Hello Community, I have just discovered all the good job done here and I would like to share some experiences and problems I faced to upgrade my Xserves
I used to have some Xserve
8x1,1 (2x2cores @3,0MHz) => 8x 2,1 (2x4 cores@ 3,00 MHZ) 230% faster
1x2,1 (1x4 cores @ 2,8 MHz) => (2x4 cores @ 3,00 MHz) 220% faster
1x2,1 (2x4 cores @ 3,0 MHz) => not upgraded yet
3x3,1 (2x4 cores @ 2,93 MHz) => not upgraded yet
2x3,1 (2x4 cores @ 2,26 MHz) => 2x4 cores @ 2,93 MHz 140% faster
3x3,1 (1x4 cores @ 2,26 MHz) => 1x4 cores @ 2,93 MHz can't get 2proc to be recognized
I started a new post, I saw the wiki for 3,1 and all the good job done there, but it is to 3,1 Xserve
Xserve 1,1:
1/ OSX : The max I could install on it, was Yosemite, I never understood why, a lot of job was done to afford it but with no success
see 4 further to see how I overpassed this
2/ Video : easy to install GT120 pci card but still somme screen artefacts with Yosemite even with mezzanine video withdrew
but you will have boot screen
but I was never able to run AMD FirePro S7000 ?
3/ Processor : easy to install 2 Intel X5355 SLAC4 2,66 MHz to remplace origin 2 Intel 5160 SL9RT 3,0 MHz and got 150/180% Gain faster (8 cores) very little more heat but run smoothly and more responsive there is some choice of Intel LGA 771 but proc from 2,1 don't work
if some one interested I have 4 more X5355 I don't use anymore
4/ Motherboard
1,1 > 2,1 Simply get a 2,1 board and plug every component (even memory) and get a working 2,1 =>need processor replacement
I tried E5472, X5450, X5472 @ 3,0 MHz every thing is fully functional and you get 220/230% Gain (even faster than 3,1@2,93 on some tasks)
by the way I can give 1,1 motherboard (I have 8 working that I replaced by 2,1)
you need appaired processors but don't use SLBBB (by the way I have a stock of X5472 SLBBB...that don't work on Mac)
the main gain is OSX you can install what you want I am still on HighSierra (cause video) and all perfect just need to put off the mezzanine origin video
if tou don't have a PCI GT120 no problem xserve start without screen and you can get in from another Mac by screen sharing, if activated !!
you lose CDrom the nappe cable isn't the same place but if you twist it it can be connected
1,1 > 3,1 i also tried to get a 3,1 board working with a 1,1 environment but you need
memories from 3,1 and proper Processor and Heat sink
Front pannel and proper cable and you will have a 3,1 working but lose front panel Firwire and you should modify panel to get USB
i meen that in fact :
Hard disk tray, I will develop further what disc I could use in witch tray
Power, never saw usage differences
Back pane power,
Disk card* (don't know the right name), even Raid card,
Fans,
can be freely exchanged from 1,1 - 2,1 and 3,1 Xserve
Xserve 2,1:
1/ OSX : I installed High Sierra with my powerbook and then modified boot.efi and PlatormSupport.plist then CCC to copy disk in trays for other Xserves
2/ Video : easy to install GT120 pci card you will have full boot screen
put of mezzanine video because it is not optimized and you will have video trouble
but I was never able to run AMD FirePro S7000 ?
still looking to upgrade low cost video on PCI board for metal
3/ Processor : easy to install 2 Intel X5450, E5472, and X5472 SL... (I must verify witch letter run well I could not use SLBBB) 3,0 MHz to remplace origin 1 Intel 2,8 MHz and got 220% Gain faster (8 cores) no more heat but run smoothly and more responsive there is some other choice of Intel LGA 771 but I only tried those
4/ Motherboard
2,1 > 3,1 i also tried to get a 3,1 board working with a 1,1 environment but you need
memories from 3,1 and proper Processor and Heat sink
Front pannel and proper cable and you will have a 3,1 working fine
the screw on case are the same place only the proc don't screw in case like 2,1 but on board
Xserve 3,1:
1/ OSX : I CCC from High Sierra in trays for other Xserves and all working
2/ Video : GT120 MXM 256 Mo video card you will have full boot screen
but I was never able to run AMD FirePro S7000 on PCI
still looking to upgrade low cost video on MXM board for metal
3/ Processor : easy to install 2 Intel X5570 SLBFX 2,93 MHz to remplace origin 2 Intel 2,27 MHz and got 140% Gain faster little more heat but run better there is some other choice of Intel LGA 1366 but I will try later (see the post of 3,1upgrade Wiki)
4/ Motherboard
Mono to bi Processor 3,1
i also tried to get a 3,1 board with 2 processor but I can't get Xserve start when two processor are in place, in fact only Proc A run it seem that front pannel don't want to boot when Proc B is in place
if some one has a way to fix it ?
I used to have some Xserve
8x1,1 (2x2cores @3,0MHz) => 8x 2,1 (2x4 cores@ 3,00 MHZ) 230% faster
1x2,1 (1x4 cores @ 2,8 MHz) => (2x4 cores @ 3,00 MHz) 220% faster
1x2,1 (2x4 cores @ 3,0 MHz) => not upgraded yet
3x3,1 (2x4 cores @ 2,93 MHz) => not upgraded yet
2x3,1 (2x4 cores @ 2,26 MHz) => 2x4 cores @ 2,93 MHz 140% faster
3x3,1 (1x4 cores @ 2,26 MHz) => 1x4 cores @ 2,93 MHz can't get 2proc to be recognized
I started a new post, I saw the wiki for 3,1 and all the good job done there, but it is to 3,1 Xserve
Xserve 1,1:
1/ OSX : The max I could install on it, was Yosemite, I never understood why, a lot of job was done to afford it but with no success
see 4 further to see how I overpassed this
2/ Video : easy to install GT120 pci card but still somme screen artefacts with Yosemite even with mezzanine video withdrew
but you will have boot screen
but I was never able to run AMD FirePro S7000 ?
3/ Processor : easy to install 2 Intel X5355 SLAC4 2,66 MHz to remplace origin 2 Intel 5160 SL9RT 3,0 MHz and got 150/180% Gain faster (8 cores) very little more heat but run smoothly and more responsive there is some choice of Intel LGA 771 but proc from 2,1 don't work
if some one interested I have 4 more X5355 I don't use anymore
4/ Motherboard
1,1 > 2,1 Simply get a 2,1 board and plug every component (even memory) and get a working 2,1 =>need processor replacement
I tried E5472, X5450, X5472 @ 3,0 MHz every thing is fully functional and you get 220/230% Gain (even faster than 3,1@2,93 on some tasks)
by the way I can give 1,1 motherboard (I have 8 working that I replaced by 2,1)
you need appaired processors but don't use SLBBB (by the way I have a stock of X5472 SLBBB...that don't work on Mac)
the main gain is OSX you can install what you want I am still on HighSierra (cause video) and all perfect just need to put off the mezzanine origin video
if tou don't have a PCI GT120 no problem xserve start without screen and you can get in from another Mac by screen sharing, if activated !!
you lose CDrom the nappe cable isn't the same place but if you twist it it can be connected
1,1 > 3,1 i also tried to get a 3,1 board working with a 1,1 environment but you need
memories from 3,1 and proper Processor and Heat sink
Front pannel and proper cable and you will have a 3,1 working but lose front panel Firwire and you should modify panel to get USB
i meen that in fact :
Hard disk tray, I will develop further what disc I could use in witch tray
Power, never saw usage differences
Back pane power,
Disk card* (don't know the right name), even Raid card,
Fans,
can be freely exchanged from 1,1 - 2,1 and 3,1 Xserve
Xserve 2,1:
1/ OSX : I installed High Sierra with my powerbook and then modified boot.efi and PlatormSupport.plist then CCC to copy disk in trays for other Xserves
2/ Video : easy to install GT120 pci card you will have full boot screen
put of mezzanine video because it is not optimized and you will have video trouble
but I was never able to run AMD FirePro S7000 ?
still looking to upgrade low cost video on PCI board for metal
3/ Processor : easy to install 2 Intel X5450, E5472, and X5472 SL... (I must verify witch letter run well I could not use SLBBB) 3,0 MHz to remplace origin 1 Intel 2,8 MHz and got 220% Gain faster (8 cores) no more heat but run smoothly and more responsive there is some other choice of Intel LGA 771 but I only tried those
4/ Motherboard
2,1 > 3,1 i also tried to get a 3,1 board working with a 1,1 environment but you need
memories from 3,1 and proper Processor and Heat sink
Front pannel and proper cable and you will have a 3,1 working fine
the screw on case are the same place only the proc don't screw in case like 2,1 but on board
Xserve 3,1:
1/ OSX : I CCC from High Sierra in trays for other Xserves and all working
2/ Video : GT120 MXM 256 Mo video card you will have full boot screen
but I was never able to run AMD FirePro S7000 on PCI
still looking to upgrade low cost video on MXM board for metal
3/ Processor : easy to install 2 Intel X5570 SLBFX 2,93 MHz to remplace origin 2 Intel 2,27 MHz and got 140% Gain faster little more heat but run better there is some other choice of Intel LGA 1366 but I will try later (see the post of 3,1upgrade Wiki)
4/ Motherboard
Mono to bi Processor 3,1
i also tried to get a 3,1 board with 2 processor but I can't get Xserve start when two processor are in place, in fact only Proc A run it seem that front pannel don't want to boot when Proc B is in place
if some one has a way to fix it ?
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