Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

sonicland

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 13, 2010
3
0
I just bought a used G5 2.5GHZ Dual Core Mac (M9457LL/A) and when I go to "About This Mac" it says it's got a single processor. Is this correct? It's replacing a G5 2.0 GHz Dual Processor which says it has 2 processors. Does Apple consider dual cores to be single processor. My concern is that I got what I paid for, and that it will be faster than my 2.0 GHz dual processor. Thanks.
 
It is correct, there is only one actual processor in the machine. Nothing is wrong.
 
IMO it's a little weird read out, cause M9457LL/A it is Dual Processor (two daughtercards), not Dual Core model. There was no single 2.5 GHz Dual Core CPU in G5. Dual Cores were coded: M9590LL/A (2.0 DC), M9591LL/A (2.3 DC), M9592LL/A (2.5 Quad).
Does it have one or two "G5" on CPU Cover?
 
I just bought a used G5 2.5GHZ Dual Core Mac (M9457LL/A) and when I go to "About This Mac" it says it's got a single processor. Is this correct? It's replacing a G5 2.0 GHz Dual Processor which says it has 2 processors. Does Apple consider dual cores to be single processor. My concern is that I got what I paid for, and that it will be faster than my 2.0 GHz dual processor. Thanks.

You have a dual processor machine with one core on each CPU, not a single processor dual core machine, if that model number you quoted is correct. "About this Mac" should show two processors. If you are only seeing one, either your model number is incorrect or you are missing a CPU. Since this is the series that has suffered from liquid coolant leaks in the past, you may want to verify whether the second CPU got fried by a coolant leak. The same thing happened to my G5 PowerMac in late 2007, and I had the entire liquid cooling and CPU system replaced.

Another quick way to verify the number of CPUs - open the side cover and if you see two silver "G5" CPU covers, you are supposed to have two CPUs.
 
There is no such thing as a dual core 2.5GHz G5. You've either got a dual-CPU or dual dual-core 2.5GHz G5.
 
Thanks for the help. I realize now that it's not a dual core but a dual processor. The serial number matches it up to the correct model #M9457LL/A as I had listed originally and indeed there are 2 big G5 boxes inside. How hard is it to get inside the processor boxes to see if there's something going on? I will email the person I bought if from and tell them what I've found but I wouldn't mind looking at the processors to see if it's just unseated. Would it be obvious if the processor were fried and how expensive is it to fix if the seller won't fix it?

Thanks everyone.
 
Whoops, I didn't see the G5 part at first and thought you were talking about an Intel Mac.

That machine should have 2 processors, and that model is is only a single core.
 
One of the processors could have died...

:(

But I never owned a G5 so I have no idea what would happen if a processor died, if it would stop reporting or if the machine would have some sort of worse death...
 
My dual-core lists as having 2 CPUs...

But like others have said, you have 2 CPUs on 2 individual chips. It's also an AGP G5. Do your fans run at top speed or higher than normal? It does sound like you may have possibly have a coolant leak and it affected one of your CPUs.

Contact the seller and let him know your situation. Open a dispute with Paypal if you need to or you can do a chargeback if you paid with a credit card. Call Apple and who knows, you could be one of the lucky ones that gets your crapped out G5 exchanged for a new Mac Pro!
 
My dual-core lists as having 2 CPUs...

But like others have said, you have 2 CPUs on 2 individual chips. It's also an AGP G5. Do your fans run at top speed or higher than normal? It does sound like you may have possibly have a coolant leak and it affected one of your CPUs.

Contact the seller and let him know your situation. Open a dispute with Paypal if you need to or you can do a chargeback if you paid with a credit card. Call Apple and who knows, you could be one of the lucky ones that gets your crapped out G5 exchanged for a new Mac Pro!

My dual core does as well.
 
If you only just got it then I'd take it back to where you got it from. That'll cost a fortune to repair, more than the computer is worth. It'll definitely be slower than your 2.0GHz Dual in it's current state. If I were you, I'd get a Mac Mini. Even the first gen 1.66GHz dual core minis will probably be faster than your 2.0GHz Dual.
 
Thanks everyone. It was an eBay purchase so I'm hopeful to be able to return it. The seller is a refurbisher so I'm hoping he'll just replace it. I have a Universal Audio UAD-1 PCIx card that I'd like to get a few more years out of and the 2.5 GHz Dual is that fastest Mac that will still take it. Unfortunately, the Mini or Macs without a PCI slot won't do. I'm waiting to hear back.
 
Thanks everyone. It was an eBay purchase so I'm hopeful to be able to return it. The seller is a refurbisher so I'm hoping he'll just replace it. I have a Universal Audio UAD-1 PCIx card that I'd like to get a few more years out of and the 2.5 GHz Dual is that fastest Mac that will still take it. Unfortunately, the Mini or Macs without a PCI slot won't do. I'm waiting to hear back.

The dual 2.7ghz is Actually the fastest agp/pci equipped G5.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.