panther firmware update for G3 powerbook

[snifferboy]

hi;

i have a G3 powerbook 333MHz (the 512 cache model not the cacheless).
i've forgotten the model name but i know it has 128MB of RAM.

it can use jaguar but won't install panther. i'd like panther as i'm a musician and i want to get garageband which only works with panther (so i've heard). i'm fed up with dramas from PC so i want something more stable so i thought i'd use the mac.

anybody know if there is a firmware update that will allow me to install panther?

update: the apple site says i don't need an update (mine is the bronze keyboard) but the software won't install saying the hardware isn't compatible). i wonder if the DVD drive is responsible as it's unstable these days.

[Turboladdade]

Does your PowerBook have a white Apple logo above the LCD, or a rainbow Apple logo below the LCD? Also, are you sure it has 128 MB of memory? Are you sure you have a Panther install DVD and not a Tiger or Jaguar one?

Also, just FYI, GarageBand is going to be just about the last thing you're going to want to run on any PowerBook G3.

[snifferboy]

yeah D it's a white G3 333MHz PPC. yes i'm sure it's got 128. i've been building and repairing computers (mac, pc, oddments) since 1995 so don't worry, my specs are good.

no it's not jaguar. that's on it already.
no, it's panther alright.

i get the ol' 'not compatible with this hardware' message so i assumed i needed a firmware upgrade from apple but having gone there they say one isn't necessary for a bronze kbd one like mine.

i think i'll initialise the hard disk and go for a clean install after backing up to USB stick. this lappie has a bit of hokey stuff going on like dead keyboard since i did a repair or two a couple/few years ago (hate working on laptops, i have big hands and now poor eyesight). i think this one's on the way to laptop heaven, that is unless i downgrade back to OS9 (which i prefer anyway).

so you say garageband is a bit of a meadow-muffin? thanks for the heads up. i'll not make that grand an effort to fix the lapster. funny thing is, i used to use audacity on my old iMac 266 tray and it was wonderful *sigh*. OS 8.6. NEVER .. .i repeat NEVER a problem. i loved mac in those days. might go back to that i reckon. not the most flashy and impressive specs but really, who cares? if i want it for a single purpose machine i can rely on then who suffers?

tip: don't be a silly billy like me and disconnect the internal fan (on the iMac) because you want to pretend you have convection cooling ... fizzzz....pop ... bye bye LOL

[Turboladdade]

If all your specs really check out then I honestly can't even think of what it could be. I've gotten Mac OS X to run just fine on both Wallstreets and Pismos, but I've never had personal experience with Lombards. I think you have the right idea, in that your final goal of GarageBand on a Lombard really isn't worth it. I don't even think it'd run even if you did get Mac OS X working.

OS 8.6. NEVER .. .i repeat NEVER a problem

I would definitely say Mac OS 8.6 is way more prone to problems than Mac OS X.

[snifferboy]

If all your specs really check out then I honestly can't even think of what it could be. I've gotten Mac OS X to run just fine on both Wallstreets and Pismos, but I've never had personal experience with Lombards. I think you have the right idea, in that your final goal of GarageBand on a Lombard really isn't worth it. I don't even think it'd run even if you did get Mac OS X working.

OS 8.6. NEVER .. .i repeat NEVER a problem

I would definitely say Mac OS 8.6 is way more prone to problems than Mac OS X.

well having used both i would vehemently disagree.
i stand by what i said. i used 8.6 and it was fine. rarely had a drama of any sort.
i find X sluggish and of course hackable.

like i said before i actually DO have OSX on it already. OSX 10.1 was hopeless and jaguar is faster but still takes an age to load. doesn't run anywhere near as fast as 9 but there ya go. you can't use anything much on the old system. audacity only goes up to version 1.0 and then they dumped it for 9.

i reckon it needs a complete initialisation and to start from scratch. when i bougth it there was stuff on there i didn't want to wipe but i think it's more sensible to just single purpose it at its age. if i can't get reliable multitrack i'll just use my four track recorder and bounce down to the mac as a 2 track (my pc laptop's ins are kaput as it's getting old and i cant afford a new one). i'll just USB drive the mp3 files for my myspace etc and that will be that. can't afford the massive amounts of money apple always seem to want for their gear so that option's out. (or i could source another old imac with audacity, they're cheap as a cup of coffee now).


so no more need to reply to this thread folks.

i got my answer.

i'm not going to shred a kidney over it. i'll just do something else.

cheers