Silverhammer wrote: > Hi all, > > I have a G4 Gigabit Ethernet dual 500 I'm looking to speed up for > cheap. > I found a PowerMac G4 800 MHz CPU from a working Quicksilver 2002. > > Questions: > > - Will this cpu work in the GigEthernet? > > and > > - Will it be faster, or would the GigE be faster because it has 2 > processors? > > also > > - if it will work & is faster, any special tools/supplies/skills > needed for the swap?
Question 1: Will it work? Yes it will, but it would require some modifications for the extra 12 volt line that powers a QS CPU card, and one for the motherboard/case (the location of the CPU card on machines previous to the digital audio are in a location that makes using a newer CPU card an interesting proposition) Question 2: Will it be faster? It will, kind of. You are looking at two different types of performance. If you do multiple things at once or runs programs that can deal with multiple CPU's/threads, the dual /might/ be faster. If you primarly use programs that do not make use of multiple CPU's/threads, the QS CPU /might/ be marginally faster. I say /might/ for two reasons: One, early QS CPU's did not have any L3 cache. This is a huge performance hit. Two, the QS runs the CPU with a memory bus speed of 133 MHz, same with a DA. Your machine predates the DA, which means that it runs the memory bus at 100 MHz. This affects the CPU because that bus is one of two things that directly affect the speed of the CPU (memory bus AKA the front side bus and the CPU multiplier). Your current machine runs 100 MHz memory and a 500 MHz CPU. Figure that is a multiplier of five. The QS CPU you are mentioning runs at 800 MHz. Divide that by 133 and you get just over 6 (6.01503 yadda). So assume a multiplier of 6 and that CPU, assuming that you are able to modify the case, potentially board, and power lines, would run at about 600 MHz. Yes, the CPU multiplier can be changed, but it requires some steady hands and the ability to work with surface mount electronics. Not for the faint of heart. Question 3: Any special skills? Well, I would think that if you understand the above, you already know the answer to this. :-) Search around using words like quicksilver and cpu, there are a lot of sites that have posts and pictures on this subject. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
