Mac pro 2009 sisterboard.

[AkuskaUK]

Hi, i have a 2.26Ghz 8Core '09 Mac Pro, i was wondering if i could use a '10 tray in it instead of changing the processors, i will upgrade my firmware to the '10 model using Netkas.


Could i just swap the trays?

 

[mrh63061]

SMC Firmware

I'd be cautious about that seeing that the SMC firmware is not gonna match between the 2 boards (mother and daughter board) and you might have problems with your fans running full blast because of it.
Other than that it would work, the only difference between the 09 and 10 is the firmware, and the cpu.

 

[AkuskaUK]

Thanks for the reply, the 2.26 processors are slow in my mind and the newer versions will be much faster! Would it be easier to sell it and buy a new one?

 

[wildgiles]

Sorry, no can do, you must replace the main logic board as the same time as the daughter board. The great thing is that it's relativley easy.

 

[CaptainChunk]

I would just flash your firmware to 2010 (5,1) and find a pair of compatible CPUs (anything from 5500/5600 series, D0 or B1 stepping) if you want something faster. It would be cheaper than replacing the other parts.

The heatsinks you already have will fit, they'll just sit a bit higher because the 2009 models used custom lidless CPUs. You'll also need to remove the old thermal grease and replace it with new (I recommend Arctic Silver).

This procedure isn't very hard as long as you're patient. Just keep in mind that higher-clocked 5500/5600 CPUs are not exactly cheap, especially in hex configuration.

 

[AkuskaUK]

would i be able to get a higher clock '09 tray and just slot it in?

 

[CaptainChunk]

would i be able to get a higher clock '09 tray and just slot it in?

Yes, you can, but what's keeping you from doing an actual CPU swap? It's not as hard as it looks and it's cheaper -- the daughter cards themselves cost more than the backplane board they attach to.

Besides, I'd be a little uneasy about a a daughter card with CPU(s)/heatsink(s) already installed, due to potential damage in transit if shipped.