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iMac G3 Q&A - Published February 21, 2009
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What are the capabilities of the optical drive provided by the iMac G3 models? How do you replace or upgrade the optical drive?
The iMac G3 models shipped with either a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or CD-RW drive.
For your convenience, the optical capabilities of each model are listed below:
iMac G3 | Optical Drive |
24X CD-ROM† | |
24X CD-ROM† | |
24X CD-ROM† | |
24X CD-ROM | |
4X DVD-ROM | |
4X DVD-ROM | |
24X CD-ROM | |
24X CD-ROM | |
4X DVD-ROM | |
4X DVD-ROM | |
24X CD-ROM | |
4X CD-RW | |
4X CD-RW | |
24X CD, 4X CD-RW* | |
4X CD-RW | |
4X CD-RW |
† These models have tray-loading CD-ROM drives, subsequent models have slot-loading drives.
* This model was originally configured with a slot loading CD-RW drive. On October 1, 2001, a lower-end configuration -- offered only in indigo -- was introduced with a 24X slot loading CD-ROM drive.
For the exact speed of each optical drive reading and writing different media, please refer to the specs page for the particular model of interest.
Just like the hard drive, Apple does not consider the optical drive to be a "customer-installable part" and declines to provide replacement instructions. Consequently, EveryMac.com does not recommend that users attempt to upgrade the optical drive themselves.
It is quite a bit of work to upgrade or replace the optical drive in the iMac G3 models. Those with limited experience upgrading computers would be wise to instead purchase an external USB or Firewire optical drive for a quick and easy upgrade (models with 400 MHz and faster processors have two Firewire "400" ports). Even those with experience upgrading systems might prefer to purchase an external drive rather than go to the trouble of disassembling the computer and the risk of dealing with an exposed CRT-display.
Nevertheless, those who are ambitious, enjoy tinkering, and happen to have a compatible internal optical drive to swap, can be thankful for helpful individuals who have written their own step-by-step guides for the tray-loading (now offline) and slot-loading iMac G3 models that cover the optical drive as well as other internal upgrades. If they are still online, you also may be able to refer to the not for public distribution Apple Service Source documents for the tray-loading (PDF) and slot-loading (PDF) iMac G3 models, respectively.
Site sponsor Other World Computing sells external optical drives as well as other upgrades for the iMac G3 models.
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