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G4 Cube GigaDesigns upgrade
Posted by: Macdrone on 2016-03-17 20:40:53
So I ended up getting best offer for 100 plus shipping for that accelerator off ebay.  Its good up to 1.8 and its a single but he said 1.6 was waaayyyy more stable and its what it came set at.  I just wanted over 1 ghz really and 1.6 will be great not needing a new VRM.

Im installing OS9 as my firmware is so old I must to run the Giga firmware updater.

More to follow.
Posted by: TheWhiteFalcon on 2016-03-17 20:46:42
Might want to look at adding a fan as well.
Posted by: Byrd on 2016-03-17 20:47:17
My GigaDesign 1.4Ghz upgrade never worked with the GigaDesign VRM, I'd put some heatsinks on the stock Apple VRM (see CubeOwner for locations) and all will be fine.
Posted by: Macdrone on 2016-03-17 21:09:24
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Posted by: Macdrone on 2016-03-17 21:10:13
This did not have a VRM with it and was not listed in parts.
Posted by: Macdrone on 2016-03-17 21:11:08
Fan comes with it, already had a fan in it just because I upgraded the video card put the one with the Giga has an LED , lol.
Posted by: Byrd on 2016-03-17 22:47:50
Was is a blue slim LED fan?  They're nice quality, and silent.  Stock, what is the speed of the CPU (it should be marked) - I'd safely bump it 200Mhz above the rated speed.
Posted by: Bunsen on 2016-03-17 23:51:05
Might wanna redo the thermal goop.
Posted by: Unknown_K on 2016-03-18 14:21:57
Those upgrades sound like you are creating a small toaster oven.
Posted by: Macdrone on 2016-03-18 17:18:16
The video card was a whim after the original card went bad.  The fan was just a good idea.  The processor says 1.8 ghz but its a bus multiplier.  Maybe with some new arctic silver it would run at that.  Its heat sink is a huge heavy piece of copper.  Had to cost a bunch back in the day.

I just got lucky as I said I want just a 1 ghz but this will more than suit the cube.

Firmware has been beating me up, had to find a good link to 4.1.9 from apple, which i had to use wayback for.  Now I need to run the giga firmware.
Posted by: Macdrone on 2016-03-18 17:22:16
Giga firmware updated now to install.  This is gonna be a tomorrow evolution as I work early in the morning so wont have time to put it back together.
Posted by: Macdrone on 2016-03-18 17:26:14
Thermal paste on Giga was concrete at this point.
Posted by: Macdrone on 2016-03-18 17:27:46
No speed listed on the processor itself.

since there are 2 sets of jumpers and it says contact giga engineers to change the one set Ill leave it alone.
Posted by: Macdrone on 2016-03-18 18:54:17
Ok that was way easier than I remeber on the take apart.  I am done, running 1.6 ghz on OS 10.4.11 and its doing well.  Ill start playing more with it tomorrow.
Posted by: Bunsen on 2016-03-18 22:58:37
Woohoo!
Posted by: Macdrone on 2016-03-19 12:53:17
I second that woo hoo!!  Waited a long time to get a decent price on a decent upgrade.  I may look for a high power VRM just because you just never can tell.  

I guess the 500 mhz processor card will need a new home.  I totally forgot it was a 500 mhz cube.  But with the superdrive slot loader installed and 120 gig hard drive to keep it still bootable from the cube CD didnt mind changing that out.  Maybe Ill check the Cube against the quicksilver 1.25 and see how they feel side by side in OS 9.
Posted by: omidimo on 2016-03-19 20:27:36
I have been looking at this Artmix High Power VRM, but am not sure if its worth it yet. There is also the Stratos fan.

I just won a 1.8Ghz Sonnet Encore on eBay, so a VRM replacement is going to have to happen.  :-/

Posted by: TheWhiteFalcon on 2016-03-19 21:04:26
I wondered if anyone here was after that Sonnet card. Don't see those too often.
Posted by: Macdrone on 2016-03-19 21:19:25
If i get a new VRM I will push mine to 1.8.  It doesnt say anything about needing a VRM but I wont mess with it until I have to take it apart again.  

What video card are you using?  I was going to try a 9800 of some sort but not real sure.  I want to keep ADC so not going to flash a PC card.  Yes I like ADC and the monitors that go with it.
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