Post your "About This Mac" from your FrankenMac!

[macagain]

All you folks who have upgraded your MacPros to some "non-standard" config, how bout posting your "About This Mac"...

I'll start with my 1,1...

 

[bkpr]

A little while ago I Frankensteined my quad core 1,1 Mac Pro into an octo core. Scary stuff (at least for me) but worked out well. I wrote about the experience on my blog: http://bartkowalski.com/2010/11/octocore/

I'm itching for a new Mac Pro as are many others. I've been *this* close to pulling the trigger on a hex 3.33 over the last few months. I keep telling myself the update is coming, the update is coming…

 

[thankins]

I got the 2010 Mac Pro (hex model with 6 GBs of RAM)

Since then I have added a 3 TB HD, 240 GB OWC SSD, and removed the 6 GBs of RAM and put in 3 x 8 GBs of ECC RAM.

 

[reebzor]

Upgraded from 1,1 2x2.0GHz dual core to x5355's with 2,1 firmware

 

[ClassObject]

2009 macpro

 

[Cindori]

can hackintoshers join the party?

 

[wonderspark]

Was playing with Apple logo colors... settled on green, since I love green apples. I was going for a Granny Smith green.

 

[jasonvp]

I posted this in another thread, but my 2010 was originally a 2 x 2.4GHz e5620 and was upgraded to a 2 x 3.46GHz x5690 system.

For storage, I have 5 drives in the machine. One SSD in the 5.25" bay under the BD-ROM drive, 2 1TB 7200RPM drives mirrored together in drive bays 1 and 2, and 2 300GB 10000RPM drives striped together in drive bays 3 and 4.

jas

 

[sunnyj]

2009 macpro
Image

how did you upgrade the cpu on the 2009? i read that the 2009 8 core has lidless cpu's thus making it impossible to switch them out to 6core cup's.

 

[jasonvp]

how did you upgrade the cpu on the 2009? i read that the 2009 8 core has lidless cpu's thus making it impossible to switch them out to 6core cup's.

It's not impossible, just really tricky and not for the faint of heart as I understand it. You can do one of a few things, from what I know:

• Try to pry the lids off the new Intel chips (eek!)
• Attach the heat sinks without tightening the screws down much at all
• Attach the heat sinks with different screws and washers to give the heat sink enough room to clear the lid and not crush the chip pins.

jas

 

[sunnyj]

It's not impossible, just really tricky and not for the faint of heart as I understand it. You can do one of a few things, from what I know:

• Try to pry the lids off the new Intel chips (eek!)
• Attach the heat sinks without tightening the screws down much at all
• Attach the heat sinks with different screws and washers to give the heat sink enough room to clear the lid and not crush the chip pins.

jas

which of the 3 methods above did you go with?

 

[jasonvp]

which of the 3 methods above did you go with?

I didn't. Mine is a 2010 that I upgraded. You were initially replying to someone that upgraded a 2009.

jas

 

[sunnyj]

I didn't. Mine is a 2010 that I upgraded. You were initially replying to someone that upgraded a 2009.

jas

your right... sorry my bad.

 

[destroyer01]

My Mac Pro 1.1 2006

How or what CPU upgrade can I do with my Mac Pro. Any ideas will greatly appreciated. !!!!!! I really think that this a steal for $550.00 just as is, and I would like to know what possibilities I have as far as upgrading it.

 

[ClassObject]

how did you upgrade the cpu on the 2009? i read that the 2009 8 core has lidless cpu's thus making it impossible to switch them out to 6core cup's.

I went to a hardware store with my digital caliper. I needed washers that would provide about 2.3mm increase in height. I used 16 1.16mm stainless steel washers. I also had to remove the retaining clips from the heatsink fan with flush cut clippers to allow the fan connector to make a connection. All has worked well for 6 or 7 months. Existing screws were reused.

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can hackintoshers join the party?

Hacks are frankenmacs by definition.

 

[jasonvp]

How or what CPU upgrade can I do with my Mac Pro. Any ideas will greatly appreciated. !!!!!! I really think that this a steal for $550.00 just as is, and I would like to know what possibilities I have as far as upgrading it.

Your Mac's motherboard has 2 771 sockets in it, so I'd assume that any socket 771 Xeon would work. But that's an ASSumption on my part, so take it for what it's worth.

The real problem you'll have is 4GB of RAM which in the 64bit world just isn't enough. And DDR2 RAM has sky-rocketed in price. So even if you do get the processors safely replaced, you're still going to be swapping like mad unless you invest some $$ in more RAM.

jas

 

[destroyer01]

Your Mac's motherboard has 2 771 sockets in it, so I'd assume that any socket 771 Xeon would work. But that's an ASSumption on my part, so take it for what it's worth.

The real problem you'll have is 4GB of RAM which in the 64bit world just isn't enough. And DDR2 RAM has sky-rocketed in price. So even if you do get the processors safely replaced, you're still going to be swapping like mad unless you invest some $$ in more RAM.

jas

Do you happen to know exactly what hardware or where I could start to purchase the Ram and or CPU's and maybe the cost $$$. Thanks

 

[ashman70]

Do you happen to know exactly what hardware or where I could start to purchase the Ram and or CPU's and maybe the cost $$$. Thanks

For a little over $200 you can add 8GB of RAM to your system, I realize its more expensive then DDR3, but not outrageous IMO.

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory#667-memory

 

[donw35]

for the sake of it

 

[ClassObject]

for the sake of it

That's good sheet

 

[alphaod]

I really want to join this party… but I'm afraid I'm not willing to spend $2400 on new processors.

 

[wonderspark]

I really want to join this party… but I'm afraid I'm not willing to spend $2400 on new processors.

Why would they cost you $2400? My single CPU was only $585.
I take it you have dual processors?

 

[d-m-a-x]

mines pretty OEM. 2.66 quad with 7 gigs ram does fine for photoshop. Hard drive bays are filled. Radeon upgrade, i think 49xx. I did get a blu ray burner in the 2nd bay with a sata cable plugged into the motherboard.

 

[reebzor]

Since we are posting Hack's, here's my server.

 

[Rokeneer]

Do you happen to know exactly what hardware or where I could start to purchase the Ram and or CPU's and maybe the cost $$$. Thanks

Just check out Intel's Harpertown line for new CPU's. And OWC (macsales.com) is the best place for memory.

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I have a Mac Pro 1,1 running 2x 3Ghz dual core "Woodcrest" Processors. I am looking to upgrade the processors, but I have a question about compatibility.

I know I need to get a chip that has the LGA771 socket, but what about TDP? Do I have to stay at the 80W max TDP per processor, or can I increase it to something like 120W or 150W max TDP?