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Transplanted a G5 and upgraded processor

OrangeSVTguy

OrangeSVTguy

macrumors 601
Original poster
Sep 16, 2007
4,127
69
Northeastern Ohio
Well I had my dual 1.8 G5 die last year from the result of a bad logic board where the memory sockets got cracks in it or something so it wouldn't boot(worked with a "shim" sort of method like the iBooks graphics card until it wouldn't boot no more). I had bought another logic board on ebay and everything worked when I ran the ASD disc but then said I had problems with the CPU(s).

lordonuthin just hooked me up with some 1.6ghz guts so I got that transplanted into my G5 case(using my 600w PSU). Using target disc mode, I used an IDE drive in the optical bay since I don't have any extra SATA drives and installed Tiger from my PB's optical drive. Booted it up in T-mode again to turn on Remote Desktop and run all updates. Restarted again and used Chicken of the VNC to test everything out and everything is running great with a single 1.6ghz processor. No need to run a thermal calibration.

I then later decide to see what happens when I put one of my dual 1.8 CPUs into the machine. To my surprise I get the beautiful Apple "bong". So far so good. Get on my PB and open up my VNC client and there it pops up my G5 so I logged into that and checked "About this Mac" and it's now running a single 1.8ghz processor. I ordered a 9800 Pro off ebay and will get that flashed and running so I can run the thermal calibration with the 1.8 processor since obviously the fans run full blast. Maybe I'll try and see if I can VNC into the G5 during the thermal calibration....

With that extra gap below the CPU, I hope to throw some extra hard drives in there and install a PCI SATA card. I will make custom mount. This works out great since I'm using the dual CPU fans from my dual 1.8 so I will have cooling for the additional HDDs. The Single 1.6ghz only had one fans while the lower spot is blocked out. This is going to make a good home server and Time Machine backup now :). All in all this was a fun little project with more to come. Nothing really special but I may just put up some pictures if anyone wants?

Special Thanks to lordonuthin, it felt like Christmas morning opening up all the little packages since he did an incredible job packing and wrapping everything up :apple:
 
Good luck with that, if you are booting off the ASD CD I highly doubt you will be able to VNC in, the ASD program is loaded directly into RAM without the benefit of an OS

It is not surprising it worked as original first generation PowerMac G5s did come in a 1.8 GHz configuration.

Also you actually have a better machine than the real Late 2004 models as your machine has a bus speed of 800 MHz, while the real Late 2004 models had a 600 MHz bus, which made them iMac G5s in a tower config. People at the time thought they were getting a great deal when it was actually the opposite and they should have gotten the previous generation tower G5s
 
OrangeSVTguy said:
Well I had my dual 1.8 G5 die last year from the result of a bad logic board where the memory sockets got cracks in it or something so it wouldn't boot(worked with a "shim" sort of method like the iBooks graphics card until it wouldn't boot no more). I had bought another logic board on ebay and everything worked when I ran the ASD disc but then said I had problems with the CPU(s).

lordonuthin just hooked me up with some 1.6ghz guts so I got that transplanted into my G5 case(using my 600w PSU). Using target disc mode, I used an IDE drive in the optical bay since I don't have any extra SATA drives and installed Tiger from my PB's optical drive. Booted it up in T-mode again to turn on Remote Desktop and run all updates. Restarted again and used Chicken of the VNC to test everything out and everything is running great with a single 1.6ghz processor. No need to run a thermal calibration.

I then later decide to see what happens when I put one of my dual 1.8 CPUs into the machine. To my surprise I get the beautiful Apple "bong". So far so good. Get on my PB and open up my VNC client and there it pops up my G5 so I logged into that and checked "About this Mac" and it's now running a single 1.8ghz processor. I ordered a 9800 Pro off ebay and will get that flashed and running so I can run the thermal calibration with the 1.8 processor since obviously the fans run full blast. Maybe I'll try and see if I can VNC into the G5 during the thermal calibration....

With that extra gap below the CPU, I hope to throw some extra hard drives in there and install a PCI SATA card. I will make custom mount. This works out great since I'm using the dual CPU fans from my dual 1.8 so I will have cooling for the additional HDDs. The Single 1.6ghz only had one fans while the lower spot is blocked out. This is going to make a good home server and Time Machine backup now :). All in all this was a fun little project with more to come. Nothing really special but I may just put up some pictures if anyone wants?

Special Thanks to lordonuthin, it felt like Christmas morning opening up all the little packages since he did an incredible job packing and wrapping everything up :apple:
Click to expand...

You're welcome! I'm just glad it works and now you can start to use the machine again. I had put 3 sata drives in mine in that space, just piled them in with little spacers between for cooling, I think I used slivers of wood :p
I have the sata card if you want it too.
 
Yeah I didn't think I'd be able to access it with VNC. Oh well, I couldn't wait another day so I dug my faulty 6800 Ultra out of the closet and flashed it real quick just I can run the thermal calibration for the 1.8ghz processor which I'm doing now. Wish I could get it[6800] working properly but there's too much artifacting going on :(.

There is a guy selling another 1.6 G5 around me and I was curious to know if anyone has done a dual 1.6 setup? I have my working dual cpu logic board laying around here and thinking about that idea. Would be cool just to try it....
 
Earl Urly said:
Good luck with that, if you are booting off the ASD CD I highly doubt you will be able to VNC in, the ASD program is loaded directly into RAM without the benefit of an OS

It is not surprising it worked as original first generation PowerMac G5s did come in a 1.8 GHz configuration.

Also you actually have a better machine than the real Late 2004 models as your machine has a bus speed of 800 MHz, while the real Late 2004 models had a 600 MHz bus, which made them iMac G5s in a tower config. People at the time thought they were getting a great deal when it was actually the opposite and they should have gotten the previous generation tower G5s
Click to expand...

The thermal test went good and everything is working great, had to pull the 6800 out as that was causing KPs. This one actually has a 900mhz bus speed(x2 = 1.8ghz CPU).
 

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