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

disdoph

macrumors newbie
Dec 28, 2003
7
0
And why says Apple it's so simple?

---------------------------------
G5 Upgrade

I just talked with apple and those who have a G5 1.8 single do in fact have the ability to upgrade to a dual processor version....it's simple. Purchase (from an authorized Apple vendor) the additional G5 processor module along with the fan, plug them in and PRESTO you're in business. By the way, the single 1.8 G5 comes complete with a dual memory bay configuration. Now the only trick left is to find an authorized Apple dealer who will sell you the parts.
---------------------------------

:confused:
 

cc bcc

macrumors 6502
Jul 3, 2001
470
0
nl
Originally posted by disdoph
And why says Apple it's so simple?

---------------------------------
G5 Upgrade

I just talked with apple and those who have a G5 1.8 single do in fact have the ability to upgrade to a dual processor version....it's simple. Purchase (from an authorized Apple vendor) the additional G5 processor module along with the fan, plug them in and PRESTO you're in business. By the way, the single 1.8 G5 comes complete with a dual memory bay configuration. Now the only trick left is to find an authorized Apple dealer who will sell you the parts.
---------------------------------

:confused:

Where did you get that from? It's just not possible, there is NO SOCKET. Secondly, Apple never says anything about upgradability, they don't make any money of it. Perhaps you have spoken to a Apple store employee or someone else low on the apple hierarchy, because he clearly didn't know what he was talking about.
 

thatwendigo

macrumors 6502a
Nov 17, 2003
992
0
Sum, Ergo Sum.
Originally posted by Dont Hurt Me
The only way to upgrade a single to a dual is with a complete new motherboard, tell you friend to wait a few weeks and new faster g5's should be coming and i wouldnt even doubt a G5 imac showing itself in the next few months and a faster new emac. consumer line needs a lot of help and Big Steve knows this.

Other people have already answered the main part of this adquately, but something else just has to be said now. DHM is a bit of a zealot for some altered reality that he's decided will bring us G5 imacs, G5 game-oriented machines, and other such frivolity before we see PM bumps. I, on the other hand, not only expect Apple to put the fresh crop of 90nm processors into machines where they'll actually matter and make money (pro line and servers, if I wasn't explicit enough), but also want them to do so.

The 'consumer' line is fading, and I won't deny that, but Apple has always made a point of selling their best stuff in the pro line, and that's not something to ignore with the G5. Cutting costs would mean cutting performance by using older parts, more cheaply fabbed parts, or some other tactic that would sabotage the very aspects of the G5 that make it so fast. The chip is only as good as the architecture that keeps it fed, and we can ill afford a return to the bad old days of Motorola starving the G4... I'll repeat it here, just as I did on the gaming thread:

If you want to see a fast PM, then we need to keep pushing the technology curve. I could go and, for an OEM-built machine, order a PC with a 10k RPM SATA RAID-0 array at 73 GB for about $250-350 over the cost of a single, lower revolution SATA drive. You want performance, then you pay for it. Bring on high-speed drives that will feed the bus constantly, and in turn keep the two processors churning. Bring on PC4400 RAM, WD Raptor drives, FSBs that match the clock, and the newest graphics cards, and then we'll talk about things like dropping the price.

We need speed and competitive edge, and price just isn't going to be a place Apple can afford to play.
 

FuzzyBallz

macrumors 6502a
May 2, 2003
977
0
Home of Al-Qaida
Originally posted by jxyama this kind of "upgrade" is not readily available on the PC side either, not at the desktop level.

Not true at all. You can install either 1 more 2 CPU(s) depending on your budget on ALL AMD MP platform systems. The following is one of the newest examples. These mobos are readily available for consumers at most online retailers and some major B&M retailers such as Fry's.


MSI K8T800 Chipset Motherboard for Dual/Single AMD Socket 940 Opteron CPU, Model "K8T Master2-FAR" -RETAIL
Specifications:
Supported CPU: Socket 940 Dual/Single AMD Opteron CPU or Single Athlon64 FX CPU
Chipset: VIA K8T800 + VT8237
RAM: 4x DIMM for DDR200/266/333/400MHz Max 8GB(See Details)
IDE: 2x UltraDMA 133 up to 4 Devices
Slots: 1x AGP Pro 8X, 4x PCI 32-bit/33MHz
Ports: 2xPS2,1xLPT,2xCOM,1xLAN,4xUSB2.0(Rear 2)
Onboard LAN: Broadcom BCM5705 Gigabit Ethernet
Onboard SATA/RAID: 2x Serial ATA 150,RAID 0/1
Form Factor: ATX

(click me)
 

kenkooler

macrumors regular
Jan 2, 2002
195
0
Mexico City
Originally posted by jxyama
yep. i don't think it's hardly worth the money if the only "app" you have that's dual aware was Finder.

:rolleyes:

It is if you run several applications at once since the OS can distribute the load between the two.
 

cvgraphics

macrumors newbie
Jan 9, 2004
3
0
Sorry but you are both right and both wrong. Some single processor G5s have 2 memory banks...my 1.8 G5 has two. It just depends when and where you purchased your G5. Apple told me today that my single 1.8 G5 is totally upgradable to a dual processorl
 

Sun Baked

macrumors G5
May 19, 2002
14,937
157
Originally posted by cvgraphics
Sorry but you are both right and both wrong. Some single processor G5s have 2 memory banks...my 1.8 G5 has two. It just depends when and where you purchased your G5. Apple told me today that my single 1.8 G5 is totally upgradable to a dual processorl
The SP 1.6 G5 had two banks of 128-bit DDR memory (aka, two pair and/or four standard DDR DIMMs).

The rest have four banks of 128-bit DDR memory (aka, four pair and/or eight standard DDR DIMMs).

Open the door if you don't see a empty high density processor socket on a SP 1.8 G5, it ain't upgradeable -- unless you trade in the machine for a new one.

Apple was selling 3 different G5 motherboards, with the termination of the SP 1.8 G5 -- they're down to two.
 

Sun Baked

macrumors G5
May 19, 2002
14,937
157
Re: For the brain donors....

This is a picture of a SP 1.8 PowerMac G5 logic board.

How do I know it's not a SP 1.6 G5 Motherboard?

Because it has 8 DIMM slots.

How do I know it's not a DP Motherboard?

Because it only has 1 (yes one) white Processor Connectors. A DP machine would have two.

Without that handy dandy little socket, the average brain donor won't be able to upgrade.
 

Attachments

  • logic board.jpg
    logic board.jpg
    20.2 KB · Views: 208

Counterfit

macrumors G3
Aug 20, 2003
8,195
0
sitting on your shoulder
Originally posted by FuzzyBallz
Not true at all. You can install either 1 more 2 CPU(s) depending on your budget on ALL AMD MP platform systems. The following is one of the newest examples. These mobos are readily available for consumers at most online retailers and some major B&M retailers such as Fry's.


MSI K8T800 Chipset Motherboard for Dual/Single AMD Socket 940 Opteron CPU, Model "K8T Master2-FAR" -RETAIL
Specifications:
Supported CPU: Socket 940 Dual/Single AMD Opteron CPU or Single Athlon64 FX CPU
Chipset: VIA K8T800 + VT8237
RAM: 4x DIMM for DDR200/266/333/400MHz Max 8GB(See Details)
IDE: 2x UltraDMA 133 up to 4 Devices
Slots: 1x AGP Pro 8X, 4x PCI 32-bit/33MHz
Ports: 2xPS2,1xLPT,2xCOM,1xLAN,4xUSB2.0(Rear 2)
Onboard LAN: Broadcom BCM5705 Gigabit Ethernet
Onboard SATA/RAID: 2x Serial ATA 150,RAID 0/1
Form Factor: ATX

(click me)
I see two sockets there.
 

oingoboingo

macrumors 6502a
Jul 31, 2003
988
0
Sydney, Australia
Swapping G5 modules between systems

What I want to know is if you can swap the G5 CPU modules between systems. For instance, could you take a 2GHz G5 CPU module and place it in a 1.6GHz G5 system successfully? PC motherboards automatically detect what CPU is plugged into them and adjust voltage, front side bus speed and multiplier to suit. It would make sense that Apple would have designed the U3 system controller so that it too automatically detected CPU settings and adjusted FSB as necessary, so that Apple engineers didn't need to separate system controllers for each CPU speed.

Has anyone heard of anyone trying this? And more to the point, does anyone have access to 2 G5 systems of 2 different CPU speeds, and be willing to try an interesting experiment? ;-) I'm not sure how difficult it would be to remove the G5 heatsink to get access to the CPU module underneath, but I have seen pictures on the web of a G5 module by itself. Any volunteers? I've only got a 1.6GHz G5 and a 1GHz 12" G4 PowerBook and I don't think that CPU transplant is going to work ;-)
 

disdoph

macrumors newbie
Dec 28, 2003
7
0
@Sun Baked
--------------------------------------------
Re: For the brain donors....

This is a picture of a SP 1.8 PowerMac G5 logic board.

How do I know it's not a SP 1.6 G5 Motherboard?

Because it has 8 DIMM slots.

How do I know it's not a DP Motherboard?

Because it only has 1 (yes one) white Processor Connectors. A DP machine would have two.

Without that handy dandy little socket, the average brain donor won't be able to upgrade.
------------------------------------------------

And for the talented brain donor? The contacts for the Connector are there.

;)
 

Counterfit

macrumors G3
Aug 20, 2003
8,195
0
sitting on your shoulder
Originally posted by disdoph
@Sun Baked
--------------------------------------------
Re: For the brain donors....

This is a picture of a SP 1.8 PowerMac G5 logic board.

How do I know it's not a SP 1.6 G5 Motherboard?

Because it has 8 DIMM slots.

How do I know it's not a DP Motherboard?

Because it only has 1 (yes one) white Processor Connectors. A DP machine would have two.

Without that handy dandy little socket, the average brain donor won't be able to upgrade.
------------------------------------------------

And for the talented brain donor? The contacts for the Connector are there.

;)
Look at his post again. See the little button on the bottom right? It's called the "Quote" button. :D
 

cvgraphics

macrumors newbie
Jan 9, 2004
3
0
Counterfit, thanks for bringing daylight to this mistery. I opened up my G5 1.8 and sure enough, it has no extra socket to plug in to.
 

cubist

macrumors 68020
Jul 4, 2002
2,075
0
Muncie, Indiana
Originally posted by thatwendigo
... DHM is a bit of a zealot for some altered reality that he's decided will bring us G5 imacs, G5 game-oriented machines, and other such frivolity before we see PM bumps. ...

First of all, OT, the single-processor machines aren't user-upgradable because the connector isn't populated, as SunBaked points out. You want to try soldering your own connector and scrounging the upgrade parts, well, you have our best wishes.

Now, certainly it is in Apple's best interests to push the top-end PowerMac line for the pro users. Whatever speed updates we get from 90nm go there first.
No question there.

But you know, Apple sells a lot more iMacs and eMacs than PowerMacs. It is the iMac, not the PowerMac, that is the "Computer for the Rest of Us." I don't think that Apple will let the iMac line lag too far behind the Pro line.

For their own sake, I hope they won't.

C'mon. Throw the dog a bone already.
 

Frohickey

macrumors 6502a
Feb 27, 2003
809
0
PRK
Re: Swapping G5 modules between systems

Originally posted by oingoboingo
What I want to know is if you can swap the G5 CPU modules between systems. For instance, could you take a 2GHz G5 CPU module and place it in a 1.6GHz G5 system successfully? PC motherboards automatically detect what CPU is plugged into them and adjust voltage, front side bus speed and multiplier to suit. It would make sense that Apple would have designed the U3 system controller so that it too automatically detected CPU settings and adjusted FSB as necessary, so that Apple engineers didn't need to separate system controllers for each CPU speed.

Has anyone heard of anyone trying this? And more to the point, does anyone have access to 2 G5 systems of 2 different CPU speeds, and be willing to try an interesting experiment? ;-) I'm not sure how difficult it would be to remove the G5 heatsink to get access to the CPU module underneath, but I have seen pictures on the web of a G5 module by itself. Any volunteers? I've only got a 1.6GHz G5 and a 1GHz 12" G4 PowerBook and I don't think that CPU transplant is going to work ;-)

Can't be done. Not without enough tools and expertise that you find at the Apple factory.

Also, unless that 2GHz PowerMac just happen to die, why would you want to do it? Just so you can have two single 2GHz PowerMacs??? :confused:
 

oingoboingo

macrumors 6502a
Jul 31, 2003
988
0
Sydney, Australia
Re: Re: Swapping G5 modules between systems

Originally posted by Frohickey
Can't be done. Not without enough tools and expertise that you find at the Apple factory.

Also, unless that 2GHz PowerMac just happen to die, why would you want to do it? Just so you can have two single 2GHz PowerMacs??? :confused:

To see if upgrading a G5 in the future will be a simple matter of swapping in a faster CPU module.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.