Upgraind Memory on a MacPro

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Level 1

5 points

Upgraind Memory on a MacPro

I would like to upgrade the RAM in my Mac Pro. I have a Mac Pro 5.1 from late 2009. It has two Quad core Xeon processors running at 2.4 GHz. Currently it has 8 GB of RAM and I'd like to expand it to at least 16 GB. When I look inside the Mac Pro, I see four memory slots with two closest to the edge being occupied. But when I run the system information app, it tells me there are eight slots with four of them occupied. Can someone explain this discrepancy me? Also where is the best place to get ram for my Mac? If you happen to know the exact model number for the ram, that would be awesome.

Thanks,

Kory

Hardware Overview:

Model Name: Mac Pro

Model Identifier: MacPro5,1

Processor Name: Quad-Core Intel Xeon

Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz

Number of Processors: 2

Total Number of Cores: 8

L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB

L3 Cache (per Processor): 12 MB

Memory: 8 GB

Processor Interconnect Speed: 5.86 GT/s

Boot ROM Version: MP51.007F.B03

SMC Version (system): 1.39f11

SMC Version (processor tray): 1.39f11

DIMM Slots 1, 2, 5, 6 (slots 3, 4, 7, and 8 are marked as "empty"):

Size: 2 GB

Type: DDR3 ECC

Speed: 1066 MHz

Status: OK

Manufacturer: 0x80AD

Part Number: 0x484D54313235553754465238432D48392020

Serial Number: 0x33303188

Mac Pro

Posted on Aug 8, 2014 9:14 PM

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Answer 1

kaz-k

Level 8

48,966 points

Aug 8, 2014 9:56 PM in response to KoryH

1066MHz DDR3 PC3-8500 unbuffered with ECC or unbuffered ECC 1333MHz PC3-10600E memory modules are your RAM.

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory#1333-memory

You can mix 2GB module and 4GB module, though can't mix 2 or 4GB module and 8GB module.

Mac Pro (Mid 2012 and earlier): How to remove or install memory

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Answer 2

Aug 9, 2014 11:53 AM in response to KoryH

The lower picture on the right shows your Dual Socket "slide-out shelf". It has four memory slots on the front, and four more behind the second Chip cooler at the back. Each "side" is operated independently, so slots 1, 2, 3 and 4 are one set, and 5, 6, 7, and 8 are an independent set. You should take advantage of the slide out to completely remove the shelf for this upgrade.

The economics of these DIMMs at this writing are such that the best price-point is the 8GB DIMM -- I recommend you NOT buy smaller than 8GB DIMM today. Install modules by the each on each of the two sides. Populating three sockets on a side give a minuscule speed up. Populating the fourth socket on a side gives a slight slowdown, so do not install a 0.5GB module there unless you really need it.

Also, blast accumulated dust up and out of your Mac with compressed air, taking care to not spin any of the fans including the fans inside the Chip coolers too briskly or they may be damaged. Do not use a household vacuum unless it is rated for use with electronic equipment, as these generate huge electronics-killing static charges long before you can feel the Zap.

The memory upgrade manual kaz-k linked in is very helpful, BUT -- it is a concatenation of the manuals for ALL the Silver Tower Mac Pros. Be sure to move carefully to the correct section for your specific model Mac Pro, and do not accidentally scroll into the next section for a different model.

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