Will a G3 boot with no keyboard, mouse and monitor?

In article <gwestonREMOVE-F85956.17320514062004.RemoveThis@netnews.comcast.net>,
Gregory Weston <gwestonREMOVE.RemoveThis@CAPSattbi.com> wrote:

> Missing monitor is a problem for many non-server models, though,
> and I'm not sure if the beige G3s are among them. Easy enough to cope
> with, though. Just plug something in that makes the machine _think_
> there's a monitor. A strand from an ethernet cable is sufficient.

Eh? How does that work?

I ask because my father is probably going to get a new G5, and to use
the new Setup Assistant he'll need to launch his old G4 in Firewire
Disk mode, but with only one monitor, I feared we'd have to cart one
in from somewhere else to connect for eight seconds. Any thoughts?

(Otherwise, is it safe to unplug a monitor connected using ADC while
the machine is on? We could boot the G5; disconnect the monitor, hook
it to the G4, and boot the G4; then disconnect the monitor from the G4
and hook it back up to the G5. If it's safe.)

- geoff

In article <geoff-usenet2-B183F1.20043914062004.DeleteThis@reader3.news.rcn.net>,
"Geoffrey F. Green" <geoff-usenet2.DeleteThis@stuebegreen.com> wrote:

> In article <gwestonREMOVE-F85956.17320514062004.DeleteThis@netnews.comcast.net>,
> Gregory Weston <gwestonREMOVE.DeleteThis@CAPSattbi.com> wrote:
>
> > Missing monitor is a problem for many non-server models, though,
> > and I'm not sure if the beige G3s are among them. Easy enough to cope
> > with, though. Just plug something in that makes the machine _think_
> > there's a monitor. A strand from an ethernet cable is sufficient.
>
> Eh? How does that work?

The Mac detects the kind of monitor is attached by comparing certain
pins on the connector to ground. Connect the right pins by jamming a
wire in there (solder on some pins if you want a good fit on a non-NuBus
PowerMac) and it will think it has a display.


> I ask because my father is probably going to get a new G5, and to use
> the new Setup Assistant he'll need to launch his old G4 in Firewire
> Disk mode, but with only one monitor, I feared we'd have to cart one
> in from somewhere else to connect for eight seconds. Any thoughts?

Yep. G4s don't need a display attached to boot. Just hook up the
keyboard and power it up while holding down T.

> (Otherwise, is it safe to unplug a monitor connected using ADC while
> the machine is on? We could boot the G5; disconnect the monitor, hook
> it to the G4, and boot the G4; then disconnect the monitor from the G4
> and hook it back up to the G5. If it's safe.)

It's not.

--
Standard output is like your butt. Everyone has one. When using a bathroom,
they all default to going into a toilet. However, a person can redirect his
"standard output" to somewhere else, if he so chooses. - Jeremy Nixon

In article <gwestonREMOVE-915171.20192214062004 RemoveThis @netnews.comcast.net>,
Gregory Weston <gwestonREMOVE RemoveThis @CAPSattbi.com> wrote:

> > I ask because my father is probably going to get a new G5, and to use
> > the new Setup Assistant he'll need to launch his old G4 in Firewire
> > Disk mode, but with only one monitor, I feared we'd have to cart one
> > in from somewhere else to connect for eight seconds. Any thoughts?
>
> Yep. G4s don't need a display attached to boot. Just hook up the
> keyboard and power it up while holding down T.

Great. Thanks!

- geoff

Gregory Weston <gwestonREMOVE.TakeThisOut@CAPSattbi.com> writes:
>
> The Mac detects the kind of monitor is attached by comparing certain
> pins on the connector to ground. Connect the right pins by jamming a
> wire in there (solder on some pins if you want a good fit on a
> non-NuBus PowerMac) and it will think it has a display.

If your Mac uses the DB-15 video connector, a VGA-adapter dongle will
connect the sense pins and do the job as well.

-- David