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#26 2005-03-08 3:56 pm
- NightCougar_37
- For Gallia!!

- From: The back of my Twilight Drake
- Registered: 2001-07-22
- Posts: 9140
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Alright I got me a DA 533 processor. OWC shipped it with it's original heatsink too. Man thats a big hunk of metal on there
. I'm guessing it won't fit properly in the Cube but I found the resistors. They do look like they are the same as the Sawtooth. Freaken small suckers tho. Right now its set at R9 and R13 so that is accurate with the 7400 settings @ 4x. Gotta remove those and put one at R11 unless I can get the rear window defogger.
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#27 2005-03-08 6:27 pm
- ironhawk
- Shai Dorsai!

- From: San Francisco
- Registered: 2001-10-16
- Posts: 3080
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Take a Dremel to that sucker, and install a CPU fan.
Sorry I never got those conifgs to you, I don't have 'em anywhere, anymore.
I can't even find the Freescale spec sheet 
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-titok16
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#28 2005-03-08 11:34 pm
- NightCougar_37
- For Gallia!!

- From: The back of my Twilight Drake
- Registered: 2001-07-22
- Posts: 9140
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Thats ok, thanks anyways! 
I just saw an article today where someone just removed the resistors with an exactoknife. Thinkin about trying that tomorrow instead of waiting on a soldering iron. Already got a fan in the Cube so its pretty much ready to go
.
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#29 2005-03-09 12:34 am
- NightCougar_37
- For Gallia!!

- From: The back of my Twilight Drake
- Registered: 2001-07-22
- Posts: 9140
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Well I couldn't wait and since I had nothing better to do, I got out a knife and checked it out. Then I decided using knife might risk damaging the processor board so I got my trusty big strong tweezers and popped those 2 resistors off bit by bit. They actually virtually fell apart real fast with the tweezers. Then I used my blade and tweezers to gently clean away any excess metal.
This is what happens when the net gets dull and my mind is too busy thinking about modding a processor 
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#30 2005-03-09 3:07 am
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Okay, I'm a bit confused. What needs to be Dremeled? I thought the DA CPU daughtercard design was similar enough to the Sawtooth/Gigabit daughtercard that it would fit without modification? Isn't it just a matter of attaching the Cube's heat plate to the DA daughtercard and putting the whole thing back together?
And shouldn't that be the first thing to try, anyway, running it at 400 MHz to see if it works at all, before fiddling with multiplier settings?
,xtG
.tsooJ
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#31 2005-03-10 2:21 am
- NightCougar_37
- For Gallia!!

- From: The back of my Twilight Drake
- Registered: 2001-07-22
- Posts: 9140
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Well, your lookin at a guy with a 600Mhz Cube (600/240, will try 300Mhz on the L2 later maybe)
.
First thing I did was apply the defogger paint stuff to give it some time to dry since I figured taking everything apart would take time. So I just snapped a bit off the end of a toothpick and it applied perfectly.
Other than going thru hell to get the mobo out and figuring half of it out on my own. I got it out just fine, think it took me in total 2-3hrs to complete all this. Problem was, few of the screws were terrible to reach with my lil torx rachet. But I didn't want to wait to go out and buy a regular torx driver so I got creative.
When it was over, I had a few leftover screws plus one lost in the case somewhere
. When I checked up on them I realized they werent necessary so I just left em out. The main ones I hated where the ones near the base of the board which the board slid into. I tried getting them back in but I couldn't get the board in properly so I said the heck with them. After I removed them, everything fit perfectly
.
Anyways, so far its running good. Took some UT2k4 benches. Gained 5-20fps depending on the maps.
I might try 650Mhz if I get enough guts to try digging into that machine again
. But anyways, thanks for your replies on this thread. They helped 
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#32 2005-03-10 3:03 am
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Uh. I posted and URL to the installation instructions for Giga CPU upgrades in the Cube upgrade thread... No reason why you couldn't have followed that for installing your DA CPU.
But anyway, how about some answers to my questions above? Does the DA daughtercard fit right in, physically?
,xtG
.tsooJ
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#34 2005-03-10 3:45 am
- NightCougar_37
- For Gallia!!

- From: The back of my Twilight Drake
- Registered: 2001-07-22
- Posts: 9140
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Sorry, I did check those instructions at one time. They helped to some extent. Gave me an idea of what I was doing. But I lost track quickly on the screw placement last time I checked it awhile ago. So this time I decided to go in solo and guns blazing
. Course would have been easier had I had all the proper tools.
The DA processor fit fine. Its the same size and design as the original 7400 processors. Wasn't a problem at all.
What type of picts you want? I sorta forgot to take some
. But if I go in again I could take a few for ya
.
Oh man I might try the 650Mhz setting anyways. I'm getting this urge again. Everytime I clock something I always get it. Keeps tellin me, go ahead, try for another 50Mhz...AHHHH!!!....Urge to Clock Rising!!!

Last edited by NightCougar_37 (2005-03-10 3:45 am)
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#35 2005-03-10 4:55 am
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
NightCougar_37 wrote:
Sorry, I did check those instructions at one time. They helped to some extent. Gave me an idea of what I was doing. But I lost track quickly on the screw placement last time I checked it awhile ago. So this time I decided to go in solo and guns blazing
. Course would have been easier had I had all the proper tools.
The DA processor fit fine. Its the same size and design as the original 7400 processors. Wasn't a problem at all.
Cool. Okay, that does it. I need another Cube.
What type of picts you want? I sorta forgot to take some
. But if I go in again I could take a few for ya
.
Any pics. I am in serious need of some geek porn.
Oh man I might try the 650Mhz setting anyways. I'm getting this urge again. Everytime I clock something I always get it. Keeps tellin me, go ahead, try for another 50Mhz...AHHHH!!!....Urge to Clock Rising!!!
![]()
DO IT!!
So, tell us more. What speed is your cache set at? How hot or cool does it appear to run? Does it feel smoother than a 450 MHz 7400 just using OS X and, say, Safari and Office?
,xtG
.tsooJ
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#37 2005-03-10 4:20 pm
- NightCougar_37
- For Gallia!!

- From: The back of my Twilight Drake
- Registered: 2001-07-22
- Posts: 9140
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
I looked at the chip before I modded it. Its a 533 Rated 7410. I set the cache at 240Mhz but I moved it up to 300Mhz today and its working fine. When I did this I was sure to set L2 down a lil on first boot via CPUD incase it didn't like running that high.
Btw, in xbench I just gained about 20MB a sec more speed in the memory tests having L2 @ 300Mhz. How it relates to other tests, not sure.
OSX is very nice now. Its smooth, fluid, and not jerky in it's movements. Course the R9000 is being a big help there but before with 450 there was still some sluggishness. Windows open fast now and programs so far have only been doing one hop in the dock then opening. Boot time of course sped up. I'd say its up to 10 sec faster than before. Compared to the original 450 this is sweet. Almost like my 1.2Ghz iBook.
I think i'm going to try for 650 next chance I get. I was reading up a few of Tycho's articles about the 650Mhz ZIFs he did. Gave me some hope that this can do it without a voltage boost, but just barely. Not too worried about heat levels here. So far i've had nothing but cool air coming out of the top of the Cube thanks to the fan.
Last edited by NightCougar_37 (2005-03-10 4:21 pm)
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#38 2005-03-10 9:58 pm
- ironhawk
- Shai Dorsai!

- From: San Francisco
- Registered: 2001-10-16
- Posts: 3080
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Alien wrote:
Okay, I'm a bit confused. What needs to be Dremeled?
,xtG
.tsooJ
The heatsink, to insert a cpu fan.
I think I mentioned this before, but I cut a half-square shape out of my heatsink to squeeze in the fan.
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-titok16
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#40 2005-03-11 1:16 pm
- NightCougar_37
- For Gallia!!

- From: The back of my Twilight Drake
- Registered: 2001-07-22
- Posts: 9140
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Nah, that wont happen unless you remove the entire Cube heatsink. Not really needed either with the base fan since its pretty much right underneath the heatsink.
Haven't gotten to clocking it to 650 yet. Trying to find the time. I think I can take the Cube apart faster this time around but it's the fogger paint which would need a lil time to dry.
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#41 2005-03-12 2:07 am
- NightCougar_37
- For Gallia!!

- From: The back of my Twilight Drake
- Registered: 2001-07-22
- Posts: 9140
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Well, 650 is iffy. I think it is possible tho. I was able to get the machine to boot and chime but it would crash or kp at the Apple logo. One time it gave an error msg and mentioned something about cache. So if I could get into firmware and change the L2 cache ratio to 5:2 then theres a chance it might boot. Tho it could very easily be voltage related. I don't have the voltage resistor settings so I can't really test that right now.
My OS9 is booting again now. I tried it and it worked just fine. Also tried UT in OS9. Getting: 25.40/41.76/91.15 on the opening intro. Now I wish I had saved the FPS tests from my Rage 128. I think it peaked at only 55 tho.
Oh btw, Alien, I took some shots of the CPU and stuff this time. I'll u/l them later for ya.
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#42 2005-03-12 11:00 pm
- ironhawk
- Shai Dorsai!

- From: San Francisco
- Registered: 2001-10-16
- Posts: 3080
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Alien wrote:
A CPU fan in a Cube?
,xtG
.tsooJ
I failed to realise the cube had a different heatsink, and didn't know he had already installed a base fan. Oops.
Maybe I should have checked the specs first. I had just assumed there was a CPU heatsink.
**attempts to speak while sobbong madly, a la Will Ferrell in Anchor Man**
BTW, guys, FEDEX BROKE MY MYSTIC!
It freezes every five minutes in Corel Painter, and after about an hour in in VLC, playing FLCL.
I'm still gathering parts to rebuild the PowerTower, but... I still feel so empty...
I've completely rebuilt it after hitting the CUDA and pulling the battery and power for several days, and it's still a misfit.
Maybe it's a good excuse to buy a cube...
Last edited by ironhawk (2005-03-12 11:14 pm)
All posts on the internet are postfixed by an invisible "IMHO". It's not in the html code, either.
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#43 2005-03-13 1:19 am
- NightCougar_37
- For Gallia!!

- From: The back of my Twilight Drake
- Registered: 2001-07-22
- Posts: 9140
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
I coulda told ya not to trust Fedex
.
They screwed me with Newegg. I still can't order thru Newegg thanks to Fedex. And thats not the first time i've had problems with Fedex.
*Uses an old Mac Jedi mind trick...you want to buy a Cube 
heheh, jk
If you don't need the drive bays, go for that Cube. Won't regret it. Its a beautiful machine.
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#44 2005-03-15 4:12 pm
- NightCougar_37
- For Gallia!!

- From: The back of my Twilight Drake
- Registered: 2001-07-22
- Posts: 9140
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Well I put a review and some benchmarks up in the xlr8 database. I'll get those picts up if I can free up some disk space in my ISP account.
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#45 2005-03-21 12:56 am
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
So, how are those pictures coming? I'll be glad to host them for you if that is the problem.
Anyway, I have an eye on a DA 533 DP machine, I thought I might go for it to have a nice dual-600 Cube upgrade, then stick some off-the-shelf G4 upgrade into the DA because it would be a shame leetting a G4 tower go to waste without a CPU.
I might have to let this one slip due to budgetary reasons, though. I just bought two Sun Ultra 30 workstations, so I'm not really in a position to buy a spare Cube and a DA 533 DP right now. 
Damn. Why can't I have unlimited funds for these things?
,xtG
.tsooJ
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#46 2005-03-21 1:01 am
- ironhawk
- Shai Dorsai!

- From: San Francisco
- Registered: 2001-10-16
- Posts: 3080
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Alien wrote:
So, how are those pictures coming? I'll be glad to host them for you if that is the problem.
Anyway, I have an eye on a DA 533 DP machine, I thought I might go for it to have a nice dual-600 Cube upgrade, then stick some off-the-shelf G4 upgrade into the DA because it would be a shame leetting a G4 tower go to waste without a CPU.
I might have to let this one slip due to budgetary reasons, though. I just bought two Sun Ultra 30 workstations, so I'm not really in a position to buy a spare Cube and a DA 533 DP right now.
Damn. Why can't I have unlimited funds for these things?
,xtG
.tsooJ
Funny you should mention it...
Recently, I nearly purchased an 02 workstation, complete with LCD display for $250.
I should have, as the display is worth the $250.
The setup was somewhat similar to what I worked with in the USAF.
All posts on the internet are postfixed by an invisible "IMHO". It's not in the html code, either.
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#47 2005-03-21 1:34 am
- NightCougar_37
- For Gallia!!

- From: The back of my Twilight Drake
- Registered: 2001-07-22
- Posts: 9140
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Ok I cleared up a lil space: Cube mods
Those are various picts of the processor, GPU, and other stuff when I tried the 650Mhz boost. Tad blurry in some since I forgot to turn up the resolution on the cam.
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#48 2005-03-21 2:49 am
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
ironhawk wrote:
Recently, I nearly purchased an 02 workstation, complete with LCD display for $250.
I should have, as the display is worth the $250.
The setup was somewhat similar to what I worked with in the USAF.
O2's rawk. Well, the higher-end models do, anyway. I'm still on the lookout for one of those screens (1600SW), to go with my SGI 320's. I don't have the proper interface card for my O2, so that'll have to make do with a CRT.
I'll be damned if I'm paying what most people are asking for them, though. They're not that good.
,xtG
.tsooJ
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#49 2005-03-22 2:35 pm
- ironhawk
- Shai Dorsai!

- From: San Francisco
- Registered: 2001-10-16
- Posts: 3080
Re: Modding DA G4 533 for Cube...
Alien wrote:
ironhawk wrote:
Recently, I nearly purchased an 02 workstation, complete with LCD display for $250.
I should have, as the display is worth the $250.
The setup was somewhat similar to what I worked with in the USAF.O2's rawk. Well, the higher-end models do, anyway. I'm still on the lookout for one of those screens (1600SW), to go with my SGI 320's. I don't have the proper interface card for my O2, so that'll have to make do with a CRT.
I'll be damned if I'm paying what most people are asking for them, though. They're not that good.
,xtG
.tsooJ
Tell me about it. I saw three of 'em on Craigslist last week, and the first two were selling for a small fortune.
The third was the O2 bundle for $250.
I'm thinking now I should have bitten the bullet on it.
Ah, well. There are good deals on Craig's just about everyday which I regret not taking.
BTW, I fixed the issue FedEx caused with my Mystic.
I now have some sweet upgrades in mind for it.
Last edited by ironhawk (2005-03-22 4:05 pm)
All posts on the internet are postfixed by an invisible "IMHO". It's not in the html code, either.
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