Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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OK I just bought a dead PowerMac G4 box off eBay for pennies which I intend to revive back to life and upgrade it to maximum spec etc. just so I can learn how to use a Mac.
Can anyone recommend any websites for getting information/advice on Macs?
Also, as it's just the box only there is no software/OS (and there's no HDD or RAM), do I need to purchase Mac OS(X) or can I just phone Apple give them the serial number off the box and they can send me a Mac OS CD (unlikely for free I suspect but I thought I'd ask)?
ta.
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Aaron
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Registered: 9th Aug 04
Location: Cottingham, East Riding
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quote:
Originally posted by Sam
Can anyone recommend any websites for getting information/advice on Macs?
www.apple.com
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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Apple have a website? 
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Marc
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Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: York
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I was shocked too Sammy.
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Andrew
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Registered: 5th May 04
Location: Skoda Octavia Estate, Ford Puma
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It's standard RAM for sure and i think the HD is standard too but not too sure. Give apple a call and see what they say. You can get apple software off torrents too 
Macs look very much like Laptops in the repect it going to be hard to get cheap specialist components.
Good luck with it though and keep us updated. I've put of buying a Mac for the time being due to other things i may wish to purchase.
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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You should be able to upgrade the ram and hard drives without to much of a problem.
As for OSX you could try and see if Apple will ship you a copy, but they'll probably just point you in the direction of the Apple shop for you to purchase. You could also try and purchase it from the special shops, it might work it might not depends on what cd was copied - as bundled OSX cds/dvd with a mac are only made for that specific range ie: you purchase a 2.1GHz Mac Pro, the bundled OSX copy will only work on a 2.1GHz Mac Pro etc etc.
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liamC
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Registered: 28th Feb 04
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Sam - Have a look on http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
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Thanks all.
I spent a few hours yesterday doing some research online. I will do some in-depth research once I get the box as I don't know the exact model I bought LOL.
Might sign up to those forums 
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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I just got off the phone from Apple Support, they said it will cost me between £60-£100 for replacement MacOS 8/9 CD as they have to source one specifically for my box (i.e. it's not like Windows where you can install it on any machine and use one licence key, so kinda what Dom has said above really). I'll need to phone them back when I actually have the G4 in my possession as they need the serial number to give me an exact price apparently.
Why do I have the feeling by the time I've paid for various parts/software for this box I'll have probably been better off buying a brand new Mac?... 
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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see if you can purchase from the "special" shops OSX 10.4/10.5, if it's not a rip from a bundled CD/DVD (ie: what you get if your purchase OSX from the Apple Store) then it should work fine.
to be honest, parts shouldn't be a problem nor pricey. Like you've found out, the most expensive part will be a copy of OSX. Whether or not it'd been cheaper to buy a complete G4 depends on how much you've paid as i've seen 1.2GHz G4's with software go for as little as £100 (inc keyboard+mouse), although 'quicksilvers' (silver looking G4's) go for a lot more.
oh and as said, mac-forums is a really good place. So is the apple section over on the overclockers.co.uk forums
[Edited on 08-12-2008 by Dom]
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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I received the G4 by courier yesterday 
As expected the PSU is dead, I've seen a couple on eBay for sale for about £20 as refurbished/part ex ones from actual (unauthorised) Apple parts dealers cost at least £100...
The G4 I've got is only a 400MHz unit so apparently can only run Tiger - Leopard or newer and I'll need to upgrade the motherboard/CPU etc. as it needs at least 800MHz or something CPU to run! 
I phoned up Apple again yesterday to enquire about prices for Mac OS9 and OSX Tiger 10.4 - they said they needed the serial number off my G4 to provide me with a quote, but they can't find it on their system so basically they can't help.
I'm interested in obtaining the OS from the special shops but I'm scared of receiving a letter from Davenport Lyons or someone similar... 
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