myself in this manner for ~$500. I took a base G3, added a 1GHz G3 card, SATA card, extra 100BaseT ethernet card, and a copy of OSX Server 10.3. I then spent as much again loading it up with 3x400GB HDs, pretty effectively solving my HD-space problems.

I now have a machine which acts as a media server, file server, web test server on my internal network, router/firewall, and a steady web/mail server for the internet. Once I switch my iMac G4 with a Core Duo Mac Mini for my TV setup, I'll replace the 100BaseT ethernet card with a Gigabit Ethernet card so I can watch movies without having to first queue them up.

mountainash · Apr 16, 2006, 07:30 PM

Two reasons to use a PCI hard drive controller: to get around the 128GiB drive size limitation, and to avoid the data corruption problem seen with some early B&Ws.

I'd go with a SATA card. The cards are cheaper, and it is a more future proof solution (IDE drives will become rarer and more expensive in the future). You can move the drives to a G5 or MacIntel in future. If you decide on an ATA card, then I think that you will have to get an ATA-133 card. AFAIK, there are no ATA-100 cards which support 128GiB+ drives. ATA cards will let you use your old drives, easily.

The B&W is popular as a server. You can move your old stuff there from the Power Mac G4.

calm down · Apr 17, 2006, 01:48 PM

I am holding off for now, but very soon I may be implementing some of the stuff mentioned, I just got a call from my friend, we are both computer teachers, and the lucky (now unlucky) bastard had an iMac lab. He had 40 G3 iMacs and 6 B&W. Anyhow, he is trying to figure out how we can get our hands on some "throwaways."

Also, I just picked up a G4 733, 1GB, 60GB. I still am thinking a B&W if I can get for free. I have a IDE card in my Linux system, if it is Mac compatible I will be a happy camper.

As for a B&W, is a processor upgrade necessary? Or just as much ram as possible and faster hdds? Also, I guess I would need nic. Should I seperate my file/media server from my web/firewall? I have never run a web server, but I want to get one set-up for students and other edtech stuff since I am starting a Master's program in Instructional Design and Technology.

Exizl del Fuego · Apr 17, 2006, 03:28 PM

RAM! I knew I was forgetting something in that list... Anyways, if I had to prioritize, I think I'd rank RAM higher than the processor upgrade. Though a processor upgrade would help.

And with regards to separating file/media from web/firewall, I've decided to keep mine together. There are security implications to this setup, but I'd decided I'm alright with them. Think about how sensitive your data may be and what the repercussions might be should someone (external or internal) get ahold of it. If the data really is that sensitive, then having it sit behind a firewall (versus on the firewall) would be prudent.

zmcgill · Apr 17, 2006, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by production_coordinator

I'm rather sure the Beige G3 had 10Base-T Ethernet standard.

Exactly what I said. So as far as lightweigt web server goes, it wouldn't be bad, but for heavy serving and computer-to-computer transfers, you'd need to add a 10/100 card to a beige G3.

Tuoder · Apr 20, 2006, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by Gossamer

Exactly what I said. So as far as lightweigt web server goes, it wouldn't be bad, but for heavy serving and computer-to-computer transfers, you'd need to add a 10/100 card to a beige G3.

10 base is no problem for me. I am using this server more out of conveinience than anything. I use so many different computers, that it makes sense to have all of my files in a single, separate location.

Exizl del Fuego · May 3, 2006, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by Tuoder

10 base is no problem for me. I am using this server more out of conveinience than anything. I use so many different computers, that it makes sense to have all of my files in a single, separate location.

Regarding your Beige G3, if you're just looking for a place to packrat your files, then 10BaseT would be fine. But if you're frequently accessing those files, I'd strongly suggest going 100BaseT. Waiting sucks!