Yessssss!! Got a Sonnet Encore G4 ZIF! :D

[The Macster]

As per title: I've just managed to get a Sonnet Encore G4 ZIF (500 MHz) processor! I didn't think I was going to be able to G4-ise my Mac as these normally sell for crazy prices, ie between £30 and £60, but I scored this one for just £3.20 including postage! (it was listed as a DT Beige G3 (that happened to have a Sonnet G4 fitted) rather than a Sonnet G4 card such that no-one else looking for the G4 would have found it, so I arranged to buy just the G4 ZIF rather than pay a huge postage rate on an entire machine that I didn't need).

I haven't tried installing it yet as I wanted to check a few things with you guys first to make sure I don't blow anything up! -

1. Do I just stick the ZIF in, I don't need to get thermal paste or anything? When I upgraded my Beigey to a B&W's 400 MHz G3 I just stuck it in, no thermal paste or anything, so presumably it's the same with the G4? I really don't like the idea of spraying stuff all over my CPU and have never done thermal paste before so want to avoid this unless absolutely 100% necessary. Do I just use the old heatsink? (I was sent a heatsink with the G4 processor but it looks smaller than the one from a B&W that I already have).

2. Do I need to install any of the software from here in OS 9 and/or OS X? I'm thinking it looks like you need "Crescendo/Encore Processor Upgrade Software" in OS 9 and "SonnetCache Enabler" in OS X, are those two and only those two the ones that I need?

3. Does anything (eg OS 9, OS X, or apps) need to be reinstalled after installing the G4 so as to get AltiVec bits installed, or should it all be there anyway?

4. Is there anything else that I need to know? (I know about the Royal VRM thing, my G3 is a late model so hopefully doesn't have it)

Thanks in advance If the CPU works, I'll open a topic where we can discuss strategies for getting Leopard to work on my new "G4", this thing's going to be one fo the best-specced Macs out there if this processor works!

 

[coius]

if this is going into a blue and white, you WILL need to update the firmware, but not with apple's. You need to use a special firmware that shipped with the CPUs. This is the link:

Encore Firmware Update

That should fix you right up!

 

[coius]

btw, you will need to do the update from within OS 9 and do it with the original G3 processor. Do the update, once it's done, pop the sucker in and you are good

 

[LCGuy]

Its definately a very good idea to put some thermal paste on...its not hard at all. Make sure that both the CPU and the bottom of the heat sink are both completely clean, and then put a little dab of thermal paste, about the size of a tic-tac on the CPU core (the shiny part), and then install the heatsink.

Either way, you've chosen very wisely...the Sonnet upgrades are known to be very user-friendly, very easy to install, perfect for someone like you who doesn't feel comfortable mucking about with the innards of your Mac.

 

[Bolle]

arghghghgg...

/me stealz ur geefour ZIF!

damn... they go for 100-150 bucks here

 

[The Macster]

So I should install the two pieces of software that I mentioned before (not the firmware update as it's for a Beigey), but I don't need to reinstall anything in order to get AltiVec-enabled files installed?

 

[coius]

the files should detect the alti-vec automatically. The difference between a Yikes! and a B&W is the firmware it has. That's all. Once you upgrade it, it will be just a Yikes! no more is needed unless it disables the cache by default on the card's firmware itself.

If anything, you need to just do the firmware update I provided the link to at minimum, otherwise it won't boot. Apple Just disabled the G3 functions because they were going to use the Yikes! to introduce the G4 and wanted to use the Yikes! to stall till the AGP Machine was finished.

Other than that? Nothing. Just do the firmware update, drop it in. if you need the Cache to run (like if it is disabled) then go ahead and use Sonnet's enabler (if they have one)

 

[coius]

wait, if this is going into a beige, just drop it in and install the drivers. I thought this was going into the B&W. My mistake. If it's a Beige, you can't do the firmware update (it's not flashable) so just drop it in and boot up. you *might* need to change the jumpers on only if it requires you to set the FSB or multiplier

 

[The Macster]

Yes, I only have a Beigey, not a Bluey (the B&W CPU I mentioned is just one I picked up, I don't actually have a B&W machine). Ah, yes, the jumpers - do I just leave them at the current setting of 66 MHz bus/400 MHz CPU, as the Sonnet chips ignore the jumpers and configure themselves don't they? If someone could confirm this that would be very helpful, as it didn't come with any instructions and I can't find any on the Sonnet website!

 

[coius]

well, just plug it in and see what it comes up as. report back when you do that. It doesn't help to do troubleshooting BEFORE you get it in. That comes after

 

[The Macster]

Ahh, yes, but that risks blowing stuff up... I want to be completely sure before I try putting it in!

 

[Temetka]

/me has an Apple 500MHz G4 ZIF.

Soon my BeigeG3 will be happy.

Cost = Free.

Pulled from a dead B&W.

 

[alk]

Sonnet's G4 ZIFs ignore the motherboard jumpers for the CPU multiplier and set the CPU to the right speed on their own. If you overclock your bus, however, your CPU will be slower than you expect because the ZIF cards do NOT bypass the bus speed jumpers. Witness: http://www.ppcmla.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=242

Peace,

Drew

 

[The Macster]

/me has an Apple 500MHz G4 ZIF.
Soon my BeigeG3 will be happy.

Cost = Free.

Pulled from a dead B&W.

Grrrr! > You just had to go one better didn't you?! And there I was thinking that £3.20 was a good deal...

 

[Temetka]

I'd pay real money for one, and yours is a total steal.

It was just blind luck in my case.

 

[The Macster]

It was just blind luck in my case.

It certainly was luck! I'd like to have your kind of luck!

Anyway, got the G4 installed tonight and yessssssss it works! I'm trying OS 9 first as this must be one of the ultimate OS 9 machines now, woah this thing is sooooo fast! You know what, I just think this G4 thing might just catch on, this is one serious processor! (PS anyone know when Mac OS 9.3 is coming out?)

Now, is that a Leopard I hear growling in the distance?...

PS thanks for the advice guys, the reassurances and guidance really help as I get scared doing stuff like this! I'm really going to need you soon though (and will make a topic in due course) if we are going to win the Apple vs. Beige Macs war! Steve and co have been trying to kill the last of the Beigeys for years, we can't give up now, especially after clearing the major hurdle of getting AltiVec in a Beigey! Anyway, I think it would be a terrible situation if you could run Leopard on a Beige Dell (which you already can) but not a Beige Apple

 

[MacTCP]

I hope Leopard will be successfully installed on that.