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Did Apple Make a single CPU 1.2GHz PowerMac G4?

R

RedCroissant

Suspended
Original poster
Aug 13, 2011
2,268
96
The PowerMac G4 that I acquired and thought was a 733MHz quicksilver, is actually displaying under systems profiler as having a 1.2GHz CPU. I put Leopard on it and it ran absolutely fine, and then installed 10.4.11 on it just in case the leopard install caused a problem with the CPU display information.

Even under Tiger though, it shows the 1.2GHz speed. So right now this is the info displayed:

Machine Name: Power Mac G4
Machine Model: PowerMac 3,5
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (3.3)
Number of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 1.2GHz
L2 Cache(per CPU): 256KB
L3 Cache(per CPU): 2MB
Memory: 1.12 GB
Bus Speed: 133MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.2.5f1
Serial Number: (not going to post this, but I verified it and it comes up as a 733MHz QS)

Thanks in advance for any help with this. Let me know if there is something else that I should post t help figure out what's going on with y machine.
 
RedCroissant said:
The PowerMac G4 that I acquired and thought was a 733MHz quicksilver, is actually displaying under systems profiler as having a 1.2GHz CPU. I put Leopard on it and it ran absolutely fine, and then installed 10.4.11 on it just in case the leopard install caused a problem with the CPU display information.

Even under Tiger though, it shows the 1.2GHz speed. So right now this is the info displayed:

Machine Name: Power Mac G4
Machine Model: PowerMac 3,5
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (3.3)
Number of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 1.2GHz
L2 Cache(per CPU): 256KB
L3 Cache(per CPU): 2MB
Memory: 1.12 GB
Bus Speed: 133MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.2.5f1
Serial Number: (not going to post this, but I verified it and it comes up as a 733MHz QS)

Thanks in advance for any help with this. Let me know if there is something else that I should post t help figure out what's going on with y machine.
Click to expand...

I would guess that the previous owner had upgraded the CPU.
 
Nameci said:
I would guess that the previous owner had upgraded the CPU.
Click to expand...

I guess that does make sense! How would I check that? An if they upgraded the CPU, then wouldn't it have something higher than the same level 2 and 3 cache than the 733MHz version?

And that would also explain why it ran Leopard so well.
 
RedCroissant said:
How would I check that? An if they upgraded the CPU, then wouldn't it have something higher than the same level 2 and 3 cache than the 733MHz version?
Click to expand...

733 has 256k L2 and no L3. Your has upgraded CPU for sure.
Most of CPU upgrades had different color and shape of PCB and different heatsink than stock ones.
 
666sheep said:
733 has 256k L2 and no L3. Your has upgraded CPU for sure.
Most of CPU upgrades had different color and shape of PCB and different heatsink than stock ones.
Click to expand...

DZ/015 said:
Post a picture of the cpu. This may help to identify the thing.
Click to expand...

well I opened up the PM again and this time removed the heat sink and cpu, but I didn't feel comfortable removing the heat sink because the torx screws connecting them had small post in the center and I don't think I have the right tool for that.

However, here is what was on the bottom of the board as far as stickers go"

A1806

SG4TS-1000-B4 REV B
WC209117-2 : 100243

The closest thing I found was a Sonnet upgrade(but the numbers don't match) and my heat sink is gold as opposed to purple or silver.
 
Well the codes point it to Sonnet but indeed 1GHz, I think either it was overclocked to 1.2GHz (raising multiplier) or then it was shipped with wrong label.
 
Last edited:
Zotaccian said:
Well the codes point it to Sonnet but indeed 1GHz, I think either it was overclocked to 1.2GHz (raising multiplier) or then it was shipped with wrong label.
Click to expand...

well I'm glad that at least now I know that there's nothing wrong with the machine. Now I just have to see if it will sell for a good price!
 
Zotaccian said:
Well the codes point it to Sonnet but indeed 1GHz, I think either it was overclocked to 1.2GHz (raising multiplier) or then it was shipped with wrong label.
Click to expand...

It most likely isn't overclocked, because AFAIK all Sonnet CPU upgrades are self adjusting i.e. have no user configurable PLLs.

It seems to be this issue:

Sonnet support site said:
After installing the Encore/ST G4 upgrade card, its speed is reported incorrectly. This occurs using Apple System Profiler (ASP), as well as other third party reporting utilities such as Xbench, Tech Tool, and others. May-12-09
Encore/ST G4 upgrade cards use processor chips from Freescale Semiconductor (formerly a division of Motorola). Currently, ASP and third party reporting utilities may not accurately calculate the bus multiplier used on some Encore/ST cards to achieve the processor\u8217 s rated speed. Because of this shortcoming, the utilities may report a processor speed of 0 MHz, or simply miscalculate the multiplier and come up with a number, for example, such as 667 MHz.

Mac OS 9 Users:
Use the latest version of Sonnet\u8217 s Metronome utility. It has been updated to accurately report the processor speed of the Encore/ST G4 upgrade card.

Mac OS X Users:
Update your system with the latest version of SonnetCache. It enables Apple System Profiler to accurately report the Encore/ST G4 upgrade card's speed.
Click to expand...

Anyway, great deal OP.
 
666sheep said:
It most likely isn't overclocked, because AFAIK all Sonnet CPU upgrades are self adjusting i.e. have no user configurable PLLs.

It seems to be this issue:



Anyway, great deal OP.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this, so I will take care of that!

And if you're interested or want to provide some insight, please look at my ad in the marketplace forum!
 
Weight

Due to weight the CPU upgrade will probably get you the best money rather than the machine. Plus you won't need packing material that way.
 
rabidz7 said:
All PowerPC CPUs do. Everything from the 601 to the Power8. They most likely hid resistors, or embedded them as PCB traces.
Click to expand...

Not all PowerPC CPUs have ever had them traced out to the logicboard or even had them added beyond the planning stage. Some of the earlier PowerPC 60x are examples of that with Macs. Then extending the scope to include many other embedded PowerPC chip, very very few of them have any form of a PLL beyond what is hardcoded into the CPU microcode.
 
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