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MP 1,1-5,1 Hex 3.2 update from 2010 quad 2.8 photos new! CPU to use!
- Thread starter philipma1957
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Mine is in the mail right now (3680). Should be here monday.Thanks for this thread!
this thread has been a pleasure. I was and still am happy to give a little something back to mac users . It is kind of cool knowing that I helped to soup up a lot of mac pros.
Here's another grateful MR member. Your post helped me with my 4.1 to 5.1 conversion when I installed a 3690. My Pro may not keep up the the very latest Windows machines, but compared to a stock 09 Pro with the 3540 and 4870, it is screaming along now. With the other additions of a GTX 670, 1333 DDR, and another SSD, I just might make it until late 2013 now. Thanks!
Just finished the upgrade yesterday. Made a video using this thread. Thanks philipma1957
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p08Oh--TaU&feature=plcp
Was wondering how to embed the video right into the forum post.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p08Oh--TaU&feature=plcp
Was wondering how to embed the video right into the forum post.
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My 6 Core CPU is on the way from Provantage. Already successfully flashed my 2009 4,1 to a 2010 5,1, so it's just a matter of hardware now.
I plan to eventually do this upgrade but considering I just got my MacPro 2 days ago, it can wait.
However I would really like to upgrade my RAM from it's current 3GB. Can I buy 1333Mhz ram now, so it's ready for the W3680 upgrade in the future? I'm thinking I'll get 2x8GB sticks for now and then add another 2x8GB sticks when I upgrade the CPU (for a total of 32GB).
However I would really like to upgrade my RAM from it's current 3GB. Can I buy 1333Mhz ram now, so it's ready for the W3680 upgrade in the future? I'm thinking I'll get 2x8GB sticks for now and then add another 2x8GB sticks when I upgrade the CPU (for a total of 32GB).
Perfect! I'll order the ram today.
Over at OWC, the 1066Mhz RAM has a CAS of 7-7-7-20.
But the 1333Mhz CAS is 9-9-9-24.
Is that alright?
Again, yes. I ran 1333 CAS 9 in my 4.1/5.1 for a few weeks with the 3540 quad until I installed the 3690 with no issues at all.
I'm not sure about the wisdom of waiting, there is a school of thought that the prices will go up as the CPU's get scarce.
I would love to buy it now but that's just an expense I can't afford at the moment.
Hopefully I can sell a few items I have laying around to make up for the cost.
I'm also in need of a Cinema Display.
Any benchmarks of the W3690. I've found a few places that had it only 50 bucks more then the W3680.
Slight clock speed is the only difference?
Slight clock speed is the only difference?
I finally jumped in and upgraded my 2009 Mac Pro 4,1 (quad 2.66) after applying the MacPro 2009-2010 Firmware tool from (MacEFIRom) over at Netkas. I purchased and installed the Xeon w3680 3.33 6-core (Newegg $615.99) and replaced my RAM with 3 8gb sticks of OWC 1333 mhz memory ($239.99)...no issues at all this past week and it's way faster with large PhotoShop files...hell, everything.
Thanks so very much for the step-by-steps and to the community-at-large for making it possible and so very easy for us to do!
Thanks so very much for the step-by-steps and to the community-at-large for making it possible and so very easy for us to do!
If you can get a w3690 for under 700 usd why not. I have seen some w3680's for under 600 usd. the only difference is the w3690 is a tiny bit faster
http://www.provantage.com/intel-bx80613w3680~7ITEP374.htm good seller good price for the w3680
yeah this upgrade path was one of the rare times that apple allowed an easy low cost good upgrade.
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Don't see all the excitement here.
Personally, changing out a processor for another one which is faster is simple PC101 and anyone can do it so long as one is careful.
But all in all, a great video and thread for those who want to break the ice in processor upgrading
Personally, changing out a processor for another one which is faster is simple PC101 and anyone can do it so long as one is careful.
But all in all, a great video and thread for those who want to break the ice in processor upgrading
Awesome thread, thanks for the info. Sorry if this has been covered somewhere in the thread, but I was wondering if I can I upgrade my Mac Pro (Early 2009) that currently has a Intel Xeon W3520 @ 2.66 GHz (1 Processor, 4 Cores, 8 Threads) to the 6 core processor you mentioned?
If not, is there a newer faster chip that I can upgrade it to? Like a Quad 3.5 Ivy Bridge?
Thanks,
Kevin
//EDIT
Never-mind, it looks like someone 4 posts up did it with the same exact computer I guess my only question now is, when do you run the Firmware tool? Before the install? or after? Also, will upgrading to Mountain Lion do this automatically or is this a totally separate process?
TY.
K-
If not, is there a newer faster chip that I can upgrade it to? Like a Quad 3.5 Ivy Bridge?
Thanks,
Kevin
//EDIT
Never-mind, it looks like someone 4 posts up did it with the same exact computer
I guess my only question now is, when do you run the Firmware tool? Before the install? or after? Also, will upgrading to Mountain Lion do this automatically or is this a totally separate process?TY.
K-
Never-mind, it looks like someone 4 posts up did it with the same exact computer
BEFORE!!! VERY IMPORTANT!
Run the firmware update BEFORE installing the hex-core. Installing the hex-core before running the firmware update will probably not ruin the CPU, but your computer won't boot and you'll have to re-insert the old CPU, do the update, and insert the W3680 again. That's two additional, unnecessary, CPU switches.
Mountain Lion has nothing to do with this.
Just wanted to post here that I successfully updated my Mac Pro from a W3530 to a W3670. Thanks Philipma for your great thread
Temps are better than before; at idle I was previously hitting around 45-50C, now it's more like 25-30C. Currently got several things open and temps are around 35-40C.
32bit Geekbench is a little over 12k, up from 8k.
Temps are better than before; at idle I was previously hitting around 45-50C, now it's more like 25-30C. Currently got several things open and temps are around 35-40C.
32bit Geekbench is a little over 12k, up from 8k.
Sorry for the late reply, been busy. Mine are posted on Geekbench at 16,300 to 16,400 something. Before the 3690, with the 3540 I was down around 9000, so I guess it's a combo of two more cores and another .5 GHz CPU speed. The 3680 GB's (64 bit) were around 15500 to 15700 on average when I checked a few months ago.