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6-core mac pro memory help needed

I

instabusto

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 21, 2009
31
0
Can you use ecc-memory from ANY manufacturer as long as it is properly specced? If so, what specs do need to match?

I ordered the 6-core 3.33

I apologize if this has been answered already, the threads I've seen have mostly been about owc memory or transintl... I live in Finland and we dont get those here(i think).

Stuff that is available here, include these for example:


Corsair 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC 240-pin (CMS4GX3M1A1333C9)

Kingston ValueRAM 8GB (2x4) DDR3 1333MHz ECC Reg. w/par CL9 DR x4 with Thermal Sensor (KVR1333D3D4R9SK2/8G)

So would either of these work? And can I use 2x corsair/kingston 4gb + 2x apple 1gb to get 10gb in dual-channel mode?


Help me out here, and sorry if all this has been covered :eek:
 
You can get pretty much get any RAM, but be sure that it has a thermal sensor.
 
instabusto said:
Can you use ecc-memory from ANY manufacturer as long as it is properly specced? If so, what specs do need to match?

I ordered the 6-core 3.33

I apologize if this has been answered already, the threads I've seen have mostly been about owc memory or transintl... I live in Finland and we dont get those here(i think).

Stuff that is available here, include these for example:


Corsair 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC 240-pin (CMS4GX3M1A1333C9)

Kingston ValueRAM 8GB (2x4) DDR3 1333MHz ECC Reg. w/par CL9 DR x4 with Thermal Sensor (KVR1333D3D4R9SK2/8G)

So would either of these work? And can I use 2x corsair/kingston 4gb + 2x apple 1gb to get 10gb in dual-channel mode?


Help me out here, and sorry if all this has been covered :eek:
Click to expand...

+1 i'm wondering the same thing
 
Vylen said:
except.. you can't go around mixing unbuffered and registered ram.
Click to expand...

If I go with that kingston module I pasted, will it work with the apple 1gb modules? so 2x4gb with that kingston and 2x1gb with the sticks that come with the machine to get 10gb total in dual-channel
 
Vylen said:
no, the apple ram is unbuffered.
Click to expand...

Now I'm even more confused because other reply said you can add pretty much any memory as long as it has a thermal sensor. Or is that completely unrelated to the buffered/unbuffered stuff?

Please draw me a picture here (figuratively speaking), I'm sure you can tell I'm new to ECC :eek:
 
it's unrelated...

You need DDR3 ram with ECC and a thermal sensor.. they must all be either unbuffered or registered, but not both. Unbuffered is suggested since there's no real benefit to using registered ram in a non-server environment (although there's sometimes no choice such as 8GB modules that seem to only come in registered varieties).
 
Vylen said:
it's unrelated...

You need DDR3 ram with ECC and a thermal sensor.. they must all be either unbuffered or registered, but not both. Unbuffered is suggested since there's no real benefit to using registered ram in a non-server environment (although there's sometimes no choice such as 8GB modules that seem to only come in registered varieties).
Click to expand...

So anything that doesn't mention 'registered', has a thermal sensor, and is 1333 DDR3 ECC is what I'm looking for?
 
ensure that you have paired RAM too, otherwise it wont work.

e.g. 2x4GB + 2x1GB is fine, but 1x4GB + 2x1GB is not.

you should purchase your RAM from crucial.com or OWC (macsales.com) if you are getting confused.
 
Kingston ValueRAM KVR1333D3D4R9SK3/12GI 12GB(3x4GB) DDR3 1333MHz ECC Reg. w/par CL9 DR x4 with Thermal Sensor

If I order that specific 12gb kit and use only that one without the 1gb sticks, would it work?
 
Does the memory have to have a thermal sensor? Im also looking at Kingston RAM, but I was wondering if I could get away by not having the sensor.
 
simplymuzik3 said:
Does the memory have to have a thermal sensor? Im also looking at Kingston RAM, but I was wondering if I could get away by not having the sensor.
Click to expand...

You can get away with using ram without a thermal sensor if you want your Mac Pro to sound like a jet engine (well, to exaggerate a bit :p) and if you want to degrade the life of the fans.

since the Mac doesn't know the temperature of the RAM modules, it will default to running the fans on full speed.
 
Vylen said:
You can get away with using ram without a thermal sensor if you want your Mac Pro to sound like a jet engine (well, to exaggerate a bit :p) and if you want to degrade the life of the fans.

since the Mac doesn't know the temperature of the RAM modules, it will default to running the fans on full speed.
Click to expand...

Ahha, I guess I'll pay a bit more to get the sensors then;) Its good to know that the fans will run full speed without the sensors! Thanks for that helpful info:)
 
DoFoT9 said:
ensure that you have paired RAM too, otherwise it wont work.

e.g. 2x4GB + 2x1GB is fine, but 1x4GB + 2x1GB is not.

you should purchase your RAM from crucial.com or OWC (macsales.com) if you are getting confused.
Click to expand...

i was wondering about this... there is 1x3GB in the, right? Does that mean if i want to put 2x4GB in, i have to ditch what's in there already?
 
instabusto said:
Kingston ValueRAM KVR1333D3D4R9SK3/12GI 12GB(3x4GB) DDR3 1333MHz ECC Reg. w/par CL9 DR x4 with Thermal Sensor

If I order that specific 12gb kit and use only that one without the 1gb sticks, would it work?
Click to expand...

Can someone confirm this so I can order them without having to worry about needing to sell them due to incompatibility :cool:
 
Kingston has a manufacturer search for its RAM on the kingston.com site. The listed modules for the new 2010 Mac Pros (1 CPU models):


KTA-MP1066/1G 1GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Module with thermal sensor
KTA-MP1066/2G 2GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Module with thermal sensor
KTA-MP1066/4G 4GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Module with thermal sensor
KTA-MP1066K3/6G 6GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Kit with thermal sensors
KTA-MP1066K3/12G 12GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Kit with thermal sensors
KTA-MP1066K4/8G 8GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Kit with thermal sensors
KTA-MP1066K4/16G 16GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Kit with thermal sensors


KTA-MP1333/1G 1GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC Module with thermal sensor
KTA-MP1333/2G 2GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC Module with thermal sensor
KTA-MP1333/4G 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC Module with thermal sensor
 
eponym said:
Kingston has a manufacturer search for its RAM on the kingston.com site. The listed modules for the new 2010 Mac Pros (1 CPU models):


KTA-MP1066/1G 1GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Module with thermal sensor
KTA-MP1066/2G 2GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Module with thermal sensor
KTA-MP1066/4G 4GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Module with thermal sensor
KTA-MP1066K3/6G 6GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Kit with thermal sensors
KTA-MP1066K3/12G 12GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Kit with thermal sensors
KTA-MP1066K4/8G 8GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Kit with thermal sensors
KTA-MP1066K4/16G 16GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Kit with thermal sensors


KTA-MP1333/1G 1GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC Module with thermal sensor
KTA-MP1333/2G 2GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC Module with thermal sensor
KTA-MP1333/4G 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC Module with thermal sensor
Click to expand...

That's not what I asked... Kingston just rebrands the apple-memory and charges more for it, at least it has been this way several times in the past.
 
The specs on that value ram kit seem correct. Do they have a return policy?

One thing to note is that it looks like it's 9 cycle RAM, which is the slowest of the 1333 stuff (though in practical applications, it makes little difference afaik).
 
eponym said:
The specs on that value ram kit seem correct. Do they have a return policy?

One thing to note is that it looks like it's 9 cycle RAM, which is the slowest of the 1333 stuff (though in practical applications, it makes little difference afaik).
Click to expand...

I don't think they'd have a return policy on this one because they'd need to order that kit from the importer. That's why I'd like to be sure...

Yeah it's CL9, I noticed crucial is CL9 as well, as are most. There's also a nice price bump usually when you go to a smaller latency and as you said it makes very little difference
 
McDLT said:
i was wondering about this... there is 1x3GB in the, right? Does that mean if i want to put 2x4GB in, i have to ditch what's in there already?
Click to expand...

yeh i was wondering about this when i posted it - and hoped that nobody would question it ;)

the memory is all still dual channel (as opposed to tri channel) so i think that it has to be in the config that i mentioned.. no clue though.
 
instabusto said:
Kingston ValueRAM KVR1333D3D4R9SK3/12GI 12GB(3x4GB) DDR3 1333MHz ECC Reg. w/par CL9 DR x4 with Thermal Sensor

If I order that specific 12gb kit and use only that one without the 1gb sticks, would it work?
Click to expand...

Did you bought it and did it work?
 
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