SiliconValleyPirate
Well-known member
I have a wonderful mystery on my hands realting to the GigE PowerMac G4 I grabbed off eBay and am preserving.
I am often interested in the Seriel number of Macs because they can be decoded into specs and other details. One of these, on earlier machines, is the build location. The vast majority of PPC Macs in the UK are prefixed CK for Cork, Ireland where Apple formally assembled and pre-checked Macs before European market delivery. But I have a weird one. The case has a CK serial sticker on the back (notably without any specs on, is that usual?), and the serial number decodes down the a GigE model as it should. The Logic Board has a XB prefix on th serial number and the rest of the number is a mismatch except the last 3 digits (both are JNX, I assume that's something to indicate the model). the XB serial also decodes to a GigE model. The board as been in the chassis for a considerable time as the chassis and board are both similarly corroded (the board was moved to a Sawtooth case ultimately because it was in way better condition).
Does anyone know what the build location XB is and where this board might have originated? Is it possibly a service 'EXchange Board' that's been supplied as a spare part? I'm really curious.
I am often interested in the Seriel number of Macs because they can be decoded into specs and other details. One of these, on earlier machines, is the build location. The vast majority of PPC Macs in the UK are prefixed CK for Cork, Ireland where Apple formally assembled and pre-checked Macs before European market delivery. But I have a weird one. The case has a CK serial sticker on the back (notably without any specs on, is that usual?), and the serial number decodes down the a GigE model as it should. The Logic Board has a XB prefix on th serial number and the rest of the number is a mismatch except the last 3 digits (both are JNX, I assume that's something to indicate the model). the XB serial also decodes to a GigE model. The board as been in the chassis for a considerable time as the chassis and board are both similarly corroded (the board was moved to a Sawtooth case ultimately because it was in way better condition).
Does anyone know what the build location XB is and where this board might have originated? Is it possibly a service 'EXchange Board' that's been supplied as a spare part? I'm really curious.