Hi, sorry this isn't perhaps a strictly MOS-related issue but a Mac hardware issue... but I hope somebody with experience with Macs perhaps can help me the same...

I just bought an used PowerMac G5 with MOS licence for it and I'm happy, if it were not for the fact that there's paucity of USB ports (there are only 2 on the rear, which are used by mouse and keyboard, and just one on the front, where I usually keep my phone connected or other non-fixed hardware depending on needs). But I need at least 2 more ports on the rear.
So I tried to insert my USB NEC based card I have installed in my PegII but it didn't fit (I discovered it was a 5 V PCI card while the power mac has 3V PCI slots). So I tried another spare card I had around (which was both 3V and 5V compatible, having 2 slits) but the Mac refused to start (the power led flashed dimly and the mac wouldn't start). I thought the problem was that this card was based on VIA chipset. So I bought another one based on NEC, always 3 and 5V compatible (double slit) which arrived this morning, but the Mac reacts the same way even with this card: the led flashes dimly for a second and the Mac won't start. I even tried to insert it in another free PCI slot without luck.
I'm almost in panic LOL cos I need additional USB ports at any cost !
PS please don't tell me to buy an external hub cos I don't want to mess with external hardware and wires if possible.

Any hints ? Any suggestions ?
Thanks in advance

I dont understand why you dont want a powered hub? Several real nice looking ones are available that fit the style of the G5 and Mac Pro towers. Here are a few great examples.

http://www.imore.com/best-usb-hubs-compliment-your-mac

If you need a card this one works with MacOS in the G5 but not sure if it is MorphOS compatible or not.

https://www.amazon.com/PPA-International-Port-Card-Windows/dp/B0007SMQNY/ref=sr_1_6?tag=macrumors-20&s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1344824177&sr=1-6&keywords=PCI+USB+Mac

[ Edited by Acill 20.03.2017 - 04:25 ]

Hi,
yeah those hubs are nice and I fear I shall buy one if all my other attempts fail... it's just my "policy" LOL, I just hate having too many hardware and things hanging around (the rear mounting hub without wires is nice though, thanks for the link), and where possible I always opt for internal stuff.

As for the card u pointed out, I checked the picture and it looks like it's a VIA chipset. I suspect it won't work well with MOS. The other spare USB VIA card I mentioned previously had troubles in the Peg. I mean, it is recognized by Poseidon but I experienced some strange issues, like devices self-dismounting while transferring data etc

Let'see... a friend just offered to send me his card who he says it works on his Mac...

Anyway, the non working NEC card I just bought mounts a NEC D720101F1 chip... but perhaps it's not even the chip causing troubles but the onboard logic or something else... or perhaps it's double slit PCI cards which aren't compatible with Macs for some reasons (honestly I searched online for hints before buying my card but I couldn't find anything useful, other than a thread where they suggested to keep off VIA and to go for NEC always, when it's about Macs)

The Sonnet "Tango 2.0" card will work in a G5 and give you additional USB 2.0 and Firewire ports.
And it uses an NEC USB chip.

Since I have a pair of 20" Apple Cinema LCD displays, and Apple keyboards, all of which have USB hubs & ports built into them, I never ran into any shortage of USB ports while running MorphOS on my G4 & G5, but Apple monitors and keyboards aren't the solution for everyone I guess. My 20" Apple Cinema display monitors are pretty nice though, so if you can get one at a good price in the area where you live, that might be an option you would find acceptable, but it only gives you one extra USB port.

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That would be two extra USB ports. It doesn't draw USB from any of the "free" ports, but from ADC, so there are 3 ports on the computer case plus 2 ports on the back of the Cinema Display then.

...and if you happen to have an Apple keyboard then you can split one of those into two with its built-in hub.

I am using an Apple Keyboard myself.
The USB port is convenient for connecting the mouse.

Personally, I have been wondering if I could move my HP Laser printer from a USB connection to a networked connection to save a USB port.

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Jim, you sure can. Grab an Apple Airport Express. They work amazingly well for this.

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Cool, that will make printing from my laptop and my desktop more convenient.Thanks.

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Nope, my 20" Apple Cinema Displays don't have ADC connectors, only DVi, plus the USB and Firewire connections, so it does use one of the existing G4 or G5 USB ports on the rear of the system.

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Ahh, so it's an "aluminium" one, OK. I have an "acrylic" 23" version and I'm happily utilizing the ADC and an additional USB slot.

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Happily if you have an video card with ADC connections (which my Radeon 9600 does not have ;-().
So I can't use the 17" Cinema Display I have.

I used to own one of the 20" models, but I sold it when I swapped video cards for something that wouldn't drive it.
Beautiful display, nice quality.

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Yeah, I really like my 20" aluminum Cinema Displays, as well as my 20" widescreen Dell monitor, but have begun to crave larger screen sizes, and wish I had 23", 24" or larger monitor for my desktop computing.

I even hooked up my 42" 1080p LCD television to my Windows PC for a short while, but something that big is too much for a desk, and only works if mounted on a wall, or sitting on top of some other furniture, a bit further away than a typical desktop use.

Yes, I use a 24" these days, and I have tried using my 40" television, but you are right, too big isn't easily used (unless you reduce the resolution and sit further away, which rather defeats the purpose).

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I did enjoy playing Guild Wars 2 for a couple of days on the 42" TV at 1080p though. It was quite immersive at that resolution and screen size, when sitting only 3 feet away, even made me dizzy a couple of times.

Any of you playing Guild Wars 2 on your Windows, or Mac OSX systems, let me know, so we can do some stuff "in game". It's a fun game, and I wish we would be able to play modern games, like GW2 and others, on our MorphOS systems. Maybe some day, when the x64 port of MorphOS is completed, and we hopefully have better development tools, we will be able to get newer games ported to MorphOS?

> Maybe some day, when the x64 port of MorphOS is completed, and we hopefully have
> better development tools, we will be able to get newer games ported to MorphOS?

Unlikely at least in cases such as Guild Wars, which is closed source and not even on Linux.