Hello, i'm searching for the best model of G5 powermac for a morphOS setup. Would anyone happen to know which models I should look for? I figure I need an AGP one, but I'm not really sure which g5 models have that. (I don't know much about mac hardware.)
I do have a powermac, but it has pcie and I'd like to use a x800xt.
Thank you!

> i'm searching for the best model of G5 powermac for a morphOS setup.
> Would anyone happen to know which models I should look for?

Fastest MorphOS-compatible PowerMac G5 models are:

- with liquid cooling
- with air cooling

> i'm searching for the best model of G5 powermac for a morphOS setup.

And while it doesn't qualify as 'the best', the model that sits between those two, the 2.5 GHz water cooled PowerMac G5 is also worth considering.

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac_g5/specs/powermac_g5_2.5_dp.html

Maybe I shouldn't have said "the best" What I meant was The best one to grab for use of a x800xt for MorphOS. I don't know what models have AGP and I've never heard of PCIX.

@jim thank you I will look into it when I get home!

:p

> What I meant was The best one to grab for use of a x800xt for MorphOS.

They are all equally good regarding this specific demand.

> I don't know what models have AGP

All three models mentioned by Jim and me have AGP. In fact, every PowerMac G5 except those from the last generation (which is PCIe-based) has AGP. And everyone of those AGP-based models except the PowerMac9,1 is supported by MorphOS.

> I've never heard of PCIX.

PCI-X is basically a backward compatible, faster, 64-bit version of PCI. For non-graphics expansion boards, AGP-based PowerMac G5 models have either PCI slots or PCI-X slots, which doesn't really make a difference in a pure MorphOS context.

Yes, those details Andreas mentioned are worth noting.
There are PCI-X video cards, but I've never seen one working in a PowerMac (in fact most of the applications I've seen were in Sun server hardware, not PCs).
And no one seems to have sorted out use of PCI video cards in G5s (they just don't seem to work correctly), although PCI video cards do work in older MorphOS system (including the G4).

I've actually considered flashing a Radeon 9200 with an Apple rom to try it in a G5 for W3D support, but then I like to experiment.

BTW - While the X800XT is the fastest card currently supported, the 9800XT is no slouch.
And, depending on whether not not AGP variants are eventually supported, you might be able to install a Radeon HD 3850, 4650, or 4670 in your G5 one day.

Also, just to chime in, if you're not much of a hardware guy, I'd definitely stay away from one of the liquid cooled models. They are prone to hardware deterioration and the 2.3ghz air cooled computer mentioned above is an excellent long term choice.

Quote:

I've had both a 2.7 with the older (and supposedly less reliable) cooling system, and a Quad core 2.5, and neither has ever given me any problems what so ever.
Andreas has a 2.7 I believe.
And more than a few other here have mention to me that rebuilding an Apple liquid cooler is not particularly difficult.

Although it is supposedly possible to swap the air cooling component for the water coolers of the high end models.

> Andreas has a 2.7 I believe.

I have the 2.3 GHz air-cooled model for the very reason mentioned by esc.

Quote:

I have no idea why you're worried, after all, if it leaks a liquid cooler will only destroy your system.
BUT, again, I have never had that happen.

And if it did...I'd have an excuse to buy something better.

I have a Dual Processor 2,7 GHz. When I bought it it worked, but the temperatures on CPU were quite high, especially under load. Optically there was nothing wrong with LCS... until I've dismantled it. The dreaded white residue on water block - indicating O-Ring failure - and, to my shock, completely clogged pipe (I don't believe the liquid did circulate in the system at all) have left me thinking anybody buying a water-cooled model needs to refurbish the LCS. That said - it's not particularly hard (just a bit time consuming, especially when you're looking for imperial unit size parts in Europe), and the best proof is that I've eventually managed to do it and had no problems since.

Quote:

Yes, its probably a good idea to rebuild on receipt. After all, these are all about 12 years old.
That being said, I've had very high reliability with these coolers, apparently quite a bit better than the average aftermarket water cooling system for PCs,