Got a iMac OS 9.2 at my dad's and want to know if i can upgrade it to a OS X?

 

Anyone?

 

could try contacting bruce read on here .. he is a mac consultant .. so shouyld be able to help .. if he ever checks his mail ...

 

what spec the mac it should runOSX though but shity

 

Dont know much about Mac's but on the about this computer it says

Version Mac OS Z1-9.2.2
Mac OS ROM 9.3.1
Built in memory 256MB
Virtual memory 850MB used on Macintoch HD
Largest usused block 792.6MB

 

Also want to get a CD-RW for it?
Witch is best?

 

which model iMac? is it the older color ones or the dome shape with flat screen?

Virtual Memory is really high on that! is the computer sometimes slow? hmm now that I think about it, it's probably one of the mulit color ones? How much HD space do you have?

I like the LaCie drives.

 

Its one of the colour ones, yes it is slow sometimes

How do i speed it up and i'll have a look at the HD space?

 

What you need to do is either eliminate the virtual memory or bring it down to maybe 96mb.
I haven't used the older OS in a while, I'll have to check when I go home (I have another older Mac). I can tell you how to either turn off virtual memory or lower the amount.
You can run os 10 on your iMac but it won't be any quicker than what you have now if anything, it might be slower. Stick with the OS9 you have. OS X was a bit buggy so you would have to go like 10.2 but like I said, stick with the one you have now.
Oh, it just came to me LOL.

Ok on the left top under the apple icon click on that, scroll down until you see memory, I think you either have to click on that or go to the right (in a sub menu). open it and I believe the settings for the virtual memory should be there ( I think )

You might also want to try to rebuild the desktop which is an easy to use utility.....

This is what you want to do, Restart your computer while holding down the Command and Option keys.
When you see the dialog that says "Are you sure you want to rebuild the desktop file on the
disk "your disk"?," release the keys and click OK. You will see a scroll bar going across I think, when it's done, restart your comp again.
Another reason why it might be slow is because of the extensions that are turned on...I'd tell you all about it but I have to go back to work LOL.

-Erik

 

Goto the apple menu, control panels, memory, then click the "use defaults" button, this will set your virtual memory to 257 mb, which is what it should be, don't turn virtual memory off, the OS needs it to work efficently, on OSX, you CAN'T turn it off. It is currently set way to high, basically you are using 850mb of your HD as RAM, which will make it slow!

Does it have a firewire port? If not then i wouldn't install OSX on it, these were the G3 processor based machines, 266mhz if you have a CD tray, or 350 mhz if the CD is slot loading, either way, they can run OS X, but your better off using a later "ice white" imac which had a 600mhz processor and was shipped with OS X from Apple.

OS 10.3 or above is the only versons of OS X i'd use, the previous versions were crap!

Also, no point in running OS X if you still use the OS9 apps in classic mode, it's like running 2 OS's at the same time, it runs OS9 in emulation mode, so it can run the OS9 app, might as well keep OS9 if your going to do that!

Memory wise, they have 2 slots, as you have 256mb RAM, then you either have 1x 256mb dimm, or 2x 128mb dimms, 256mb is enough to run OS X, but as with every computer, you can never have enough RAM.

Rather than upgrading an old machine (they were made last century btw!!) why not save some cash and get a new machine, look at this for example:
(just had a quick look on www.dell.co.uk)

Dimension 1100, 512mb RAM, 80GB HD, dvd/CD-RW combo drive, 15" flat screen monitor, Ł399 inc vat + delivery

 

Virtual Memory Does NOT need to be on to help the OS work efficently!! I still think if it is on 96MB is what you should use. You can buy a Windozzz but it's like going backwards LOL.

BTW, I have 4 older Mac's with none of them using VM. They run fine.

 

They'd run fine with it on too!

I have 75 of those imacs here running OS 9.2.2, all with VM on, set at the CORRECT setting (1mb more than the physical ram installled), which is what Apple set it to by default, but hey what do they know about it...

Windows XP SP2 is alot more advanced than OS9! I have no preference between XP SP2 and OS 10.3 or higher, they both work very well, but i'd rather spend Ł400 on a new computer than spend Ł200 on an OS X CD and an external CD writer, you can polish a turd all you want, but it will still be a turd at the end of the day

 

Yes it is on by default and so are ALL the extensions that you don't need. Unless of course you're using all of Apple's printers? Just because they put it there doesn't mean it should stay there.

I also use both Windoz to me has always been crap, they are finally catching up the Apple OS's... plug and play?? wasn't it more like Plug and pray?

Yeah might as well get a cheapo comp though I mean you do get what you pay for. [/code]

 

From experience,

only if its a g4 or higher u can put osx on but when you do u got to push the little button on the side where you connect all the usb and all that when u start the mac with the osx disc in the drive. then it should boot and u will get a osx loading screen come up then the installer.

Simon