Run off 1 CPU only, 2006 2.66

[shardey]

I have come across a Mac Pro at a very good cost and would like to know if it is possible to run this computer from a single processor.

What happened is that the owner was cleaning the machine with a vacuum brush and accidentally bent a few pins on the board where the CPU goes. The attempt to fix the bent pins turned out to be unsuccessful resulting with 2-3 broken pins

Would it be possible, not my skill level at least but maybe my professor, to buy a non working board for cheap and attempt to repair it?

Thanks for your time, hope for some positive answers!

 

[Ccrew]

I'd pass on this one personally. Sounds like a disassemble and repair hack and you'll never know what you're really dealing with.

 

[shardey]

I'd pass on this one personally. Sounds like a disassemble and repair hack and you'll never know what you're really dealing with.

Well I have torn it down and seen the physical damage, I would assume it is possible to run with one cpu only, also would be only 1 riser card of memory as well.

 

[Eidorian]

It will work with one processor.

 

[AngryRedTicTac]

The machine will run off a single processor, but if you can get it for really cheap, i.e. a hundred bucks or so you might as well pick up a 5355 or 5365 and make it a quad again. 5355s are like 100-150 now on eBay, single 5365s can be had for around 300, which will start moving the price tag up a bit uncomfortably high for a damaged machine, but would be a nice performance boost. Putting a entire new board in would certainly fix it, but would cost as much as the machine is worth.

 

[shardey]

The machine will run off a single processor, but if you can get it for really cheap, i.e. a hundred bucks or so you might as well pick up a 5355 or 5365 and make it a quad again. 5355s are like 100-150 now on eBay, single 5365s can be had for around 300, which will start moving the price tag up a bit uncomfortably high for a damaged machine, but would be a nice performance boost. Putting a entire new board in would certainly fix it, but would cost as much as the machine is worth.

If it runs off of one CPU, then I am not going to complain for right now. But in the future, yes I could def see that. I did pick up a dell for $500 that has 2 quad core 2.5ghz cpus (5200/5400 series xeon not sure which one) and with 32gb 800mhz FB ECC RAM!!! The ram alone was worth the purchase. So I will have 2 cores and 16gb ram for this.

Also this came with a 4890 1gb ATI, 23" hp monitor, 1tb hdd, and an apple tv

Didn't apple move to the 5400 series in the 2008 edition? If so then I could drop those 2 CPU's in there.

 

[shardey]

Just tested it with one CPU (B) and riser B, and all the machine does is turn on, no beeps and the white light flashes intermittently.

Edit: Got it to work by putting both riser cards in it. Works fine with CPU b only.

Anyone else have any input about fixing the logic board? It looks like that a thin pin could be finely soldered to make a contact from the board to the cpu. Hopefully my professor has some good input.

 

[AngryRedTicTac]

I don't know about fixing the logic board, be great if it could be done, but that is outside my expertise. The only CPUs that are going to work well for you are the 53xx series, the 2008s aren't compatible with the 1,1 and 2,1s. To go really cheap the 5335 @ 4x2.0ghz and the 5345 @ 4x2.33ghz can both be had well south of 100 bucks, below 50 for the 5335.

 

[shardey]

I don't know about fixing the logic board, be great if it could be done, but that is outside my expertise. The only CPUs that are going to work well for you are the 53xx series, the 2008s aren't compatible with the 1,1 and 2,1s. To go really cheap the 5335 @ 4x2.0ghz and the 5345 @ 4x2.33ghz can both be had well south of 100 bucks, below 50 for the 5335.

I got this as a cheap computer since it had the problems. I have my core i7 2.3 mbp that has the horsepower I need, but I may as well put a quad in it so I can sell it for around $600.