The Original iMac (Rev. A)

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Mac OS 9 List is for those using Mac OS 9, either natively or in Classic Mode.
Puma List is for those using Mac OS X 10.1.
Jaguar List is for those using Mac OS X 10.2.
Panther List is for those using Mac OS X 10.3.

Overview

Hello (again).

Do you remember the first Mac, the one that didn't even have a model number? The amazing 8 MHz 68000 CPU, crystal clear 9" b&w screen, huge 400 KB floppy drive, and radical mouse?

Low End Mac Reader Specials

Memory To Go Special: MacPro 8 Core Memory 4GB kit $192 / 2GB kit $109. MacBook Pro / MacMini / iMac Intel Core2 DUO 2GB $44 1GB $23--Free shipping available.

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Mac users can finally play Party Poker for Mac. Not only that, they can also learn how to play PokerStars for Mac.

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Compare products like desktop computers, laptops, and LCD TVs side by side! All the information and reviews to make the best purchasing decision for a new cell phone GPS products or MP3 players. The Ciao network makes searching products easy for you.

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Fast forward from 1984 to 1998. Using up-to-date technology, Apple has created a worthy successor to the original Macintosh as a fully integrated computer. No separate monitor, no rat's nest of power cords, and no external drives necessary.

With a 233 MHz PowerPC 750 (the same G3 CPU used in the beige Power Mac G3), 32 MB of RAM, a 4 GB hard drive, a 24x CD-ROM, ethernet, stereo speakers, and an integral 15" multiscan monitor, there's not much you'll need to add.

Beyond recapturing a vision and providing the same usability other Macs do, the iMac breaks new ground for an Apple desktop with its Bondi (pronounced bond-I) blue color, two USB (universal serial bus) ports and an infrared port - and no floppy drive, SCSI connector, serial ports, or plugs for ADB devices.

The iMac's firmware is stored on the same card that holds the CPU and memory chips. If firmware hasn't been updated and your iMac is acting up, swapping the CPU card from a known working iMac will usually fix things. Then update the firmware in the other iMac.

Steve Jobs introduces the iMac

iMac speed tip: if you have Virtual Memory on and only 32 MB RAM, set VM to 64 MB for faster performance
If you are using Mac OS 8.1, be sure to download iMac Update 1.1 (Update 1.0 no longer seems to be available) or later from Apple if you use any non-Apple USB devices. This update is only for Mac OS 8.1; 8.5 and later eliminate the need for this update.
Apple recommends iMac Update 1.1 for use with Mac OS 8.5 and 8.5.1. Note that OS 8.5.x and Update 1.0 must be installed before the 1.1 update is installed.
According to Apple, iMac Update 1.2 should be installed on all iMac computers used in NetBoot client environments.
If you are running Mac OS 8.6, Mac OS ROM Update 1.0 should be installed. You must have 8.6 installed before running this update.
For more information on firmware updates, see iMac: When to Install Available Updaters.

If you have a hard drive larger than 8 GB, you should partition is so that the first partition is under 8 GB in size (for simplicity, we suggest 7 GB). Failure to do this could eventually result in an unbootable computer, as all System files must be within the first 8 GB of drive space. These Macs can work successfully with larger drives for some time, but once a System files goes outside of the first 8 GB of space, you'll have nothing but problems.

Mac OS X

If you have a hard drive over 8 GB in size, you must partition it or you will not be able to install Mac OS X. If you are creating the partition within OS X, it must be smaller than 7.4 GB as reported by Disk Utility (because sometimes a GB is billion bytes and sometimes it's 1,073,741,824 bytes); we suggest simply setting it at 7 GB to avoid having to redo the whole installation if the partition ends up bigger than specified (it happens). Mac OS X must be completely within the first 8 GB of space on your hard drive or you will not be able to run OS X.

Tray-loading iMacs cannot boot from USB drives (see Apple Knowledge Base Article #58430, USB Info and Benefits of Dual-Channel USB).

Non-Apple upgrades and peripherals (such as unsupported USB devices, replacement drives, and third-party memory) may cause problems when installing or booting into Mac OS X.

Be sure that your iMac's firmware is up to date before you install Mac OS X, and read and follow all of Apple's "Read Before You Install" instructions to increase the likelihood of getting OS X installed and running on the first try.

The classic Mac OS identifies some 64 MB memory cards as only 32 MB, however OS X will correctly identify them and use all of their memory.

NOTE: The Sonnet HARMONi upgrade card, which includes a faster CPU and FireWire, was incompatible with early versions of Mac OS X 10.4. The FireWire port would tie up 100% of CPU resources. This problem was fixed in version 10.4.7 (if not earlier). If you have a HARMONi card that's had this issue, be aware that updating to 10.4.7 or newer should fix it.

Details

announced 1998.05.06; North American release on 1998.08.15 at $1,299; replaced by Revision B 1998.10.17
requires Mac OS 8.1 with MIB 1.0 enabler or later, 10.3.x officially supported, 10.4.x can generally be installed using XpostFacto 4
CPU: 233 MHz PPC 750
bus: 66 MHz
performance: 4.5 (estimated, relative to 7500/100); 7.8, BYTEmark; 109.5 Speedometer; 696, MacBench 5.0
RAM: 32 MB, possibly expandable to 768 MB using two DIMM sockets, uses same SDRAM SO-DIMM as PowerBook G3, top DIMM socket accepts 2" DIMM, bottom socket takes 1.5" DIMM. All tray-loading iMacs work with modules up to 128 MB. Field reports indicate that they will work with 256 MB and 512 MB modules as long as they are "CL2" modules. With a 512 MB module and a low-profile 256 MB module, it's theoretically possible that these iMacs could support 768 MB of RAM.
VRAM: 2 MB SGRAM, expandable to 4 MB or 6 MB using SGRAM SO-DIMMs
Video: supports resolutions of 640 x 480, 800 x 600, and 1024 x 768 using ATI Rage IIc chip set, 2 MB provides 16-bits at maximum resolution, 24-bits at other settings, will support resolutions to 1600 x 1200 on an external monitor
monitor: 15" (13.8" viewable) multiscan to 1024 x 768
L2 cache: 512 KB 2:1 backside cache
hard drive: 4 GB EIDE drive. Maximum IDE drive size is 128 GB without third-party support. See How big a hard drive can I put in my iMac, eMac, or Power Mac? for your options.
CD-ROM: 24x maximum throughput
SCSI: none
PCI slots: none
PMC (mezzanine/Perch) slots: one
microphone: built in (above monitor), standard 3.5mm minijack compatible with line-level input including Apple's PlainTalk microphone
USB: 2 USB 1.1 ports on a single controller, require OCHI compatible devices (some early USB peripherals may not be compliant)
modem: built in v.90 56k modem
ethernet: 10/100Base-T
IR port: 4 Mbps IrDA
WiFi: AirPort not supported
power: 200W
PRAM battery: 3.6V half-AA
height: 15.8 in/39.5 cm
width: 15.2 in/38.0 cm
depth: 17.6 in/44.0 cm
weight: 38.1 lb/17.3 kg
part number: M6709
family number: M4984A

Online Resources

Best used iMac G3 deals, updated monthly.
Best classic Mac OS deals. Best online prices for System 6, 7.1, 7.5.x, Mac OS 7.6, 8.0, 8.1, 8.5, 9.0, 9.2.2, and other versions.
Best Mac OS X 10.0-10.3 deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, and 10.3.
What's the best version of OS X for my Mac?, Ian R Campbell, The Sensible Mac, 2008.02.28. Which version of Mac OS X is best for your hardware depends on several factors.
More G4 upgrade advice, secure disk wipes, 500 MHz iMacs with Tiger in action, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.05.09. The importance of securely clearing your hard drive before you pass on your Mac, Pismo and closed lid mode, G3 iMacs in the classroom, and more thoughts on upgrading G4 Power Macs.
Perfect timing: The iMac's introduction in May 1998, Tamara Keel, Digital Fossils, 2008.05.06. Apple was in dire straits in 1997, but Steve Jobs had a vision for an Internet Macintosh. 10 years ago he unveiled the iMac.
Power Mac G5 vs. Intel Mac mini, video thumbnails lost in migration, OCR software, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.03.17. Also HARMONi compatibility with Mac OS X 10.4, a dual processor G4 auction, Internet access by digital phone, and more.
Panther faster than Jaguar, unstable browsers, best low cost Mac for video work, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.03.04. Also Tiger on tray-loading iMacs, firmware updates, LC 575 won't boot, booting from Compact Flash, and big hard drives on G4 Power Macs.
3 ways to better YouTube viewing on older Macs, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.02.06. Watching YouTube videos in your browser on G3 Macs can be painfully slow, but there are several ways to improve your YouTube viewing experience.
How the G3 iMac crumbles, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 2008.01.18. The green light of death, failing powerboards, and crumbling plastics are some of the problems old CRT iMacs face as they age.
Lawsuits getting out of hand, G3 iMac upgrade resources, Leopard on a 400 MHz TiBook, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.01.08. Also wondering why Mac OS X 10.5 won't run on the 'Yikes!' Power Mac G4 and AltiVec just works.
512 MB in tray-loading iMacs, partitioning iBook (FireWire) hard drive, value of Kanga, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.01.03. Also a source for Mac IIfx SCSI terminators, ongoing problems with a Rev. B iMac, and need to match screen size to printed output.
OS X on Flash in CardBus, Quartz Extreme benefits, fix or unload a Performa 550, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.12.13. Also suggestions for fixing a troublesome iMac, locating an ADB keyboard, finding old versions of BBEdit Lite, and dealing with ligature problems.
iMac repair page, Jason W., Wiley Trade Group
Hot so Reset the Cuda/PMU in a G3 iMac, How to Upgrade Your iMac
Bringing G3 iMacs and other G3 Macs into the Tiger Age, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2007.12.07. Tips on hard drives, memory, WiFi, and getting Mac OS X 10.4 installed on G3 iMacs and other older G3 Macs.
8 GB partition issue impacts OS 9, RAM for G3 iMacs, success with Open Firmware hack, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.12.10. Partitions over 8 GB can cause problems in the classic Mac OS, more unsupported Leopard reports, another vote against the iPhone, and millions vs. thousands of colors.
Reasons for sticking with the Classic Mac OS, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 2007.10.30. Whether it's the simplicity, elegance, speed, or desire not to replace lots of expensive hardware, there are lots of good reasons for sticking with Mac OS 9.
Road Apple nominations, OS X 10.5 on MDD Power Macs, UMPCs and Apple, and a broken power button, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.12. Whether some additional Macs merit the 'Road Apple' label, Leopard on Mirror Drive Door Power Macs, the usefulness of ultrasmall computers, and dealing with an iMac with a broken power button.
The future of G3 iMacs in the Age of Leopard, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.09.13. FRom August 1998 through December 2001, G3 iMacs were Apple's hot consumer computers. Which ones are best for OS X, and which should be avoided?
Tiger on a G3 iMac and Pismo, running OS 9 from a flash drive, 7200 rpm drive heat, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.09.13. Also iMac upgrade advice, iBook G3 video chip resoldering, and how to get your website indexed by Google.
External video options for a G3 iMac, Dan Knight and Kris Finkenbinder, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.07.25. Many G3 iMacs are fuzzy at 1024 x 768. What are the options for connecting an external monitor and disabling the built-in display?
Software to darken iMac display, columnist returns iPhone, Logitech introduces air mouse, and more, Mac News Review, 2007.07.20. Also a USB turntable for turning your record albums into MP3s, a retractable thumb drive, iPhone: The Missing Manual, Parallels Desktop 3 a major update, and more.
Making new Mac users with old iMacs and Tiger, buying newer vs. upgrading, booting Compact Flash, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.05.29. Getting seniors online with old iMacs, buying a newer Mac rather than upgrading an old one, booting PowerBooks from Compact Flash, and questions about video conferencing.
The truth about CRTs and shock danger, Tom Lee, Online Tech Journal, 2007.05.22. You've been warned that CRT voltage can injure and even kill. The truth is that this danger is overstated - and takes attention away from a greater danger.
Why Apple must continue G3 support in Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard', Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.05.08. "We're worried about what happens if Apple unchecks that box in Xcode to include the instructions necessary to run OS X on G3 processors at all."
The state of Mac OS 9 compatibility, upgrades, resources, and hacks in 2007, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.04.02. Discontinued five years ago, Mac OS 9 remains fast and stable, but its software hasn't kept up with Web changes. What Macs support it, where to buy it, and how to update to version 9.2.2.
Daystar offers G4 CPU upgrade for 1st-gen iMacs, Peter Cohen, Macworld, 2007.03.29. "Daystar Technology on Thursday announced the XLR8 400 MAChSpeed G4 IMTL Kit. The $99 kit enables you to upgrade your original iMac with a G4-class processor operating at 400 MHz."
True Bondi Blue, James & John, RetroMacCast, 2007.01.28. Looking at the original iMac, Macquariums, and the eBay find of the week.
Is Ubuntu Linux a sensible alternative for Mac users?, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.09.18. If your Mac can run OS X decently, is there any reason to try Ubuntu Linux? If it can't run OS X well, is Ubuntu a reasonable choice?
Is the G3 still a practical choice?, Matthew Jay, Macs to the Max, 2006.08.10. Although the G3 is several generations old, it has enough horsepower for most of the things we do on our computers.
Customizing Mac OS 9, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2006.08.01. Fiddling with themes, picking a browser, and making the Classic Mac OS work just the way you want it to.
Making the move from Jaguar (OS X 10.2) to Panther (10.3), Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2006.04.11. One advantage of Apple's "no upgrades" policy for OS X - someone can give you their old copy after upgrading without worrying about violating their license.
Many G3 Macs now considered vintage, Mac News Review, 2006.03.31.
Web browser tips for the classic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2006.01.03. Tips on getting the most out of WaMCom, Mozilla, Internet Explorer, iCab, Opera, and WannaBe using the classic Mac OS.
The best browsers for PowerPC Macs and the classic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2005.12.16. Two browsers stand out from the pack: iCab 3 is modern and remains under development, and WaMCom brings Mozilla to older Macs.
How big a hard drive can I put in my iMac, eMac, or Power Mac?, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2005.10.24. A lot of older Macs don't know how to deal with drives over 128 GB in size. We look at three options.
Can I install the hard drive and CPU from my Power Mac G4 in an iMac?, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2005.02.21. The iMac uses a standard IDE hard drive, but you can't plug in a G4 pulled from a Power Mac. However, there are other CPU upgrade options.
Upgrading an old iMac to Mac OS X, William Porter, TidBITS, 2005.02.07. Preparing a pair of 2001 iMacs for OS X and then getting Jaguar up and running on them.
Which iMac is it? A quick guide to differentiating CRT G3 iMacs, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2005.02.02. Two form factors, nine CPU speeds, and fifteen different colors. How can anyone keep this straight?
Is the tray loading iMac a good choice for OS X?, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2004.09.07. With prices starting under US$200, is a tray-loading iMac a good value for running OS X?
MCE slot-loading drive replaces original iMac drive, Mac Minute, 2004.06.14. "MCE Technologies is now offering an internal 24x slot-loading CD-R/RW drive for replacing the tray-loading CD-ROM drive in the original iMac (233, 266, and 333 MHz)."
Are you asking for trouble if you install 10.3 On a Bondi blue iMac?, Gene Steinberg, Mac Night Owl, 2004.01.18. Lots of RAM and a bigger, faster hard drive will help, but Panther can run comfortably on a 233 MHz iMac.
Upgrades for the tray-loading iMac, 2003.05.12. Overview of memory, hard drive, CD-RW, and CPU upgrade options for the Rev. A-D iMac.
Resurrecting a Revision A 233 iMac, Guy Hemmings, 2003.03.30. Dead CRT? Not a problem. Build the rest into a new case, add a monitor, and get back to work.
Upgrading your G3 iMac, Evan Kleiman, Mac Daniel, 2003.03.07. Three types of upgrades that can improve your old iMac for less than the cost of buying a new one.
16x CD-RW for tray loading iMacs, MCE. Burn CD-Rs at 16x, CD-RW at 10x, and read CDs at 24x in oldest iMacs - $199.
Rage at being left behind, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2001.12.24. It's official - Apple doesn't plan to support graphics acceleration for any Mac with ATI Rage video.
OS X graphics speedup with early ATI video, Mac OS X: Optimizing for Earlier ATI Graphics Accelerators, 2001.03.09. ATI Rage II+, IIc, Pro, and LT Pro faster displaying thousands of colors, not millions.
Upgrading an iMac, Chris Lawson, 2000.09.18
iMAXpowr G3 and G4, MyMac, 2000.09. In many real-world tests, the G3/466 "felt quicker" than the G4/433 - something LEM has maintained for some time.
Guide to iMac CPU upgrades.
The dubious economics of processor upgrades, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2000.02.07. Even if you can upgrade the CPU, should you?
Hands On: iMAXpowr G3/466, Insanely Great Mac, 2000.02.01. First CPU upgrade for the iMac (Rev. A-D).
iMac SO-DIMM memory pricing, ramseeker
The iMac channel
The iMac List, an email list iMac users
The iMac NewsPage
iMac 233 MHz Technical Specifications, AppleCare Knowledge Base

Suggested Accessories

UniSwitch, iMacButton, and iSafe makes resetting much easier.
A more conventionally shaped mouse. We're huge fans of the Contour UniMouse.

Cautions

You cannot plug the iPod shuffle directly into the iMac's USB port - it will not fit. It will not charge if plugged into a keyboard USB port or an unpowered USB hub. To charge it while using it with your iMac, you must us a USB extension cable, powered USB hub, iPod shuffle dock, or a USB power adapter.
Be sure to download iMac Update 1.1 or later from Apple if you use any non-Apple USB devices
iMac iNfo (1998.08.30, dead link) noted that brownouts can put the iMac into a coma. Solution: Buy an uninterruptible power supply.
You must have the keyboard plugged directly into an iMac USB port to boot with the power key; it will not work if the keyboard is attached to a hub.
You cannot boot the iMac from an external USB drive.
The iMac loads the MacOS Toolbox into RAM, unlike other Macs which use it from ROM. You lose the use of 3 MB of memory but gain faster performance.

Go to the iMac and eMac index.

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