Hey guys, I got a 2009 Mac Pro with OEM 3gb memory installed! Im planning to install 1333mhz suportive processor eventually, so so I will buys a 1333mghz memory right now. Will it be OK if Ill install 8GB 1333mhz alongside my OEM 3x1GB 1066mhz RAM? And what memory should I get - EEC/non-EEC, Buffered/Registered/Unbuffered?
MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)
Early 2009 Mac Pro requires DDR3 ECC unbuffered DIMM 1066MHz or 1333MHz, mixed RAM speed is OK, they are all running at 1066MHz. And bigger RAM must be installed memory slot 1.
http://support.apple.com/kb/sp506
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory#1066-memory
What if Ill get nonEEC unbuffered? And mix EEC with nonEEC for now?
Do NOT use non-ECC RAM in your Mac Pro. It defeats the best feature of the Xeon processor, memory Error Correction.
Whenever you write a 64-bit word to memory, Hardware calculates 8 additional syndrome bits (parity trees for selected permutations of the bits in the word). These bits are checked when data are read out and are used to detect and correct (with no slowdown) any single-bit errors that have occurred.
Double-bit error detection is also done, but these errors cannot be corrected. Instead, they cause a distinctive kernel panic, machine check, uncorrected error or error overflow. This is done to assure that your data are not poisoned.
As memories get larger and larger, the chances of a single-bit error occurring also get larger.
You may also find that some non-ECC does not fit properly or work properly.
To avoid owning excellent modules that do not happen to work in your Mac, Buy from a Mac-Centric vendor who promises,
"It works in your Mac,
or your money Back."
What about buffered/registred/unbuffered? I found a great deal on memory in one of my local stores - http://m79.lv/kingston-8gb-240-pin-ddr3-sdram-ecc-registered-ddr3-1333-server-me mory-kvr1333d3d4r9s8gi_88194.html what will you say about it? Its registered though, I dont know what that means, but want to find out!
Registered DIMMs cannot be mixed with ordinary unregistered/unbuffered DIMMs. To use these, you would have to discard all of your smaller unregistered DIMMs.
When larger DIMMs are built out of multiple ranks of smaller chips, each rank of chips on the DIMM presents an additional load on the memory Bus. Too many loads, and the Bus slow down, or worse yest, produces errors.
So DIMM makers added a buffer Register.
• Adavantage: This allows the DIMM to present a single Bus load on the memory bus.
• Disadvantage: Data will take an additional gate delay to be available at the output of the Register. Also, the Register output overwhelms the outputs of any other non-registered DIMMs, rendering them inoperable.
Could I install 1600mhz RAM? Its pretty hard to find 1333 options these days!
What part of the world? what markets are available to you?
Latvia, EU! I mean I can find 1333, but its very limited, Im just wondering if I could easily install 1600, there is no point for me to look for 1333.
Can you buy from UK, Germany, Italy?
I can, but it takes time, and the prices are about the same! What could go worse if Ill install 1600? And I dont care about ECC too much, since Im not building a rocket here, just working with CAD files, PS and some visualization renderings
http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/listparts.aspx?model=Mac%20Pro%206-Core%20Mid%20 2010
Kingston RAM is also available from third parties.
NB> You MUST buy from a vendor with a Money-back guarantee. Some of this RAM will NOT shift down and run at the slower speed you need today.
Non-ECC RAM may not fit. Some may have a different number of pins or be keyed differently, and you cannot depend on the terrible pictures they use.
Mixing RAM in Mac Pro
