eMac 800Mhz -> 1.33GHz conversion

lbodnar · Jan 5, 2004

Hello all!

I have just recently got around putting up details of eMac 800MHz upgrade to 1.33GHz/1GB/160GB/OSX10.3

http://www.lbodnar.dsl.pipex.com/eMac/eMac-upgrade.html

As I said there 1.33GHz was not a definite limit but a point when I simply got bored resoldering jumpers. And it IS enough for me!

Do you think this was just a lucky sample or Apple now has to underclock modern efficient CPUs to satisfy low-end Macs production? I guess (as in any manufacturing process) quality of chips constantly and gradually improves and Motorola would not produce "sluggish" chips for a purpose. Having the same line making all the 750MHz - 2GHz range is too expensive logistically?.. Well, that's just my thought.

Could you suggest some application that would push all system to the limit and show how stable it really is? I know from experience that compiling a kernel under Linux is very unforgiving for any CPU-RAM faults but I don't want to install Linux on eMac just for that.

Best wishes!

krimson · Jan 5, 2004

try running dnet at a high (7 or 8 should work) setting (i suppose F@H/SETI would work too) then try running Photoshop on a large image, while running DVD2one compressing a 7Gb DVD folder to 2GB.

and while your at it, heat up the room to whatever temp is normal for your summer. For me, that's about 90* F.

Jetson · Jan 5, 2004

This is an excellent article, lbodnar. My hat is off to one brave soul!

I'd love to bump up my eMac from 1gHz to 1.33gHz. It looks a little hazardous though.

QCassidy352 · Jan 5, 2004

lbodnar,

xbench 147.81 on an emac! Well done indeed! A very good article, and some nice upgrades to give yourself quite a nice machine! hats off!

Dont Hurt Me · Jan 5, 2004

very nice, just goes to show how Apple is Dumbing down the Emac so it dont compete with imac or the old G4 powermac. I wonder how a mod like this will effect its lifespan and i would have liked to see what kind of heatsink was being used. Very Bold step taken by the Author but i dont blame him a bit since Apple doesnt seem to want to build a decent speed Emac or Imac for that matter. way to go ibodnar, why dont you send a copy of this to Apple and tell them you had to take matters into your own hands since they are dicking the dog.
Edit- there is nothing like a topnotch game to stress your system, i would try UT2003 or Halo and then play with your horizontal resolutions, if you can play Ut2003 for a couple of hours with no panics then you should be good to go.

lbodnar · Jan 6, 2004

Update

As suggested I have run simultaneously for few hours
- DNET data crunching client at priority 8
- Photoshop 7 applying filters to 1GB image
- saving 40GB folder from LAN server to external Firewire drive
(I don't have DVD videos around to run MPEG compressor)

today I am running UT2003 at minimum and maximum resolutions with no problems.

to Donthurtme:
the heatsink as it is originally is actually a thermal pad with attached heat transfer tube that goes all the way back to where exhaust fan is and there that tube crossects a heatsink which is a set of about 30 very thin "leaves" that seat right in the exhaust airflow. I'll post a picture next time I take it apart.

yamabushi · Jan 6, 2004

Good job! This is a great mod. I also think that the G4 in the revised eMac may be an underclocked cpu. That could mean that the iBook is also underclocked.

I think that this might mean that we will see a jump to a 1.33GHz eMac as soon as a G5 iMac is released.

manitoubalck · Jan 6, 2004

Originally posted by Dont Hurt Me
Edit- there is nothing like a topnotch game to stress your system, i would try UT2003 or Halo and then play with your horizontal resolutions, if you can play Ut2003 for a couple of hours with no panics then you should be good to go.

Nothing chew's preformace like first person shotter games. Try some with crappy ports and see how it holds up.

By the way I haven't bothered to read the article, but if that's only using the stock passive heat sink then I recomend seeing what can be done with active cooling or better yet a liquid cooling soliution.

manitoubalck · Jan 6, 2004

Ok I've read the articl now.

Well done using the stocko HS.
Now the next step is to see how far you can push the FSB. Even my 3 year old AMD K7 runs a faster FSB (200MHz) than your eMac.

Good luck and well done.

hvfsl · Jan 6, 2004

Thats a lot easier than overclocking the PB G4 550 to 667. I wish I had found an eMac that cheaply, I should probably go to PCWorld more often and check out their sales.

lbodnar · Jan 7, 2004

Update

Yesterday I have installed Yellow Dog Linux on that eMac and compiled Linux kernel about 5 times without a hitch. KDE graphics interface seems so jerky compared to smooth OS X...

virividox · Jan 7, 2004

impressive

lbodnar · Jan 10, 2004

This sweet little eMac now runs dual-screen. It hasn't failed once during all that time.

topicolo · Jan 10, 2004

Instead of soldering, can you not use the "pencil trick"?

Crosssing the bridges using graphite and then putting some protective tape over it should allow enough current to pass through the two points to form a circuit, no?

neoelectronaut · Jan 10, 2004

Originally posted by lbodnar
This sweet little eMac now runs dual-screen. It hasn't failed once during all that time.

How the hell did you pull that one off?

lbodnar · Jan 10, 2004

Originally posted by neoelectronaut
How the hell did you pull that one off?

http://www.rutemoeller.com/mp/ibook/ibook_e.html

Re solder pen. This could be an idea but how to remove it if CPU would not pull it up?

neoelectronaut · Jan 10, 2004

Originally posted by lbodnar
http://www.rutemoeller.com/mp/ibook/ibook_e.html

Re solder pen. This could be an idea but how to remove it if CPU would not pull it up?

Man...I thumbed through it a little pit (per say) and wow....I don't think I'm willing to do any possible system-damaging things for at least 3 years.

Mord · Jan 11, 2004

Originally posted by hvfsl
Thats a lot easier than overclocking the PB G4 550 to 667. I wish I had found an eMac that cheaply, I should probably go to PCWorld more often and check out their sales.

go to john lewis in oxford street they had quite a few emacs for around that price last time i checked

bigbadmac · Jan 12, 2004

eMac 700Mhz -> ?????

Great stuff on the 800Mhz. Any input on the 700? I'm only interested in boosting to the min requirement for the new iLife... 733Mhz.

lbodnar · Jan 13, 2004

Re: eMac 700Mhz -> ?????

Originally posted by bigbadmac
Great stuff on the 800Mhz. Any input on the 700? I'm only interested in boosting to the min requirement for the new iLife... 733Mhz.

bigbadmac, what processor type Xbench reports on your eMac?

bigbadmac · Jan 13, 2004

Prcessor type

Processor = PowerPC G4 @700 MHz
Version = 7450 (V'ger) v2.1
L1 Cache = 32K (instruction), 32k (data)
L2 Cache = 256k @ 700 MHz
Bus Frequency = 100 MHz

lbodnar · Jan 13, 2004

7450 is different from 7455 and I don't know how good are they for overclocking. Someone has to try!

Dont Hurt Me · Jan 13, 2004

i dont think you would have a problem i had clocked my 733 (7450) to 800. this is almost certainly the same chip though i was on a 133 bus.

bigbadmac · Jan 13, 2004

700MHz -> ????

I'll give it a try if I can get some info on the jumper locations on the MB. Maybe the jumper settings on the 733 are the same? What the heck... my warantee is dead anyway and I've already had to resolder the CRT cable myself...

lbodnar · Jan 13, 2004

Re: 700MHz -> ????

Originally posted by bigbadmac
I'll give it a try if I can get some info on the jumper locations on the MB. Maybe the jumper settings on the 733 are the same? What the heck... my warantee is dead anyway and I've already had to resolder the CRT cable myself...

way to go, bigbadmac! You can get configuration details from 7455 datasheet. Look for 100MHz bus on page 47. Your options are:
700 ++-++
750 +++-+
800 --+++
850 +--++
etc...
"+" is shorted (0) and "-" is open (1).

Let us know! Can you take a picture of the board to compare with 800MHz eMac?

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