You need to spend some money on hot plates and other soldering tools to properly do BGA work. You also should get some scrap boards to practice as you’ll likely irreparably damage the first couple you try.
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How to perform a G4 7410 upgrade in a 750 G3 iMac DV SE?
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You do realize that an iMac G3 is not like an X86 PC of the same time period, right? Simply buying a G4 processor loose from eBay is not going to work for upgrading your iMac G3. Depending on the PPC Mac, the CPUs were either on CPU cards, which could be swapped with G4 cards made by Sonnet or other aftermarket companies, or they are soldered directly to the motherboard. No PPC Macs use socketed CPUs, like other Intel and AMD PCs at the time. Your iMac G3 is a slot loading model, which means it is soldered directly to the motherboard. Unless you have all the tools and skills necessary to BGA solder, you’re not going to be able to upgrade that iMac and you wasted your money on that loose G4 CPU.
If you really want to run Leopard on an all-in-one CRT PowerPC-based Mac, I’d HIGHLY consider getting an eMac instead of risking damage to your iMac G3 by not knowing how to properly desolder and BGA solder on a new CPU. Given the cost of all the parts you need, in addition to how much you may have spent on the G4 CPU, you can probably get an eMac for less if not the same amount of money.
If you really want to run Leopard on an all-in-one CRT PowerPC-based Mac, I’d HIGHLY consider getting an eMac instead of risking damage to your iMac G3 by not knowing how to properly desolder and BGA solder on a new CPU. Given the cost of all the parts you need, in addition to how much you may have spent on the G4 CPU, you can probably get an eMac for less if not the same amount of money.
Plus, you get a bigger screen and better GPU in all models, and in later ones 802.11g WiFi and a 2gb memory ceiling.
In addition to CPU speeds from 700MHz-1.42GHz depending on the model/year.
You were the one that did the Flower Power one! I’ve been using your guide to help me!! You did a great job! PS, Leopard looks great on it. It’s nice seeing someone that didn’t photoshop it lol.
Do you have any instructions? or a guide that you used that I could borrow? Thanks!!
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My CPU was $14.
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Yeah, true.. The reason I bought the G4 was because it was a good price. I just CANT stand the look of the eMac: the name, though it was educational, the circle vent on the back, it was all white, and having eMac in it, I can’t stand them!!
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thanks
I have multiple threads on the subject which you can find by clicking on my user name and finding all threads by me
however if you have little experience doing this sort of stuff I recommend you employ the services of someone like @dosdude1 or one of the many 3rd party BGA soldering services out there to solder it on for you
luckily the iMac G3 Slot loading is pretty easy to do all things considered and does not require any mac specific knowledge, so anyone who knows how to BGA solder can do it
(its just a straight CPU swap, no voltages or such need tweaking)
thanks
I have multiple threads on the subject which you can find by clicking on my user name and finding all threads by me
however if you have little experience doing this sort of stuff I recommend you employ the services of someone like @dosdude1 or one of the many 3rd party BGA soldering services out there to solder it on for you
luckily the iMac G3 Slot loading is pretty easy to do all things considered and does not require any mac specific knowledge, so anyone who knows how to BGA solder can do it
(its just a straight CPU swap, no voltages or such need tweaking)
That’s awesome!! What CPU did you use? I didn’t know if you used 7400 or 7410?
7410 on slot loaders due to 2.5V L2 cache. Only slot loaders that don't use the PPC750CXe are upgradeable. 7410 does not support 3.3V L2 used on the tray load models like the 7400 does.
That basically means that iBook Snows can’t be upgraded because they use that chip. Thanks!!
dosdude1 has it covered well
but since you dont know what CPU I used that means you have not found my thread or have not read it in detail I recommend you do
so here is a link to it
DIY G4 CPU Upgrade Round 2 Putting the Power into FlowerPower
this is a sort of follow on post from my first DIY G4 thread so I do recommend you check that out here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/making-a-g4-pismo-upgrade-at-home.2019269/ so following from the successful CPU Swap I had done on the PowerBook G3 Pismo card, I really wanted to fit a...
forums.macrumors.com
(you can hopefully quite clearly see that I used a 7410 CPU
)
No further explanations necessary!
Go and get proper equipment for BGA-soldering and you'll get the job done! (That may become one of my retirement-projects too - but I feel, it's better to start early than never!)
dosdude1 has it covered well
but since you dont know what CPU I used that means you have not found my thread or have not read it in detail I recommend you do
so here is a link to it
DIY G4 CPU Upgrade Round 2 Putting the Power into FlowerPower
this is a sort of follow on post from my first DIY G4 thread so I do recommend you check that out here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/making-a-g4-pismo-upgrade-at-home.2019269/ so following from the successful CPU Swap I had done on the PowerBook G3 Pismo card, I really wanted to fit a...
(you can hopefully quite clearly see that I used a 7410 CPU
Sorry. I did read it. I think I was excited and I tried to read the first post fast because I indeed saw your thread. Thank u so much again.
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I was going to get my dad to do it, but now I want my own soldering kit. I saw all the parts I needed (A solder gun and the desolder, right?) for $20ish.
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Okay, we already have one, so I just need Flux paste and a Desolder.
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You mention a soldering gun. By that do you mean something like this?
If so, unfortunately you're not even close to being on the correct path.
I have a couple of soldering guns(like the above, except I don't like the dual power ones). They're the ticket when you're soldering heavy gauge wires. They heat up and cool down fast, and can melt solder like butter on when you're joining say a pair of 12 gauge wires together, or soldering to an automotive connector(or on a model train layout, which is where I learned to solder).
They're NOT what you use in any way shape or form for circuit board use. They have no temperature regulation, and the tips are way too large. There's also the fact that they're quite literally a big iron core transformer that throws off tons of magnetic flux(I've used one to degauss badly messed up CRTs)-back in the day people would use them to erase cassette tapes, and they can damage things like hard drives and possibly other components if used in too close of a proximity.
Surface mount and BGA(ball grid array) soldering is often done using things like specialized heat guns(tiny, incredibly hot hair dryers) and hot plates. The closest thing to a "traditional" soldering tool you'll see is a soldering iron with interchangeable tips and very fine temperature control, but even that's more for discreet component work and not for CPUs.
Aside from the fine tipped, temperature regulated soldering iron, most people won't have these kind of soldering tools laying around their house unless they do surface level PCB repair.
If so, unfortunately you're not even close to being on the correct path.
I have a couple of soldering guns(like the above, except I don't like the dual power ones). They're the ticket when you're soldering heavy gauge wires. They heat up and cool down fast, and can melt solder like butter on when you're joining say a pair of 12 gauge wires together, or soldering to an automotive connector(or on a model train layout, which is where I learned to solder).
They're NOT what you use in any way shape or form for circuit board use. They have no temperature regulation, and the tips are way too large. There's also the fact that they're quite literally a big iron core transformer that throws off tons of magnetic flux(I've used one to degauss badly messed up CRTs)-back in the day people would use them to erase cassette tapes, and they can damage things like hard drives and possibly other components if used in too close of a proximity.
Surface mount and BGA(ball grid array) soldering is often done using things like specialized heat guns(tiny, incredibly hot hair dryers) and hot plates. The closest thing to a "traditional" soldering tool you'll see is a soldering iron with interchangeable tips and very fine temperature control, but even that's more for discreet component work and not for CPUs.
Aside from the fine tipped, temperature regulated soldering iron, most people won't have these kind of soldering tools laying around their house unless they do surface level PCB repair.
Idk. I’ll have to look. What about the solder guns that say “Electronics Soldering Gun”?
I really hate to rain on your parade, but you've seen JoyBed's photos on CPU swapping in an MDD, right? Realistically speaking, that's the level of hardware you'd need to do the kind of CPU swaps you want (for both your iMac and your iBook).
Edit: Another example of the kind of hardware you'd need is dosdude1's thread about swapping the CPU in a MacBook5,2 (Mid-2009) from its stock 2.13 GHz P7450 to a 2.53 GHz T9400 from a Late-2008 MacBookPro5,1 logic board.
Got it. I have a logic board from an iBook G3 Snow that I disassembled, in 15 minutes!
I’ll practice on here. I’ll try de soldering the PPC 750
If that board came out of a functioning iBook G3 Snow, I would really hate to see it go to waste just so it could be used to practice desoldering a CPU. Might I suggest something of lower value, especially something that isn't working? Perhaps a polycarbonate MacBook from 2006-2009? There are plenty of those to be had at low prices, especially if they're not in working condition. That way you don't have to waste something actually functioning and more valuable to practice on, as no offense to you, but for a first go around, whatever you attempt to work on will inevitably be destroyed.
Even those like LightBulbFun and Dosdude1 practiced on low value/low rarity non-working examples before working their way up to functioning hardware, and even then, accidents do happen and things can go wrong regardless of how much practice you've had.
I'm sorry, is there a problem with polycarbonate MacBooks? Perhaps a bit more elaboration on your "NOOOOOOOOOOO!" would be appreciated.
Just a joking reply to that earlier comment about something of "lower value". I'm really quite fond of the old A1181 MacBooks, and I'm continually surprised by how much use one can still eke out of them, even the original 32-bit Core Duo models. By which I mean, that if someone's going to practice BGA desoldering, don't do it on an A1181 board! (Unless it is well and truly dead, as you mentioned.)
Yeah, to be honest, I wouldn’t use an A1181, that’s my everyday MacBook. I love it. Ive bought many parts for it.
I’m sure there’s many junk iBooks for sale, I found a working one that’s stuck on the boot screen for $5. Or even a free logic board.
Got the solder gun. It’s a pen like, meant for electronics. I’ll buy a stand (it’s $2 with a sponge)
But what flux should I use (I need a cheap one) Not plumbing flux haha, like the one @dosdude1 used in his video, the flux in the syringe, on the iMac G3 Bondi/Blueberry G4 upgrade.
The clear stuff.
But what flux should I use (I need a cheap one) Not plumbing flux haha, like the one @dosdude1 used in his video, the flux in the syringe, on the iMac G3 Bondi/Blueberry G4 upgrade.
The clear stuff.
You can't do it with a normal soldering iron, that's only good for cleaning up the pads on the board after removing the CPU. To remove the CPU you need at least a hot air gun but professionals use a board preheater and I think an infrared heating thing which works a lot better, you can see this device in the pictures JoyBed's MDD 7457 swap thread. Dosdude uses a board preheater and hot air. Using A1811 boards is a good suggestion, maybe buy a few and try swappping CPUs between them.
So for BGA you need something like this at least:
You can't do BGA with just a normal soldering iron. Also I think you'll need a board preheater too, I know for some CPUs just hot air can cause damage to them. So you're likely looking at over $100 in equipment for a BGA CPU swap.
Thanks. I know we have the air gun. I just replaced the PATA drive with an 80 gig IDE, and the outer shield won’t pop back into place because of that VGA port. Any tips?
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