[paulbelsker]

Is it possible to simply replace the 2.0Ghz CPUs in my G5 with 2.7 ones? If yes, where can I buy just the CPUs alone?

I have number crunching apps that need the extra speed.

Paul

[Big Mac]

Right now the consensus view on the subject of Power Mac G5 microprocessor upgrades in general is no, due to complex technical issues. In your case there are two other problems:

1. The high end G5s (2.5 and 2.7) are liquid cooled. Our DP 2.0s are not, and the highest non-liquid cooled G5 sold is 2.3GHz. I imagine 2.5 could be attempted (if the bus timing issues were worked out), but the fans would be running at high speeds continuously.

2. Even if you could get 2.5 processors in a 2.0, where would you obtain the processors? Neither Apple or IBM sell chips ala cart.

[OreoCookie]

Technically feasible, I'm sure, but I haven't heard of any possibility to buy G5s separately.

[Link]

Believe it or not, I've seen CPU modules on ebay before, even for the g5. Your biggest problem wouldn't necessarily be the cooling system, but the bus speed being programmed to the motherboard. If the motherboard's bus speed setting doesn't match those on the processors, the machine runs in safe mode and you can't even re-calibrate the cooling system, it'll run at full blast and only at 1.3ghz.

[tooki]

Remember also that in a G5, when the clock speed increases, so does the bus speed, so the system controller chip's clock speed rises as well if you increase the CPU speed. The system controller in the G5 2.0 is designed to run at 1GHz -- I don't know if those chips are even capable of being run at 1350MHz, or if they can, whether they need extra cooling to do so.

I wouldn't risk it.

tooki

[macaddict0001]

You should be able to get processors from a repair shop, they can order them in. The bus issue is a problem, it is probably as simple as changing a few resistors, but which ones should be hard to decipher unless you have the white sheet for the powermacs.

[OreoCookie]

Originally Posted by macaddict0001

You should be able to get processors from a repair shop, they can order them in. The bus issue is a problem, it is probably as simple as changing a few resistors, but which ones should be hard to decipher unless you have the white sheet for the powermacs.

For how much, that's the question. In addition to that, he'd need a new cooling solution for sure. The bus can also be set to 1/3 of the clock speed, so I think it should be feasible to run the system controller within specs.

But unlike in the pc world where you can get all components anyway, I haven't heard someone who upgraded his G5 on his own.

[P]

In general, if you order parts using repair channels Apple requires you to return the broken part, or pay a horrendous price. Unless you can find some broken 2.7 GHz G5s, you can't do that.

[Todd Madson]

I still ponder how you would run 2.7 processors (for the liquid cooled dual 2.7) in a non-liquid
cooled 2.0. My thinking is your fans would sound like a B-29 bomber taking off 24x7.