Mac Pro: How to install RAM per Apple?

[cydspal]

Ok, since the Mac Pro comes with an entry level 2 x 1gb, wouldn't it be best to buy 6 x 1gb cards so that you would have 4 x 1 gb on the bottom and 4 x 1 gb on the top? From Apple:

Mac Pro (Early 2008)
The FB DIMMs used in Mac Pro (Early 2008) computers are 800 MHz DDR2 ECC fully-buffered DIMMs. The Mac Pro (early 2008) has eight FB DIMM slots on two memory riser cards that support up to 32 GB of main memory. The DIMMs are installed as pairs of 1 GB, 2 GB and 4 GB sizes.

Solution
This table shows Mac Pro RAM configurations that will achieve ideal performance when running Final Cut Studio applications:

Riser A contains: Riser B contains:
2 x 512MB 2 x 512MB
2 x 1GB 2 x 1GB
2 x 2GB 2 x 2GB
4 x 512MB 4 x 512MB
4 x 1GB 4 x 1GB
4 x 2GB 4 x 2GB

Note: DIMMs must be installed in pairs of equal size from the same vendor. For instance, you must not have one or three DIMMs on either riser at any time. Additionally, two DIMMs from different vendors should not be combined and used as a pair.

 

[aaronw1986]

As stated in other posts, best to have matching sets of 4 or 8. Therefore 1GBX8 would fine fine, however, then all the slots are filled.

 

[cydspal]

Oh, ok. So any other suggestions so I dont fill the slots and meet the Apple suggestions?

 

[Bastich]

Yes, try reading one of the five other threads dedicated to this topic.

 

[cydspal]

Yes I did and there is some confusion, but thanks for the great friendly tip

 

[orpheus1120]

Oh, ok. So any other suggestions so I dont fill the slots and meet the Apple suggestions?

Do you have $$?

If so, go for 4 x 4GB. 4 more slots left for you to fiddle with.

16GB should be enough for whatever you do.

 

[eyecool]

Yes I did and there is some confusion, but thanks for the great friendly tip

Bottom line, refer to Apple's Mac Pro (Early 2008) Guide: http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/Mac_Pro_Early_2008.pdf

Which says:
DIMMs must be installed in matched pairs and fit these specifications:
 800 MHz, DDR2, FB-DIMMs
 72-bit wide, 240-pin modules
 36 memory ICs maximum per DIMM
 Error-correcting code (ECC)

It also says how to install them if them in pairs of 4, 6 and 8.

After much debate, I think I'm going 2x2GB to add to the 2x1GB stock.

Only thing that gives me the creeps is how Apple already calls this Mac Pro the "Early 2008" version, not the 2008 version. Makes me wonder if they are going to come up a better "Mid 2008" or "End of 2008" version... LOL

 

[cydspal]

I'm with you, something tells me that "early 2008" will soon be "old 2008"..

 

[viltsu]

Sorry to borrow your topic but can I use these memory modules with my Mac Pro?
http://www.itk4you.com/eshop.php?action=article_detail&s_supplier_aid=1380793&rid=idealo

Those are cheap, those are ECC, those are Fully-Buffered and 800MHz.

 

[LorenK]

The Mac Pro RAM has heat sinks attached. From the website for the Kingston memory, it doesn't show whether there are heat sinks attached to this memory. (Of course, I don't read German, so can't really say what else it may say.) The MacRumors Guide has a description of the memory and where to buy.