crappy g4
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- seed
I have the original 350mhz sawtooth g4. It used to be OK even a couple of years ago but now it can barely handle surfing the web. I got a new graphics card because I thought it would help to have quartz extreme althoug it didn't help much. I know I should just get a new computer but I would like to keep this one running decently as a second computer.
It has 768mb of RAM. What should I do to improve this thing? Get a processor upgrade, more RAM or just forget about it?
- gruntt0
spray WD40 into those vents on the back.
- scoops0
might be time to pony up for a new one. it's going to cost you about $300 to $500 to get an upgrade card, and even then you won't get the bus speed up or any of the other new features that mac the new macs go faster (64 bit cpu)
...
- sparker0
buy a new box. format and re-install the old box and use it as a server.
:)
- seed0
I was thinking of using it as a server or for testing sites if I get a PC.
I was thinking of getting a 1Ghz updgrade for $200. I seem to be the most cost efficient choice for an upgrade but I'm not sure how much it will help.
- -_MU_-0
sparkers got the plot. If you really wanna try to improve it without spending any money, try keeping your hard drive as empt as possible and disable all background running applications you don't need. Up the ram as high as it will go, that shit is dirt cheap these days. For true satisfaction though, go with what sparkers said.
- seed0
BTW, what do you think it is that makes MX apps run so slow on it? The processor, bus speed or RAM?
- Mimio0
I made mine into a MP3 server.
- -_MU_-0
honestly, i think it's macromedia not optomising their code for apple systems. I have a OS X 10.3 dual 2GHz G5 w/ 1GB ram in the office. At home I have an XP Pro PC, 2GHz + 1GB Ram. The PC pisses all over the G5 when it comes to macromedia apps, and thats just plain wrong. in my opinion, it has to be down to shoddy cod optomisation
- -_MU_-0
cod! FFS! I mean code!
doh!
- seed0
Good point MU. I'm sure you're right. I can't believe how shitty the Flash Player runs on my Mac. I used to think Macromedia made software for Macs and then ported them to PC. I guess not anymore. You would think they would care about there softwares performance on the Mac platform.
- Donzo0
get a PC
- waynepixel0
The best thing you can do is upgrade the processor.
I had the Same G4 as yours and I upgrade the CPU to 1.25GHz and the thing was super responsive and fast.
You can get a G4 processor for about £200. Well worth the effort, if you are on a budget.
- Mimio0
Nothing you do will make Flash run well on a mac. That's why I switched back, I got fed up when my brand new 1.25mhz PB couldn't run Flash for shit.
- D_Dot0
Just get one of the Mac Mini's for like $500
- seed0
There has to be something seriously wrong with this thing. It is taking 10-20 seconds to minimize a window, add a bookmark, see anything from the menu or switch tabs in Safari. That can't be normal, even for a 350mhz.
- e-pill0
complaining about your puter? i am running mac os 7.5 on my tangerine laptop with a max size 3 gig hard drive and a folder full of modem scripts for my 28.8 baud dial-up modem!
blah!
- NegativeSpace0
Flash 8 should fix some of the poor performance on mac.
- BZZZP0
i think apple builds in obsolescence somewhere... i have the one a step up from there, G4/400, with a gig of ram, and it runs like ASS nowadays... it's been wiped/rewiped etc, but is still pretty much unusable... so it's just a very bulky 300G network drive now...
- madirish0
a G4/400 trying to access a 300G drive?! no wonder the thing is laggy and runs like ass. that machine's front-end bus, cache and especially processor were NEVER intended to access a 300G drive. regardless of how much RAM you stuff in it, it will always be laggy.
Correct me if I am misreading your post somewhere and you do not have a 300G drive in there
- BZZZP0
it's got a bunch of internal drives hanging off everywhere possible so not a single 300g drive, no, it's like 80/40 on the inbuilt ide bus and 120/80 on an additional card