MacPro (5,1 2012) Where do I buy a dual CPU tray?

[i make movies]

Hi all,

I've been researching far and wide about upgrading my CPU. While there's plenty of how-to's and helpful guides out there, I cannot for the life of me find a single store or useful tip on where one can buy a CPU tray.

I have a single CPU tray (3.33 6-core) and would like to buy a dual CPU tray (to put two 3.46 chips_.

All of the upgrade sites on ebay require to have a dual cpu tray to upgrade (plus they cost way too much) and I am not paying OWC almost 4 grand to upgrade it.

I have found only this...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-661-570...757?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item418ea7b4fd

...which *seems* like it can work.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Surrat]

That one should be fine.

I have a 2012 dual, and have checked two other 2010 5,1 and both had the same SMC version on the cpu tray, meaning it would work.

 

[RoastingPig]

you gotta get 2 cpu coolers wich are expensive

 

[AndreeOnline]

I was in the exact same position.

I ended up buying a 4.1 Mac Pro for $680.

I have now flashed the firmware so that it is a "5.1" to permit the CPUs and faster memory.

When you look at the price of the tray alone, you understand why I did this. The best offer I got for a tray swap was $1600 (tray, dual X5690s and 64GB RAM), but then I'd have to send my 2010 single CPU tray in as part of the deal (and would not get it back).

The way I see it, now I've got two Mac Pros and I can work on the new one for a bit while I am still up and running with the 5.1. At some point I switch over to the upgraded 4.1-->5.1 and sell my 6-core Westmere. When all that is done, I will have gotten my upgrades pretty cheap.

When you look at the various component prices on Ebay, the $1600 deal is actually OK. But then you don't have another computer to sell to offset the upgrade. You understand why I did what I did.

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you gotta get 2 cpu coolers wich are expensive

Yep. That is the real annoyance right there. A bit hard to find and you easily hit $500 to buy both.

 

[am87elgar]

I wanted to make a little more sense of what you posted:

Did you mean you used a 4,1 tray (with upgraded firmware) in your 5,1 machine? Because that is what i am trying to do but ive read there is some issues there.

I was in the exact same position.

I ended up buying a 4.1 Mac Pro for $680.

I have now flashed the firmware so that it is a "5.1" to permit the CPUs and faster memory.

When you look at the price of the tray alone, you understand why I did this. The best offer I got for a tray swap was $1600 (tray, dual X5690s and 64GB RAM), but then I'd have to send my 2010 single CPU tray in as part of the deal (and would not get it back).

The way I see it, now I've got two Mac Pros and I can work on the new one for a bit while I am still up and running with the 5.1. At some point I switch over to the upgraded 4.1-->5.1 and sell my 6-core Westmere. When all that is done, I will have gotten my upgrades pretty cheap.

When you look at the various component prices on Ebay, the $1600 deal is actually OK. But then you don't have another computer to sell to offset the upgrade. You understand why I did what I did.

----------



Yep. That is the real annoyance right there. A bit hard to find and you easily hit $500 to buy both.

 

[bsbeamer]

I wanted to make a little more sense of what you posted:

Did you mean you used a 4,1 tray (with upgraded firmware) in your 5,1 machine? Because that is what i am trying to do but ive read there is some issues there.

NO.

As mentioned in the other thread, SMC needs to match. Updating/hacking a 4,1 machine to ID as a 5,1 does NOT change the SMC. This is the complication where 2009 trays incorrectly being sold as 5,1 compatible come into play.

Ask seller to see a screenshot of SMC whenever possible. They need to match.

 

[MIKX]

Last year I bought a 4,1 refurbished CPU tray from " macmotive " https://www.ebay.com/usr/macmotive?ul_noapp=true

It wasn't cheap but arrived looking new, beautifully packed in large bubble wrap and came with 32gb ECC ram.

I would buy from him again regardless of cost.