I'm adding an internal drive to an 2006 MP1.1 - have contemplated SSD but for the moment sticking with HDD, but what spec as notice there's different speeds and some are 2.5 or 3.5". Or do I need to find out what mine is and match that or can they be different?
3.5'' SATA 7200RPN up to 2TB will do.
More details are here:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_pro/faq/mac-pro-how-to-upgrade-hard-dr ives-what-type-supported.html
3TB will work great too.
what does the cache figure mean and what should I go for? I'll be using this drive to run the system itself from and eventually use my current drive for additional storage.
The cache size used to have a huge impact on drive performance for two reasons:
On read, it meant that the drive could read in an entire track (20 to 50 or more blocks) once the data were available under the read head. If you were then to ask for the next block (which is very, very common) you do not have to endure another rotation of the platter (at 8.5 milliseconds for each complete spin at 7200 RPM) before accessing the next block of data.
On write, the drive could accept a track's worth or more, and tell Mac OS X, "go ahead, I got it" before proceeding to actually write out the data to the platters.
As caches have become even larger, (many many times the size of a track) the Incremental increase in performance over a track-sized cache is less pronounced, but still measurable.
Executive summary:
The bigger the cache, the better.
But differences between drives that each have large caches will not be as pronounced as in the past.
Wow, bit over my head, but think I understand that! 🙂
I was about to purchase this one based on the suggestions by other members in this post http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150978302467&ssPageName=ADM E:X:RTQ:GB:1123
...but I asked the seller if suitable for my machine and they said no...? Why's that and how will I know what's suitable, I ws originally told any drive would work!
Hi,
The link on ebay is to SATA III and this would not work.
You need SATA drive which identifies itself as 3Gbit/s.
The SATA differences is a long story
tzbikowski wrote:
Hi,
The link on ebay is to SATA III and this would not work.
You need SATA drive which identifies itself as 3Gbit/s.
The SATA differences is a long story
Gee, the plot thickens, minefield... there's SATA , SATA 300, 6GB/s...! So as long it doesn't say this I'm ok??... this one – http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seagate-Barracuda-7200-14-1TB-Hard-Drive-7200rpm-SATA- 64MB-Internal-/200877125564?pt=UK_Computing_HardDrives_RL&hash=item2ec535afbc
??
:-)
You are OK as long as it does say 3Gb/s.
something like this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seagate-7200-12-ST31000528AS-1Tb-32Mb-SATA-3Gb-s-Hard- Drive-Dell-H652R-/350646440805?pt=UK_Computing_HardDrives_RL&hash=item51a4281365
tzbikowski wrote:
:-)
You are OK as long as it does say 3Gb/s.
something like this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seagate-7200-12-ST31000528AS-1Tb-32Mb-SATA-3Gb-s-Hard- Drive-Dell-H652R-/350646440805?pt=UK_Computing_HardDrives_RL&hash=item51a428136 5
That's much more expensive than the 64MB one though, is 3gb/s more than 6 cos this is also 32MB, the other is 64 and was advised 64 is better?
My advice is based on what you say you have and what Apple says it supports.
The last drive you mention may or may not work. Your computer is over 6 years old now and not all the hard drives will work with it.
Best to stick to the 3Gb/s little detail or/and make sure you check the seller's return policy.
you are being misled and given iffy recommendations.
Any WD Back will do fine and I would avoid any older SATA2 models out there.
The hatter wrote:
you are being misled and given iffy recommendations.
Any WD Back will do fine and I would avoid any older SATA2 models out there.
What's WD Back?
Western Digital Black are probably the most often recommended and bought and can't say anything bad, Apple was using for last 4 yrs too.
WD Black 1TB
WD Green 3TB - backup
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Caviar-Green-Desktop/dp/B004RORMF6/
WD VR 10K 250GB $103 200MB/sec boot drive :
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007V5A1BK/
Those last and last and make a nice boot drive.
SSD: Samsung 840 128GB
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Series-120GB-internal-MZ-7TD120BW/dp/B009NHAF06/
The technology of "regular" commercially-available Hard Drives has changed really quickly in the last few years. This means that the companies that used to make Hard drives have either innovated or been bought out. There are only three makers of Hard Drives left standing.
All newer SATA drives that say 6GB/sec transfer rate are backward-compatible to slower Busses. They will shift down and operate correctly (at the slower transfer rates). Do not pay extra for 6GB/sec capability.
The faster the drive spins, the faster the data can be read off it. For desktop system, 3.5" form factor drives spinning at 7200 RPM are the standard. Slower drives such as 5400 RPM drives, 2.5" form factor drives (except WD VelociRaptors, which are completely different and faster), and "Green" drives will all be slower.
In general, the bigger the cache the better, but cache size differences alone should not be used to make the decision.
In a Mac Pro, a 2.5" form factor drive will not fit easily (in addition to being slower) and some sort of adaptation is required.
What size hard drive for Mac Pro - 2.5 or 3.5"?
