Hosting and bandwidth provided by MacHost.
Q
& A:
Power
Mac G3 Q & A:
Storage & Peripherals
How can I transfer files from my
existing Mac to my Blue Power Mac
G3?
Unlike the iMac, the Blue and White Power Macintosh G3 series comes with the option of an internal Zip drive, and it has the internal connectors to add one later as well. Obviously, if your older Mac already has a Zip drive, the easiest way would be to purchase your new Blue and White Power Macintosh G3 with an internal Zip drive and transfer all of your files from your older Mac to your new one via Zip cartridges.
If both Macs have modems, an easy way to transfer files is to stuff and binhex the files you wish to transfer using Aladdin Systems' StuffIt. Just go online with the older Mac, log onto a server, and upload the files. Then log off with the older Mac, log onto the server with the new Mac and download your files. Translate and decompress the files using StuffIt Expander, and you're ready to go. Obviously, this type of file transfer is intended to be somewhat secure as long as it is password protected, but you still shouldn't transmit any sensitive information.
If server space is not readily available, you can sign up with a website that provides free server space intended for file transfer such as iMacFloppy.com. iMacFloppy.com was designed explicitly for the iMac, but it works equally well for any other Mac, and is super easy-to-use. SSL encryption is available to substantially increases security for a modest monthly fee. Even if you don't intend to transfer your files online, be sure to check it out as it might be useful later.
Alternately, you can stuff and binhex files on your older Mac and e-mail them to yourself, and then check your e-mail on the new Mac to download them. This works best for files that are only a couple of megabytes in size, and keep in mind that e-mail transmissions are not secure.
You also can network your older Mac and Blue and White Power Macintosh G3 together for easy file transfer. If your older Mac has Ethernet built in, like all Power Macs and some Quadras, you usually will just need a simple crossover cable to connect two Macs together. You can look up your Mac or MacOS-Compatible here on EveryMac.com to see if your Mac has Ethernet pre-installed. The excellent Mac networking site, Three Macs & A Printer, covers this basic type of networking in-depth in Setting up a Crossover Cable Ethernet Network.
Or, if you have an abundance of old floppy disks, you simply can add an external floppy drive to your Blue and White Power Macintosh G3, such as the Imation USB SuperDisk, which reads and writes standard 1.44 MB disks and 120 MB SuperDisks.
What removable storage options are available for the Power Macintosh G3 series?
The original Power Macintosh G3 series shipped standard with a 1.44 MB floppy disk drive and could also be configured with a Zip drive. Numerous external drives can also be added to the original Power Macintosh G3 series by using the standard SCSI port.
The Blue and White Power Macintosh G3 series can be configured with an internal Zip drive, and external USB-based and FireWire-based peripherals can be added easily. One disk drive that is currently available is the Imation USB SuperDisk, which reads and writes standard 1.44 MB disks and 120 MB SuperDisks. Another disk drive, now discontinued, is the Newer iFloppy which is compatible with 1.44 MB disks and provides two Macintosh serial ports to provide compatibility with some "traditional" Apple serial bus devices.
You can also use SCSI-based devices by adding a SCSI card to the Blue and White Power Macintosh G3.
What ports are provided by the Blue and White Power Mac G3 series?
The Blue and White Power Macintosh G3 series includes two FireWire ports, two USB ports, an ADB port, a 10/100Base-T Ethernet port, an optional modem port, sound in/out, a security port, "hard" and "soft" power, and a standard VGA port that is provided by a video card in the fourth PCI slot.
Other connection types can be added with PCI cards.
Can USB and FireWire be added to the original Power Mac G3 series?
Yes. You can add a PCI card to your original Power Macintosh G3 that will add two USB ports. Companies including Creative Solutions have such cards, which cost between $50-$100 US. FireWire can also be added with an Apple-branded PCI card, and was a pre-installed option for the original Power Macintosh G3. As FireWire becomes more widely used, other cards will likely become available as well.
If you've installed a USB or FireWire card in your original Power Macintosh G3, please share your experiences with other members in the forums.
Can external SCSI be added to the Blue and White Power Mac G3 series?
Yes. An Adaptec SCSI card can be added at the time of purchase or added after the sale so that SCSI-based devices can be used. It should be noted that the Adaptec SCSI card 2906 that is available as a pre-installed option does not support "booting", limiting usefulness for emergency uses. SCSI cards from other companies are also available.
If you've installed an external SCSI card in your Blue and White Power Mac G3, please share your experiences with other members in the forums.
What adapters are available for "legacy" devices?
Various companies are busy manufacturing adapters that will allow ADB, SCSI, and serial-based devices work with USB and FireWire. Since the Blue and White Power Macintosh G3 series includes an ADB port, and SCSI is available as an option, the most useful adapter for Blue and White users will be a serial-to-USB connection, which will make it possible to use printers, modems, and other older serial-based peripherals.
Two such adapters are Momentum's uConnect device, which allows a single serial device to be connected, and the now discontinued Newer iHub, which allows up-to four serial devices to be hooked to the Blue and White Power Macintosh G3.
A SCSI-to-USB (slow) adapter has been released by Momentum, and SCSI-to-FireWire (faster) adapters are also available from other companies.
Please share your experiences with "legacy" adapters with other members in the forums.
Is the iMac keyboard and mouse standard with the Blue Power Mac G3 series?
Yes. In a last minute move to save cost, Apple decided to use the standard iMac keyboard and mouse with the Blue and White Power Macintosh G3 series. This can be annoying for those with larger hands or those used to a full-sized keyboard.
Fortunately, since the Blue and White Power Macintosh G3 series of computers also have an ADB port and two USB ports, the options for alternate input devices are virtually limitless. However, Apple warns in Tech Info Document #58223 that if you have two similar input devices plugged in at the same time in both formats, results are "unpredictable". In other words, if you have both an ADB-based and USB-based mouse plugged in at the same time, the movement of one mouse may effect the other. So don't do that.
Are alternate keyboards and input devices available? Color-compatible?
For the time being, particularly if the iMac mouse is the only input device that is troubling you, then just plug an older ADB-based Apple mouse into the ADB port. The ADB port could also be used for an older ADB-based keyboard, but obviously, neither the mouse nor the keyboard would match the computer.
It should also be noted that according to Tech Info Document #58241, the original "Bondi" blue and "Strawberry, Lime, Tangerine, and Grape" keyboards and mice should not be used with the Blue and White Power Macintosh G3 series due to "slight modifications", presumably other than color. However, the "Blueberry" keyboard that ships with the "Blueberry-colored" iMac "266" is the same and can be used with the Blue and White Power Macintosh G3 series without problems.
USB-based "replacement" keyboards and mice from MacAlly, and other companies, are available in the original "Bondi" blue color of the original iMac and the "Blueberry" blue of the Blue and White Power Macintosh G3.
Power Mac G3 Main | Power Mac G3 Q & A (Main) | Next Q & A Section
Home: Q & A: Apple: Power Mac G3 Q & A: Storage & Peripherals
EveryMac.com is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind whatsoever. EveryMac.com, and the author thereof, shall not be held responsible or liable, under any circumstances, for any damages resulting from the use or inability to use the information within. For complete disclaimer and copyright information please read and understand the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy before using EveryMac.com. Use of any content or images without expressed permission is not allowed, although links to any page are welcomed and appreciated.