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Anybody bother collecting G4/G5 Xserves?
- Thread starter Unknown_K
- Start date
omidimo
Well-known member
They are loud as hell, but when they ran in the racks, they were pretty solid. Looking back, they were more reliable for sure than the workstations I managed.
The video card was crap tho.
I saved a few from the scrap heap back in 2010, but they ended up in the back of storage. I know some people who still are running their 2009 Intels still, mostly for legacy systems.
The video card was crap tho.
I saved a few from the scrap heap back in 2010, but they ended up in the back of storage. I know some people who still are running their 2009 Intels still, mostly for legacy systems.
Anonymous Freak
Well-known member
I have three slots empty in my mini-rack just waiting for a G4, G5 and an Intel Xserve. Now if only I could find them inexpensively...
The Xserve G5 was probably the best incarnation of the G5 ever made; its cooling system was if anything overbuilt and it let the CPUs fly in a way the desktop versions never did. (I had a dual 2.0 for a few months to play with and it was untouchable on floating-point heavy work, easily faster than contemporary Netburst Xeon systems which I also had direct access to compare it to. Only thing that could beat it was an AMD Opteron.) Of course, it's probably no coincidence that the G5 is also the Apple machine most indistinguishable from the POWER systems IBM was selling at the time.
That said, I sort of question its desirability as a collector's item. They really are supposed to live in a proper server room, out of sight *and* earshot. Frankly I'd consider running one just stuffed in a residential closet a dangerous fire hazard. They're really supposed to be used "headless" and while it's technically possible to cram a video card into one and sort of use it as a desktop that's simply not what they're for.
That said, I sort of question its desirability as a collector's item. They really are supposed to live in a proper server room, out of sight *and* earshot. Frankly I'd consider running one just stuffed in a residential closet a dangerous fire hazard. They're really supposed to be used "headless" and while it's technically possible to cram a video card into one and sort of use it as a desktop that's simply not what they're for.
TheWhiteFalcon
Well-known member
The first gen Intel Xserves are pretty cheap right now AFAIK. A friend just got one and pressed it into service.
Edit: said it was $80 shipped on eBay.
Edit: said it was $80 shipped on eBay.
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Carboy7
Well-known member
I would get a server... If they were cheap on the 'Bay.
My current laptop works fine after running 24 hours with the screen on, fan running, and other problems. So sooner or later, I will take the board out, put it in a fake case, and stick it in my closet as a "server". Better then spending money on a real server, right?
My current laptop works fine after running 24 hours with the screen on, fan running, and other problems. So sooner or later, I will take the board out, put it in a fake case, and stick it in my closet as a "server". Better then spending money on a real server, right?
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I remember a little mouse in a position to know whispering in my ear once that the G4 xServe was drastically inferior to the G5 version, but I've never had my hands on one so I can't say. Are you intending to use it as a desktop instead of an MDD? It'll be intolerable to sit in the same room with after half an hour, I can guarantee you that.
TheWhiteFalcon
Well-known member
Keep in mind the Xserves have the Apple Drive Modules you have to work with, or hack new drives in. It's not like a Power Mac where you can just slap in any drive with a couple screws.
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Well, if there's something you really want OS X server versions 10.2 through 10.5 for then I suppose it will do as well as anything, but I still question their suitability for any environment outside of a server room. I mean, really, keep in mind that though they may only be 1.75" tall they require 19" by almost *three feet* of horizontal space and you're not supposed to stack anything on top of them. (The upper skin really is just that, a skin, to keep foreign objects from falling into it and direct airflow properly when it's not snuggled in a rack. You also *genuinely* need to keep both the inlet and outlet vents clear of foreign objects.) If you've already got a rack in said basement you're set, I guess, but if not you'll really need to buy one. If all you want is a file server or whatnot you'd probably be better off with a more modern and power-saving solution.
waynestewart
Well-known member
I have 3 1.33ghz DP left. Had 4 but I decided to use the processor module to upgrade a MDD.
I never noticed the noise as being any worse than a MDD
I never noticed the noise as being any worse than a MDD
CC_333
Well-known member
I got a prototype G5 Xserve, and it's definitely interesting.
One thing I'll say about it, though, is since it's a prototype, it's not as well refined as a production model might be (the heatsink shield, which is metal with one or two"G5"s embossed on top on a production model, is a simple piece of heavy paper on mine). There are other things, but that difference stands out most.
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One thing I'll say about it, though, is since it's a prototype, it's not as well refined as a production model might be (the heatsink shield, which is metal with one or two"G5"s embossed on top on a production model, is a simple piece of heavy paper on mine). There are other things, but that difference stands out most.
c
