4 Steps for Resurrecting Old Macs

This column began as an email exchange with Sonic Purity in relation to Why Does a Mac Die, Why Macs Die, More About Why Macs Die, Why Some Mac Die: Bad Capacitors, and Aging Capacitors and Tin Whiskers. It has been adapted with his permission.

Upgrading Your G3 iMac

Q. How can I upgrade my G3 iMac? A. The iMac was and remains one of Apple’s best selling computers. Now in its umpteenth revision, sporting LCD screens and faster than ever processors, the iMac has come quite a long way from the original 233 MHz Bondi blue bombshell. While many people lust for the […]

Flash Memory Improves PowerBook

When we published Flash Cards: A Solution for Low Memory Macs in June 2000, Maxwell Cabral suggested using CompactFlash (CF) for virtual memory. The scenario: Pop a CF card into a PC Card (formerly PCMCIA) adapter, plug that into the PC Card slot on your PowerBook, format it as a Mac volume, open the Memory control panel, and […]

Overclocking the Blue and White G3

Last time we discussed overclocking your Macintosh, but we never really got into the nitty-gritty of actually changing the settings inside your computer, since this can be come a very complicated thing to do. This time we’re finally going to get into it and actually do some over clocking. Today we’ll be learning how to […]

Connecting Your Mac to Your Stereo

How do I connect my Mac to my stereo? I want to record audio (like LPs and tapes) and also want my Mac’s sound to come through my stereo system’s speakers. Connecting your Mac to your stereo is a great way to improve sound quality tenfold. Most Macs have only one speaker, and it’s usually […]

Free Internet for Mac Users

Q: I’ve been using many different free Internet service providers, but it seems that more and more free Mac ISPs are either closing their services or dropping support for Macintosh users. I still want free Internet access for my Mac, but I can’t find it anywhere. Are there any more free Internet access services left […]

Macs and Digital Video

2000 – I am interested in doing digital video (DV) editing – as shown in the new iMac commercials. Is there any way I can do it with my older Mac by buying a FireWire card? If not, what Mac do you suggest for digital video editing?

Raising the Dead, Part 3

2000 – When last I wrote, I was in the process of testing out my refurbished Mac II. In my quest to revive the MacDead, I discovered that one needs to have the correct RAM for the machine. I now need to install four 1 MB SIMMs in Bank A to get the beast going.

Getting a Modem for an Older Power Mac

2000 – I recently got a Power Mac from a friend (it’s a 1994 model PowerPC). It was apparently on the network before I received it. It says it has an internal modem, but all I see is a modem port on the back of the computer without the RJ-11 (phone line) connector. How can […]

Getting Online with a Performa 636

2000 – I’d like to get on the Internet with my Macintosh Performa 636. Is that possible? Can I buy a modem for it, or would it be useless? What kind of modem? What do I need to get online?

Raising the Dead, Part 2

2000 – Welcome back to the surreal. Over the past few weeks, I have been visiting the library and the local Radio Shack seeking out parts and information that would help revive my comatose 1988 vintage Mac II. According to the book Macintosh II Repair and Upgrades Secrets, there are two lithium cells that should be […]

Raising the Dead, Part 1

2000 – Well, it finally happened. After years of dispensing advice on how to revive dead Macs, I finally had one go dead on me while doing email. The Mac in question is an old one – a Mac II that dates back to May 1988 (based on the date on the PRAM batteries). In […]

Should I Buy a SCSI or IDE Hard Drive?

1999 – I have a Performa 6400 and am looking to upgrade my hard drive. I do not want to buy an external drive. Should I upgrade the IDE hard drive or add a SCSI drive to the bay above the CD-ROM?

Should I Wait for OS X Before Upgrading My Macs?

1999 – I enjoyed your article, Is It Time to Buy an iMac? Personally, I’m still using my 6-1/2 year old Quadra 800 quite successfully. I know that $5,500 was a lot of money back in Spring ’93, and I’m squeezing every last bit of power out of it. For most tasks, it seems about […]