The best advice I can give you for doing audio on an iMac is:

Get to know the Extensions Manager. Your gonna have to turn off everything that isn't essential to your audio app.

Add as much RAM as you can, and don't buy the cheapest stuff you find. Don't buy the most expensive either. ;)

If you really want to optimize your iMac for audio, consider a setup like [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.marathon…"]this[/]="http://www.marathon…"]this[/]. :cool:

M Brane:

Thanks for the advice...I'll certainly put it to good use...Twister :->

For future reference, please post your Mac questions in the Mac Forum.

Okay.....Twister :-> :tu:

Anyway ... I agree about the RAM. I know it only has two RAM slots, but I think it can take two 512Mb sticks, for a 1024Mb (1G) total. With RAM being so cheap, that would definately be the way to go, but make sure yours will support a Gig before you buy the RAM, and make sure that you buy RAM that is intended for your iMac.
Also, most iMacs come with a 5400rpm HDD. A Western Digital WD400JB (40Gb, 7200rpm, 8Mb cache) would definately be a great improvement. I recommend a clean OS install on a small primary partition (perhaps 5 - 10 Gigs, depending on your needs). Make sure that you update to OS 9.2.2.
As with any Mac, keeping your Control Panels and Extensions to a minimum is escential for audio. Your iMac is only a G3-500, so you need to run it lean and mean.
Good Luck!

You may also consider getting some FireWire drives to use for recording & backup. With an iMac or iBook/Powerbook that's your best option. Just be careful where you get them. Some of the cheaper suppliers put really cheap drives in the cases. If you can handle some DIY hardware consider getting a case kit(s) & filling it with the drives(s) of your choice.

For general Mac news check out [="http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/"]AccelerateYourMac[/]="http://www.xlr8your…"]AccelerateYourMac[/] Lot's of good info there including a searchable database of hardware reviews by users.

For upgrade and software tips also check out [[url=http://="http://www.macgurus…?"]MacGurus[/]="http://www.macgurus…?"]MacGurus[/]. Sure wish they still sold hardware.

:c:

Right-on, M Brane. There's no place to put a second HDD inside an iMac, so a firewire HDD for your audio files is the best way to go. It's also very true about companies putting less-than-optimum drives in their firewire cases. Let the buyer beware! An 80-120Gb WD 7200rpm, 8Mb cache drive in a good firewire case would be very kewl.
This could be a very nice little system!

Thanks to all for your time and guidance!!

I have in fact upgrade the RAM to 512 and can upgrade to 1 gig but that will come later....I've invested in a Firewire case and have installed a 7200 RPM 20 gig Quantum Fireball HDD. Plugged it in and away it went...no drivers to install...Eazy-Breezy.....I am considering re-formatting the internal HDD to clean it up...Is a complete "re-install" the same thing??? Is there a partitioning utility in the imac?? Also, what advantage is there to upgrading the 9.1 OS to 9.2.2...is this a free upgrade??? ...I'll also be checking out the links provided by "M Brane"...will keep you posted on my progress (for those who are interested)...thanks again....Twister :-> :c:

Your welcome! :D

Which OS depends on your software choice. That iMac will have no problem with 9.2.2 or even OSX so use whatever your software recommends. Anything from 9.1 up is good.

M Brane,

Thanks for the extra info.....from what I gather from your post, a clean install re-formats (erases everything) the hard drive and re-installs the OS, offering a choice of which components to have on the machine once it's up and running again. I think this is where I'm headed with this one....once the system is fully functional, with upgrade to the OS if appicable, then I'll re-install my Midi/Audio drivers and software-(Digital Performer)...I realize this is a lengthy process but I do believe it's well worth the trouble to have a, as you say: "lean, mean OS 9.1"....your help is much appreciated...Twister :-> :cool: :tu:

The best way to reinstall the OS is to manually format and partition your drive prior to your OS installation. As I said previously, it would be best to install the OS on a small primary partition, so that your OS isn't spread all over your harddrive. This will allow your computer to run faster and more efficiently. Also, if there ever comes a time when you need to reinstall your OS, you will be able to format that primary partition without having to backup and format the entire drive.
For your OS:
Insert your CD and do the standard installation. Use your auto-update feature to install the OS updates (to 9.2.2) and the rest of the updates and additions. Once that is complete, uninstall the components which are unnecessary for your audio-only machine. This way all of your components are fully optimized, and all of the bugs are worked out which Apple addressed in the updating process. 9.2.2 is as stable as a rock. If your audio apps are intended for OS9 (as opposed to OSX), they will work fine with 9.2.2.
If you have any questions regarding whether or not to remove something, just ask. Don't worry, anything that you accidently uninstall that you shouldn't-have can easily be reinstalled if need-be.

SonOfSmawg,

There is something to be said about a person who actually takes the time to write out detailed instructions on a process that would otherwise be no less than daunting for someone like me who is getting used to a totally different brand of computer and operating system. My hat is completely off to you and M Brane for taking that time!!! and...I raise my glass to you!! ;)

1) My HD is a 20 gig...how much of that space would you allot to that small primary partition??

2) After the primary partition is formatted, would I then reserve the rest of the HD for Digital Performer and/or other audio apps?

3) Would it be of any benefit to format another small partition to house Digital Performer, or would that be an exercise in futility??

4) The formatting utility utilized for this process is already on the machine, I presume.

5) As for periodical defragmentation of the HD, is there a utility within OS 9 that will do that or should I obtain a 3rd party utility for this? if so...which one??

Okay, that's enough for today....Thanks again for your time!! Twister :->

1) My HD is a 20 gig...how much of that space would you allot to that small primary partition??

If your not going to install Jag on it, I would think that 5G would be enough space for your system & apps. Only you will know exactly how much space you will need. Remember it's not good to have a drive more than 80% full, so leave a little extra room on each volume.

2) After the primary partition is formatted, would I then reserve the rest of the HD for Digital Performer and/or other audio apps?

3) Would it be of any benefit to format another small partition to house Digital Performer, or would that be an exercise in futility??

I've never tried the apps on a separate volume approach. Never had a problem with the apps and system on the same volume.

4) The formatting utility utilized for this process is already on the machine, I presume.

Drive setup (in the utilities folder) will take care of formatting and partitioning. Just don't do a low-level format on an IDE/ATA drive. They don't like that very much.

5) As for periodical defragmentation of the HD, is there a utility within OS 9 that will do that or should I obtain a 3rd party utility for this? if so...which one??

Actually it's best to just backup your data, initialize the drive and re-install (since you have to do a backup anyway) ;) De-fraggin programs work by copying data off the drive to RAM, initializing that section of the drive, then re-writing back to the drive.

I must confess though that I do de-frag, but I always keep a copy of my system drive on a second drive (I have three) and another copy on CD's. When I get some more FW drives for backup then I will probably not de-frag again.

Stay away from Norton. It used to be OK but has basically sucked since v.5. I use [="http://www.micromat.com/"]TechToolPro[/]="http://www.micromat…"]TechToolPro[/] for general system maint. (in addition to Disk First Aid) and [[url=http://="http://www.alsoft.c…"]DiskWarrior[/]="http://www.alsoft.c…"]DiskWarrior[/] for disk maint.

:c:

First of all, to make it easy for you (and me), here's part of one of my previous posts ...

Mac OS 9.2.2 is SIMPLE and complete. IMO, you don't need anything but the included tools to keep it running and maintained. There's a simple way to 100% guarantee that "if anything goes wrong" with your software, it can be quickly and easily fixed, provided that you set yourself up for it, from scratch.
First,if you have things on your harddrive that you want to save, back them up to a CD or a different harddrive. Once you have everything backed-up, or if you're starting with a new Mac, erase the entire disk, including any and all existing partitions.
Now you must decide if you want or need to partition the drive. Here is my GENERAL thought on partitioning ...
If your harddrive is 15Gb or more, create a primary partition of 10Gb for your OS and apps. This will keep the data that runs your system from being too scattered, which equates to greater efficiency, speed, and stability. Some people recommend that this partition be even smaller, or as small as possible. If you're sure you'll never need more than 5Gb for your OS and apps, GREAT, make the primary partition 5Gb! My 10Gb figure is a general figure to give more than enough room for most peoples' needs and future needs, without getting too large. The larger your harddrive is, the smarter it is to have this small primary partition.
There are a LOT of reasons for wanting and/or needing to create more than two partitions, too numerous to list. So let's get on with it...
Once your harddrive is formatted and partitioned, of course, you install the operating system. If you have an older CD version of the OS, you will need to get the updates from the Apple site. And here's where IT starts...
Rather than use the auto-update feature, go to the Apple site and download them yourself, individually. "WHY?", you ask. Because you are going to save the compressed files! This way, you'll never have to download them again, and they'll be at your beckoned-call any time you need them, with completed installation being only minutes away!
"Ahhh, Grasshopper! Is this starting to make sense now?"
Anything else that you must download, save the compressed files! DO NOT INSTALL THEM AND THEN THROW THEM AWAY!
Now, make a folder on your desktop labeled "My Saves". Stick all of the other stuff that you never want to lose in it, such as fonts, soundsets, icons, wallpapers, favorites, preferences, ... whatever.
A) Stick all of the compressed files and your "MySaves" in a folder labeled "SAVE".
B) BURN THE "SAVE" FOLDER TO CD! If it is too large to burn to one CD, then divide "SAVE" into sub-folders, labeled "SAVEONE", "SAVETWO", and so-on.
C) If you've created more than one partition on your harddrive, copy "SAVE" to one (or more) of the other partitions. This way that entire file is handy without even having to dig-out the CD(s), and serves as a duplicated back-up.
D) If your primary harddrive has only one partition, then just stick "SAVE" in your "C" drive. If this is the case, and you have more than one harddrive, then stick "SAVE" on one of the other harddrives as well.
Long to explain, but simple to do.
After everything is initially installed, remember that anytime you download a new app, you must then add it's compressed file to your multiple "SAVE"s. Really not a big deal. Everytime you spend a few minutes to "SAVE" them, you have the satisfaction of knowing you'll never have to take the time to find and download that file again! It's a MAJOR convenience and timesaver!
Anytime there is an update on an app, make sure you replace it's predecessor in your "SAVES".
So, what has this done for you?
First, if you chose to create your small primary partition, it's made your system less likely to crash.
Second, if something does go wrong, either with the OS or an app, you can delete whatever went haywire and totally reinstall the fresh, up-to-date version within minutes, including the preferences if you saved them!
If you ever want to do a total fresh install, for instance if you want to repartition your drive, just think of how fast it can be done!
There are many other reasons for having this sort of a backup plan, too. You'll see the beauty of it once you've used this system for a while.

LOL how's that for a detailed explaination?
To answer you a little more specifically:

My HD is a 20 gig...how much of that space would you allot to that small primary partition??

As stated above, 10 Gigs is cool, but in your
situation you can easily get away with just 5Gb.
If sometime down the road you add so much stuff that you need it bigger, it can be easily and quickly done if you used the backup method as described in the first "quote".

After the primary partition is formatted, would I then reserve the rest of the HD for Digital Performer and/or other audio apps?
Would it be of any benefit to format another small partition to house Digital Performer, or would that be an exercise in futility??

Your OS, your audio software, and all other apps/programs go on the primary partition. The rest of your "system" harddrive is basically for storage. Your actual audio files don't go on this HDD, they go on your second HDD.

The formatting utility utilized for this process is already on the machine, I presume.

It's called "Drive Setup" ... makes sense, huh? LOL

As for periodical defragmentation of the HD, is there a utility within OS 9 that will do that or should I obtain a 3rd party utility for this? if so...which one?

LMAO ... you left this question for last, so it makes me think that you've probably read some of my other posts. You poor guy!
This is where my opinion differs from most peoples'. My opinion differs due to the fact that I use the previously-described backup method. I don't HAVE to defrag! I just transfer everything that I want to keep that's on the primary partition to a different partition, format the primary partition, reinstall my OS and apps, move my saved stuff back over, and VOILA! The whole thing takes a little over an hour, but I have a WHOLE NEW FRESH INSTALLATION, not a "refurb". So, if people want to defrag, hey, whatever floats there boats, but I've NEVER done it to my Mac, and I never will have to. *IMO*, this method is MUCH better. I don't use any "utilities" on my Mac other than what comes in the OS.
Hope this helps, Bro. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. I'll try to give you as thorough an answer as possible. LOL

SOfS and M Brane,

Thanks again gentlemen.....whew!! how's that for detail......all my questions were answered and then some....I like the idea of having the organized "saved" folder(s) on a separate partition...pretty well eliminates the need for any kind of defrag.......makes sense....all that's left now is to put all this into practice, which I will be doing within the next week or two as soon as I can spare a few uninterrupted hours....again...thank you....Twister :-> :p:

Okay...here's the update:

Initialized my HD and created a 5 gig primary partition...loaded OS 9.1, then upgraded to 9.2.2 (which by the way can't be done unless you upgrade to 9.1.1 first according to the Apple download instructions....so I did that too). Created a "saves" folder on the secondary partition as well....loaded up my drivers and audio software...so far so good...no crashes...yet....performance has improved and is good...so far.

One thing though, which was my own fault for not being attentive enough, is that I ended up initializing my "audio" HD, which wasn't planned (Both drives are 20 gig, so I mistook one for the other)....so I lost all my audio files....oh well....I guess it's back to drawing board for those...this will force me to improve on these anyways...thanks again for your help boys!!!! Twister :D