From: sizeofcat@riseup.net   
      
   On 2025-10-31 09:59:52 +0000, Vela025 said:   
      
   > On 30/10/2025 06:51, sizeofcat wrote:   
   >> I've mentioned it before, my main computers are those in the signature,   
   >> my main machine is a PowerPC iMac G5 (2004) and as a laptop I use a   
   >> PowerPC iBook G4 (2005), both running OS X 10.5.8.   
   > Ah another iMac G5 user. I've really been round the houses recently   
   > with different Linux distros. I'm now back to OSX Tiger, but last night   
   > downloaded Sorbet Leopard (again). The main reason I downgraded to   
   > Tiger was the fan was running at either medium or high almost all the   
   > time in Leopard and Sorbet (even with the tweaks) and it has a pretty   
   > loud whine...which is odd as when I read about G5 iMacs the consensus   
   > at the time was how quiet they are. I've cleaned out the fans and blown   
   > through the heatsink...does yours whine too? It's the early G5 (not the   
   > iSight or ALS).   
      
   You have exactly the same iMac as me (generation-wise, the 1st gen, not   
   the 2nd gen called ALS or 3rd gen called iSight), mine is 17 inch (the   
   smaller one). Well, I've removed everything including the logicboard,   
   repasted the CPU, GPU and U3 chip using Noctua thermal paste, I've   
   blown air through all the fans and checked if they work OK considering   
   those are 20-years old bearings, and the temperature is exactly the   
   same as before. It idles at 60degrees Celsius and goes to 70degrees max   
   in continued full load (I've compiled my Firefox fork in one day and   
   the temp stayed at 70 through all the ordeal). If your temp goes over   
   70 you should consider replacing the thermal pads with either new pads   
   or thermal paste.   
      
   As for being quiet, it's quiet until 65 degress and then the fans start   
   going hardcore (but not like a quad G5 PowerMac, obviously). Thing is   
   there will be very few things pushing mine to 70 degrees, and that's   
   mostly either Macports rebuilding GCC or CMake, or me re-building my   
   Firefox or Thunderbird forks. GCC 14 rebuild takes about 3 days, CMake   
   takes about one a half. Or Sims 2.   
      
   Removing the logic board for the 1st gen is piece of cake, so repasting   
   the chips should be an easy job. But you need to remove the logic board   
   from the case first, because the U3 chip is on the bottom side of the   
   board, pressed against a copper sink and the thermal pad was more like   
   thermal gunk (completely destroyed, unlike the CPU and GPU ones).   
      
   Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with, I opened   
   mine a few times and it doesn't have any more secrets to me. I think I   
   have some inside photos somewhere, too.   
      
   --   
   PGP ID: 0x4ED4000C90382C23D4178CB9EC61D381F2735495   
   Website: http://sizeof.cat   
   Desktop: iMac G5 PowerPC, 2GB RAM, 2004   
   Laptop: iBook G4 PowerPC, 1.5GB RAM, 2005   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)