ByteRot :: Power Macintosh G3 Blue and White Teardown

BYTEROT - retro PCs, consoles and lost software

Get an account

Accounts are free. Join #retro on irc.fxnet.org, identify with NickServ and type !req.

[ how ]

IRC

#retro on irc.fxnet.org
6697 ssl · 6667 plain
modern + vintage clients welcome

[ vintage how-to ]

Sections

OS 1,075

DRIVERS 61

SOFTWARE 22

GAMES 10

UTILS 37

DOCS 561

INCOMING 0

REQUESTS 0

LIBRARY 25,406 files

Some stats

releases	1,766
last 24h	+750
online	404.1 GB
library	1.2 TB
members	0
updated	2026-10-04 23:30

Power Macintosh G3 Blue and White Teardown

Device	Power Macintosh G3 Blue and White
Difficulty	Moderate
Time	No estimate
Steps	15

This guide is by Chris Green on iFixit and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0. ByteRot mirrors it for non-commercial preservation: formatting changed and photos resized for old browsers; full-size photos and the text are on the FTP in /DOCS/REPAIR. Original guide >>

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!

Tools: 6-in-1 Screwdriver; Phillips #0 Screwdriver

Step 1

• The Powermac G3 Blue And White

Step 2

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

Step 3

• RAM
• The PowerMac G3 B&W supports up to 1GB of PC100 RAM.
• It has 4 RAM slots for an optimal configuration of 4x 256MB DIMM's.

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.

Step 5

• Then, lift the metal retaining lever.
• Then, lift the CPU out of it's socket.
• This is the Motorola MPC106 PCI bridge and memory controller.

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.

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.

Step 8

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

Step 9

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

Step 10

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

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.

Step 12

• Removing the drive cage:

Step 13

• Removing the power supply
• Disconnect the power connector from the logic board (this looks alot like a standard ATX connector. The lone difference is that the wire which supplies -5V on an ATX supply [pin 18] becomes a ground wire in the B&W G3. If you just plug in an ATX supply without any modifications, you'll short out its -5V output. )
• 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.

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

Step 15

• Also remove all 3 hex screws from the rear of the case located around the power connectors. Only then, will the PS "just slide out."

Credit