Power Macintosh G3 Blue and White

Released in 1999, successor to the original PowerMac G3, 300-450 MHz, 64 or 128 MB of RAM, 6 or 12 GB HDD

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Power Macintosh G3 Blue and White Teardown

Teardown

Teardowns provide a look inside a device and should not be used as disassembly instructions.

User-Contributed Guide

This guide is not managed by iFixit staff.

The Powermac G3, apple's G3 Powerhouse. This computer Introduced the design that stuck until the powermac G5, but this computer started the "Handle's" Trend, every powermac G3, G4, G5, and Mac Pro now has handles. This computer boasted a 350Mhz, 400Mhz, and 450Mhz PowerPC G3 CPU. This cpu is incredibly easy to overclock, due to it's "clock-config" jumper convienlently located next to the CPU(though i don't encourage overclocking). This computer had blue plastic, resembelent of the iMac G3's and the iBook G3 Clamshells. It would have been great if Apple had made this is other colors, like the imac, a lime green Powermac G3 would rock!

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Edit Step 1 — Power Macintosh G3 Blue and White Teardown ¶

The Powermac G3 Blue And White

Edit Step 2 ¶

Start By Disconnecting the computer, and lifting the tab on the side of the computer, and lowering the side panel.

Edit Step 3 ¶

Ram
The PowerMac G3 B&W supports up to 512MB of PC133 Ram
It has 4 ram slots for an optimal configuration of 4X 128MB

Edit Step 4 ¶

Removing The CPU
Start by using a flathead to gently pry off the clip, remember you have to put it back on again!
Then, remove the heatsink.
This reveals the Motorola PowerPC G3 CPU, this is the 400Mhz Model.

Edit Step 5 ¶

Then, lift the metal retaining lever.
Then, lift the CPU out of it's socket.
This is the Motorola Co-Processor.

Edit Step 6 ¶

The CPU: A Motorola XPC750MIP400CM (400Mhz PowerPC 750/G3) With 1Mb Of Level 2 Cache.
This is another one of those unique apple connectors, it it is a 288 pin keyed PGA socket.

Edit Step 7 ¶

Graphics Card:
The Powermac G3 Came Standard With A 16MB ATI 3D Rage PCI Mac Edition Card, there are only a few available upgrade cards.
Start By Removing this Screw.
Once that's done, pull the card out.
Sorry Guys, Regular PCI Cards Won't work here, only Mac Edition PCI-Compatible Cards, and this card won't work in a PC, Also, graphics cards only work in the first slot, the other 4 PCI Slots won't support graphics cards.

Edit Step 8 ¶

Firewire Module:
Unplug the power cable from the logic board.
Then close the case and remove this screw.
Then open it again.

Edit Step 9 ¶

Then remove this screw too.
Then lift the module out, there is a connector undernieth it, to be careful while doing this.
Then we can move on.

Edit Step 10 ¶

Removing the Optical Drive/ZIP Drive Caddy:
Start by pushing in these tabs, and pulling the blue drive bezel out.

Edit Step 11 ¶

This will reveal 2 phillips screws.
Remove them.
Then push the back of the cage out the front of the case far enough to remove the ribbon and power cables, than slide the cage completly out, and set it aside.

Edit Step 12 ¶

Removing the drive cage:

Edit Step 13 ¶

Removing the power supply
Disconnect the power connector from the logic board (this looks alot like a standard ATX connector, but I have yet to test the voltages)
There is a 4-Pin Cable connected to the front panel box, remove it.
Disconnect the internal fan cable.
The Fan Connector
Then Route all of the cables up through the case to the level of the power supply.

Edit Step 14 ¶

Remove these phillips screws.
Now, you can slide the power supply towards you, and remove it.
Sorry, but my camera battery died, I will post photos on how to remove the logic board after I take them

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