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Broken Power Mac G5 Processor

DARKJ3DI

DARKJ3DI

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 6, 2008
217
0
Dunedin, New Zealand
Hi everyone.

I have found a cheap, broken Power Mac G5 for sale on the internet. It is a 2.5 GHz dual model. The owner says that one of the G5 processors is damaged.

Will the Power Mac work with only one processor? If I bought another processor will it have to be the same speed? :confused::confused::confused:
 
Does the machine turn on? How exactly is it damaged? I don't think it could operate on one. I'm curious to how exactly it doesnt work..
 
iShater said:
My gut feeling says "if you have to ask, you are better off not getting it"

my 2c.
Click to expand...

I have to agree. G5's motherboards and processors are matched at the time of construction. So, you can't use one processor from one machine in another. Knowing how finicky these machines are about their processors... I just find it odd you'd be able to use it at all.
 
I know someone who got a used PMG5 with 2 Cpus and one failed.
they got it boot up and turn on and work but after a short while it would Kernal Panic and since its not detecting the other CPU it needs it is pretty unstable.

you may try getting a similar exact CPU model from ebay or eslewhere if possible.

but it almost seems not worth it, considering the cost of it all.
 
thanks again for the replies. I have thought about it an decided not to buy it. I would be much better off with a new mac pro (which is way out of my price range...). :(
 
DARKJ3DI said:
thanks again for the replies. I have thought about it an decided not to buy it. I would be much better off with a new mac pro (which is way out of my price range...). :(
Click to expand...

Or a working PM G5. Have a look on ebay and such, you can find them pretty cheap. I got mine for 700 last July. Pretty great machines. No mac mini at that price can best my g5. :D
 
If it's a 2.5 GHz, that means it's liquid-cooled, or rather it was liquid cooled until it all leaked out!

If one processor is broken, then it's only a matter of time until the other joins it.

Find a working air-cooled G5. The fastest model was 2.3 GHz, I believe.
 
cal6n said:
If it's a 2.5 GHz, that means it's liquid-cooled, or rather it was liquid cooled until it all leaked out!

If one processor is broken, then it's only a matter of time until the other joins it.

Find a working air-cooled G5. The fastest model was 2.3 GHz, I believe.
Click to expand...

It was. However two iterations of the 2.3 G5 exist. The first one had PCI-X slots and DDR ram, and the second one had PCIe slots and DDR2 Ram. Try and get the second one if you can, although there probably isn't the big of a speed difference between the two.
 
greenlightracer said:
It was. However two iterations of the 2.3 G5 exist. The first one had PCI-X slots and DDR ram, and the second one had PCIe slots and DDR2 Ram. Try and get the second one if you can, although there probably isn't the big of a speed difference between the two.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but DDR2 is a crapton cheaper.
 
greenlightracer said:
It was. However two iterations of the 2.3 G5 exist. The first one had PCI-X slots and DDR ram, and the second one had PCIe slots and DDR2 Ram. Try and get the second one if you can, although there probably isn't the big of a speed difference between the two.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't. Its easier to get replacement parts for the PCI-X one. PCIe video cards for the G5 are expensive as all get out.
 
Lord Zedd said:
Who even sells PCI-X cards anymore? You might as well get a machine with ISA slots.

The PCIe (dual core) model is a much better machine.
Click to expand...

I own the PCIe one, and I am not knocking it down, but there are way more AGP video cards availible for PPC then PCIE. If your card goes on pcie, your looking at 300 bucks.
 
Lord Zedd said:
Nope. You can get the X1900 for $175 and the 7800 GTX 512 for $250.
Click to expand...

Ya, all 3 of them on ebay right? I am not changing my oppinion. I know the late 2005s are better, I own one. No question. I still think that a cheaper agp one where the parts are more available would be better.
 
Lord Zedd said:
Cheaper ≠ better.
Click to expand...

Sure man, most of the time. Weigh your options though. How easy is it to get an airport kit for it? Cheapest I could find was 100 CDN to get most of the bits I would need to equip mine with wireless / bluetooth. The agp ones, all you need are the cards which can be found easily and much cheaper.

The only reason I would pick the pcie one now over the agp one is the cost of the memory with ddr2 being dirt cheap like it is.
 
Lord Zedd said:
Its a desktop, 99% of desktop users don't need or use wireless.

Here is one for $44.
http://www.favaudio.com/servlet/the-23226/811382-Apple®-Authorized-Reseller/Detail

The PCIe G5 has built in antennas, it doesn't need the inferior $15 add-on antennas of the older models.
Click to expand...

No, thats the wrong card. You need this card: http://www.applemacparts.co.uk/store/product_info.php?products_id=58028 Plus this card: http://www.applemacparts.co.uk/store/product_info.php?products_id=65393 Plus these ribbits: http://www.applemacparts.co.uk/store/product_info.php?products_id=65447

Nice and cheap eh?

The point to get that card would be for the bluetooth functionality so we can use the fancy new (and older) apple bluetooth keyboards. Am I going to spend 130 bucks to do it? Nope. Is it cheaper to do it in the AGP g5s? Yes, where I only would need this card: http://www.applemacparts.co.uk/store/product_info.php?products_id=63413

See the difference? The problem is that the late 2005 g5s were so short lived there arent many parts for them making the existing ones so expensive.

Like I said buddy, not to put you down, but you can't sway me on this one.
 
Lord Zedd said:
Incorrect. The card listed plugs into a PCIe slot.

Nobody is trying to sway you, I'm pointing out your flaws to everyone else.
Click to expand...

No way man, do your research. The parts I listed were provided in the upgrade kit from APPLE as the only Airport Express option. It was a non DIY kit and required an apple tech for it. The card you listed is for the older G5s.

http://www.mac-pro.com/Apple-Wirele...wer-Mac-G5-Dual-or-Power-Mac-G5-Quad-MA252G-A

Notice whats included? The three parts I listed. I am not wrong, you are mis-informed.
 
If a computer does not have wireless and you need it, you made a very poor purchase choice in the first place no matter what it is.

If you absolutely must have wireless network buy a router that plugs into the Ethernet port and a USB bluetooth device. They will be much faster than the old card and far cheaper than either the old or the new cards.

The PCIe machines are vastly superior to the old G5s in any case.

Good night madam.
 
Lord Zedd said:
If a computer does not have wireless and you need it, you made a very poor purchase choice in the first place no matter what it is.

If you absolutely must have wireless network buy a router that plugs into the Ethernet port and a USB bluetooth device. They will be much faster than the old card and far cheaper than either the old or the new cards.

The PCIe machines are vastly superior to the old G5s.

Good night madam.
Click to expand...

Ya, what a crock. You were wrong so you resort to insults and different ideas. Not my fault you were convinced a mini pci card is the same as a 1x pcie card. The g5 is strapped for usb ports as it is and I am definitely not a fan of hubs. If I ever want bluetooth in my g5 it will be from that upgrade kit. Anyway you slice it - the agp version is cheaper for the same results. The bluetooh keyboard and mouse wont suddenly rock my world because its a different bus architecture.

Again, I vote for the AGP g5s as they are cheaper and have cheaper more readily available replacement (not add on) parts.

EDIT: Also, I just got the thread email with your original post before you edited it. Very nice comment about my intelligence. Your still wrong.
 
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