Power Macintosh G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors)

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• Mac OS 9 List is for those using Mac OS 9, either natively or in Classic Mode.
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• Panther List is for those using Mac OS X 10.3.
• Tiger List is for those using Mac OS X 10.4.
• Leopard List is for those using Mac OS X 10.5.

Overview

Details

• G4/867 MHz dual 256/60/Combo/GeForce4 MX introduced 2002.08.13 at $1,699
  G4/1.0 GHz dual 256/80/Combo/Radeon 9000 Pro introduced 2002.08.13
  G4/1.25 GHz dual 512/120/SuperDrive/Radeon 9000 Pro introduced 2002.08.13; reduced to $1,299 on 2003.06.23 as a 256/80/Combo model
• requires Mac OS 9.2 or OS X 10.2 or later
• CPU: 867 MHz/1.0/1.25 GHz PowerPC 7455
• bus: 133 MHz on 867 MHz model; 167 MHz on faster models
• performance:
• • Geekbench 2 (Tiger): 1047 (1.25 GHz), 874 (1.0 GHz), 724 (867 MHz)
  • Geekbench 2 (Tiger): 1048 (1.25 GHz), 862 (1.0 GHz), 722 (867 MHz)
• RAM: 256/512 MB standard, expandable to 2 GB (although Mac OS 9 will only recognize 1.5 GB) using PC2100 memory in 4 DIMM slots in 1.0 GHz model, PC2700 memory in faster models
• Video: nVidia GeForce4 MX on 867 MHz model, ATI Radeon 9000 Pro on faster models; AGP 4x; DVI and ADC ports, includes DVI-to-VGA adapter
• VRAM: 64 MB
• L2 cache: 256 KB on-chip L2 cache
• L3 cache: 1 MB per CPU on 867 MHz and 1 GHz models, 2 MB per CPU on 1.25 GHz model
• hard drive: 60/80/120 GB 7200 rpm ATA/100
• Combo (CD-RW/DVD) on 867 and 1.0 GHz models; SuperDrive (4x DVD, 2x DVD-R) standard on 1.25 GHz model, optional on others
• internal Zip 250 drive (optional)
• 4 64-bit PCI slots
• modem: internal 56k v.92
• microphone: standard 3.5mm minijack, compatible with line-level input, not compatible with Apple's PlainTalk microphone
• FireWire 400 ports: 2
• USB 1.1 ports: 2
• USB 2.0 ports: none
• ethernet: 10/100/gigabit
• antenna and connector for AirPort card
• size (HxWxD): 17.0" x 8.9" x 18.4"
• weight: 42.0 lb.
• Gestalt ID: n/a
• PRAM battery: 3.6V half-AA
• upgrade path: none yet, although CPU upgrades are likely
• part no.: M8787 (867 MHz), M8689 (1 GHz), M8573 (1.25 GHz)

Accelerators & Upgrades

• 8x SuperDrive DVD±RW upgrade, MCE Technologies, $99. 8x4x12x DVD, 24x24x40x CD. 2 MB buffer.
• 3 CPU upgrades for Mirror Drive Door G4 Power Macs, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.05.22. If your Mirror Drive Door Power Mac isn't fast enough, here are three CPU upgrade option to get you to 1.33, 1.6, and 1.8 GHz.
• for CPU upgrades, see our Guide to Power Mac G4 Upgrades

Online Resources

• Low End Mac's best used Power Mac G4 deals, updated biweekly.
• 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.
• Best Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.4.
• Best Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard' deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.5.
• 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.
• Low End Mac's Compleat Guide to Mac OS 9, 2008 edition, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.05.12. Declared dead by Steve Jobs 6 years ago, Mac OS 9 remains fast and stable, but Classic software hasn't kept up with Web changes. What Macs support OS 9, where to buy it, and how to update to version 9.2.2.
• Dinosaur desktops, lid closed mode, G4 upgrade advice, death of a WallStreet, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.05.07. The greening of Apple, benefits of WiFi cards that use AirPort drivers, deleting files from a Performa, drive enclosures, and Leopard on a 466 MHz Power Mac.
• Macintosh peace of mind, PA Semi and the iPhone, $40 802.11g PCI card, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.05.01. Also Power Mac vs. Mac mini, more on DVD User Op Patch, 12" vs. 14" iBook, and VGA for a Power Mac 6100.
• OS X for PCs, Mac mini with HDTV, 802.11n options, upgrading from Mac OS 9, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.04.22. Also reviving a dead PowerBook 5300, Lucida Grande, external FireWire SuperDrive advice, OS X and the DeskWriter, and royalties.
• Intel mini vs. Power Mac, best keyboard ever, uses for old Macs, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.04.10. Also using Classic with Intel Macs, problems with Classic Mode, and collective nouns.
• Used Intel Mac mini vs. 867 MHz Power Mac G4 dual, Mark Garbowski, My Turn, 2008.04.07. Can a dual processor Power Mac hold its own against a Core Duo Mac mini?
• Leopard on a Cube, G4 CPU swap limitations, Power Mac G5 a good choice?, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.03.06. Also looking for a scanner that works with Panther and the hsitory of expansion slots in low-cost Macs.
• Safari 3.1 will be 'crazy fast', OS X 10.5.2 update, 20x SuperDrive from $35, and more, Mac News Review, 2008.02.15. Also Security Update for Tiger, Graphics Update for Leopard, Mac mini "as powerful as a larger desktop", TechTool Deluxe update, and more.
• G3 and G4 Power Macs and Clamshell iBooks still useful, Ben Zalutsky, No Windows for Me, 2008.01.29. Intel CPUs may be blazingly fast, but the old G3 and G4 Macs have plenty of usable life left in them.
• Power Mac G4/1 MHz dual, Low End Mac Benchmarks, 2008.01.29. This mid-2002 Power Mac is benchmarked under Mac OS X 10.3.9 and 10.4.11.
• Restore stability to a troubled Mac with a clean system install, Keith Winston, Linux to Mac, 2008.01.15. If your Mac is misbehaving, the best fix just might be a fresh reinstallation of Mac OS X - don't forget to backup first.
• Upgrading a Power Mac G4 on the cheap, Mark Garbowski, My Turn, 2008.01.04. For under $200, the author upgraded memory, dropped in a SuperDrive, added a better video card, and moved up to USB 2.0.
• Flash drive reliability, going back to Tiger, Classic emulation, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.12.19. Also looking for good video card options for use with Leopard on older Macs, and one more unsupported Leopard report.
• From the familiarity of Windows to the power of Mac, why 867 MHz for Leopard, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.12.05. Also the DAV connector on the Power Mac 8600, really old Mac System software, Aperture and vampire video, using an ImageWriter printer with USB, and more.
• Cooler laptops, a G4 recording studio, a fast Unicode text editor, and phantom email, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.12.03. Quieter, cooler running notebooks, a Power Mac G4-based recording studio using Mac OS 9, a fast text editor with great Unicode support, and phantom email in Mail in OS X 10.3.9.
• Leopard DVD Player requires 1.6 GHz CPU, dual processor questions, and dual boot Macs, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.24. DVD Player currently runs on any G3 that supports Tiger, but the new version needs 1.6 GHz of power and other bloat in Leopard.
• Leopard pales before Mac OS 8.5 for Macs left behind, dual processor benefits, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.23. Mac users may not remember that Mac OS 8.5 left behind some Macs just over two years old. Compared to that, Leopard users have it made.
• 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 'Mirror Drive Door' Power Macs in the Age of Leopard, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.10.09. Every indication is that the MDD Power Macs will be full supported by Leopard. Here's what makes them a good bet for OS X 10.5.
• Shootout: Three high-end graphics cards for G4 Power Macs, Bare Feats, 2007.10.10. Radeon 9800 Pro vs. GeForce4 Titanium vs. "experimental" GeForce 7800 GS in a Quicksilver 2002.
• Shootout: MaxPower G4/7448 upgrade versus similarly clocked Macs, Bare Feats, 2007.09.21. Single 2.0 and dual 1.8 GHz 7448 upgrade compared with other G4 upgrades and dual processor G5.
• APG Card Compatibility, The Mac Elite, 2007.08.09. Guide to which ATI and nVidia AGP video cards are compatible with which AGP Power Macs.
• Make AGP 8x video cards work in G4 Power Macs, The Mac Elite, 2007.08.19. Instructions for disabling pins 3 and 11 so Mac compatible AGP 8x video cards will work in most G4 Power Macs.
• Upgrading a Power Mac G4, used Mac dealers, Tiger on a blue and white G3, and AAUI, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.09.06. Questions about upgrading a Mirror Drive Door G4, dependability of used Mac dealers, and the wisdom of installing Mac OS X 10.4 on a blue and white G3. Also comments on AAUI.
• PC war losers, Mac 'just works', $68 802.11n for older Macs, a free font manager, and more, Mac News Review, 2007.08.31. Also DVD region locking, the iMac's glossy screen, Mac mini powerful enough, Chromac iMac housings, SanDisk's 8 GB flash drive, and more.
• Unmatched Classic Mac OS apps, TiBook reliability, Matias Tactile Pro 2.0 disappoints, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.06.18. Also Netscape 7 and 9, MacBook causing problems with iMac's display, and graphics cards for a Power Mac G4 and an ADC display.
• Can you put 3 GB in a Mac mini?, where are the Mirror Drive Door CPU upgrades?, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.05.21. Also a challenge to 'Mac-ify' the Interweb, more on CRT voltage dangers, and fixing Low End Mac's navigation bar in Firefox for Linux.
• Format any drive for older Macs with patched Apple tools, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 2007.04.25. Apple HD SC Setup and Drive Setup only work with Apple branded hard drives - until you apply the patches linked to this article.
• Allegro USB 2.0 a great way to add several USB 2.0 ports to your Power Mac, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Reviews, 2007.03.28. You can never have too many USB ports. Whether your Power Mac has no USB 2.0 ports or too few, this $30 card is a great way to add the ports you need.
• 11 ways to optimize your Mac's performance, Ed Eubanks Jr, The Efficient Mac User, 2007.03.12. If your Mac is getting sluggish, here are 11 tips that can help restore its original performance.
• $25 802.11g card for PCI Macs, drive support for 802.11n AirPort Extreme, Adtron ups flash disks, and more, Mac News Review, 2007.03.02. Also firmware update info for Intel Macs, washable medical mouse and keyboard, TechTool Protogo, and more.
• Adding an Intel Mac mini can be cheaper than upgrading a Power Mac G4!, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2007.02.14. Looking at the cost of upgrading memory, adding a fast hard drive, and a GHz-plus CPU upgrade, buying a new Core Duo Mac mini makes a lot of sense.
• Upgrade the Power Mac or buy a Mac mini?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2006.11.30. With 1.8 GHz dual G4 upgrades selling for US$600, it might make more sense to add a Core Duo Mac mini than upgrade the processor.
• Disabling deep sleep on MacBooks, 'Other Red' a scam?, mixed RAM can reduce performance, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.11.13. Also other disk utilities Mac owners should know about, Lombard cooling, Netscape 7 on OS 9, Final Vinyl for ripping LPs, and more.
• Why a 7-year-old Power Mac G4 replaced a Mac mini, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.10.31. There's a lot more to productive computing power than CPU speed. The old Power Mac lets you add a second video card, a fast hard drive, and lots more that the Mac mini can't.
• 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.
• End of G4 models points to unprecedented value for used G4 Macs, Leaman Crews, Plays Well with Others, 2006.06.02. The PowerPC G4 may no longer have a place in Apple's product line, but that's a far cry from saying G4-based Macs are obsolete. If anything, their value is going to increase.
• What to buy when the old Beige G3 is just too sluggish, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2006.03.27. When your old Power Mac G3 just can't keep up with your needs under OS X, it's time to look at the used Power Mac G4 market. The difference in speed can be astounding.
• Picking a Power Mac G4: How much Mac do you need?, Charles Webb, PowerBook Beat, 2006.03.22. Today's laptop computers can be great primary computers, but sometimes you need things only a desktop model can offer. A used Power Mac G4 can be a good choice.
• 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.
• 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.
• Sonata SD, Sonnet Tech, 2004.06.01. First new PCI video card for the Mac in ages sells for just US$99, supports OS 7.5.3 and later plus OS X 10.1.5 and later, works with VGA or old Mac monitors, 16 MB VRAM.
• 1000 MHz Power Mac bonanza, Bare Feats, 2003.04.12. Comparison shows how much a second CPU can help. "...it's never a liability to have two processors."
• Are two brains better than one?, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2003.03.24. It sounds reasonable that two processors are better than one, but how much better is a dual processor Power Mac G4 than a single processor model?
• Apple Spec: Power Macintosh G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors)

Cautions

• Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) boot times for Power Mac with the GeForce 6200 fall into the 4-5 minute range, and was initially suggested that you install Leopard with the Mac's original video card to avoid slowing down the process. "gotoh" has posted the fix in The Mac Elite Forum. The delay is due to Leopard not supporting temperature sensors in G4 Macs. Simply remove AppleHWSensor.kext from /System/Library/Extensions, and the delay goes away.
• Note that some vendors are substituting PC2700 RAM for PC2100 modules. Although PC2100 Macs can work with PC2700 RAM, you can't use both types of RAM in the same machine. All installed RAM must be the same type, whether PC2100 or PC2700.

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