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SOLVED!!!! Just got a new dual processor 2 GHz G5, what does this mean?
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Congratulations!
This G5 deserves an overhaul for its next life in your hands.
I had some success with Kinston A400 drives with 2004 and 2005 G5s. I had no compatibility issues with Intel 320 Series drives, but they can only be found used nowadays.
You‘re going to need an SSD whose SATA controller has the ability to automatically switch down to SATA-I.
The G5s are especially finicky about non-SATA-I drives — whether SSD or HDD (though, that said, most SATA HDDs have always had the ability to switch down to whatever the bus needs, whether automatically or by using jumpers). Many of the SATA-III SSDs, produced during a time when most current hardware uses at least SATA-III (f not AHCI or NVMe), will only function at SATA-III protocol speeds and, consequently, will not work as a start-up drive on the G5’s two SATA bays, which insist on SATA-I. (Few, if any of the 2.5-inch form factor SSDs have jumper pins.)
What I did for my own setup, ultimately, was to buy an SSD which has the ability to switch down to SATA-I/II, as needed. In this instance, I bought an OWC SATA 128GB SSD called the Mercury Electra 3G which is designed to do just that. As others have found, however, there are non-OWC-branded SSDs which have been found to work on the G5 SATA-I bus, and these will almost always be less spendy than OWC’s heady mark-up.
The trick, of course, will be to find an SSD solution whose SATA controller is definitively known to be able to switch down from SATA-III without a fuss. This will probably require some research on individual drive specs to verify they have a self-aware controller to do that graceful drop-down to SATA-I.
At some point, at least for my own set-up, I will have to do that (as I need more boot volume capacity), but for now, it works. And no, this time I won’t be buying from OWC.
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Should this work too? https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/S3D7E6G250/ 6g would be good in case I want to put it in another thing in the future
I can vouch for the 3G variant (i.e., 3Gbps, aka SATA-II spec).
To be absolutely sure, you’ll want the 3G variant, not the 6G (i.e., 6Gbps, aka SATA-III spec). Mind you, OWC may have refreshed the source/specs of their 6G line since I bought mine (and it may do better with switching down from SATA-III ro SATA-I), but the 3G by was recommended by OWC for running on SATA-I/II buses when I ordered mine — including compatibility with the Power Mac G5.
Also noteworthy: at the bottom of each product page is an interactive compatibility matrix. The 3G has an option for Power Mac G5s; the 6G does not. On those Macs for which the 6G is supported, they are all Intel Macs.
Samsung EVO line works, using that right now.
Seriously would take a day to take that machine apart though and give it some TLC. Have fun!
Any G5 still running in 2022 will need a full cleaning of fan dust and replacement of desiccated OEM thermal paste anyway — especially so considering the heat dissipation issues inherent to the G5’s design.
Yup, been a couple of years for mine as well. Going to take a day to do the same. Especially taking care of the heat sink on the back of the logic board.
My power book (which I’m using as the hard drive for the time being) keeps freezing up in target disk mode, which is causing the Power Mac to be unresponsive. 🙄
But will this be work, so I can get at least 4GB https://www.priceblaze.com/311-2700...=4574793021774267&utm_content=PB-PLA-ADG-BASE
I could be wrong, and others know more about it than I do, but I don't think that will work.
I don't think they made PC3200 ram in 2GB sticks for a single stick.
Even if they did, the density of the RAM maybe as such that your G5 won't be able to use it, or use all of it. The stick may show up as 1GB each or not work at all.
Currently, I have OWC ram that is supposedly 2 GB (2X 1GB) but it only shows up at 512 each. Is this common?
Do you know exactly what type of RAM it is?
I.E. PCxxxx?
From what I gather the PM G5 you have used PC3200 DDR 400 RAM. I think that is DDR1 RAM or is that DDR2?
I seem to recall from my PC days and my PM G5 1.8Ghz PCI 600Mhz bus, that DDR1 RAM did not come in 2GB sticks???
Or at least I was never able to find any.
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That likely has to do with the density of each individual RAM SIMM on the stick.
This is an issue with a lot of Mac's and PC's.
Ether the Memory controller can't properly handle the RAM or Open Firmware can't. Either way it is not likely and issue with the Mac or the RAM not working correct as the way it was designed to work in "supported" configurations.
It's just an issue that that RAM is likely just newer than the Mac, it was not in production when the Mac was built and Apple never tested it or "supported" it.
So, I'm saying I don't think it's an issue of failed hardware, either the Mac or the RAM. It's just an issue that RAM is not "supported" for whatever reason in that Mac.
If it's just an issue with OF, could be found a nvram patch or work around to get all 2GB to register proper, but it would hardly be worth the effort. Just buy compatible 1GB sticks.
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Tho some RAM you can edit the SDP info of the ROM chip of the RAM stick itself and fix issues like this. Again, hardly worth the effort, just buy compatible RAM.