Tray-loading iMacs

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Using up-to-date technology (this was 1997/8), Apple 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.

The distinguishing feature of these four models is a tray-loading CD-ROM drive. Apple didn't offer any CD-RW or DVD-ROM options.

Bondi iMac The original iMac was introduced in May 1998 and shipped in August. With a 233 MHz PowerPC 750 (the same G3 CPU used in the beige Power Mac G3), 32 MB of RAM (officially expandable to 256 MB - and possibly to 768 MB using a 512 MB SL2 module plus a low-profile 256 MB SL2 module), a 4 GB hard drive, a 24x CD-ROM, ethernet, stereo speakers, and an integrated 15" multiscan monitor, there wasn't much you'd need to add to the US$1,299 iMac.

Beyond recapturing a vision and providing the same usability other Macs do, the iMac broke 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.

Revision B

Just two months after the iMac first shipped, Apple released the Rev. B iMac, which came with Mac OS 8.5. Video RAM was increased from 2 MB to 6 MB, and the power button could now be used as a reset switch.

The Rev. B looks just like the original iMac.

iMac G3/266

With the Rev. C iMac, Apple moved away from Bondi blue and adopted five fruity colors: tangerine, grape, lime, blueberry, and strawberry. The Janury 1999 model ran at 266 MHz and had a 6 GB hard drive - 50% larger than earlier iMacs.

The new iMac sold for US$1,199 and lacked the infrared port found on earlier revisions.

iMac G3/333

The Rev. D iMac, introduced in April 1999, had the same color options as the Rev. C, but it had a 333 MHz CPU for 25% more processing power at the same price.

The tray-loading iMacs were replaced by slot-loading models in Oct. 1999. These were not only faster, but in many ways they were far superior machines for running Mac OS X.

Mac OS X

If you have a hard drive over 8 GB in size, you must partition it, and the partition containing OS X must be completely within the first 8 GB of space or you will not be able to run OS X. (If you are creating the partition within OS X, it must be 7.45 GB or smaller as reported by Disk Utility, because sometimes a GB is billion bytes and sometimes it's 1,073,741,824 bytes.)

While Apple claims early versions of OS X can run on 128 MB of memory, we strongly recommend you go to at least 256 MB if you plan to run OS X on a tray-loading iMac.

Be sure to read and follow Apple's "Read Before You Install" install instructions to increase the likelihood of getting OS X installed and running on the first try.

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.
Best Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.4.
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?
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.
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.
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?
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.
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

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