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AdiPlayZ

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 10, 2019
39
8
Hi so I want more USB port instead the 4 usb port on the late 2005 Power Mac G5 Quad so I find this:
1577200685162.png

Will it works on Leopard? The seller said it works on the 2006 to the 2012 Mac pro's. It USB 2.0 not 3.0.
 

Eriamjh1138@DAN

macrumors 6502a
Sep 16, 2007
931
1,018
BFE, MI
There used to be something called OHCI for common USB cards that worked between Mac and windows without drivers.
I dont know if it ever applied to USB2 cards.

My initial guess is NO. Because so many just don’t work with PowerPC. It’s so hard to find any site that mentions PPC compatibility anymore.
 

psychicist

macrumors newbie
Dec 21, 2018
11
11
Hi so I want more USB port instead the 4 usb port on the late 2005 Power Mac G5 Quad so I find this:
View attachment 884515
Will it works on Leopard? The seller said it works on the 2006 to the 2012 Mac pro's. It USB 2.0 not 3.0.

It looks like a PCI card and my late 2005 Powermac G5 Dual only has PCI-Express slots, so I doubt this will work on your machine. You are better off getting a PCI-Express USB 3.0 card with a NEC/Renesas chip or perhaps something from Sonnet.
 
Hi so I want more USB port instead the 4 usb port on the late 2005 Power Mac G5 Quad so I find this:
View attachment 884515
Will it works on Leopard? The seller said it works on the 2006 to the 2012 Mac pro's. It USB 2.0 not 3.0.

Yeah, this card is incompatible with your Quad G5. Look for a PCIe (PCI-Express) card.

As for plug-n-play, I’m fairly certain OHCI is applicable for USB2 cards, as I use a PCI-X USB2/FW400 card in my DP G5. If in doubt, it’s worth checking to make sure the controller chipset is by NEC (other controllers, such as ALI, may or may not be usable) — something like this or this, for example.
 
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AdiPlayZ

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 10, 2019
39
8
Guys the chip is from NEC look at this:
1577243557409.png

Surely it compatible?


Yeah, this card is incompatible with your Quad G5. Look for a PCIe (PCI-Express) card.

As for plug-n-play, I’m fairly certain OHCI is applicable for USB2 cards, as I use a PCI-X USB2/FW400 card in my DP G5. If in doubt, it’s worth checking to make sure the controller chipset is by NEC (other controllers, such as ALI, may or may not be usable) — something like this or this, for example.
 

Eriamjh1138@DAN

macrumors 6502a
Sep 16, 2007
931
1,018
BFE, MI
Google the
Antaira USB-68001
and see what you can come up with.

It’s the one that OWC used to sell. It’s PCI-e.
 
Last edited:

AdiPlayZ

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 10, 2019
39
8
I found this pcie card
1577290112947.png

It's have a VLI chipset and it doesn't say it compatible with mac os so it must be compatible with linux?
 

weckart

macrumors 603
Nov 7, 2004
5,957
3,658
I found this pcie card
It's have a VLI chipset and it doesn't say it compatible with mac os so it must be compatible with linux?


If you want to run Mac OS X on your PowerMac, you need to look for a USB 2.0 card with a PCIe connector. Preferably with an NEC or TI chip. PCIe 3.0 cards use different controller chips and all of those require drivers, which do not exist in Leopard or for PPC at all. I don't know whether USB 3.0 cards are backwards compatible so that they will work in PPC Macs as USB 2.0 cards; that is a gamble you are free to take yourself.

Something like this obsolete Belkin card is what you should be looking for.

31pkSdhBzNL._AC_.jpg


Your problem is going to be that USB 2.0 is obsolete for new hardware and the only new card still being sold is from StarTech and has a ViA chip, which is probably best avoided.

You will probably have to look at second hand shops locally or eBay and hope that something suitable turns up. Forget AliExpress or the Chinese online dealers. They only deal in newer technology almost none of which will work with vintage Apple hardware.

This one claims to be compatible: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Port-H...PowerMac-G5-Late-05-All-Mac-Pro-/262496715609 but it is rather expensive and I cannot see what the chipset is from the blurred picture.
 

AdiPlayZ

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 10, 2019
39
8
If you want to run Mac OS X on your PowerMac, you need to look for a USB 2.0 card with a PCIe connector. Preferably with an NEC or TI chip. PCIe 3.0 cards use different controller chips and all of those require drivers, which do not exist in Leopard or for PPC at all. I don't know whether USB 3.0 cards are backwards compatible so that they will work in PPC Macs as USB 2.0 cards; that is a gamble you are free to take yourself.

Something like this obsolete Belkin card is what you should be looking for.

View attachment 884827


Your problem is going to be that USB 2.0 is obsolete for new hardware and the only new card still being sold is from StarTech and has a ViA chip, which is probably best avoided.

You will probably have to look at second hand shops locally or eBay and hope that something suitable turns up. Forget AliExpress or the Chinese online dealers. They only deal in newer technology almost none of which will work with vintage Apple hardware.

This one claims to be compatible: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Port-H...PowerMac-G5-Late-05-All-Mac-Pro-/262496715609 but it is rather expensive and I cannot see what the chipset is from the blurred picture.

Ok thank you for the suggestion.
 

iluvmacs99

macrumors 6502a
Apr 9, 2019
920
673
The only one that is compatible with your PowerMac G5 Quad that has PCIe slots is to buy a new "CLONE" version of a working natively supported card from Hong Kong made by Nanotech. This card will work with your Quad and natively supported by Tiger, Leopard on Late G5 and up to High Sierra on the Mac Pro.


They also have other cards for various PowerMac G5 machines to expand the storage and upgrade video. HongKong should be closer to Malaysia if that's where you are residing at? Hope this helps.
 
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weckart

macrumors 603
Nov 7, 2004
5,957
3,658
The only one that is compatible with your PowerMac G5 Quad that has PCIe slots is to buy a new "CLONE" version of a working natively supported card from Hong Kong made by Nanotech.

That's the one I linked to in my post. Can you tell what the chipset is on that? It doesn't appear to be either an NEC or a TI.
 

iluvmacs99

macrumors 6502a
Apr 9, 2019
920
673
That's the one I linked to in my post. Can you tell what the chipset is on that? It doesn't appear to be either an NEC or a TI.

I believe it is a clone of a Belkin card that you linked to in your post, but with a slight mod to work with Mac Pro as well so they can sell to both late G5 and Mac Pro owners. I'm not sure about the chipset though; but it is something special they made because it is rare to see a PCIe card work on both G5 and Mac Pro from Tiger all the way to High Sierra natively. Usually some cards like the 1022AM from HighPoint works only from Snow Leopard to Sierra, but it requires a separate driver.
 

Eriamjh1138@DAN

macrumors 6502a
Sep 16, 2007
931
1,018
BFE, MI
Here is the PCIe USB2 card that is in my G5 Quad.

You can see the chipset used and the overall design.

It looks like the same chipset (just with a different suffix) and in a reduced size package. The one you found MIGHT work (no guarantees).
 

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