How do you view raw files on an iMac G5?!

Question

Hello there,
I just recently received my first computer for 30 bucks. It's my first experience getting used to a home computer. I extracted some some rar files with "Unrar" but now I have these raw files, which won't view because I don't have the equipment it seems. I suppose "raw" means a type of photo file? Anyways I can't view these files until I get some kind of raw viewer. I've tried a handful of raw viewers but none of them really work. Most look like these funny documents that have no setup and I tried "fastrawviewr" which keeps saying archiving when I click it... Whatever archive means.. I also have this icon when I first got my iMac G5 name Macintosh hd, which was constantly trying to archive fastrawviewer. I have been stuck for 3 days now puzzled on how to view these raw files. Id appreciate some assistance, I can't continue with my project until I figure out how to view these raw files.

Answer 1

Not sure if you could use a good software editor to convert or manipulate such
large files in an older Mac. Usually RAW files take considerable space, use a
ton of system resources, and require extra storage, memory RAM + larger CPU...
And graphic processor with its own video RAM.
•How to identify iMac models - Apple Support
So with an old computer that may or may not be viable in its own limitation, you
may have some time of it, to make use of it as you seek to do a project w/o much
idea of what software still may exist.
If you have a device that creates RAM image files, see if there is a way for it to
make both jpeg and RAW or less huge files. Or only use the jpeg files and save
the larger RAW files for some other time when you get a later model computer.
•Graphic Converter - Lemke software:
http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/download/
see Graphic Converter version 6 or version 7
There is a software by the name Graphic Converter available (may run in demo)
that is a shareware. Note on their download page options and versions, the one
you'd need for use with the old PowerPC based Mac would be of a vintage that
may or may not be available. Their page should have an indication. While I had
an old version of Graphic Converter for Mac, for a Tiger 10.4.11 system, I didn't
use it much. Instead I used a combination of ToyViewer for Mac and the native
Preview application to edit images. Graphic Converter has other capabilities.
Not sure about the viability of or availability of the named software listed here:
http://www.pure-mac.com/graphics.html as most titles and their home pages
may not be available or could have survived but only for Intel-based late Macs.
Some cameras came with software. Nikon offered a trial run of something they
later sold, but that was limited in how it could work; later versions of the software
won't run on older OS X systems. And huge files require extra system resources.
Depending on the build model series Mac  you may be able edit some images OK.
So what are the system specifications and available resources, by the numbers?
You could look into everymac.com and/or get mactracker.ca database to compare
your old iMac G5 specs to see what one you have. Also, you could go to a site &
use it to see specs https://www.powerbookmedic.com/identify-mac-serial.php
For certain software to run, the computer may need some kinds of hardware upgrade.
Or some of the tasks could be well beyond the current status of the device.
In any event...
Good luck & happy computing!