Virginia Tech PowerMac G5 to Xserve G5 Upgrade

[Mikekmac]

G5 to Xserve

I think this move was in the original plan. Tech had to have machines in early Fall to meet the Linpak deadline in October. Xserve G5s couldn't possibly be ready by the deadline, so they had to use towers. Now the Xserves are ready, and they have error correcting memory. Both have gotten great publicity, and now it starts all over again, what is wrong with that?

 

[bcsimac]

I would give one of these G5's a nice, nice, very nice home! 🙂https://forums.macrumors.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

I need to upgrade from an old iMac anyway. I just wish I had the money.

 

[Neo_sonic]

neat..if anyone from VT is looking..IM A GOOD HOME!

 

[WM.]

Re: I am really surprised that no one has seen the obvious

Originally posted by Corpus_Callosum
The obvious:

Apple trades in 1100 G5s from VT for 1100 2.4Ghz XServes. It is done all at once in another big build by VT.

Apple laser-engraves the sides of these 1100 G5s with a very nice tribute to the supercomputer that these G5s were a part of and then places them on sale for a premium in the Apple store.

LOL, have you been paying any attention at all? People have been suggesting that since the topic first came up and now in this thread we have VT people from undergrads to professors telling us that in Virginia (and especially at VT, apparently), there are very strict rules about school property and it's extremely unlikely that these G5s will make it off-campus.

Not to flame you, but really, especially considering your subject...

But nice nick, BTW! 😀 My Latin-English dictionary is not convenient at the moment, but..."hard body"? Is that what you were going for?

WM

 

[Corpus_Callosum]

Re: Re: I am really surprised that no one has seen the obvious

we have VT people from undergrads to professors telling us that in Virginia (and especially at VT, apparently), there are very strict rules about school property and it's extremely unlikely that these G5s will make it off-campus.

Actually, I think that swapping them out for XServes was part of the original plan - in which case, if Apple is taking them back and exchanging them, they shouldn't be violating any rules at all. My point was just that Apple could sell them at a premium.

I have seen all of the eBay, VT direct, etc.. posts.. But to my knowledge, nobody had suggested a special VT Supercomputer node edition engraved G5 from the Apple Store.

Did they?

 

[jimjiminyjim]

Well...

Since no one has posted this yet, I would care for one of those dual G5's, making a "good home".

And no one better copy my post.

That said, I think this topic has been fairly quickly well beaten. If VT knows that the towers will have a good home, they know where they're going. The point of a huge setup like they've got is not to be continually on the bleeding edge, but to enjoy being their once, then get to work.

edited for clarity

 

[WM.]

Re: Re: Re: I am really surprised that no one has seen the obvious

Originally posted by Corpus_Callosum
Actually, I think that swapping them out for XServes was part of the original plan - in which case, if Apple is taking them back and exchanging them, they shouldn't be violating any rules at all. My point was just that Apple could sell them at a premium.

I dunno, it seems to me like the Power Macs are school property at this point, even if the Xserve upgrade was already in the plan...I suppose it is possible that Apple somehow got someone to waive the requirement on this, but anyone with any connection to VT has been pretty adamant that there are almost never exceptions to the rules (at least that's my interpretation).

I have seen all of the eBay, VT direct, etc.. posts.. But to my knowledge, nobody had suggested a special VT Supercomputer node edition engraved G5 from the Apple Store.

Did they?

Variations on the theme, at least. Certainly people have suggested each one being engraved with a unique number ("796 of 1100" or whatever) and then resold on the Apple Store. I'm not trying to jump all over you, but I guess I don't like it when people wade in with The Obvious Truth That You've All Been Missing. Well, I don't mind it when people have that truth; I mind it when they loudly proclaim that they have it. 🙂

WM

 

[Snowy_River]

Re: Re: Re: Re: I am really surprised that no one has seen the obvious

Originally posted by WM.
I dunno, it seems to me like the Power Macs are school property at this point, even if the Xserve upgrade was already in the plan...I suppose it is possible that Apple somehow got someone to waive the requirement on this, but anyone with any connection to VT has been pretty adamant that there are almost never exceptions to the rules (at least that's my interpretation).

Actually, the only comment that's been made about the 'trade-in' idea was that it generated a lot of paperwork.

Originally posted by hokiethang
... I have my doubts that they will send them back to apple as well because of the insane amount of paperwork ...

All of the comments about the laws have to do with reselling the computers.

Originally posted by hokiethang
Virginia has budget laws and included in those is that all machinery sold by the university to private/commercial organizations must be 5 or more years old, and not needed/requested by any other department in the university.

So, based on this, while VT could return them to Apple, they could not resell them to the general public. By extension, if it was already part of the plan to replace the PM G5s with Xserves, then maybe the paperwork was taken care of ahead of time. I know that if I was in charge of making the purchase, I'd rather have to do a little extra paperwork and get the Xserves. Given the number of computers involved, it would seem a reasonable sacrifice...

 

[WM.]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I am really surprised that no one has seen the obvious

Originally posted by Snowy_River
Actually, the only comment that's been made about the 'trade-in' idea was that it generated a lot of paperwork.

All of the comments about the laws have to do with reselling the computers.

So, based on this, while VT could return them to Apple, they could not resell them to the general public. By extension, if it was already part of the plan to replace the PM G5s with Xserves, then maybe the paperwork was taken care of ahead of time. I know that if I was in charge of making the purchase, I'd rather have to do a little extra paperwork and get the Xserves. Given the number of computers involved, it would seem a reasonable sacrifice...

*shrug* Seems plausible, I guess. The "good homes" comment in the press release does make me think that VT will be more involved in the re-distribution of the G5s than just sending them back to Apple, which would imply that the G5s stay on-campus.

WM

 

[Skiniftz]

Perhaps this is another reason to upgrade (read the specs carefully) 🙂

 

[WM.]

Originally posted by Skiniftz
Perhaps this is another reason to upgrade (read the specs carefully) 🙂

[16 GB of RAM]

Well, there are 2 GB DIMMs out there. I wouldn't know if the Xserve and/or Power Mac G5 can take advantage of them, though...

WM

 

[MacRAND]

G5 Xserve with 16GB RAM

Originally posted by Skiniftz
Perhaps this is another reason to upgrade (read the specs carefully) 🙂
http://www.apple.com/xserve/images/xs_indextop_010604.gif

While 16GB of RAM can be installed if 2GB RAM chips are used in 8 available slots, to my knowledge this is the first time anyone has caught Apple disclosing that fact. BRAVO! Skiniftz (Apparently, the only mistake about "16GB" in the image, is that it was not yet supposed to be displayed!)
(You can still click on the above hypertext link and it will take you to the 16GB image on the Apple website) 🙂 CAVEAT: 16GB total RAM may only be possible if the Xserve or G5 tower is "dual", otherwise, a single G5 may support only up to 8GB total.

However, the image has now been replaced with: http://www.apple.com/xserve/
and currently reads
"Up to 8GB of DDR SDRAM with ECC" and the text below the image says:
"Introducing the classiest 1U server with dual 64-bit processors. At speeds of up to 2.0GHz, Xserve G5 packs in the same G5 processor that powers the world’s third fastest supercomputer cluster.
"The advanced G5 architecture provides an industry-leading front-side bus dedicated to each CPU as well as up to 8GB DDR SDRAM with ECC protection."

Also, on page 15 (out of 30) of the Xserve G5 Tech Overview PDF document download, it states in the first paragraph -- http://www.apple.com/xserve/

Support for up to 8GB of RAM
Xserve G5 comes standard with 512MB or 1GB of DDR SDRAM.Main memory is scalable up to 8GB in eight DIMM slots,allowing you to increase memory as application and networking requirements increase."

CONGRATULATIONS Snowy and other HighTech gurus who after reading Apple's specs for the G5 when they first came out, told us back in September 2003 that its architecture was designed to hold up to 16GB of DDR SDRAM predicting such "disclosure" by Apple, if and when 2GB chips become "readily available", but that Apple will only "advertise" 8GB total since only 1GB chips were then "readily available".

Hail to the MacRumor HighTech gurus, (bow) I am not worthy, (bow) I am not worthy...

 

[army_guy]

2GB DDR 400 ECC Registered Crucial DIMMS $999 in stock and shipping from crucial since last week. Until they actually have the G5 Xservers to test the RAM they might work then they might not.

so far only 512, 256, 128MB modules have been confirmed working, id wait abit longer to see what happens.

 

[strangelogic]

Buy one at MacMall

Probably you've all seen it by now - but they are selling off G5's from the cluster at MacMall...

 

[panphage]

Re: Re: I am really surprised that no one has seen the obvious

Originally posted by WM.
But nice nick, BTW! 😀 My Latin-English dictionary is not convenient at the moment, but..."hard body"? Is that what you were going for?
WM

[OT]The corpus callosum is the nerve pathway that connects the two sides of the cerebrum in higher mammals.[/OT]