I have a MacPro 2.8GHz quad core and looking to upgrade the cpu to a 3.46 12 core. I need to know if its a mid 2010 not a 4,1 flashed to 5,1. The marking on the cpu tray: Apple 2009, 820-2482-A and under hardware overview processor tray serial number: J504600KDCZJB.
SMC:
The best way to know if your Mac Pro is a real mid-2010/mid-2012 is checking the SMC version with >AboutThisMac>SystemReport>HardwareOverview>SMCVersion(system).
- If the System SMC version is 1.39f5, it's an early-2009 Mac Pro.
- If the System SMC version is 1.39f11, it's a real mid-2010 or mid-2012 Mac Pro.
Mac Pro early-2009 and mid-2010/mid-2012 SMC versions can't be changed by users or technicians, only by the big Apple Repair Centers that refurbish Apple backplanes and CPU trays can upgrade or downgrade it during the refurbishment process.
Always use the SMC version to identify a Mac Pro early-2009 from a mid-2010/mid-2012. SMC of an early-2009 Mac Pro is not upgradeable at all*. Apple never released SMC upgrades for any Mac Pros newer than MP2,1, so, no SMC firmware available or the security key necessary to do the upgrade is available outside Apple labs.
*The only way to upgrade a Mac Pro early-2009 SMC is desoldering it from a mid-2010 or mid-2012 backplane and soldering to it to the early-2009. Since it's a 144-pin TQFP micro-controller, it's a very difficult operation without the necessary training, correct equipment and supplies.
CPU trays:
While the CPU trays don't have BootROM firmware, only the backplane has it, the CPU tray has SMC firmware and CPU trays from early-2009 and mid-2010/mid-2012 have different SMC versions too, exactly like the backplanes from early-2009 and mid-2010/mid-2012.
For the SMC work correctly, both the tray and the backplane SMC are required to match. If the SMC versions differ, the SMC enters fail-safe mode and all fans of your Mac Pro will run at maximum RPM, full time. So, you can't use an early 2009 backplane with a mid-2010/mid-2012 CPU tray, or vice-versa.
820-2482-A is the Apple copyright register number for the mid-2010/mid-2012 CPU tray design. Apple used mid-2010/mid-2012 single CPU trays to repair early-2009 Mac Pros, they have the tools to change the SMC version that no one else has and these tools never leaked, so the design register number and the CPU Tray Part Number can provide a false identification with some cases. © date is always 2009, even for mid-2010/mid-2012.
Since your currently CPU is a quad core, you have a Single CPU Mac Pro. Without replacing the CPU tray for a Dual CPU Tray, you can only upgrade to a hex core CPU like W3680/W3690 or X5680/X5690.
The mid-2010/mid-2012 Dual CPU Tray Part Number is 661-5708. This Part Number can be seen on the label that has a barcode.
Type of Tray: | 2009 Part Number: | 2010/2012 Part Number: |
Single processor board | 661-4999 | 661-5707 |
Dual processor board | 661-4998 | 661-5708 |
Types of Xeon supported by each tray model:
Btw, W3xxx processors can only be used with Single CPU trays, they are single QPI link or single CPU processors.
Dual CPU trays can only use dual QPI Xeons (X5xxx or the low power versions L5xxx and E5xxx).
Single CPU trays can work with dual or single QPI Xeons (W3xxx, X5xxx or the low power versions L5xxx and E5xxx), don't matter.
For more info about supported Xeons, see the table on the first post of the thread below:
Bokkow and I have created a Mac Pro CPU compatibility list. The intent is to cover all relevant and compatible CPU upgrades for all Mac Pros. These are asked about over and over and over again, so I thought it would be nice to have it all in one place. Constructive criticism, corrections to...
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