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Prototype Mac Pro
- Thread starter PDX503
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I have one someone told me they are valuable. Im using it to play games LOL Its way faster than my old system and it worked well with the GTX680 out of the box. ( external PSU ) but no issues. Just wondering.. Ill never sell it I use it every day but just wondering again. Oddly this one does not have a red board but its clearly a prototype from my research.
Wow, I've never seen this before. Obviously rare. Where did you get this Mac Pro prototype?
FYI; it is possible to change the serial to whatever you want. All it takes is the Apple tool that they use to reprogram the S/N after a logic board swap. Not hard to find if you know where to look.
If that's all your going on (no external markings that indicate a prototype or a red PCB), then it's probably not a prototype.
-SC
If that's all your going on (no external markings that indicate a prototype or a red PCB), then it's probably not a prototype.
-SC
Trust me its not all I'm going on. Its a real one. Its got VERRY special mother board still. there are testing points all over the system and reset buttons all over the board. there are soldered on leads also for jumpers plus there are jumpers on this board... my ram is positioned differently and it looks like the north bridge is removable. lots of custom one off machined parts for heat sinks too.
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there are also PMW fan sockets on the board. Im using them with standard arctic cooling fans... Whisper quiet at full speed.
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there are also PMW fan sockets on the board. Im using them with standard arctic cooling fans... Whisper quiet at full speed.
I will for sure when I get some time. I have a small problem now.. I loaded bootcamp and it failed to the non bootable device. I installed the SSD from my desktop and booted it to win8.1 and then re installed / refreshed windows 8.1 now i have only a MBR auto booting into windows.... I have no bootable Mavericks drive Ill have to some how decompress the DMG to a different Drive and pull the ssd to boot the mac huh... lol.. FUN STUFF. since I cant see the boot EFI screen with the 680 and i have no other GPUs and no other mac to do the DMG burn... emulation can be cumbersome.
That is a very interesting computer you have there. The case modifications for access the logic board are interesting.
I would be interested is some higher quality photos with better lighting. Maybe with the memory boards and video cards removed, if you are willing.
Are you willing to share with us how you came across that computer?
I would be interested is some higher quality photos with better lighting. Maybe with the memory boards and video cards removed, if you are willing.
Are you willing to share with us how you came across that computer?
Is the north ridge really removable?
I'm just curious, because those sockets usually run for a few thousand alone. I'm actually surprised such a machine like this exists- it looks more like an engineering test rig/debug box then a prototype, given how the back of the machine is cutout (which is really cool, though I'd maybe cover that with something transparent to protect the board).
Anyways, thanks for the pics. That's a really interesting box you got there.
-SC
I'm just curious, because those sockets usually run for a few thousand alone. I'm actually surprised such a machine like this exists- it looks more like an engineering test rig/debug box then a prototype, given how the back of the machine is cutout (which is really cool, though I'd maybe cover that with something transparent to protect the board).
Anyways, thanks for the pics. That's a really interesting box you got there.
-SC
It was given to me by some one who received it as a gift as well. Its always running in full speed fan mode. This is an issue that may or may not be a fault or done on purpose for bench marking etc...? I currently have one fan cooling the CPUS running on a 3 pin fan plug like the one seen at the tip of my finger (that one is for the power supply). there are two more by the CPU I have this mounted in the front ( i could do more but ) temps seem ok..? Since im in windows now though im going to take readings from what I know windows wise and ill post that too..
Your pie is ready. Do you prefer it served cold or hot?
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So why does the info in those shots not tally?
When in Mavericks it claims to be a 2.8 machine. Yet in Windows it magically becomes a 3.00? No chance.
It may be a final pre-production sample, but it isn't an original prototype. Arn posted pictures on here of a true MP prototype.
Being that non of us know how many prototype revolutions Apple make, or how they evolve, or to what degree they are used for in and outside the company before production models are shipped I don't see any evidence this isn't a prototype other than it being more advanced than the only other prototype to surface on here.
On the CPU thing: engineering samples, some CPU models during the 1,1-3,1 era, and Hackintoshes often report the wrong CPU speed in About This Mac and system profiler.
I think the only thing you could add that would give performance would be 5482s at 3.2GHz. I.e not worth it.
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Nope.
I don't think the NB is removable. The sockets that facilitate that are absolutely massive and usually have a large locking mechanism on the top.
Honestly, I wouldn't monkey around with the machine at all. That thing is probably worth a few pennies just because nobody has ever seen anything like it before (the last Mac Pro prototype I saw had red PCBs, Thermalright heatsinks, and was stuffed in a very large and very boring steel case). If you start replacing stuff, you're just going to impact the value of the machine.
You wanted to know what it was worth, so I'd chuck it on eBay and see. Make sure you post as many pictures as possible and clearly label it as a prototype or engineering debug box. It's probably worth a few thousand bucks at least.
-SC