Mac Pro '09 CPU upgrade

[AlexMaximus]

A short question

If the OP is looking for six cores, why not just go for dual four core W5590s? He'll have eight cores running at 3.33GHz. And W5590s are very inexpensive right now. I'm running them in my 5,1 because I believe that for the tasks I do, CPU speed is more important than having twelve cores.

Lou

Very interesting! I would like to do this upgrade. The W5590 is the 3,33 MHz version, isn't it?
Does this CPU show up in the correct way in the "about this mac" Menu?

I hear there is a small correction neccesary in some command lines to have the right CPU indicated. Is that true?

Thanks!

 

[flowrider]

^^^^

1. Yes - 3.33 MHz
2. Yes it shows up correctly
3. No OS modification needed for this to work correctly in a 4,1 or 5,1 Mac Pro.
4. In a flashed 4,1 or 5,1 Mac Pro with 1333 MHz RAM the CPU change will allow the RAM to run at full speed.

Lou

 

[echoout]

Can I fit one W3690 3.46GHz CPU into my dual CPU board leaving one CPU socket empty?

In a REALLY, REALLY dumb and confusing mixup, I inadvertently did exactly this last week. It works perfectly.

 

[AlexMaximus]

^^^^

1. Yes - 3.33 MHz
2. Yes it shows up correctly
3. No OS modification needed for this to work correctly in a 4,1 or 5,1 Mac Pro.
4. In a flashed 4,1 or 5,1 Mac Pro with 1333 MHz RAM the CPU change will allow the RAM to run at full speed.

Lou

Very cool, thank you so much!

 

[LittlePaul]

Hi,
I'm interested to upgrade my Mac Pro 4.1 with 2x2,26 and I read with interest this post.
I looked on eBay a couple of processors W5590 and I have seen that they are quite cheap, but an insertion saying:
"This matched pair has been carefully customized by removing the IHS ( Integrated Heat Spreader ). The IHS was never used in the Early 2009 Dual Processor Mac Pro and that made upgrading the processors difficult"
Matched Pair, Intel Xeon W5590

I do not understand.
I can not use all the W5590, or just he want to gain more money??

thanks

 

[flowrider]

^^^^The 2009 Dual Processor Mac Pro 4,1 is sort of a Maverick. It uses non standard Intel Processors. Non standard in the the IHS has been removed. There are threads on this forum how to get around this limitation when replacing CPUs. The IHS adds height to the CPU. So replacing the CPUs on a dual processor Mac Pro 4,1 is not a drop in installation unless a CPU with the IHS spreader is removed. Replacing the CPUs on a 4,1 can be done in either of two ways:

One method is to use spacers and added thermal pads so that a normal CPU with the IHS can be used.

Another method is to remove the IHS, so everything will fit perfectly like the OEM processor did. However, removing the IHS is a difficult task that can only be performed by someone who really knows what they are doing.

The Single processor Mac Pro 4,1 and both the Dual and Single processor 5,1 Mac Pro use standard Intel CPUs with the IHS.

Why Apple did this with the 4,1 Dual Processor model has been and still is a puzzlement to me.

The eBay link you posted just makes it far more easy to replace the CPUs on a 4,1, if the seller knows what he's doing.

Lou

 

[Macsonic]

Hi,
I'm interested to upgrade my Mac Pro 4.1 with 2x2,26 and I read with interest this post.
I looked on eBay a couple of processors W5590 and I have seen that they are quite cheap, but an insertion saying:
"This matched pair has been carefully customized by removing the IHS ( Integrated Heat Spreader ). The IHS was never used in the Early 2009 Dual Processor Mac Pro and that made upgrading the processors difficult"
Matched Pair, Intel Xeon W5590

I do not understand.
I can not use all the W5590, or just he want to gain more money??

thanks

Hi Paul. With the removal of the IHS, replacing the cpus is now easier without using "spacers" like washers. The seller in the eBay link you provided is also a member of Macrumors and the seller also knows Thomaspin. https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1633369/ Check post no. 5

 

[garyglitta]

I know this is an old thread, but just thought I'd confirm that you can indeed use a 5677 in a Mac Pro. I bought my 4,1 already upgraded with one - unfortunately I'd already bought a W3690 for it so it's lying around now but it definitely worked!