G5 Upgrade

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Hi all,

New to the forum and have a G5 that's older (1.5 years) and I want to do some upgrades. It's a Dual 2.0 ghz.

Do I need to be careful about what new DVD Drives I install?

Also, is the processor in this machine upgradeable?

I'm planning to get more memory but I only have 2 slots left. I think it's because I filled the machine with so many small strips of memory. Should I take all of those out if I plan on placing 1 Gigs Ram strips in to the machine?

I've been browsing New Egg for the upgrades for purchase but if anyone else has other suggestions for stores to buy from please let me know. Especially before I make my purchase next week.

Thanks !!!
 
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I don't think the CPUs in any for the PM G5 line were upgradeable.

I'm not sure if your machine requires it, but many of the last generation PM G5s (mine included) need to have the memory paired. What that means is that to get to 1Gb of RAM you need to have 2 x 512 or 4 x 128 etc, in pairs on the board. You can't just have 1 x 1Gb or mix 256s and 128s to make 1Gb.
 
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Hi all,

Do I need to be careful about what new DVD Drives I install

Thanks !!!

Go with a Pioneer drive, I don't think LG burners are supported in OS X
 
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Thank you all for your advice on this. I've had my machine for a while so I haven't upgraded it in a while (just didn't have the $$ basically). I'll get a pioneer DVD this weekend. I've been wanting to upgrade that for a while now.

I'd imagine any DVD burner speed will work on my machine?

815uog1.png


OK, this is the config for my memory slot. See how I mismanaged how I paired them? So is it possible to pair 1 Gig sticks in each slot? I'm going to assume no on that correct?

So if it's a 'No' does that mean I can take out the 256K sticks and replace them with 512's instead? then fill up the empty slots that are remaining giving me a 4 gigs of DDR SDRAM.

87chs2x.png


Is there any other memory items I can buy for my machine so that it's ramped up a bit more?


6td5mqv.png


I was even thinking of upgrading my Graphics card if that's possible.

Thank you all again for all the help!!

;D
 

rman


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I believe that the maximum amount of memory was 8GBs. So you should able to replace the modules with 1GB sticks.
 
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I believe that the maximum amount of memory was 8GBs. So you should able to replace the modules with 1GB sticks.


TERRIFIC!!!! That's great news. I'll take out the 256's and the 512's in that case and replace them with 1 Gig sticks instead, making sure to pair them ;)

I'm wondering, if I MAX out on the memory will I need to upgrade my cooling system at all? Should I install extra fans?

I'm cruising Crucial.com for some memory pricing.

Thanks again! :)
 

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MissLadyVenus
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I keep hearing good things about Crucial. Is it the way they "build" their Ram that makes them good?

I was tempted to buy this Geil Ram that's on sale for 80 bucks (1GB x2). I just don't know enough about the branding on these.
 
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I keep hearing good things about Crucial. Is it the way they "build" their Ram that makes them good?

I was tempted to buy this Geil Ram that's on sale for 80 bucks (1GB x2). I just don't know enough about the branding on these.

Crucial is a great choice as is OWC. To be honest, I have used both brands of memory in all of my Macs with no problems at all.
 
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OOoh Thanks for the tip on that Matt! I'll definitely stick with the Crucial rams that I'm looking at instead. :)

I'm also browsing OWC too because they have a killer deal on this brand of ram. The only thing that's confusing me is the density. If a Ram set says this:

32x8 Density DDR Chip

Is that the module? What exactly is that?

It's just listed so random
 
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OOoh Thanks for the tip on that Matt! I'll definitely stick with the Crucial rams that I'm looking at instead. :)

I'm also browsing OWC too because they have a killer deal on this brand of ram. The only thing that's confusing me is the density. If a Ram set says this:

32x8 Density DDR Chip

Is that the module? What exactly is that?

It's just listed so random


This may confuse or this may help, heh. (example/explanation)


Standard' RAM chips are organized a DEPTH x 8 Bits. E.g. 32x8, 64x8,
etc. That means 8 of the chips make up a 64 bit wide rank (memory bus
is 64 bits wide). "Double Sided" is an old term to describe a stick
with 16 chips, 8 on each side. And with DEPTH x 8 chips that makes for
2 ranks (or, again in an older style terminology: 2 'banks').

'High Density' chips are DEPTH x 4 bits so it takes 16 to make a 64
bit wide memory rank. And this is why "double sided" is no longer the
favored description because when x8 chips are used "Double sided"
means "double rank" but with x4 chips it takes both sides and 16 chips
to make the ONE, single, rank.

Now to the problem. A memory 'slot' is usually designed for 'standard'
x8 chips and memory sticks containing 2 ranks. That is how the
'capacity' will be described. I.E. the K7S5A says it can handle up to
"1 gig" with two DDR slots, and that means 512Meg per slot, which
means 256 Meg PER RANK. (2 ranks per slot, 2 slots, etc)

But a 'high density' memory stick crams the 512 Meg into ONE RANK by
using 16 deeper (twice as deep) x4 bit width chips. And this is how
they arrive at the confusing term 'high density'. The chips themselves
are no higher in density than the x8 chips but since they are
organized as x4 they can cram more 'bytes' into a single rank because
16 chips make up a rank rather than 8, not that it helps make the
stick itself any 'higher' in 'density' because you can still only get
16 chips mounted on the thing.

So, a 512 Meg 'high density' stick puts 512 Meg in ONE RANK and a
'standard' density 512 Meg stick is two 256 Meg Ranks. Same size, same
'density'. It's the RANK organization that's different.

Since the memory slot on a K7S5A is two 256 Meg Ranks, a standard
density 512 Meg stick will work but a 'high density' 512 Meg stick
will not.

However, a 'high density' 256 Meg stick probably will since it crams
the 256 Meg into ONE RANK and the K7S5A can handle 256 Meg ranks.

For example, I'm running SDRAM on my K7S5A and, as it turns out, one
is 'standard' x8 density and the other is 'high density x4. But
they're both 256 Meg sticks and they both work. **** irritating,
however, as they were both bought at the same time inside the same
package label, and same part number, with 16 chips on each so they
look identical (Kingston) but they are NOT the same thing. Doesn't
matter to my K7S5A but it means I can not use the 'high density' one
in my other motherboards because they support 128 Meg ranks (256 Meg
per slot but NOT in 'high density').

So, in a nutshell, if you're looking for 512 Meg sticks, make sure the
spec says they use x8 chips. But, if you're not trying to get 1 gig
then two 256 meg 'high density' sticks will be cheaper.
 
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MissLadyVenus
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No that helped ALOT!!

Since I have a 2005 G5 my Mac needs to have the 128x64.

Thank you so much for that article/guide ;)
 
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OK I got my RAM from New Egg and I noticed that the module was 64x8 but it still worked in my Mac!? Is that odd or does that not matter at all

I'm now at a healthy 8 Gbs for DDR

:)
 
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OK I got my RAM from New Egg and I noticed that the module was 64x8 but it still worked in my Mac!? Is that odd or does that not matter at all

I'm now at a healthy 8 Gbs for DDR

:)

Congrats! And wow, when did you order? I know neweggs warehouse is in the city of industry, but that is fast!
 
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Sorry it was kinda of confusing. I had ordered from New Egg on Thursday evening but I was skeptical when I went back to look at the specs. I was gonna return it and buy from OWC or Crucial instead but these wound up working perfectly.

My Mac is just zooooooming along. I mean it opened Photoshop very fast. I was surprised at how quick everything opens up. Even Flash opens up faster than Text edit lol. Wow, what a difference RAM Makes on a machine. I didn't think I was gonna see this much impact though.

I didn't even know they were located in City of Industry.
 
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Sorry it was kinda of confusing. I had ordered from New Egg on Thursday evening but I was skeptical when I went back to look at the specs. I was gonna return it and buy from OWC or Crucial instead but these wound up working perfectly.

My Mac is just zooooooming along. I mean it opened Photoshop very fast. I was surprised at how quick everything opens up. Even Flash opens up faster than Text edit lol. Wow, what a difference RAM Makes on a machine. I didn't think I was gonna see this much impact though.

I didn't even know they were located in City of Industry.

The more RAM the better! It will definitely make a noticeable difference (as you have noticed). Glad everything worked out. :)
 
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Thank you, Matt and everyone else for all your help. I wouldn't have been able to do it without ya'!!

Oh while I'm at it. Is there any upgrades on my Video, Audio or other components I can do to my machine? What about Cooling units? Anything I can do there as well?
 
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