PPC Processor Upgrade?

Is this a difficult thing to do?

It's impossible. You need to purchase an Intel Mac, either new or secondhand.

(51919)

Why is it impossible?

It's a conspiracy.

jws

😀

The Intel chips require special cooling modifications that aren't present on PowerPC logicboards. The Intel CPU based Macs use a different kind of firmware than that found on PowerPC Macs. It is still proprietary, but optimized for the Intel CPU's bit-endian difference from the PowerPC Macs. The logicboards for the Mac Pro allow for 4 hard drives and 2 optical drives, where the PowerMac G5 only allows for two hard drives (yes there is a third party modification for an additional 2 drives), and one optical drive.

Now I wouldn't hazard to guess that some ingenious soul has figured out how to make a "frankenmac", but those would be very difficult to support since the internal architecture would be different enough that the end user bears the entire responsibility to keeping it working.

Furthermore, Mac OS X is licensed to only run on genuine Macs. That said Discussion beyond this ventures in the realm of legal issues which this board tries to steer clear of, if you read the Terms of Use. So even if you could find a "frankenmac" configuration, you'll probably have to discuss it elsewhere.

You can't put a current Intel processor into a 7 yr old motherboard either.

You could gut your G5 and build a PC, but you can't build an Apple Mac.

DVWarehouse sells parts for Mac Pro but $2119 for 2009 4-core would be the same or less anyway.

This gets asked here a lot and the answer is always the same: No.

The hatter wrote:
You can't put a current Intel processor into a 7 yr old motherboard either.

You could gut your G5 and build a PC, but you can't build an Apple Mac.

Unless you gut it and hide an Intel Mac Mini in there. 🙂

I think there's room for about 24 Minis in there! 😉

BDAqua wrote:
I think there's room for about 24 Minis in there! 😉

I think I see a product opportunity for Sonnet Technology; they probably wouldn't have to do much rework on their "Jive" product. 🙂 🙂

I'm thinking you could but one on a PCIe card.