Mac Pro 3,1 upgrade from 4 to 8 cores

[russmuller]

Hello everyone,

Last year I picked up a 2008 Mac Pro with the 1 x 2.8 GHz quad core CPU. The guy who sold it to me recently mentioned the possibility of upgrading the CPU, which I decided to do with a Xeon X5482 (SLANZ). When I got that CPU cover out of the Mac Pro case, I realized that this computer has a second, empty CPU socket just waiting to be filled.

So my plan now is to order a second CPU and heat sink to take this from 1 x 2.8 GHz to 2 x 3.2 GHz for a total of 8 cores. Has anyone done this before? Is there anything else I'd need to do beyond physically installing the second CPU to make it work, like a firmware update or something?

I appreciate any advice.

 

[MCAsan]

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_pro/specs/mac-pro-eight-core-2.8-2008-specs.html

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_pro/faq/mac-pro-how-to-upgrade-processors.html

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/2008_MacPro_Dual_X5482s.htm

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1586171/

 

[russmuller]

Thanks for sharing those resources. I was able to find lots of examples of people swapping an old pair for a new pair of CPU's, but my specific concern is that going from 1 CPU to 2 CPU's will require a firmware update or some other technicality I'm overlooking. I don't know if I have to do anything to make it recognize that second chip, or if it's essentially plug-and-play.

 

[Umbongo]

Thanks for sharing those resources. I was able to find lots of examples of people swapping an old pair for a new pair of CPU's, but my specific concern is that going from 1 CPU to 2 CPU's will require a firmware update or some other technicality I'm overlooking. I don't know if I have to do anything to make it recognize that second chip, or if it's essentially plug-and-play.

Plug and play.

 

[Korican100]

I did this with my 3,1 and it was pretty straight forward. Get the right heatsink, get the right CPU's.

Take out the heatsink and the other "placeholder" heatsink thing. Put in your new CPU's, and put in the heatsinks.

Bam, upgraded.

 

[russmuller]

I did this with my 3,1 and it was pretty straight forward. Get the right heatsink, get the right CPU's.

Take out the heatsink and the other "placeholder" heatsink thing. Put in your new CPU's, and put in the heatsinks.

Bam, upgraded.

My first instinct was to go for the max I could get with the X5482 (SLANZ) at 3.2 GHz, but a pair of E5472 (SLANR) chips cost half as much (sometimes even less) and clock in at 3.0 GHz. I'm trying to decide between these options.

Aside from the miniscule 200 MHz difference in clock speed, it looks like the TDP is the only significant difference (150 W for the X5482 and 80 W for the E5472). I find it hard to believe that there'd be enough benefit to a higher TDP to justify the price.

 

[sjobs@mac.com]

I recently did this same thing. I went from 1X 2.8 Quad to 2X 3.2 Quad (~$150). Aside from the processors, all you need is the heat sink (~$75), Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound, 3mm X 9"long Hex and something to clean the old paste with. I used Ethanol wipes. It was pretty straightforward. I followed this (http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_pro/faq/mac-pro-how-to-upgrade-processors.html) tutorial.