Thread

iMac G3

iMac G3 Hardware 19 posts Dec 6, 2007 — Dec 8, 2007

#1 Thu, 6 Dec 2007 - 23:15

I was surfing around on eBay the other day and ended up buying an iMac G3 for $20.00. The computer has not arrived yet, but the ad said that it is password protected, and the seller doesn't know the password. He says that the only way to overcome this is to reinstall the OS. I have no compatible OS for an iMac, so does anyone know another way to overcome the password?

And if the only way is to boot from an OS CD, how do you do it?

Thanks,

-Apostrophe

#2 Thu, 6 Dec 2007 - 23:23

If it's running OS X you can reset the password protection fairly easily:

http://www.securemac.com/macosxsingleuser.php

#3 Thu, 6 Dec 2007 - 23:35

Nope, it originally has OS 9.2. Is there another way to overcome the password, or will I have to buy an OS and boot it from there?

-Apostrophe

#4 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 00:01

Would it be possible to stick in a live-cd of some version of Linux and install an HFS driver and go into the control panel folder (or extensions) and get rid of or move the appropriate file and boot? Or you could find a Linux Mac emulator and stick that control panel into it change it and put it back. Booting with extensions off? Though I'm just estimating and thinking up ways. You could just bid on a Mac OS 9 disk.

#5 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 00:42

Yeah, bidding on a disk is what I had in mind. Do you know how to boot the computer from an OS 9 disk?

-Apostrophe

#6 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 00:55

put the cd in the cd drive hold c

#7 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 00:57

Oh, really, it's the same as the Centris...okay, thanks!

-Apostrophe

#8 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 01:09

its the same for all cd equipped macs really same under mac os X too

#9 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 01:21

fyi, if it's a firmware password, all you have to do is remove or add a ram stick, and it will undo the password in OF

#10 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 01:32

What do you mean by OF?

Really, all I have to do is alter the ram? So if I took a stick out, then put it back in, would it still remove the password?

-Apostrophe

#11 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 01:39

open firmware the bios of a macintosh

#12 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 01:45

Thanks, everyone! Once the iMac arrives I'll try out some of your suggestions!

-Apostrophe

#13 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 01:49

any information about what kind of imac it is ?

#14 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 01:55

Here, let me check on eBay...it's an iMac G3, 400 mhz processor, 10 GB hard drive, 128 MB sdram, with OS 9.2 already on it. From what I gather from the web, this iMac is most likely one of the oldest models of its kind ever made.

-Apostrophe

#15 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 02:04

nah thats a pretty decent 1999 2000 era imac fifth generation by the sound of it

its a slot loader dunno if its a dvd player or cd rewriter

it uses standard ps 100 ram and can take up to 1 gig of ram

they are excellent os X machines

and have 8 mb of video ram at the very least

small list of older imacs or at least the ones that predate yours

rev a the orginal bondi blue 32 mb of ramm ( so dimm) G3 233 mhz 4 gig hd usb irda tray loading cd rom 2 mb vram ati rage II

rev b same as above only with more vram ( 6 mb ) and a better graphics chip ati pro

rev c the first one with colors

266 mhz 6 gig hd no irda port no mezzaninen slot specs are the same other wise

rev d same as rev c but with a 333 mhz G3

#16 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 02:07

It sounds like a great machine! I'm glad I bought it.

-Apostrophe

#17 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 02:18

its a good machine especially for 20 bucks

put more ram in it and either let 9 fly or install os x on it

#18 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 - 17:51

I'll let everyone know how it turns out!

-Apostrophe

#19 Sat, 8 Dec 2007 - 12:03

from the sound of the specs it could be a dv imac which is graphite but dont quaote me on that

either way you got a good machine there assuming all is wel with it