Since the new iMacs have socketable processors, is it possible for someone to pop a, for example, a Q9650 LGA775 processor into the C2D iMacs, if one wanted to?
Since the new iMacs have socketable processors, is it possible for someone to pop a, for example, a Q9650 LGA775 processor into the C2D iMacs, if one wanted to?
No. There are no quad core CPUs that will work in the C2D iMac.
Why? Core 2 Quads use LGA 775
Search. Many have tried it, none have succeeded.
I was going to attempt this in my 21.5" iMac, I planned to test a quad core processor, however, I know for instance that the Q9550 will not work as the processor has to high a TDP. The iMac will boot to the grey screen and nothing more. My theory is that a Q9550s with it's lower TDP would work.
The TDP has nothing to do with booting. The firmware doesn't just support it so it can't get past the white loading screen.
Q9550 is 95w and 9550s is 65w. That could well be why the Q9550 will not "boot" beyond the grey screen. I think the EFI is fine.
i dont think the power is the problem the psu has enough power to allow the quad , its the firmware thats stopping
the whole process
the mac is still a simple computer and the firmware is in theory nothing else as the bios in a pc , and in the bios you can restrict a lot of things
maybe it is the heat , so apple did take the ability to upgrade in consideration and to make sure it does not overheat they restricted the choice of processors
that would give them the chance to offer the faster quad later as a option by simply doing a firmware update
I agree that the PSU is capable, the EFI on the other hand may enumerate a rule that states "Processor = 65w". Apple would not have purposefully limited the processor inside the iMac as a consumer would void any warranty in removing the heat sink anyway so why would they bother?
The 65w restriction on the processor seems the most likely so again a Q9550S should work. I also feel the need to add that Apple will not be offering a Core 2 quad option in future. (that's your theory of a firmware update thrown out) The reason being that they already have quad core iMacs.
Explain me why the i7 iMac has 95W CPU inside and it runs the same firmware
They run the same EFI? I was always under the impression the i5/i7 used a different logic board to that of the Core 2 duo models. The two would need different EFI sets as they are different hardware.
Got any proof they are the same?
They run the same EFI? I was always under the impression the i5/i7 used a different logic board to that of the Core 2 duo models. The two would need different EFI sets as they are different hardware.
Got any proof they are the same?
Hmm, you're right. They do use different logic boards as i5/i7 requires LGA 1156 while C2D requires LGA 775 and likely a different EFI as well. But it still doesn't make sense that there would be TDP limit (at least I've never heard that it's even possible). More likely Apple has just "somehow" disabled them in firmware or in OS X so that they cannot be used so people can't make their own quad core iMacs but are forced to buy Apple's. You could be right but the TDP limit sounds weird and you have nothing to prove it
They obviously are different logic boards, as the C2D/C2Q series work with the LGA775 socket, and the i-series uses the LGA1156. This works out to's advantage, as when they refresh the iMacs with the dual core i3/i5 series, so they can just drop the C2D boards, and replace them with said models. The only thing they have to re-do is the 21.5 inch models, as they don't come with any i5/i7 models.
I agree with all of that and would like to say thank you for giving me some interesting reading on these forums for a change.