Upgrading 2007 Mac Pro USB and RAM?

[gvdv]

Hi,
I want to upgrade the USB and RAM on my (purchased in 2007) Mac Pro, 2.66.

I would like to upgrade the USB socket to either USB 2.0 or 3, and go from the 5GB RAM that I currently have to a greater amount.

I had previously thought that I would not be able to add any RAM, but having read about the upgrade possibilities here
http://www.macupgrades.co.uk/store/machine.php?name=mac-pro
I am now thinking differently.

Are there any problems or issues which people have had upgrading with a Mac Pro of this 'vintage', or is there anything in particular that I should be aware / mindful of when I do this?

Thanks in advance for any replies,

gvdv..

 

[Neodym]

I would like to upgrade the USB socket to either USB 2.0 or 3

The MP already has USB2.0. For USB3 you would need a dedicated USB3 expansion card for PCIe - there are already threads about this topic on the MP forum. It's a little tricky and sometimes you may run into problems with drivers and/or compatibility.

and go from the 5GB RAM that I currently have to a greater amount.[...] Are there any problems or issues which people have had upgrading with a Mac Pro of this 'vintage', or is there anything in particular that I should be aware / mindful of when I do this?

Aside from the high prices for the required FB-Dimm Ram, keep in mind that the sweet spot between amount of memory, speed and heat/power consumption is to only install 4 modules, equally distributed between memory bank A and B.

More modules means more heat and higher latency, though people say that the latency hit on speed is neglectable, at least if you otherwise lack Ram for your applications and would have to page out to disk. This article is a good read, linking to insightful information by Anandtech on the topic.

And while speaking about memory speed: Using modules in matched pairs (size and internal organization) enables Dual Channel mode, which will give a small speed advantage.

Officially it's recommended to only use modules with dedicated "big" heat sinks, though you can use quality modules with only small heat spreaders if you are comfortable to have working temperatures around 75-80 degrees Celsius on them.

 

[gvdv]

Hi Neodym,
Many thanks for your message and suggestions, and apologies for not having responded to you sooner.

All the best,