Broken g4 towers.

[Zeke_D]

So here is what I have (all G4 towers):

Digital audio dual 533 with a blown USB and fried psu.

Non DA 350mhz everything working (the one with 4 ram slots and the heat sink without a fan)

I know the psu is different on both models. The heat sink also has different "legs" so I can't just swap CPUs. If it were a single CPU I could probably just use the heat sink from the 350, but I would worry about heat.

The 350 doesn't have enough "oomph" to run leopard even with the open firmware trick, and the dual 533 has all those problems. Basically I want to get something running with leopard to serve my iTunes, and possibly run iWork.

Any suggestions?

I also have a pair of dead g5 towers, one has the defective ram slot issue, and the other has bent pins on one of the CPU sockets.

 

[harryb2448]

Wow Zeke you sure get more than your share of problems. To run Leopard suggest sticking with an 867MHz processor or faster as designed by Apple. I know you can install on a slower spec machine but it is hardly worth the effort. Keep an eye on auction sites for a cheap 1.42GHz MDD if you want to stay with the G4 range, but the best value for any outlay will be a 64bit Core 2 Duo.

This will further proof your computing for a couple of years.

 

[Zeke_D]

Tell me about it! I am hesitant to put any money into the dual 533, as that money would be better spent on an mdd or a replacement logic board for one of the G5s.

 

[pigoo3]

When you buy old broken down computers...you get what you pay for! Buy working computers (old or not)...and all is good!

But I understand what you're trying to do...what's difficult with Macintosh computers is:

- Apple is always changing things...so parts interchangeability is difficult
- info on part interchangeability is difficult to come by
- because of the way Apple is always changing things (logic board designs, logic board shapes, redesigning the computer cases
- different ports
- etc.

About the only sure fire way to have successful part interchangeability is purchasing the exact same computer model (or at least the same generation/release date)...otherwise you're talking an experiment...that may work, or may not work.

- Nick

 

[Zeke_D]

My goal is to save up enough moolah to get a machine capable of running snow leopard. I believe my iLife & iWork 09 and adobe creative suite 3 (for dream weaver and photoshop) will work. I was up to $175, but I had to purchase the $60 apple care on my iPod so apple would replace my overheating 2008 time capsule.

It was $60 well spent, but it did set me back. I am just tired of the kids using my MacBook to write reports, plus my son's windows machine will only hold a charge for like 30 minutes.

 

[harryb2448]

And Zeke the DA 533Mhz DP will still only run at 533MHz~ far too slow for Leopard. Does not double the processor speed only a few applications, and i do mean a few!

 

[Zeke_D]

I am not too concerned about speed, nothing crazy powerful needed to serve my iTunes library on the network.