Hard Drive Failure = Excuse to upgrade 2009 Mac Pro. Advice!

[DustinB85]

Okay so I wouldn't really say it was a failure but I had my stock 640 gb hd in my quad core 2009 Mac Pro go corrupt and stopped booting on me. I have a 2gb time capsule and a 2gb Synology NAT diskstation for backups so I decided to just wipe the HD clean and will restore just the files I need for now. I had an old 74gb WD raptor HD laying around so I threw ML back on there so I could at least boot the computer back up. This gives me push to upgrade a few things since I have to restore everything anyways. I bought a few basic things to start which will be here tomorrow. Here is list so far,

OCZ Technology 256GB Vertex 4
Apricorn Velocity Solo x1
WD Caviar Black 1 TB SATA III 7200 RPM 64 MB

The main use for this computer is video editing/some web and photo design I have taken this up in the last year as a hobby. I mainly work with Adobe software (Premiere Pro/After Effects/Speedgrade/lightroom etc). I have the creative cloud so I do have all of Adobe CS6 and have been learning it bit by bit. I do use Apple motion and aperture some. I shoot video with just a Canon T4i DSLR camera for now so nothing crazy.

I bought the 256 SSD for my boot and app drive and I planned on keeping my files on 2 internal WD Black 1 TB in a RAID 0 (2TB total). I still have the time capsule and disk station for now as my back up. I'll change that once I need too. I'll also just keep the 640gb and 74gb internal in case I need them.

So I think I am set for now as far as storage I can expand when I need too. I plan to just end up with 4tb internal and then move to raid enclosures down the road as I need.

I have both my graphics card and ram really holding me back right now. I have only 8gb of ram right now (2gb x 4). So should I upgrade to 24gb (8 x 3) or will 32 (8 x 4) really make that much of an impact for what I am doing? I have always been under the impression you don't gain much performance after a certain point if the software doesn't take advantage of it.

So should the RAM be my next move and is there something I should really switch up with my plan as it stands right now.

Any input would be great. Thanks

Dustin

 

[wonderspark]

32GB of RAM made a night-and-day improvement for me, and I'm using CS5.5 and CS6 on a 2009 Mac Pro with the 5,1 firmware update and 6-core CPU, along with the 5870. Before, I had 16GB, and it wasn't enough. After Effects and Premiere use up to 29GB when I use them together.

 

[DustinB85]

I just ordered 32GB of OWC Ram yesterday. After looking into into it I could see where it is borderline even at 24GB and since the cost really wasn't that much more I went with the 32. Never realized how much adobe really needed and used.

Now I have a 256GB SSD running all my apps/boot drive. Read/Write is around 350 with the Apricorn Velocity Solo x1 installed.

I also have two 1TB WD black series hard drives in a RAID 0. I'm using this for my files that I am writing too. Also any finished work and other storage. I still have the 640GB in there which is my read drive for now. I plan on adding two more 1 TB drives in a RAID 0. I'll have an better and large external backup setup by this point to back up everything that is "inside" the Mac Pro.

Last thing for now that I need is a new GPU, I still have the stock GT120 which doesn't work with Adobe's mercury engine. Which is night/day on rendering times. I'm going to just pick a card now since I am already doing the rest. I have been thinking the best card for my price range and use is the GTX 670. I was wanting to keep around the 350 range since I have already drop enough money in the last few weeks.

Any thoughts?

 

[wonderspark]

I'd say you can't go wrong there, provided the two aux power cables are 6-pin. I'm guessing you've read all the GPU threads.

 

[DustinB85]

The new GPU is up and running. I bought the GTX 670 FTW, not one problem so far. Thank you everyone for your help.

Dustin