Yep, the cpu is fine, you will love the upgrade, and phil has made it so much easier with the guide.
Good luck!
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
MP 1,1-5,1 Hex 3.2 update from 2010 quad 2.8 photos new! CPU to use!
- Thread starter philipma1957
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Yep, the cpu is fine, you will love the upgrade, and phil has made it so much easier with the guide.
Good luck!
As I'm waiting for all the parts to come in, I realized that I forgot to get the screws for the processor board. I pulled an existing screw a Mac Pro and mic'ed it.
The specs call for a M3.5X7.5mm screw, but 1.5 mm is the washer. Should these work? They're a LOT cheaper.
M3x6mm Pan Head Stainless Steel Machine Screw, Thread Pitch: 0.50
http://www.laptopscrews.com/M3x6.htm
The specs call for a M3.5X7.5mm screw, but 1.5 mm is the washer. Should these work? They're a LOT cheaper.
M3x6mm Pan Head Stainless Steel Machine Screw, Thread Pitch: 0.50
http://www.laptopscrews.com/M3x6.htm
I do not understand this question. m3 is not compatible for m3.5 length is not as important as diameter.
a M3.5X7.5mm screw has the following specs... I measured them to be sure. I think it's equivalent to #4-40 screw (non metric).
M3 - 3mm diameter of shaft
.5 - thread pitch
7.5 - length of shaft
I ordered a box of 15 for $5.00. I'll let you know if they work.
Last edited:
Could use some help guys, as my MP is now having some issues. Completed the CPU upgrade earlier this week and the machine was running fine until last night. CPU idles around 37C, and under stress is about 48C so I think the temps are fine.
What's troubling was that since last night, the machine has been in a constant kernel panic and lock-up. Errors I'm getting in OSX are kernel protection failures among other things, and any program that I launch automatically crashes. Getting similar errors in Windows bootcamp on another internal drive; any program I launch just crashes. I thought it might be the memory so I swapped in the stock memory that came with the Mac, but it just goes into a kernel panic loop.
Any ideas whats going on? Could it be hex CPU thats causing these errors?
What's troubling was that since last night, the machine has been in a constant kernel panic and lock-up. Errors I'm getting in OSX are kernel protection failures among other things, and any program that I launch automatically crashes. Getting similar errors in Windows bootcamp on another internal drive; any program I launch just crashes. I thought it might be the memory so I swapped in the stock memory that came with the Mac, but it just goes into a kernel panic loop.
Any ideas whats going on? Could it be hex CPU thats causing these errors?
did you load the 10.6.8 software update?
I am running 10.6.7 I have not got around to upgrading to 10.6.8 it may be that you did the upgrade and that is the problem.
Has anyone that has done the 3.2 hex upgrade upgraded to 10.6.8? If so is the MP running okay. There has been some hdmi problems with the 10.6.8 but I have not heard of any other problems. Oh do you have a 2009 or a 2010 mp?
I am running 10.6.7 I have not got around to upgrading to 10.6.8 it may be that you did the upgrade and that is the problem.
Has anyone that has done the 3.2 hex upgrade upgraded to 10.6.8? If so is the MP running okay. There has been some hdmi problems with the 10.6.8 but I have not heard of any other problems. Oh do you have a 2009 or a 2010 mp?
I have a 2010 running the 10.6.8 update. But the thing is it was on 10.6.8 since I did the CPU upgrade and it was fine for about 2 days then it went haywire yesterday.
I swapped the stock 2.8 quad back in and the machine has been fine all day since, so I'm not sure if my 3.2 hex is a dud or if it is indeed the 10.6.8 update (which would then be really stupid).
Been running 10.6.8 since it's release, and I'm not running into any problems at all. I've stated the details of my configuration below so you can cross reference your configuration to see what the problem might be.
My Configuration
2010 MacPro
3.2GHz Hexa
12GB (3x 4GB) OWC RAM
128GB Extereme OWC SSD in second DVD drive bay
3x 2TB Hitachi 3.5" 7200 rpm drives
ATI 5770
CPU was purchased new/retail packaging through Overstock.com
Using iStat Menu to manage temperature
My Configuration
2010 MacPro
3.2GHz Hexa
12GB (3x 4GB) OWC RAM
128GB Extereme OWC SSD in second DVD drive bay
3x 2TB Hitachi 3.5" 7200 rpm drives
ATI 5770
CPU was purchased new/retail packaging through Overstock.com
Using iStat Menu to manage temperature
Last edited:
Okay I am busy and won't go to the 10.6.8 until july 5th.
but I am on 10.6.7
the 3.2 hex
4 sticks of 8gb ram hynix
4 wd hdds = in the bays
intel series 320 ssd for osx = optical bay
a tag-on seagate for TM via fw800
a usb apple keyboard
any of the items above can make a panic kernel.
my machine has been flawless since the upgrade..
I think you got a bad cpu rare but can happen. = since the swap back worked
did you buy from a good dealer?
A few more questions.
how many sticks of ram in the slots 3 sticks or 4 sticks?
did you buy an ES cpu or a sealed new one?
the make of the chips on owc's ram and on the apple stock ram?
I have been getting some bad micron chips they will work in some makes and models of apple gear but not all.
but I am on 10.6.7
the 3.2 hex
4 sticks of 8gb ram hynix
4 wd hdds = in the bays
intel series 320 ssd for osx = optical bay
a tag-on seagate for TM via fw800
a usb apple keyboard
any of the items above can make a panic kernel.
my machine has been flawless since the upgrade..
I think you got a bad cpu rare but can happen. = since the swap back worked
did you buy from a good dealer?
A few more questions.
how many sticks of ram in the slots 3 sticks or 4 sticks?
did you buy an ES cpu or a sealed new one?
the make of the chips on owc's ram and on the apple stock ram?
I have been getting some bad micron chips they will work in some makes and models of apple gear but not all.
Last edited:
Yes I purchased the CPU from Amazon so I will initiate a swap next week (going to run the machine over the weekend just to make sure).
The errors I was getting was constant KP when trying to boot into OSX, and if I do anything programs that I launch will crash. Booting into Windows would get me the same error, and if I remember correctly now one BSOD referred to error with processor core. So based on that I definitely think it's the CPU, as memory issue wouldn't exhibit some of these strange errors.
philipma1957: CPU is sealed retail version, and I'm using 4 slots right now with stock 1GB chips. I was previously using 2x4GB Hynix chips but those came off a 2010 8-Core machine (PC3-8500), again stock as well.
The errors I was getting was constant KP when trying to boot into OSX, and if I do anything programs that I launch will crash. Booting into Windows would get me the same error, and if I remember correctly now one BSOD referred to error with processor core. So based on that I definitely think it's the CPU, as memory issue wouldn't exhibit some of these strange errors.
philipma1957: CPU is sealed retail version, and I'm using 4 slots right now with stock 1GB chips. I was previously using 2x4GB Hynix chips but those came off a 2010 8-Core machine (PC3-8500), again stock as well.
yeah it really sounds like cpu more then anything else.. you are lucky (joke) as far as i know the first bad 2010 hex upgrade.
2009 has had a few but between the efi for single cpu or dual cpu and the lidless dual cpus that makes more sense.
lets hope a simple swap does the trick.
2009 has had a few but between the efi for single cpu or dual cpu and the lidless dual cpus that makes more sense.
lets hope a simple swap does the trick.
I upped my 2010 to the 3.46 hex using your guide, it was most helpful. I have had absolutely zero problems with it, even when stressing it pretty hard. I am also running 10.6.8 since the day it was available.
Edit: system details for cross reference:
MP 2010, 3.46 hex
3WD drives (1tb, 3tb, 3tb) in bays 2-4
intel 320 SSD in bay 1
16GB Kingston Ram
1 USB external HDD connected
hope this helps
I did the 3.2 hex core upgrade on mid-2010 as well. When I upgraded to 10.6.8 yesterday I had a number of problems:
During first restart after update the computer/screen froze (I could move the mouse but not click). I tried to hard shut down but pushing the power button put the machine to sleep. On waking I had the same problem.
I finally had to unplug from electricity. This helped, though boot time became three times longer than normal.
Finally I reset the SMC and PRAM, repaired permissions and things returned to normal, so I hopefully don't think it was a cpu issue. Running normally since these events, though boot time is now a few seconds longer.
Amazon is sending me a new CPU so it should be here next week, going to swap it in then and hope that I was just unlucky and received a bad chip (which it seems like the case because my stock 2.8 has been running flawlessly). Thanks to everyone that responded and I will keep you guys updated.
to all of us with this update keep a good copy of 10.6.7 if you can.
If you go to lion keep a good copy of snow leopard.
personally I don't think the updates will reject the cpu drop ins, but they are large downloads and one or two bits of bad info can screw the osx up.
The update to 10.6.8 on my iMac was over 1.2Gb after 73Mb it froze and claimed I had over 2 trillion hours to finish the download. I had to use Activity Monitor to force quit the download. ( I prefer that method to force quit) I then clicked on software update and started over.
It downloaded and installed in under 25 minutes on the second try now I am watching to see if the download is problem free. I have two good copies of 10.6.7 just in case.
If you go to lion keep a good copy of snow leopard.
personally I don't think the updates will reject the cpu drop ins, but they are large downloads and one or two bits of bad info can screw the osx up.
The update to 10.6.8 on my iMac was over 1.2Gb after 73Mb it froze and claimed I had over 2 trillion hours to finish the download. I had to use Activity Monitor to force quit the download. ( I prefer that method to force quit) I then clicked on software update and started over.
It downloaded and installed in under 25 minutes on the second try now I am watching to see if the download is problem free. I have two good copies of 10.6.7 just in case.
What are the issues for the 09's? You've given me the itch to go hex on my SP, would be cruel to now take it away.
the SP is not as bad as the DP you only need find the efi hack and load it. there is a link to it on this thread . the 2009 dp is harder due to the lidless cpu's and the efi hack
I did the update to the 3.2 hex core a few weeks ago and at that time I made a carbon copy clone of my entire system (which is only 60GB since I use my SSD at boot and applications and a few other things, and normally download large files, etc. on my empty HDs in the other bays.)
Though I had a few issues when updating a few days ago to 10.6.8, as listed above, I remember the update being only about 275mb when I clicked on the Apple Software Update, including the Java Update. When I return to Software Update now, it states that the computer is up to date.
Only issue as of now is boot time went from 18 to 20 seconds. I certainly won't update to Lion until there is confirmation that MPs with 3.2 hex core are updating problem free.
Just an additional note to say that the 12GB of RAM that I bought from OWC failed--one barrette failed--and I had to return the three of them so they could send me a matched group of 3 again. I am working with the original 3GB that came with the MP 2010. My geekbench scores have gone down a bit, but I assume going down from 12 to 3GB RAM would have some effect.
Good luck to all
Last edited:
yeah the 275mb may be correct. I did a fresh install from a 10.6.2 disk to an external hdd then a software update to 10.6.8 . when I saw that I did it correctly. I cloned the 10.6.7 to 2 externals i then erased the internal and clone the good 10.6.8 to it
I kept the working 10.6.7 intact
you are welcome. so looks like he got a bad cpu and that 10.6.8 is good. thanks to all that answered. phil
did anyone has (have) any problem regarding their mac pro ? (issues not limited to CPU, maybe mother board failure), swap back the old cpu and take it to apple for applecare ? will anyone know you have swapped the cpu and void the warranty ?
any experience ? insight ?
any experience ? insight ?
My question is if anyone who had done the efi firmware hack on a 09 pro has had any problems after upgrading to the developer version of 10.7. And come to think of it, if the trim enabler hack is also still working with lion.
Dang you, phillipma1957! I thought I was done with mac spending for a while!
Dang you, phillipma1957! I thought I was done with mac spending for a while!