Ian, I might be one of the few here with Xserve experience! I have a closet next to my hobby room. I installed a plastic pipe joining the two spaces big enough to pass cabling through. I got a used open four post 19" rack and put it in the closet. Somehow I started filling the rack :-) I figured that would be neater than having desktop Macs everywhere!
My cable internet modem is hooked to an G5 Xserve, which runs Tiger server and does DNS, DHCP, and routing via a 16 port switch and a Linksys wireless access point. At some point I was going to set up a cluster, but then realized that I didn't have anything to run on it! Oh well, I brought most of my Xserve back from the dead. See comments embedded below: --- On Fri, 9/4/09, Ian Prickett <[email protected]> wrote: > From: Ian Prickett <[email protected]> > Subject: Xserve G4 (Tray Load) video card (and other) questions > To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > Date: Friday, September 4, 2009, 8:10 PM > > Hi > I'm building/rebuilding a tray load Xserve G4 to use as a > headless > home server and I had a few questions: > 1) I'm planning on installing 10.4 or 10.5 via Firewire > Target mode > from my other xServe G4 (slot load), is this the best way > or should I > install the o/s onto a spare ADM and the transfer from one > xServe to > the other? Are you going to use the "Server" versions of tiger or leopard or the standard ones? If the server version, you should know that a serial number is needed, and I believe, is checked via the internet back with Apple. The server software allows remote control of a headless unit. The Admin tools are free to download. I've not done a remote install, because all my Xserve have video cards and I simply plugged in a monitor to get them setup. After that I use remote desktop and server admin to play with them. Since you have a second Xserve, I think installing and then transferring over an ATM is easier if you are just using the standard OS. > 2) Compatibility question, does any one know if the video > cards for these were specific, can I use a card from a Powermac G4 QS > (at least to get it up and running) after that I want to use screen > sharing to manage it? The tray load (1st generation Xserve), and slot load (2nd generation) are quite similar in having a pair of pci slots via a small riser board, and a separate third one, that in standard configuration comes with a Gigabit ethernet card (adding to the built-in one). The standard video card was an ATI Radeon 7000 32Mb PCI unit. It came with only a single VGA connector. You can also use the older ATI PCI cards from B&W or yikes. The BEST I've tried is a ATI Radeon 9250 with 128Mb :-) The problem is it's only PCI and so your choice is limited (heck it's supposed to be a server)! There is one other little known option. If you are NOT using it as a server, then you only need one Ethernet port, so you can remove the Gigabit card, and the standard 32bit PCI riser, replacing it with an AGP riser (a BTO Apple item - I got one from SmallDog). Then you can install a faster AGP video card, and still have two PCI slots free. I use an ATI Radeon 9250 AGP card in this machine (a dual G4 1.33GHz slot loader). > 3) Does anyone know of a good source for xServe G4 parts other than > eBay? No. I've gone a little Xserve nuts over the last year so I do have some spare parts. Most came from eBay. Contact me off-list. I have seen some bits on the LEM swap list but you have to remember that these are rare, and "looked after" by "pros" who have little respect for an Apples beauty :-) > 4) Any other gotcha's I should be looking out for? Thanks It sounds like you already have experience with a slot load Xserve, but if you haven't powered up the tray load then you are in for a shock. You will not want to be in the same room as it!! The later models are fine (if not wisper quiet). One other point. There is no sound section on an Xserve. If you miss that (i.e. using it as a workstation) use a Griffin iMic usb unit plugged into your keyboard. Works great on a pair of headphones or an external amp. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
