My Free Power Macintosh G5

[dataharvested]

A guy on FB Marketplace was giving away a free 2005 Power Macintosh G5. They had one horribly taken picture if it to go off of, but I said I'd take it. They even delivered it to my workplace and dropped it off. A nice older couple showed up in a mini-van and the man told me it used to belong to his sister and he didn't want to just throw it out. No hard drive included. I got it home and cleaned it up. It has a lot of damage to the aluminum and even some rust here and there on the inside. It DID power on however. Going to have to dig up an extra HDD to throw into it to see if it actually works.

 

[TheShortTimer]

Congratulations!

I always love to see stories like this where tech is passed onto others instead of collecting dust or ending up on a landfill. Please keep us posted on how you get on with sorting it out.

 

[dmr727]

Very nice! Glad to see it being rescued. Let us know how you progress with it.

 

[dataharvested]

Congratulations!

I always love to see stories like this where tech is passed onto others instead of collecting dust or ending up on a landfill. Please keep us posted on how you get on with sorting it out.

Will do.

 

[Doq]

A1117 spotted!

Check to make sure which tier you have before turning it on. If it's a Quad (the long label at the bottom reads 2.5), double check your coolers; else you're good to go.

 

[Tratkazir_the_1st]

@dataharvested
Drop SAS card there & attach some SSDs .

 

[dataharvested]

I powered it on again this morning, this time with a monitor connected. I let it run a bit longer and it went into leaf blower mode. No video output to the monitor either. I'm probably going to do a full tear down of the computer when I have time, to fully evaluate what's going on in there.

 

[dataharvested]

More pictures:

 

[dataharvested]

Keep in mind that I have already done a once over pass with my powered air blower/duster. The build-up on it was way worse to start.

 

[kave]

Nicest looking PC chassis ever built. I have four at home.

 

[eyoungren]

Nicest looking PC chassis ever built. I have four at home.

I remember the speculation about the G5 back in 2002-2003. At the time I was solidly PC, although my chosen profession had me working with Macs. At this time, a PowerMac G4.

I remember thinking how ugly these looked and how spot on someone was about the G5 looking like a cheese grater. I own three G5s, and a Mac Pro now, plus another G5 with a damaged case if you want to count that one. It's 21 years later and I still do not share your sentiment.

Great Macs, but I've never seen them as 'nicest looking'. The design has grown on me to an extent over the years, but I mainly came to own these Macs solely for the performance they offered. The best I can say is that I got used to the look over time.

Sorry OP, not to put down your free G5.

 

[Siliconguy]

Nice. The free part is even better given the shipping cost.

One note, the SATA connection is first generation. Not all modern SATA III drives talk down that far. If you can find a SATA II drive it's more likely to work.

Some SATA III drives can slow down to SATA I, but not all. So if a drive doesn't work don't assume the controller is dead, look for another drive.

 

[Darren.h]

almost no software available for the G5. Maybe buy a used copy of Logic Pro Studio 9 or Final Cut Pro 7 but trust me everything will be super super slow. Even with the top of the line Quad Core Machine. Browser performance really sucks.

I use to own one.

 

[weckart]

almost no software available for the G5. Maybe buy a used copy of Logic Pro Studio 9 or Final Cut Pro 7 but trust me everything will be super super slow. Even with the top of the line Quad Core Machine. Browser performance really sucks.

I use to own one.

Fortunately, the Mactintosh Garden exists, so there is a ton of software that will run on the G5. Nothing new, of course, apart from a few ported bits and pieces but at least those include browsers.

 

[eyoungren]

almost no software available for the G5. Maybe buy a used copy of Logic Pro Studio 9 or Final Cut Pro 7 but trust me everything will be super super slow. Even with the top of the line Quad Core Machine. Browser performance really sucks.

I use to own one.

Admittedly, I've not used my Quad G5 since mid-2020, but I do not recall Adobe CS4 being 'super-slow'. Nor Office 2008, nor QuarkXPress 8, nor Acrobat 9 Pro. All apps that can still make DOCX, PPTX, XLSX, INDD, QXP, and PDF files. For that matter, CS4 and QXP 8 are still the reference for modern versions of InDesign and QuarkXPress.

And PSD and PDF are PSD and PDF, while modern versions of Illustrator can still save as low as version 2 & 3. Modern versions of InDesign can save IDML that ID CS4 can still read.

So, aside from browsers, I'm not really sure what the hell you're talking about.

 

[redheeler]

Doesn't look like a quad, but on the plus side that's one less huge point of failure to worry about.

almost no software available for the G5. Maybe buy a used copy of Logic Pro Studio 9 or Final Cut Pro 7 but trust me everything will be super super slow. Even with the top of the line Quad Core Machine. Browser performance really sucks.

I use to own one.

Plenty of software (15+ years of age) that will work.

 

[TheShortTimer]

almost no software available for the G5.

With statements like this, you have to wonder whether we're being trolled. Its been a while since someone came in here and informed us that "PPC Macs are useless" etc so I suppose this was overdue.

...but trust me everything will be super super slow. Even with the top of the line Quad Core Machine.

That's certainly not my experience - and my PM G5 is slower than a Quad.

Browser performance really sucks.

The sole, valid point.

I use to own one.

I do own one.

Admittedly, I've not used my Quad G5 since mid-2020, but I do not recall Adobe CS4 being 'super-slow'. Nor Office 2008, nor QuarkXPress 8, nor Acrobat 9 Pro. All apps that can still make DOCX, PPTX, XLSX, INDD, QXP, and PDF files. For that matter, CS4 and QXP 8 are still the reference for modern versions of InDesign and QuarkXPress.

And PSD and PDF are PSD and PDF, while modern versions of Illustrator can still save as low as version 2 & 3. Modern versions of InDesign can save IDML that ID CS4 can still read.

A good overview and that's merely one instance of the PM G5's numerous strengths.

So, aside from browsers, I'm not really sure what the hell you're talking about.

Likewise.

 

[eyoungren]

Plenty of software (15+ years of age) that will work.

Well, they're probably meaning MODERN software capable of running on a G5.

But the blasé lack of understanding about where they posted, our community's attitude about using older hardware and software and why we do that is the objectionable thing. Another 'Get a new Mac' mic drop, but in different terms.

Or perhaps they just really don't know. Which begs the question of why they'd display that lack of knowledge in a definitive statement rather than asking a question instead.

Either way, not a good look.

 

[redheeler]

Well, they're probably meaning MODERN software capable of running on a G5.

But the blasé lack of understanding about where they posted, our community's attitude about using older hardware and software and why we do that is the objectionable thing. Another 'Get a new Mac' mic drop, but in different terms.

Or perhaps they just really don't know. Which begs the question of why they'd display that lack of knowledge in a definitive statement rather than asking a question instead.

Either way, not a good look.

The era of subscription-based software and required internet connectivity has warped people's perceptions about the usability of older software. Much of today's software may not be as functional in 15 years as the same software from 15 years ago is today, and that's an unfortunate reality.

Find non-subscription alternatives to software like the Adobe Suite and Microsoft Office and you can get the same amount of longevity out of it.

 

[eyoungren]

The era of subscription-based software and required internet connectivity has warped people's perceptions about the usability of older software. Much of today's software may not be as functional in 15 years as the same software from 15 years ago is today, and that's an unfortunate reality.

Find non-subscription alternatives to software like the Adobe Suite and Microsoft Office and you can get the same amount of longevity out of it.

Absolutely. And when modern, subscription software is writing out files that have certain versions of the programs as the standard this is even more true. I can bounce back and forth between an M2 running ID CC24 and a G4/G5 running ID CS4 because the format of IDML is at version CS4. And ID CC24 can directly open CS4 files. So on and so on with other apps. Heck, you could even run Office 2004 with the update to write DOCX files if you want.

I do have a sub with Adobe (now), but I'm using Photoshop CC 2022 because Galadriel makes me smile every time I open the program. And CC 2024 likes to think for itself and not about how I want to use the program.

People are conditioned now, it's a shame.

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

Congrats. Can you get a pic of the model specs label? I’m so curious what model it is

 

[QuickSilverLining]

The era of subscription-based software and required internet connectivity has warped people's perceptions about the usability of older software. Much of today's software may not be as functional in 15 years as the same software from 15 years ago is today, and that's an unfortunate reality.

Find non-subscription alternatives to software like the Adobe Suite and Microsoft Office and you can get the same amount of longevity out of it.

I really miss the days of when you went and bought software (and hardware) and it was actually fully, 100%, unequivocally, yours forever. You didn't have to be tied to a subscription service, you don't have to have internet and be logged in 24/7 to use your apps, etc etc. I've still got Office 98 and Photoshop on a Yikes G4 and they just work.

Also, a very nice find OP! The A1117 is probably one of the most elusive Power Macs to find in decent shape... or even functioning for that matter, since G5s tend to be very unpredictable, and that model was the end of the line.

 

[840quadra]

Congratulations!

I received a free 2004 Dual 2.0 Ghz (Niagra) and a Mac Pro 3,1 from the same person about 2 years ago. I don't keep them booted up as much as my 5,1 tower, but like others I love the industrial design of these machines. Hopefully yours turns out to be a good member of your collection as well!

My Niagra G5 is my server of classic software to my older Mac computers, including my beloved Quadra 840av. Currently the G5 is booted up and serving video to my iPad Pro (Via VLC) and I have a few new albums I intend to digitize into lossless using a combo of my Quadra 840av, and re-encode using my G5.

 

[Dronecatcher]

almost no software available for the G5. Maybe buy a used copy of Logic Pro Studio 9 or Final Cut Pro 7 but trust me everything will be super super slow. Even with the top of the line Quad Core Machine. Browser performance really sucks.

I use to own one.

Gee...how on earth did I produce and record two EPs the other year on my Powerbook G4

 

[Dronecatcher]

@dataharvested You might want to look at my Dual Core G5 doing stuff the other year: