Upgrade 4.1 Mac pro

1) Open your case and check if there is one or two heat sink, then you will know the answer. Anyway, for quad core, it should be a single CPU version.

2) X5680 is good for both single or dual CPU 4,1. Of course, for single CPU model, the max you can get is 6 cores.

3) No problem at all. 4x8G is good for any 4,1 with X5680.

4) Yes, you should use DDR3 1333MHz UDIMM ECC stick.

5) Yes, you can use RAID 0 on SSDs, and it will be much much faster than HDDs.

N.B. It seems you are not very familiar about your 4,1. You better do more study before pull the trigger. Upgrade a single CPU 4,1 is not hard at all, but you still need to flash the 5,1 firmware before you upgrade the CPU, otherwise, it won't boot. For dual CPU 4,1, at your current level, upgrade CPUs may become a disaster.

1.) Is a quad core so single CPU - to get a dual socket would need to get hold of a 4,1 Dual CPU board, and swap out.

2.) If you want to install the X5680 or the W3680 chips then make sure you flash your 4,1 to a 5,1 first. Advantage of the 5680 is that can support extra RAM. support 2 CPU systems ( In a single socket system is irrelevant though )

3.) The 5680/3680 can use ECC 1333MHz RAM, that is what should be looking for. You will have 4 slots so will work however check the speed first.

4.) Memory doesn't have to be specific, lower speed processors support 1066MHz RAM, however 1333MHz will work fine, it would just run at 1066MHz until a CPU supporting 1333MHz is installed. My system was bought as a 2.8Quad and the RAM ran at 1066. After upgrade to W3680 then the RAM ran at 1333 instead. The RAM is 1333MHz, if as 1066MHz then would have remained at 1066MHz

5.) Yes you can RAID0 SSD's. I do a pair of OCZ in my 5,1. As always with RAID0 then be aware of the issues that can occur with RAID0 such as if 1 disk goes then the whole RAID is gone etc. Personally I use a single SSD for Boot/Apps and then a RAID0 SSD for my FCPX Library. How often are you closing/opening Apps. and 1 SSD is quicker then a RAID0 WD Black unless have a really old SSD.

It won't hurt having the extra RAM, I would guess with 4K editing you may find use the extra RAM.

Mac Pro can support 1 GPU card. Motherboard has two GPU power connectors, however if can find one can fit an aux PSU in the lower optical bay to power a second card.

Whilst can use pretty much any paste, I used some Thermalright Paste that had and would suggest using some quality paste. Is working fine on my W3680.

enny001 said:

Hi guys just been contacted by the company that i got my memory from and they say that my mac serial number being e703700g4pc will support PC3-8500 memory as opposed to the New Apple Mac Pro 32gb 4x8 DDR3 1333mhz PC3-10600 204 Pin Memory offered in this listing. and right now i have 12 gb of 1066 from owc.

So should i cancel or they don't know what they are taking about. Basically i will first update my 4.1 mac to 5.1 install Xeon X5680 Six Core 3.33GHz 12M 6.40GT/s and 32gb 4x8 DDR3 1333mhz PC3-10600 204 Pin Memory and i should be good to go.

Thanks again

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Your 4.1 Mac Pro will work with the PC3-10600 DDR3 1333mhz ram. Once you completed the firmware upgrade to 5.1 and have installed the x5680 and do a PRAM reset, your good to go. The company may not be aware that the PC3-10600 1333Mhz ram will also work on a 4.1 Mac Pro.

Not to hijack or derail the thread, the hex cores @ 2.66Ghz will i see any preformance gain going from dual quads @ 2.66Ghz to dual hex's @2.66Ghz? or would i see more of a difference with dual hexs @ 2.93Ghz / 3.33Ghz?

^^^^Unless your using applications that are multi processor aware you will notice no gain from increasing the total cores, but keeping the speed the same. I went with X5677s (Dual Quads @ 3.46MHz) because I felt the speed bump would be more beneficial to what I do, than going from 8 to 12 cores. My 5,1 feels pretty snappy to me, and my single core Geekbench score is 2780.

Lou