Building a desktop in MacBuild is a fairly simple process. Aside from occasionally needing specific hardware, building a desktop MacBox is virtually identical to building a standard FreekBox.
What we build
We presently work on PowerMac G4s and better, slot-loading iMac G3s and better, eMacs, and any newer models that come in. The specs we build the most common models to are as follows:
Specs
iMac
iMac G4 (iLamp) Specs
- Processor: G4/1.25 GHz
- RAM: 512 MB internal, 512 MB SODIMM in base
- Hard drive: 40 GB or better
- Optical drive: DVD ROM/CD-RW combo or better
- Wireless: Airport or Airport Extreme if available
Note: Auto Recycle everything < 1.25 GHz.
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iMac G5 (integrated LCD) Specs
- Processor: G5/1.6 GHz - 2.1 GHz
- RAM: At least 1024 MB
- Hard drive: At least 80 GB - SATA
- Optical drive: DVD ROM/CD-RW combo or better
- Wireless: Airport Extreme
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eMac
eMac Specs
Auto-recycle all eMacs
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PowerMac G4
PowerMac G4 Specs
Auto-recycle all PowerMac G4s
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What we don't build
We don't build anything below the specs listed above. PowerMac G3s with blue cases are presently tested to see if they post and sold in the store as is. Systems on the Old Mac Keeper List in MacBuild Eval are kept on the Old Mac shelf for future processing. Everything else is recycled.
PowerMac G3 As-Is Procedure
- Install a tested battery
- Populate all memory slots with tested memory modules
- Install optical drive, if necessary
- Connect a wiped HD to primary IDE channel
- Connect a mouse, keyboard, and monitor to system
- Insert Finnix CD into optical drive
- Boot from CD (hold the C key on the keyboard while system starts up)
- At the prompt, run lshw|less
- Check the resulting information to ensure that the system can see all devices on IDE channels and each memory module in each memory slot
- If it fails to see the HD or reports the amount of memory incorrectly, the system should be recycled
- Power the system down, remove the HD, and leave only 128MB of RAM in the system
- Attach an As Is tag to the system and take it to the store
Recycling procedure
Should you come across a desktop system that needs to be recycled, this is what you should do:
- If it is a built-in CRT system:
- Harvest the HD, battery, and RAM
- Separate the logic board and optical drives from the CRT and chassis
- Reassemble the CRT/chassis and take to monitor testing area in the warehouse for recycling
- Place the remaining items in the bins in MacBuild Eval
- If it is a standard desktop:
- Harvest the battery
- Place a Recycle sticker on the system
- Take system to System Eval and place on the Reject pile
Desktop Build Checklist
Steps
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Notes/Detailed Instructions
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Done
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Check for blown capacitors |
Visually inspect motherboard capacitors for bulges/leaks. If you find one, check with your instructor.
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Make sure that covers are available for open bays |
If covers are missing, check parts storage for replacements
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Install battery |
Pay attention to correct position; look for '+' by battery holder
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Install hard drive |
Refer to MacBuild Spec Sheet for appropriate size
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Install RAM |
Refer to MacBuild Spec Sheet for appropriate amount
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Clean/dust inside |
If necessary
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Attach keyboard/mouse, monitor, network cable, and power cord |
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Install Ubuntu |
- Attach network cable
- Push power button; immediately press keys Option+Apple+o+f at the same time
- When OpenFirmware prompt appears, type:
- At boot: prompt, press Enter; eventually the install screen will appear
- When the display pauses for entering the machine name, replace whatever is already there with macbox
- When installation is complete, the computer will reboot automatically
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Set HW date/time to UTC |
- In a terminal, set system clock with command
- date -u MMDDhhmmYYYY
- MM month, DD day, hh hour, mm minute, YYYY year
- hour and minute are GMT(UTC) time in 24-hour clock format; GMT time is locak (Pacific) time plus 7 hours (summer, PDT) or 8 hours (winter, PST)
- Set CMOS clock from system clock
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Enable the Ubuntu startup splash screen |
- In a terminal, edit the file /etc/usplash.conf as root
- sudo nano /etc/usplash.conf
- Change the xres value to 1024
- Change the yres value to 768
- Save and close the file
- Update the startup files with the changed resolution values with the command
- sudo update-initramfs -u
- The command takes a couple of of minutes to complete
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Install extra apps, as necessary |
- Use System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager
- If the machine has a CD-RW or DVD-RW drive, select package k3b
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Test USB/FireWire ports |
USB:
- Plug in a USB mouse
- See that the cursor moves and can interact with things
- Repeat with all USB ports
FireWire:
- Plug in an external FireWire drive
- Insert a data CD in FireWire drive
- See if it mounts on the desktop
- Repeat with all FireWire ports
If all ports of one of these types don't work, the machine should be recycled
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Configure/test sound control |
- Open sound preferences
- Place cursor on sound icon in top menu bar
- Press F12 key
- Select Preferences
- In the Preferences window upper drop-down menu, make sure the Alsa mixer item is selected
- In the lower combo-box menu, select PC speaker
- In the oem home directory, open the Examples sub-directory
- Select the 'Ubuntu experience.ogg' file
- When the video starts, verify that the sound slider (click sound icon) varies the volume.
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Test CD data and sound |
- Insert, play, and eject a music CD
- Insert data CD, inspect directory contents
- If machine has a DVD drive, insert a data DVD, inspect directory contents
- If machine has a CD-RW or DVD-RW, use k3b to erase a CD-RW disk, and create/burn a new data project.
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Generate "printme" report for system |
- Make sure you are on the local wired network
- Configure system so it can use network printers
- In a terminal, generate a lshw XML file for the printme process
- Open a web browser and go to http://data/spec_sheets/new
- Fill out the form, upload the XML file, and print out the report
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Clean outside cover |
Clean case monitor face, connector panel, keyboard, and mouse as well
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Attach "printme" report to system |
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Bundle system with tested keyboard/mouse and power cord |
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Take it to store |
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iMac/eMac Build Checklist
Steps
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Notes/Detailed Instructions
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Done
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Attach keyboard/mouse, network cable, and power cord |
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Install Ubuntu |
- Attach network cable
- Push power button; immediately press keys Option+Apple+o+f at the same time
- When OpenFirmware prompt appears, type:
- At boot: prompt, press Enter; eventually the install screen will appear
- When the display pauses for entering the machine name, replace whatever is already there with macbox
- When installation is complete, the computer will reboot automatically
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For 500 MHz and faster iMacs, correct X startup problems, if necessary |
- Symptom is that mouse and keyboard appear to do nothing
- See iMac Flower Power Video Fix in the Software Fixes document
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Set HW date/time to UTC |
- In a terminal, set system clock with command
- date -u MMDDhhmmYYYY
- MM month, DD day, hh hour, mm minute, YYYY year
- hour and minute are GMT(UTC) time in 24-hour clock format; GMT time is locak (Pacific) time plus 7 hours (summer, PDT) or 8 hours (winter, PST)
- Set CMOS clock from system clock
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Enable the Ubuntu startup splash screen |
- In a terminal, edit the file /etc/usplash.conf as root
- sudo nano /etc/usplash.conf
- Change the xres value to 1024
- Change the yres value to 768
- Save and close the file
- Update the startup files with the changed resolution values with the command
- sudo update-initramfs -u
- The command takes a couple of of minutes to complete
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Adjust the screen display, as necessary |
- Start up MacBuild's OS X system in transfer mode
- Hold the T key on the keyboard while the system is powering on
- If done correctly, you should see a FireWire icon on the screen of the system
- Power down the system you are working on
- Connect a FireWire cable from the OS X system to the system being worked on
- Hold the Option key on the keyboard while starting the system
- This should bring up a graphical menu of all the drives the system sees that it can boot from
- Select the OS X FireWire drive from the menu, and click on the Continue arrow
- Once the desktop loads, click on the blue apple in the upper left corner of the screen
- Click on the System Preferences option in the dropdown menu
- Click on the Displays icon in the System Preferences window
- Click on the Geometry tab in the Displays window
- Select the kind of adjustment you'd like to make, and drag the edges of the monitor icon to adjust the screen display
- Once you're done, click on the blue apple in the upper left corner and click on the Shutdown option in the dropdown menu
- Disconnect the FireWire cable once the system powers off, and turn off the OS X system
- Repeat as necessary
- If the screen display cannot be adjusted to an acceptable state, the system should be recycled
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Install extra apps, as necessary |
- Use System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager
- If the machine has a CD-RW or DVD-RW drive, select package k3b
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Test USB/FireWire ports |
USB:
- Plug in a USB mouse
- See that the cursor moves and can interact with things
- Repeat with all USB ports
FireWire:
- Plug in an external FireWire drive
- Insert a data CD in FireWire drive
- See if it mounts on the desktop
- Repeat with all FireWire ports
If all ports of one of these types don't work, the machine should be recycled
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Configure/test sound control |
- Open sound preferences
- Place cursor on sound icon in top menu bar
- Press F12 key
- Select Preferences
- In the Preferences window upper drop-down menu, make sure the Alsa mixer item is selected
- In the lower combo-box menu, select PC speaker
- In the oem home directory, open the Examples sub-directory
- Select the 'Ubuntu experience.ogg' file
- When the video starts, verify that the sound slider (click sound icon) varies the volume.
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Test CD data and sound |
- Insert, play, and eject a music CD
- Insert data CD, inspect directory contents
- If machine has a DVD drive, insert a data DVD, inspect directory contents
- If machine has a CD-RW or DVD-RW, use k3b to erase a CD-RW disk, and create/burn a new data project.
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Generate "printme" report for system |
- Make sure you are on the local wired network
- Configure system so it can use network printers
- In a terminal, generate a lshw XML file for the printme process
- Open a web browser and go to http://data/spec_sheets/new
- Fill out the form, upload the XML file, and print out the report
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Clean outside cover |
Clean case monitor face, connector panel, keyboard, and mouse as well
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Attach "printme" report to system |
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Bundle iMac with tested keyboard/mouse and power cord |
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Take it to store |
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