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Mac Pro CPU replacement

V

vinnyb582

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 23, 2009
2
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This is actually the second forum I registered to for help. I tried mac-forums, but no one had any clue.

So, I got a great deal on a first generation Mac Pro. Well, most of the Mac Pro. $150 for everything but the hard drive, memory, and cpus. Which, memory and hard drives are no problem to get for the mac pro. However, CPUs on the other hand, WoodCrest and Clovertown 771 xeon core cpus work in these first generation Mac pros. But they're not so easy to find, even more at a price compared to say the Wolfdale, and Harpertown xeon cpus. Now these Mac pros using the 5000x chipset, it should have support for wolfdale and harpertown. But, also being the Mac is efi controlled, which I'm not to familiar with, would something like the EFI in the mac stop me from using Wolfdale or Harpertown cpus in the first generation mac pro?
 
vinnyb582 said:
...But, also being the Mac is efi controlled, which I'm not to familiar with, would something like the EFI in the mac stop me from using Wolfdale or Harpertown cpus in the first generation mac pro?
Click to expand...

Definitely!!! MP1,1 and MP2,1 have EFI32 and are not capable to run anything but Woodcrest and Clovertown.

Wolfdale and Harpertown are for EFI64 in the MP3,1 only. You can take it to the bank.
 
So then any woodcrest or clovertown xeon 771 would work. Hmm, thanks. :D Hopefully I can find a pair of them for pretty cheap.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I remember the 8 core Xeon Mac Pros use processors without an integrated heat spreader (IHS). These weren't available readily on the market, and were custom made for Apple. I don't know if this is true of older MPs, or only the more recent ones. I would read up on this beforehand, because I have read horror stories of fried sockets if you use the wrong CPU.
 
Techhie said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I remember the 8 core Xeon Mac Pros use processors without an integrated heat spreader (IHS). These weren't available readily on the market, and were custom made for Apple. I don't know if this is true of older MPs, or only the more recent ones. I would read up on this beforehand, because I have read horror stories of fried sockets if you use the wrong CPU.
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That's the 09 model that you're referring to (without the heat spreader). 06 and 08 models have the lids on 'em ;)
 
Hmmm. I do recall reading that the 8-core 09 MPs have no IHS, but the Quads still retain them.
 
Nice find Bozz. Wish these were around when I updated mine. Now if I could find a deal on some 3.2 harpertowns to upgrade my current mac pro. Not sure if its worth it though. Still tweeking my current home built pc with 2 2.5 harpertowns in her. Wish I could get leopard on it. :mad:
 
bozz2006 said:
Am I the only on here who did the CPU upgrade to his 2006 Mac Pro that still uses the machine now?!?!:eek:
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No. gugucom's still using his '06 with upgraded CPU's. :D Though not sure for how much longer, as he indicated the need for an EFI64 based system for compatibility reasons. ;) :p
 
It time to rid of it while you can bozz. You should still be able to get a descent price for it. The 2008 mac pro's run so much cooler too. Glad I got rid of it. Grab a refurb 2008 or spurge on the current gen's. Or, build a hackintosh! :D
 
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