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bmwparamedic · Nov 22, 2007, 08:23 PM

Hi everyone I've been a member for a while but not an active poster. I have a couple of questions. I have a g4 with Mac OS X Server vs. 10.4.8 on it with 400 Mhz PowerPC G4 with 1 GB SDRAM. It also has 100 GB Hd in it.

My father currently uses this busted Dell that he got while he was deployed in Iraq and the thing is horrible has so many problems it's not even funny. So I don't really use the G4 anyone and was going to put OS X 10.5 on it however it's not capable of running leopard. I was debating about putting 10.4 non-server version on and sending it to my parents or wondering if 10.4 server would be fine.

I did plan to do a a CPU upgrade when I was home if my parents liked the machine to Sonnet Encore/ST G4 1GHz/2MB
SG4-1000-2M
Leopard compatible! This CPU upgrade makes unsupported G4 (800MHz or lower) compatible.

G4 1GHz Upgrade w/2MB L3 Cache. Compatible with PowerMac G4 AGP Graphics(Sawtooth), Gigabit Ethernet, Digital Audio, and QuickSilver 2001/2002 models.
New, 1 Year Sonnet Warranty.

Price : US$165.95

However I was debating if this would even be worth the upgrade and the shipping cost of this machine to my parents. Please advise what would be the best route. I would be sending it without the monitor from Rhode Island to California. I'm a graduate student so my funds are limited.

Bwa · Nov 22, 2007, 09:16 PM

I think it's worth the shipping cost, but not worth the upgrade.

I have shipped about 2500 lbs of personal stuff from San Francisco to Boston this year--here is how to get the absolute cheapest price on shipping stuff cross country (even cheaper than a moving company's quote):

1. Pack it yourself.
2. Take it to your local FedEx center. Do not take it to Postal Annex, UPS Store, etc. A real FedEx center.

Doing this has cost me about 85 cents per pound for the 3000 mile transit using FedEx Ground (aka "FedEx Home"). So the G4 will cost you about $30 or so to ship.

Hope this helps.

bmwparamedic · Nov 22, 2007, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by Bwa

I think it's worth the shipping cost, but not worth the upgrade.

I have shipped about 2500 lbs of personal stuff from San Francisco to Boston this year--here is how to get the absolute cheapest price on shipping stuff cross country (even cheaper than a moving company's quote):

1. Pack it yourself.
2. Take it to your local FedEx center. Do not take it to Postal Annex, UPS Store, etc. A real FedEx center.

Doing this has cost me about 85 cents per pound for the 3000 mile transit using FedEx Ground (aka "FedEx Home"). So the G4 will cost you about $30 or so to ship.

Hope this helps.

Thats great, I was expecting to pay around $80 to ship.

Leonard · Nov 23, 2007, 11:03 AM

I'd be tempted to put the upgrade in there before putting MacOS X 10.4 or higher on that machine. 400Mhz is a damn slow machine, and your father may be tempted to throw the machine out the window before you get the upgrade in it.

At $165 the upgrade sounds reasonable. If you could afford a slightly faster single processor upgrade, it would be better. Paying anything more than $250-$300 in upgrades probably isn't worth it.

ninahagen · Nov 23, 2007, 11:15 AM

Please check out this thread:

http://forums.macnn.com/65/mac-pro-a...-mild-upgrade/

nina

cube-dude · Nov 23, 2007, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by bmwparamedic

My father currently uses this busted Dell that he got while he was deployed in Iraq and the thing is horrible has so many problems it's not even funny ... I'm a graduate student so my funds are limited.

Very cool that you are helping out your folks and trying to make their computing lives better.

My dad, in his 70s, had so many frustrations with his ThinkPad that I couldn't resist finding him a discounted, discontinued Mac mini to play with. Long story short, he enjoyed the Mac experience so much that he added a MacBook and the IBM is history.

bmwparamedic · Nov 23, 2007, 12:50 PM

You guys bring up two very good points that a refurb mac mini is actually a really good deal.

Westfoto · Nov 23, 2007, 05:19 PM

My parents love the Mac that they have. Yes I got them hooked about 10+ years ago now. They both have a desktop (iMac and Macmini) and two Mac Books. My dad still can not believe that his brother (my uncle) uses a PC.

I would say that the 400MHZ is a slow machine. I have a Dual 533 as a file server at my office and that is all it does, it now can not be updated anymore. It is running 10.4

SierraDragon · Nov 24, 2007, 02:04 PM

IMO it is not worth the shipping or the learning curve, let alone upgrade costs. If your dad is going to learn Mac he should do it on a MacIntel. Refurb or used iMac or Mini. One thing you will want to do is configure his box with the exact same OS version you run so when he has questions you know exactly what he is seeing.

My dad is 87 with a Macbook Pro and my mom is now getting his iMac. He has had Macs for years now but we still have an almost daily communication about his computer issues. Any communication one has with one's parents is a good thing...

-Allen Wicks

bmwparamedic · Nov 25, 2007, 04:20 PM

Thanks guy - After loading ilife and seeing that i have a hard time even logging into the machine now I'm really thinking it might not be the best thing to send this to my parents, which is kind of a bummer since he really wanted it. I would love to send my parents a new imac or mini with an intel chipset. However being a graduate student my only income is with my graduate assistant stipend which comes out to $750 month with 550 going towards rent.

I think my plans at this point are to begin parting out this machine, and using the money to buy my parents a refurb mini.

SierraDragon · Nov 25, 2007, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by bmwparamedic

I think my plans at this point are to begin parting out this machine, and using the money to buy my parents a refurb mini.

Makes sense!

-Allen Wicks

ninahagen · Nov 26, 2007, 05:53 AM

Originally Posted by bmwparamedic

I think my plans at this point are to begin parting out this machine, and using the money to buy my parents a refurb mini.

Hurrah! They will be over the moon. Also, after the 12 month warranty runs out, if it ever needs service, it will be easy to take it in. Please let us know in a later post how the parting out process goes (time involved, money results, etc) , since some of us might like to do the same. It will be interesting to see if you think it was worth doing in the end. Have fun, see ya soon...

Nina

Westfoto · Nov 26, 2007, 05:10 PM

Good thoughts there.

cube-dude · Nov 26, 2007, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by bmwparamedic

I think my plans at this point are to begin parting out this machine, and using the money to buy my parents a refurb mini.

Good luck and keep us apprised.

danbrew · Dec 26, 2007, 01:43 AM

Originally Posted by bmwparamedic

Thanks guy - After loading ilife and seeing that i have a hard time even logging into the machine now I'm really thinking it might not be the best thing to send this to my parents, which is kind of a bummer since he really wanted it. I would love to send my parents a new imac or mini with an intel chipset. However being a graduate student my only income is with my graduate assistant stipend which comes out to $750 month with 550 going towards rent.

I think my plans at this point are to begin parting out this machine, and using the money to buy my parents a refurb mini.

So wait a few months to get him a machine you can afford. It'll be worse for both of you to have an old crappy machine that you wouldn't want. What makes you think he's gonna like it any better than you would? There's something to be said for having a current machine...

imitchellg5 · Dec 27, 2007, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by bmwparamedic

Thanks guy - After loading ilife and seeing that i have a hard time even logging into the machine now I'm really thinking it might not be the best thing to send this to my parents, which is kind of a bummer since he really wanted it. I would love to send my parents a new imac or mini with an intel chipset. However being a graduate student my only income is with my graduate assistant stipend which comes out to $750 month with 550 going towards rent.

I think my plans at this point are to begin parting out this machine, and using the money to buy my parents a refurb mini.

That's awesome that you are buying your parents a Mac. I think that they'll love it. My dad bought my grandpa a new iMac last summer and he thinks it's the coolest ever (well, actually I think it is).

bmwparamedic · Jan 13, 2008, 01:21 PM

I decided against it and will prob be getting a MacBook Pro or a Mac Pro leaning more towards MBP though next year since I go back and forth from my home to my lab. I think my parents will really like the black MacBook I decided to use the G4 and upgrade and see if I can use it as a DVR with some elgato software/hardware.

peeb · Jan 13, 2008, 02:29 PM

You will love desktop sharing for troubleshooting and teaching your parents too - honestly - it changed that part of my life that has to do with troubleshooting my parents computer.

bmwparamedic · Jan 13, 2008, 02:35 PM

Yeah I figured it was probably best to give them an intel based MacBook that is portable and will also have Apple Care on it incase anything happens they can fix it over there.