Alligator

The computer in all its glory.

The Grape Rev. C tray-loading iMac G3 is the first computer that was added to my old computer collection.

Specifications

CPU

266 MHz PowerPC 750

RAM

384 MiB

Storage

6 GiB stock hard disk

VRAM

6 MiB

Mouse

Present

Keyboard

Present, but the spacebar hugs the bottom, and there are electrical issues. If a short occurs, the keyboard will often reset itself. Sometimes, it can freeze the computer, seen in both Classic Mac OS and Mac OS X.

Box

Yes!

Open Firmware Model ID

iMac,1

TODO: Fill in specs from Apple System Profiler

Quirks

• The optical drive has trouble with 24x-burned CDs. 8x-burned CDs are OK.
• The optical drive rattles with some discs. This affects both pressed discs and burned disks.
• The CRT used to pop several times an hour when I first got the machine, but this has gotten much better with time.
• When changing the RAM configuration, the computer will boot once before refusing to boot for several hours. Refusal to boot is seen as the power light remaining orange.
• The computer does not appear to recognize more than 384 MiB of RAM. This is greater than Apple's maximum of 128 MiB but lesser than the unofficial maximum of 512 MiB.
• The boot partition must start and stop within the first 8 GiB of storage.
• Unlike most other later New World ROM PowerPC Macs, there is no boot device selector when holding Option on boot, and Open Firmware can't read USB mass storage.
• If you want to open or close the side door, you oftentimes need to apply some downward pressure.

History

• A classmate, Dennis, who works at a computer recycling place gets the computer.
• Dennis transports the computer to his dorm building.
• 2019-11-03: I transport the computer to my dorm building.
• 2019-11-04: 📈 The firmware is updated to the latest version.
• 2019-11-08: The computer is transported to my parents' house.
• 2019-11-08: ⚠️ Because the screw holding the clip which a cord fed through refused to be unscrewed, the clip is bent enough so the cord can be threaded out.
• 2019-11-08: 📉 The clock battery is removed.
• 2019-11-08: 📈 A 256 MiB RAM stick is inserted (32 -> 288).
• ⚠️ Some clips on the bottom of the keyboard are broken during disassembly. Online sources say this is expected.
• 📈 The majority of the coffee stain on the keyboard is cleaned, improving the reliability of the keyboard.
• 2021-03-21: 📈 A 256 MiB RAM stick replaces the stock 32 MiB stick, but only 128 MiB is recognized (288 -> 384).
• 2021-08-??: The computer is transported to my apartment.
• 📈 The stock 6 GiB hard disk is replaced with my grandpa's 14 GiB hard disk.
• 📉 My grandpa's 14 GiB hard disk dies and is replaced with the stock 6 GiB hard disk.
• The VRAM stick is reseated to resolve an issue where the computer sometimes boots thinking there is less VRAM than there should be.

References

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