Uses for G5 Xserve

[tampasteve]

I have come into ownership of (2) G5 Xserves. One is a dual processor and the other is single. If I cannot come up with a reason to keep these beauties around they are going to have to go to Craigslist or Ebay....but they are just such great machines! Both function and came with the drives and caddys along with RAM. I thought about taking them and making a desk or table out of them, there are some pretty cool ones online. Other than that I do not really need another computer at the moment....but they are so cool...I am open to technical reasons to keep them as well as display purposes like the table.

Example of Xserve table:

 

[gavinstubbs09]

I've wanted one just so I could be full OS X with not a Windows PC in my sight! If I had one my main purpose would be to load it up with some hard drives and have multiple terabytes of storage, and they still go for a bit on eBay hence the reason I got a G4 MDD and a SATA card to turn into my mac server!

A fun project that you could do is trying to cluster them just as a cool project. I think it would be interesting!

 

[rjcalifornia]

I have come into ownership of (2) G5 Xserves. One is a dual processor and the other is single. If I cannot come up with a reason to keep these beauties around they are going to have to go to Craigslist or Ebay....but they are just such great machines! Both function and came with the drives and caddys along with RAM. I thought about taking them and making a desk or table out of them, there are some pretty cool ones online. Other than that I do not really need another computer at the moment....but they are so cool...I am open to technical reasons to keep them as well as display purposes like the table.

Example of Xserve table:
Image

Can you find out if they have an OS?

I could put them to a very good use. [Mac Server Topic]

 

[And]

Out of interest, can these just be used as a normal desktop mac?

 

[DeltaMac]

Yes, you _can_ use an Xserve as a desktop.
The G5 Xserve did not come with a video card or other video out, so you would need to add that (no AGP slot, so any graphics card has to be PCI.)
Also, it's not a "desktop-friendly" system - takes up gobs of space just sitting there, so you would have to find some place to put the system.
And, the Xserve will continually remind you that it's there as the fans are quite noisy, and normally cycle up and down in use.
(not exactly what I could call a "normal desktop Mac", but it is possible to do.)

 

[gavinstubbs09]

Yes, you _can_ use an Xserve as a desktop.
The G5 Xserve did not come with a video card or other video out, so you would need to add that (no AGP slot, so any graphics card has to be PCI.)
Also, it's not a "desktop-friendly" system - takes up gobs of space just sitting there, so you would have to find some place to put the system.
And, the Xserve will continually remind you that it's there as the fans are quite noisy, and normally cycle up and down in use.
(not exactly what I could call a "normal desktop Mac", but it is possible to do.)

Are the Xserves louder than the Windtunnel G4s?

 

[Intell]

Are the Xserves louder than the Windtunnel G4s?

Yes, the G4 Xserves are almost louder.

 

[NOTNlCE]

Performing a bit of necromancy here, but I'm wondering if anyone actually went through with this. I, too, have come into the ownership of a G5 Xserve. Already own an Intel Xserve, and the G5 is missing its top cover. My plan is to keep it simple - acrylic, clear top cover and a simple 4 leg table frame made out of either steel or wood - probably even less complex than the OP's photo. Any advice? Any experience? Appreciate any insight.

-N

 

[gavinstubbs09]

Man, it's crazy to see what I commented almost two years ago and how I type now is different.

...but I still want an Xserve. I actually am considering picking up an Early 2009 off eBay for a server that can run El Capitan. Yeah I could use a Mac mini, but then again I don't want hard drive enclosures everywhere and it's all confined with an Xserve!

 

[128keaton]

Man, it's crazy to see what I commented almost two years ago and how I type now is different.

...but I still want an Xserve. I actually am considering picking up an Early 2009 off eBay for a server that can run El Capitan. Yeah I could use a Mac mini, but then again I don't want hard drive enclosures everywhere and it's all confined with an Xserve!

I'd love an Xserve. One can dream

 

[MacCubed]

I'd love an Xserve. One can dream

Theres a cheap G5 on eBay rn

 

[NOTNlCE]

I'm quite excited to undertake this project. I've started a project thread over on TonyMac if anyone follows there. I'll probably post the completed product if and when it gets finished.

 

[flyrod]

I think glass would work better; plastic will scratch easily.

 

[Intell]

Another idea: Take the hard drives out of the AMDs and use them as little drawers to store things like your Apple/Siri Remote.

 

[gavinstubbs09]

Shoot, I may just turn my G5 into a file sever. I don't use it but I have minecraft servers being hosted on my AMD opteron rack server... my G5 can't do that

 

[bunnspecial]

I have a LOT of stuff on my Xserve G5, including images "premade" Tiger and Leopard installs with my preferences and standard software packages installed that can take a lot of headaches out of installing/reinstalling an OS. I also have some special "customized" installs on there such as Tiger that will run on a 603/604 processor and Leopard for a Yikes!/B&W G3(G4 upgrade)/Beige G3(G4 upgrade). Both of the latter are courtesy of @LightBulbFun , and are a things I DON'T want to lose so like having backups. I have one partition dedicated as a Time Machine drive for a couple of PPC Macs(Leopard Server makes this super easy to set up).

On the occasions that I get roped into doing videos or the like, I also tend to put the project together on my Quicksilver and then "offload" the encoding to the Xserve. Admittedly, I've been doing this less since the first gen Mini in the same closet(upgraded to a C2D) kicks its butt for most things while using a lot less power and giving off a lot less heat.

In any case, my Xserve doesn't run continuously-it just uses too much power and gives off too much heat. I tend to run it more in the winter, as it serves as a nice space heater for the closet where it stays. As mentioned above, it's also LOUD, especially when under load. I do turn it on as demand dictates throughout the year, though.

One other thing-as far as using a glass/acrylic top goes-IMO the internal layout of the Xserve G5 is one of the most aesthetically pleasing I've encountered. I have a bunch of IBM rackmounts of about the same age, and while they are fully and completely functional they also are ugly on the inside.

 

[N10248]

My Xserve G5 when I had a room full of Macs and was quite bored...

Now it's set up with an Xserve RAID for backups etc...

 

[NOTNlCE]

My Xserve G5 when I had a room full of Macs and was quite bored...

Now it's set up with an Xserve RAID for backups etc...

This is almost 100% what I was going for. I have two G5s acting as my nightstand right now, and was seriously considering using them as the legs for the table. This looks fantastic.