Hello everyone, I would like your suggestions on how to make the G5s run better faster and hopefully stretch its usability further for another 2years, beyond internet, and ms office. The mac in question is a G5 quadcore Macpro. Thanks
Hi Dex. I can maybe give suggestions (as many other desktop users here), however, let me correct you a bit, there are two different models of the Apple aluminum towers that are almost identical. The (a) Powermac G5 models and the newer (b) MacPro models which replaced the G5s. Both of them sport almost the same aluminum boxes. There is no G5 Quad core MacPro. There are quad core G5s and there are also quad core MacPros - to make them run faster, will be the same for both models. 1. Increase RAM size. Max out if budget permits. The G5s have sdrams that can be maxed at 4gb or 8gb i think, do not put more than the maximum rams as the overage will not be recognized anyways. 2. Use SSD hard drives. Now this is costly, but will definitely give you the speed you are looking for in processing on photoshop or aperture or phocus or whatever. SSDs give you almost spontaneous availability of data, about 10 maybe 20 times faster than SATA data retrieval (at least that's how i think they are). I use SSDs on my macpros and mannn when you get used to it, you'd hate to use any other workstation. 3. The G5 processor is old stuff, but it can still process data like forever. Its apple built, and except for some G5 models that were recalled for power supply issues, it is still an old monster that can give results. 4. If working via a network, it is faster to run the network on a cable rather than on an Apple airport Extreme Card, been there, done that. Cable is faster even with the newer wifi N networks. 5. Do not work with files over a network. Keep your working files on your hard drive. This WILL ADD to the overall speed you might be looking for. 6. Do not use any other component upgrade of your vid card other than those supplied by Apple. Upgrading vid cards not from apple can cause you more trouble than good. But except for games and movie production, vid cards have very little processing muscle on general computing. 7. Keep it clean inside and use a smart UPS and you will stretch its life to more than what you are asking. Cheers! 8. Again, max out your RAM and use SSDs.
Confine yourself to legacy apps of the same era and you should be fine. We used those in ad work before and to honest, the work we do now hasn't really changed. We were just spoiled by new Macs.
Sadly, updated apps supporting PPC processors are now disappearing. So make sure you have backups of your installers & fave applications.
I believe macsales.com have fast Sandforce SSD drives for older PowerPC Macs. We installed OWC Mercury Legacy pro installed in a iBook G4 and Mac Mini G4 and it make those Macs feel brand new and even faster then their intel counterparts in many operations. http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/ The ones for PowerMacs at the bottom left of the page.
Yes, i meant the G5 models that are running Power Pc Processors. My bad. The thing is with Adobe Photoshop CS1 and 2 happily serving my needs, there is no need to change. But when it comes to HD editing.... It becomes a work around after a work around after a workaround. And intel based macs are indeed more capable to serve the HD needs. Any with thunderbolt, new mac models, Lion coming out, i feel i am in a cold dark space here. Yes, i meant the G5 models that are running Power Pc Processors. My bad. The thing is with Adobe Photoshop CS1 and 2 happily serving my needs, there is no need to change. But when it comes to HD editing.... It becomes a work around after a work around after a workaround. And intel based macs are indeed more capable to serve the HD needs. Any with thunderbolt, new mac models, Lion coming out, i feel i am in a cold dark space here.
Yep, and in most cases its price is not really that expensive considering that regular ATA/IDE drives are getting more and more expensive because of rarity.
