Techsurvivors
Archives => 2003 => Topic started by: iGuy on January 29, 2003, 05:54:00 PM
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At work today I noticed an old Mac, which they no longer use, sitting in the back room. It was a PowerMac 7100/80. I know, very old but I thought I would ask my boss what was up with it and if I could have it. Not sure what I would do with it other than let my 4 year old play games on it. After asking my boss about the computer, he tells me there is another computer back there. He took me back and showed me a UMax S900 with a 200mhz 604e processor. I told him I would take them both off his hands if he was wanting to get rid of them. He didn't give me a direct answer. I am sure he will want a few buck for them. The only one of the two that would be worth giving any money for would be the UMax.
What would you do with two outdated Macs such as these? I thought if anything my son could use one for games. At www.everymac.com it showed the UMax S900 to worth at least $350. Says this computer can be upgraded to a dual processor. I wouldn't want to pay that for it. It was a well used computer. Give me your opinion of the value on these two Macs.
Thanks,
Ryan
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Ryan Bernie has just obtained a UMax S900. He'll be along in a bit, and I'm sure he'll be happy to help.
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Pass on the 7100. Too slow.
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<< Give me your opinion of the value on these two Macs. >>
PowerMac 7100/80 - Approximately $1
UMax S900 - Approximately $76-$108
Of course, the greater value of these computers may lie in data mining. For example, if one or the other of these computers was used by administration and the disk has been poorly wiped, such a machine may provide you with insights into the inner workings of your company.
Of course, I would never do a thing like that.
Still, though, there is the technical challenge . . .
[ 01-29-2003, 09:13 PM: Message edited by: Epaminondas ]
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Ryan, I've got one even older than those two! I sunk $500 into a new logic board on it about a year and a half ago, mostly for sentimental reasons, then used it part time for 9 months. Now I probably need to find a good home for it. I doubt I'll ever use it again. If you'll put it to use, go for it! If it's just going to collect dust, leave it where it is.
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The S900 is an Nice computer for upgrading. Plenty of expansion slots for PCI cards. Keep in mind though. It's never going to be a "True " G3 or 4. I'm upgrading mine just for the experience. If I were you. I'd Install a fresh set of Os into it. Extra Ram. Nice VCard and that's it. Putting $400.00 and up into a 604e in my opinion isn't worth it. You can get a good used G3 for that amount of cash or maybe less But What the H**K do I know
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Yeah. At this pont it's hard to justify anything below a Beige G3.
I upgraded my 6400 over a long time and made some great improvemnets.
But it would be silly to start out with something like that now.
There are Beige G3s for $200 now. And that's on line.
Really they should be even less.
And B&Ws are finally showing up for $300.
http://new.lowendmac.com/ppc/g3deals.html
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The 7100 can make a great bridge between a serial-portless Mac and a Localtalk printer, using Apple Localtalk Bridge freeware.
You can add a VideoSpigot NuBus card and experiment with recording VHS quality video.
You can network it to other Macs and run LAN games.
It can surf the 'net.
It can do word processing.
You can add a G3/500 card to it (eBay) for a small fortune to make it more usable.
Overall, though, it's not too much use anymore.
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S. Pupp has it right; I fire up an old MAC IIsi (formerly a server) as a floppy drive/print buffer whenever I need one for my iMAC. Antique computers are fun sometimes and I guess I'll start my own museum sometime.
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If I were you i would pass and save the buks for a newer computer with a G4 processor. Hangong on to the old ones as a lady told me what they were really worth, "doorstop" excuse me, "doorstop" that's all they are good for these days, upgrading them is a waste of money, and there is no warranty for tham available.
They become doorstops...lol
You make the final decision, good luck.
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Tonye, I own an 800Mhz PowerMac G4. The old Macs at work would be used mainly for playing around with. The 7100, I agree, wouldn't be worth messing with. I will probably pass on both. Doesn't sound as if I would get much use out of them. Like kelly says, probably better off buying an old G3.
Thanks,
Ryan
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quote:
PowerMac 7100/80 - Approximately $1
So, what'll ya give me for my 'stock' 7100/66! Oh, I'll even throw in a 1.2Gig drive w/case!
Do I hear .50?
.75?
$1
Going once,
twice,
GONE!
Now who will pay for the shipping?!
Jim C.
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I started out on an LC575 (the ORIGINAL iMac) and since then have collected numerous old Macs. A IIfx, a 128k Mac and I still have one of my 7100/80's plus many more.
They are all currently doorstops.
but, I like that 68k LC575.
If your kids need a school work computer and your boss can let it off for cheap (free would be best), grab it. there's not many games around that would even play on it. but word processing and some lite internet research, I think it would be great. $40 would be the highest I'd go for that S900.
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Thanks for the advice Al.
My son does have some preschool type games that have system requirements that call for a minimum of a 40mhz processor. Lots of these preschool type games have low system requirements.
Ryan
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Ryan,
Preschool? Cool! I have one that is in preschool. She grows like a weed.
Actually that S900 would be great! Your right, there are a bunch of games and estorybooks that would run on that clone. My daughter used a Performa 6360 (603e@160 MHz) for the longest time before I upgraded the livingroom computer to a beige G3 (others were finally complaining about the speed of the Performa). Now my daughter runs all her games in Classic and I even bought one game recently that is her first OS X native preschool through kindergarten game.
Funny, even kind of sad, how a computer that once was the latest and greatest can depreciate. If your boss has everything for the S900, includes keyboard, mouse and monitor, considering shipping to be roughly $30 from someone off of eBay, maybe you can offer him $50. Free still would be nice thou. I just ran a search on eBay for Umax S900 and came up with a couple, one was buyitnow for $25, no one bidded yet.
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Offered my boss $40 dollars for the S900. I brought it home today along with the keyboard, mouse, and an old 14" Apple Color Plus monitor that was used with the PowerMac 7100. Hooked it up when I got home. It has system 7.5.5. My son was able to run two of his games on it. Can this computer handle system 9.1? If so will I need a firmware update? Don't know how much ram it has yet. This computer was used for graphic design at the print shop I work for. This thing still has job files and programs on the hard drive. Quark, Photoshop, Illustrator, Typestyler. All old versions. I was planning on wiping the drive but will have a hard time seeing those programs disappear old or not.
Ryan
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Save them to CDs [somehow] Ryan.
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<< Can this computer handle system 9.1? >>
http://www.lowendmac.com/supermacs/s900.shtml
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Would like to be able to do that Bill. Somehow is right though. I have an external usb Zip drive. Didn't look to see if the S900 has USB? Anyway, is it possible to get everything that runs, lets say Photoshop, from the S900 drive without missing anything needed for it to work again?
Ryan
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Thanks for the link Epaninondas. Very informative.
Ryan
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You might want to take a look at http://www.technowarehousellc.com/718100upgrades.html
for a G3 upgrade under $100 and also check out my thread on 'free Wacom tablets' if your child likes to draw because it's ADB connect. I bought a G3 card from this outfit last year for my 6100 and I love what it did to this old puter.
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Thanks for the link neokm, I will check it out. I was looking at some processor upgrades for the S900 at Sonnet.
Not sure if I will put the money into it or not.
Ryan
[ 02-02-2003, 01:32 PM: Message edited by: iGuy ]
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I put my old 6100/60AV (remember that episode in our lives Dick?), upgraded to a G3, in my mother's home. I made an offer to the local ISP of $5 per month pleading that she will never use the internet to surf, but merely ues email and not take up much more than 10 minutes per day in that pursuit. They agreed to it.
I set it up with QuicKeys so all she has to do is follow a scripted set of function keys to get, create or send her email. It allows her great enjoyment to be connected in a small town of 700 in South Dakota. My sister and her email every day. It is getting a great workout and I'm sure there are other deserving older people that ould love a gift just like this.
Old Macs never die, they just fade away.
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Besides my Dual Gig MDD I have:
Performa 6400
OS 8.6
136 MBs RAM
Maxtor 13.5 Gig Hard Drive
Sonnet 300/1 MB
ATI EXCLAIM VR 128
Dual USB PCI Card
M$ Intellimouse Explorer
17" Apple Studio Monitor (Graphite)
7600 with a Sonnet 400/512KB
128 MBs RAM
4.5 SCSI Drive
Performa 6320CD
64 MBs RAM
8 Gig Maxtor hard drive
8100/80 with Sonnet 260/1 MB
6100/60
Performa 550
macIIsi
macII
mac SE
mac Plus
I like old macs.
My point. If you're going to use as stock or Upgrade the least you should buy is a Beige G3.
That machine is probably useable for a child, as is.
Since the initial cost was pretty low, it might be worth upgrading.
Be nice to know the full specs on it.
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Ahh Performas Good old Trusty Performas
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I will never forget my Mac Classic II, I used it between 1992 to 1997. It never let me down. Unfortunately it finally had a power failure, and went to the scrap heap.
It certainly changed my life.
There are plenty of Charities out there that could benefit from an old Mac!