Swapping Mac components from one unit to another
I have an old Mac G4 Quicksilver 867 MHz. I don't use it that often, just for listening to music on iTunes and occasionally recording demo ideas using an old version of ProTools or GarageBand. Over the years I have upgraded it: Maxed out the RAM, installed a CD-DVD superdrive, installed two new 300G hard drives. and installed a upgraded video card.
Recently I upgraded it to OSX 10.5.8 and installed ProTools 8.0. This seems to have pushed this machine to its limit. While it still runs fine on basic stuff, I have noticed occasional performance hiccups and delays.
Somebody offered to give me an old G5 tower, but it's just a shell - case, motherboard (dual 2GHz processors) and power supply.
While I know I would need to buy some new RAM memory, can I take the hard drives, video card, and superdrive out of my G4 and put them in the G5? If I do it, will it boot right up with no problems?
I have done a little research and it looks like all the upgraded hardware I have in my old G4 is equal to or better than what originally came in the G5.
Basically, I am hoping I can swap all the good hardware from the G4 to the G5, take advantage of the improved G5 processors, and not have to reinstall the OS or any other software. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Recently I upgraded it to OSX 10.5.8 and installed ProTools 8.0. This seems to have pushed this machine to its limit. While it still runs fine on basic stuff, I have noticed occasional performance hiccups and delays.
Somebody offered to give me an old G5 tower, but it's just a shell - case, motherboard (dual 2GHz processors) and power supply.
While I know I would need to buy some new RAM memory, can I take the hard drives, video card, and superdrive out of my G4 and put them in the G5? If I do it, will it boot right up with no problems?
I have done a little research and it looks like all the upgraded hardware I have in my old G4 is equal to or better than what originally came in the G5.
Basically, I am hoping I can swap all the good hardware from the G4 to the G5, take advantage of the improved G5 processors, and not have to reinstall the OS or any other software. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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I don't agree with the accepted solution. The article referred to was about trying to install Mac OS on PC platform, which is not only difficult, but illegal.
Upgrading a Mac with parts from another Mac should normally be easy.
However, the problem in your case is that Apple used ATA hard drives in G4's but switched to SATA drives on G5's, so your old drives will not work in the G5.
Upgrading a Mac with parts from another Mac should normally be easy.
However, the problem in your case is that Apple used ATA hard drives in G4's but switched to SATA drives on G5's, so your old drives will not work in the G5.
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