I have a PowerMac G4 Dual 500 and would like to disable the second processor for test purposes. Does anyone know how to do it? Is there an Open Firmware command for this?
Thanks, Ralf
Thanks, Ralf
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How to disable second processor?
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AlphaTech
macrumors 601
For test reasons??? What are you trying to test??? I do not know of any way to disable the second processor on that system. The easiest way to test it, is to have a second tower with the system you want to compare it against.
Even if you DO manage to disable the second processor, there is no guarantee that you will be able to activate it again. That alone should make you NOT want to do it. If you do it via physical modifications, you can kiss any warranty that you still have goodbye, as well as any support from Apple. They will charge you for a replacement processor, as well as require you to take to an AASP for installation. NOT worth the pain/hassle just to test something... 😱 🙄 😀 😎
Even if you DO manage to disable the second processor, there is no guarantee that you will be able to activate it again. That alone should make you NOT want to do it. If you do it via physical modifications, you can kiss any warranty that you still have goodbye, as well as any support from Apple. They will charge you for a replacement processor, as well as require you to take to an AASP for installation. NOT worth the pain/hassle just to test something... 😱 🙄 😀 😎
Catfish_Man
macrumors 68030
Actually...
...that would be rather interesting for benchmarking purposes. Be sure to use a good benchmark if you do that (NOT the ars testbench. It's been proved that the PPC version of that is horribly written and can be made to go 14 times faster pretty easily).
I'd like to see someone with a Dual Ghz do that, it would show which tasks were memory bandwidth limited, and which were processor limited. I have a feeling that most of them would be bandwidth limited.
...that would be rather interesting for benchmarking purposes. Be sure to use a good benchmark if you do that (NOT the ars testbench. It's been proved that the PPC version of that is horribly written and can be made to go 14 times faster pretty easily).
I'd like to see someone with a Dual Ghz do that, it would show which tasks were memory bandwidth limited, and which were processor limited. I have a feeling that most of them would be bandwidth limited.
Why do you always have to be so negative....
If he wants to disable it...let him do his thing, it's not your problem is it.
I think he knows that it voids his warranty...
Geeesh......
AlphaTech
macrumors 601
Making suggestions is not negative... As is pointing out the pitfalls of physically modifying the boards inside your Mac. Before each decent board modification is a warning about how if you do the mod, you will void any/all warranties (that is a fact jack[-off] 😱 ).
If you don't like what I write, then don't read it... simple as that. 😛
Hey guys,
I don't want to disable it permanently and/or physically - that's why I was asking for an Open Firmware command. I'm actually trying to resolve some stability issues, and was thinking the second processor might have something to do with it, since a friend of mine does have a single processor system and none of these issues.
So, any more ideas?
Take care,
Ralf
I don't want to disable it permanently and/or physically - that's why I was asking for an Open Firmware command. I'm actually trying to resolve some stability issues, and was thinking the second processor might have something to do with it, since a friend of mine does have a single processor system and none of these issues.
So, any more ideas?
Take care,
Ralf
Ok, I've found it. There is a Technical Q&A document at the ADC web site (http://developer.apple.com/qa/qa2001/qa1141.html) about it.
Thanks anyway.
Ralf
Thanks anyway.
Ralf
AlphaTech
macrumors 601
I seriously doubt that the second processor is the cause of your stability issues (on the computer). Assuming you are running OS X, which version?? Have you updated to 10.1.5 yet?? How much memory, how much free drive space?? Have you done a fsck -y yet?? I have yet to hear of a dual processor system being unstable because of one of the processors.
Check your system memory... if you have any from Microtech, toss it and get some good stuff.
Check your system memory... if you have any from Microtech, toss it and get some good stuff.
Thanks AlphaTech.
I'm actually having 640 MB RAM (Original and Crucial), enough free space on the HD, and running 10.1.5. The system itself is stable, but some task related to dial-up connections to the Internet are not.
I will just try this processor thing and see if it changes anything.
Ralf
I'm actually having 640 MB RAM (Original and Crucial), enough free space on the HD, and running 10.1.5. The system itself is stable, but some task related to dial-up connections to the Internet are not.
I will just try this processor thing and see if it changes anything.
Ralf