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Steps to set up and burn in new MP?

T

tbear2

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 25, 2008
2
0
I’m switching from PC to Mac :) My Mac Pro will arrive later this week (8800 GT, airport and wireless mouse/keyboard). I am looking for advice on the steps to get the system ready for me to transfer my files and load my applications as well as PC applications (via VMware fusion). I have 8 GB of memory and 2 WD Re2 750GB drive on order, but I thought I should test and burn in the stock Mac Pro first based on what I have read on this forum

I intend to replace the 320 gig HD with one of the 750 gig HDs, I already have a WD Re2 500 gig HD which I plan to use for home folders and the 2nd 750 GB will be used for time machine. Later if necessary I will add a scratch drive for Photoshop


Any comments on this list?

1 Leave everything stock. Start MacPro, register, set up email, set up 1 user as “admin” with the intention of leaving the home folder blank.

2 Download iStat and some other application(?) to exercise all 8 cores and memory. Burn in by running 8 cores at 100%, and exercise memory for 1 hour. Monitor memory temps.
Q: Any suggestions for an application(s) and method to do this?

3 Go through several sleep wake cycles to see if I have the reboot problem.

4 Download Carbon Copy, add 3 HDs and memory. Format and write zeros to all 3 drives. Clone 320 GB drive to the 750 and remove stock 320 HD, reboot.

5 Test new memory, by repeating step 2.

6 Add users to 500gb HD, (the only user on startup drive will be blank admin account)

7 Install VMware Fusion and XP, install PC and Mac applications

8 Calibrate Dell 24” monitor with Eye One device

9 Migrate user files, 3 itune accounts, contacts and email from outlook.
Q: any idea how to move iTunes with 3 users: 2 users have mp3s in separate folder and iTunes points to them, 1 user has some mp3s in separate folder, some songs ripped by iTunes and some purchased iTunes.

10 set up time machine to backup 500gb and 750gb drives (I’ll have plenty of space initially, the user files are only 100gb total)
 
I am also a recent switcher. My 2.8 MP has been running great, added 4 GB OWC Memory, a 750GB Samsung F1 drive, a 500 GB Seagate Drive - all hassel-free. Can't offer you any input on burn ins or writing zeros, have never heard of all that. It's a Mac afterall - it is supposed to be easy - plug in and go.

For iTunes - all I did was setup iTunes on the Mac, and then copied my iTunes database files over from the PC into the appropriate folder on the Mac. My music is on NAS, so all that took was to then set the preferences to where the music was located at. I don't have multi-user accounts, so perhaps that complicates it a little, but should be the same general procedure, copy the database files over and restart the program.
 
Yeh, what the hell are you burning your computer in for? It's not a car engine, nor is a tube-amp.

If you must, then turn it on a leave it for three days. If it's still alive after three days, then you're good. Bedsides, you have a 1 year warranty. If anything dies, you're covered.
 
Call it names!!!
Tell it that silver makes it look fat!!!
Yell 'Yo mama' jokes at it!!!


It's not a Windows PC. I used to do "burn-ins" every time I built a new PC to ensure it's stability, especially if I was overclocking, or using a new high-powered graphics card.

Just run your Mac normally. Watch a movie while encoding another. Compile a huge program, while surfing the web and ripping audio. No need to kick it's ass, steal it's car and get it's dog pregnant. Forcing it into a highly unlikely scenario could do more harm than good. No one wants to return a 60lb computer. Save yourself the trouble and invest in AppleCare.
 
I don't think a burn in period is such a bad idea. Put the h/w through it's paces and make sure everything works properly before upgrading/modifying it. We do it regularly with equipment we get here. Shakes out the borderline hardware before it goes into production. We also power cycle (physical shutdown/cold boot) the equipment several times during our burn in periods. If the h/w makes it through all that, then we're confident it's stable.

-J
 
I agree, it can be helpful under those circumstances. Though I tend to baby a $4k machine. If it fails after three years (read: applecare), it gives me an excuse to buy a new one. Everything works out in the end :)
 
The whole sleep/wake/reboot thing has kind of been done to death, too.

Apple now claims officially (via AppleCare) that they are aware of the problem and that it has been identified as software-related (cf. absence of this problem in Vista); my own opinion is that if you don't want your Mac doing it, then don't mess with sleeping until Apple fixes it.

IMHO, not a big deal. Though, I understand and can sympathize with the people who've had big problems with it and have gone on to change out machines.

Stuart
 
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