Member Avatar for RoadNeug

I am looking for a good info so that I may scrub the disk in my G3 and start over. I am upgraded to 9.2.2 but am will to start over with the disks (which I have) that came with the computer. I have reformatted and reinstalled Windows in many computers but am new to Macs.

The G3 in question has had too many hands into it and is filled with junk, orphaned files and messed up extension files.

Any help would be appreciated.

Then I want to figure out how to get this beast to talk with the other computers in my home wireless network...share the printer, etc...

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Quick, practical plan for (build on ’s points)

If the goal is a tidy, usable machine for email and light web use, the best balance is Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) — it’s the newest OS that officially supports G3 PowerBooks and it gives the most modern app support. Tiger needs more RAM than a stock 128 MB Pismo will comfortably provide, so plan a memory upgrade before you install. (apple.com)

Safe scrub-and-reinstall steps (low-risk)

  1. Back up anything you want to keep (external drive or FireWire target disk).
  2. If you need a native OS 9 boot: boot the OS 9 install CD (hold C), open Drive Setup and format the target partition as Mac OS Extended (HFS+, non‑journaled) and make sure OS 9 drivers are installed; then install OS 9 and update to 9.2.2.
  3. To add Tiger: boot the Tiger DVD, choose Archive & Install or a clean install to your Mac OS X partition, then apply combo updates (10.4.11) and run Software Update.
    Following OS 9 first then Tiger avoids Classic/driver headaches; the community walkthrough below maps the common steps. (discussions.apple.com)

Hardware tips (what to spend on)

  • Memory: use PC100 SO‑DIMMs. 256 MB makes Tiger tolerable; 512 MB or 1 GB (many community reports/shops show two 512 MB sticks work) is much better for everyday use.
  • RAM slots live under the keyboard on Pismos; upgrades are straightforward but take care when removing the top case and reseating modules. (everymac.com)

Networking and printing — practical choices

  • The Pismo is AirPort‑ready, but original 802.11b AirPort cards have limited encryption support (WEP or flaky WPA behavior). If your router uses WPA/WPA2, the easiest fixes are: use wired Ethernet, set up Internet Sharing from a newer Mac, or run the Pismo behind another machine that bridges Wi‑Fi. (forums.macrumors.com)
  • For printer sharing, use Tiger’s Print & Fax / Printer Setup Utility to add Windows-shared printers (Windows Printing/SMB) or to enable Printer Sharing so other machines can print through the Pismo. That utility is the place to add network and SMB printers. (flylib.com)

Cautions: always back up before reformatting; if you want OS 9 to boot natively, do not use Journaled HFS+ for that partition; and test any wireless card on your network security mode before finalizing.

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Member Avatar for gortonsfi

Well if you're wanting to scrap the installation the actual procedure will be pretty easy. Just stick the Install disk in and it will direct you to what kind of installation you want to do. If you decide to reformat Mac OS will make it fairly simple and comparable to Windows XP installations. Though it will go faster in my experience.

If you decide to reformat the drive you will lose all the software on the computer. Apple considers Mac OS 9 a dead operating system. They no longer support it so you may have trouble locating replacement software once it is gone.

Member Avatar for RoadNeug

Well if you're wanting to scrap the installation the actual procedure will be pretty easy. Just stick the Install disk in and it will direct you to what kind of installation you want to do. If you decide to reformat Mac OS will make it fairly simple and comparable to Windows XP installations. Though it will go faster in my experience.

If you decide to reformat the drive you will lose all the software on the computer. Apple considers Mac OS 9 a dead operating system. They no longer support it so you may have trouble locating replacement software once it is gone.

Okay, great... I have noticed that 9.2.2, etc. is treated like the cousin nobody wants to talk about.

So here is the situation: I have a Pismo G3 that is in great shape and I would love to be able to give it to my wife so that she can do Emails, etc. How tough is it to upgrade this little beast and what OS would you recommend that I put into this thing?

It has 128MB RAM but would love to tinker here and put some muscle into this thing.

I am all ears for any ideas. I am a PC guy who is willing to use this machine to do some Mac-instein type of learning.

Member Avatar for gortonsfi

Hehehe, yeah, OS 9 is like that :o

I love Pismos! They are a snap to upgrade too! If you want a modern operating system, your Pismo will support all the way up through OS 10.4. Upgrading to OS X would give you a much wider range of new applications to use, though it won't be as snappy as OS 9 on your older machine. If your hard drive is big enough you could keep OS 9 and switch between the two if you think you'd want to tinker around the two.

As I said, Pismos are a joy to upgrade. If you put a newer OS in you'll want more than 128 MB of ram, especially on a machine with a slower processor. You don't want to slow it down more by constantly using your page file.

The Ram modules live under the keyboard. Beyond that is more steps than I care to try and remember. This should have all the steps, including pictures.

The Pismo is very versatile. You can add an Airport Card for wifi, a larger hard drive, more ram, even upgrade the processor to a G4 500 MHz or a G3 900 MHz, last time I checked.

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