Upgrading Mac Pro (2006) to 8-core Processor?

Xeon 5355s are drop in replacements for the 5150s in the '06 MP. You will find more info here:

Hardmac.com - Le "Macbidouille" in English - Upgrading CPUs of a Mac Pro to Quad Core Xeons;
Apple's Mac Pro - Upgrading CPUs, Memory & Running XP - AnandTech -- Your Source for Hardware Analys…

A Google search will also help you find some videos. The task is not trivial and involves quite a bit of disassembly plus the need for special tools.

On eBay the 5355s are selling for around $290 each for refurbs. Altogether the tools will run around $50-70 if you don't have any of what's needed. If you also upgrade your RAM from 667 MHz modules to 800 MHz modules that will cost close to $250 for eight 1 GB modules.

You may also want a better video card depending on what you currently have installed. The ATI 5770 from Apple is about $250.00 or you can go with the less expensive ATI 4870. There's no real difference in performance since the old MP only has a PCIe 1.0 slot.

Yes, that's what I meant. The 800 MHz DDR2 RAM has to have the same heat sinks and other specs. It's not cheaper but it's not much different in price. You would get about a 20% improvement in memory speed, that's all. It isn't necessary but if you do stuff that requires memory speed then a little boost may be meaningful. Otherwise you can leave be what you currently have.

The 5355s are able to support faster RAM but the '06 MPs don't support DDR3 memory.

I have not yet done these upgrades - waiting on some tools. I have the two 5355s and memory on order. I've read the various articles and watched some videos so I have a good idea of the job. I may be able to start the job this weekend, time permitting.

The upgrade surgery was performed today. Having watched videos of the work I was reasonably up on what to do. Disassembly hit a snag when I was not able to loosed the two bottom screws in the memory cage. Fortunately with a little effort and prying I was able to shift the cage over enough to remove the cover over the heat sinks. It was then fairly easy to remove the fan assembly then undo the heat sinks. Once all the processor replacements were done then came reassembly. Because of the memory cage I could not shift it over sufficiently to fully seat the heat sink cover. So it isn't the prettiest job. Fighting with the two screws plus the added difficulty that added to the job, it took me about three hours to complete.

I've had it running for about six hours now monitoring temperatures. So far, so good. I've installed SMC Fan Control two increase the CPU fan's idle speed to 850 RPM. This is maintaining a normal operating temperature of 31º C suggesting that all is as it should be.

Hi Kappy,

I'm curious to hear from you how your comp. is handling your recent upgrade.
I'm thinking about doing the same thing.
Please, give us some feedback.

Best regards

Been running fine since completed.

The two screws were literally frozen in the standoffs. Fortunately, the two bottom screws do not have to be removed. You can move the cage enough by just loosening the top screws. They are larger heads and easier to leverage. Mine came loose easily. This will require you to do a bit more to pry out the heat sink cover, but it will snap loose. Putting it back was much more difficult then getting it off.

You will need thermal grease. You will need to clean the copper bottom plates on the heat sinks which you can do with acetone or alcohol. I purchased a tube of Arctic Silver #5. Use just a small amount on the top of each CPU after they have been installed in the sockets. Visit the Arctic Silver site where you will find a file on how to use Arctic Silver properly. It doesn't take much. Don't use your fingers to spread it unless you were a clean latex glove. Alternatively you can use the edge of a credit card.

Google for this upgrade to find all the references on doing the upgrade. This should be your prior research.

Mine was a different brand that had a solid handle made by BondHus. I ordered it through Sears. You can see the general design here.

I just found this post doing a search on processor upgrades. Do any of you gentlemen have info on upgrading a nahalem to a westmere processor? this is a pre-sales question really. I"m thinking of buying a new mac 2.4g Quad Core Nahelem, but can that processor be upgraded to a westmere at a later date? Funds only allow for the buying of the Nahalem which is fine for me, but I'm thinking down the road a few years that a processor upgrade may be warranted. I"ve done them before with the older Power Mac G4 dual mirror to a sonnetech. Appreciate the help.

You'll have better results with Google if you spell it like it is, and starting your own thread. This was in the older Mac Pro section (2006) and nothing to do with current processor models

Just buy what you need and can afford and worry about the future when it comes. It may not make economic sense.

Apple Store Specials usually has 2010 4-core 2.8 (base model) for $2100.
That is your best buy unless you go to 6-core 3.33GHz
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/mac_pro

Or maybe a high end MacBook Pro 2011 fits your needs.
http://macperformanceguide.com/index.html
http://macperformanceguide.com/index_topics.html

Thanks. I'll check out the links