Reading Time: 4 minutesThis is a post in the Project Maya series. To see all related posts go to the index page here. While looking for a new CPU card I did some more testing with the fried 1.25Ghz chips. They ran long enough for me to do some basic testing and I ended up removing the internal speaker. This made a surprisingly big difference in the heat output of the power supply as it was now able to draw some fresh air…
Reading Time: 5 minutesThis is a post in the Project Maya series. To see all related posts go to the index page here. With the Mac clean and functional, it was time to install a few upgrades. The reason I wanted a FW400 model was native Mac OS 9 compatibility but I really wanted FW800. So a 64-bit (bootable) card was found and installed. Even though I will probably never need it, I also wanted USB 2.0 available just in case so this…
Reading Time: 3 minutesThis is a post in the Project Maya series. To see all related posts go to the index page here. Finding the MDD I wanted was not hard, they are readily available on sites such as eBay. Finding one where I would not pay more than it’s worth however was extremely difficult. I’d find one for $50 (the most I’d pay for one) but shipping ranged anywhere from $40-$130 which put it way out of my price range. Locally I’ve…
Reading Time: < 1 minuteProject Maya, named so by my son when I asked him what a fun codename would be, is the restoration, rebuilding and upgrading of a 2002 Power Mac G4 Mirrored Drive Doors. This is the first generation so doesn’t have FireWire 800. I wanted a 2002 model specifically because it is the last model to boot Mac OS 9 natively. Sure the FW800 can boot Mac OS 9 by running a modified version and it works well, I wanted the…
Reading Time: 4 minutesOn June 14th Rogue Amoeba published a post on their website named “On The Sad State of Macintosh Hardware“. In it the author mentions how none of the current Mac models have seen meaningful updates in a long time, the MacBook Pro keyboard sucks and the 2013 Mac Pro is a flop. Sure, we know all that. The post ends with the, by now, beaten dead horse; “Apple needs to publicly show their commitment to the full Macintosh hardware line,…
Reading Time: 5 minutesSomething amazing happened a month ago. Yes, after FIFTEEN years (!!!), Apple finally added some means of sorting bookmarks in Safari *jaw drop* but there is something else. The Mac Pro is back in the spotlight. Motherboard ran an article named “The Most Powerful Mac Is 6 Years Old and Not Sold By Apple” (amazing title btw), it describes the ways in which old Mac Pro’s, known as Classic Mac Pro, cMP or Cheese Grater, can be pimped out to…
Reading Time: 5 minutesIn March 2017, one of my wife’s friends had to get rid of some clutter. This clutter consisted of a PowerBook G4, PowerBook G3 Pismo and an iMac G3. With the iMac G3 came, of course, an Apple USB Mouse or as it’s better known: a puck. A blue one in this case. It’s no secret I love these pucks but holding and using one again (I connected it and used it for a few days) my love was rekindled….
Reading Time: 6 minutesIt’s time I speak up, time I stand up for the little guy. The Apple USB “puck” mouse. First introduced in 1998 along with the Bondi Blue iMac and discontinued in 2000, this mouse is often quoted as one of Apple’s worst mistakes and hated by many. I loved it and still do. It’s one of my favorite mouse designs and I’d have no problem using it today still. So what are some of the issues people have with these…
Reading Time: 4 minutesI have a G4 Cube, a beautiful, upgraded and fully functional G4 Cube. Unfortunately I had to leave it behind when I moved and thus haven’t seen it in 8 years. I used it sporadically but mostly I had it just to look at it once in a while and think “Damn, that’s a sexy Mac”. Here’s a few photos from 2008. I miss having my sexy Mac to oogle so I’ve been on the lookout for a cheap Cube…
Reading Time: 12 minutesUpdates and new relevant information is listed at the very bottom of this article. Latest update added on September 8th, 2020. Parts you need: – A graphics card of choice – Open-end to dual 8 (6+2) pin cable • Get the cable from Kareon Kables here (link updated on July 25, 2020) (Ships from the USA, allows for cable length and color selections. 30″ sleeved recommended) • Or get the cable from ModDIY here (Ships from Hong Kong, allows for…