Xeon X5680s Now $45... October 2018

[BobK]

Saw a post at MacRumors saying my RAM recognition problem could be due to a bad processor and suggesting swapping CPU A and B.

I did that, and the RAM problem switched from slot 1 to slot 4.

So it appears the problem is the CPU.

I emailed the eBay seller and will report back. [EDIT: I ended up buying another used 5680 from the same vendor. It worked, and he refunded me for the defective one. All good!]

The good news: when I swapped the CPUs, the sockets looked fine. I was starting to worry I'd tightened the bolts too much (like maybe 3/4 to 1 turn past finger tight, as opposed to Apple's recommended 1/4 turn), and as a result the pins would be bent. They weren't!

[James Steele]

Saw a post at MacRumors saying my RAM recognition problem could be due to a bad processor and suggesting swapping CPU A and B.

I did that, and the RAM problem switched from slot 1 to slot 4.

So it appears the problem is the CPU.

I emailed the eBay seller and will report back.

The good news: when I swapped the CPUs, the sockets looked fine. I was starting to worry I'd tightened the bolts too much (like maybe 3/4 to 1 turn past finger tight, as opposed to Apple's recommended 1/4 turn), and as a result the pins would be bent. They weren't!

Oh gosh... I'm sorry that happened to you. I hope the eBay seller makes good and exchanges it. I can't see why they wouldn't. Still frustrating. I suppose you can reinstall the old CPUs while you wait for a new one if you need that Mac up and running.

[BobK]

Oh gosh... I'm sorry that happened to you. I hope the eBay seller makes good and exchanges it. I can't see why they wouldn't. Still frustrating. I suppose you can reinstall the old CPUs while you wait for a new one if you need that Mac up and running.

Thanks, James. Yeah, it's a drag. But the seller will exchange, and said he'll test the replacement CPU with the type of RAM I'm using, FWIW.

I put the old CPUs back in, and all is well (all RAM is recognized).

Glad I didn't get the small size thermal grease syringes!

I'm getting more practice than I ever imagined removing and re-installing CPUs. (Last week it was to replace the Northbridge heat sink rivets.) But I seem to be doing it right, since I haven't destroyed anything yet.

[James Steele]

I'm getting more practice than I ever imagined removing and re-installing CPUs. (Last week it was to replace the Northbridge heat sink rivets.) But I seem to be doing it right, since I haven't destroyed anything yet.

Ha! You'll be so good at it, if you weren't too busy you could start a cottage industry. There's a guy in the San Diego area that's sort of irritating me, because it appears that he's buying up any old used 4,1 and 5,1 MacPros and doing the upgrade and then flipping them in Craigslist at a ridiculous markup. I have some Craigslist alerts set up and have been watching like a hawk for a 4,1 8-core to show up at a reasonable price so I can hopefully grab it before he does.

[HCMarkus]

Yeah James; I've noticed that, too.

Sounds like you are having good luck with the refund Bob... yeah!

[James Steele]

Yeah James; I've noticed that, too.

Yeah! The guy in Oceanside! Selling his converted 4,1s for $1800!! Annoying as hell. Next 4,1 8-core that pops up for a reasonable price I'm going to try and jump on.

[BobK]

Interesting: In my thread at MacRumors (re: the RAM not being recognized), the guy from DN Computing, who sells de-lidded CPUs said that in thousands of CPUs, he's never seen one not recognize RAM unless it (the CPU) had visible physical damage.

He thought the bolts probably weren't tight enough. Said it's really impossible to tighten them too much "unless you have amazing strength."

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ma ... t-24867025

If I hadn't already shipped it off, I would've tried tightening further. Oh well.

[James Steele]

I think you're better off getting another CPU. Why take the chance? Besides— you swapped sockets with the two CPUs and the problem followed the particular CPU. Why would the other one work with the same tightness in both sockets, but the problem one wouldn't? Better safe than sorry.

[BobK]

Phew.

Got the replacement CPU today. It's fine.

Bottom line: I went from 2 x 2.26GHz quad-core Nehalem processors to 2 x 3.33 GHz hex-core Westmeres.

Geekbench 4 results (running on 10.11.6 El Capitan, with 40 GB of 1066MHz DDR3 ECC RAM).

Single core score increased from 1994 to 2705 - 36%

Multi-core score increased from 12802 to 22191 - 73%

Cost was $160 for two x5680 processors from eBay.

Had a problem with RAM recognition for a sec, but tightening the bolts a quarter turn fixed it.

Hopefully this'll help me get another year or two (or more) of use out of this machine.

One odd thing I've noticed since doing the 4,1 to 5,1 firmware update is that often Terminal automatically launches when I start up the computer. "Open at Login" is not selected, and it's not in my "Startup Items".

Anybody else have this?

Thanks for all the help and inspiration everybody!

[HCMarkus]

Glad it all worked out Bob!

One odd thing I've noticed since doing the 4,1 to 5,1 firmware update is that often Terminal automatically launches when I start up the computer. "Open at Login" is not selected, and it's not in my "Startup Items".

Doesn't happen for me on either of my updated MPs.

[James Steele]

Single core score increased from 1994 to 2705 - 36%

Multi-core score increased from 12802 to 22191 - 73%

Cost was $160 for two x5680 processors from eBay.

<SNIP>
ne odd thing I've noticed since doing the 4,1 to 5,1 firmware update is that often Terminal automatically launches when I start up the computer. "Open at Login" is not selected, and it's not in my "Startup Items".

Anybody else have this?

Thanks for all the help and inspiration everybody!

That's some pretty good bank for your buck. Not as dramatic as what I experienced going from a 4-core to the 6-core, but still very nice!

I've never had the Terminal launch issue either.

[James Steele]

Hey to you have an eBay link to the processor vendor you dealt with Bob? I just scored a 4,1 8-core today on CL! Time to hot rod it!

[HCMarkus]

I just scored a 4,1 8-core today on CL! Time to hot rod it!

[James Steele]

I just scored a 4,1 8-core today on CL! Time to hot rod it!

Yeah. On phone with the guy a second ago. $300. Only has 8GB RAM. GT-120 graphics. But I'm just going to use as my office machine for a while until I get some spare $ to buy some hex chips and then I'll swap the graphics cards, etc with my studio machine. Be wonderful if my boot SSD in my 5,1 hex would be able to just directly swap into the 4,1 after I convert to 5,1 12-core.

Just talked with the guy on the phone and he's having some trouble with doing a clean install. Sounds not very Mac savvy. I told him just wipe the drive. I have a Lion USB stick installer I made and I'll just install from that.

[BobK]

Hey to you have an eBay link to the processor vendor you dealt with Bob? I just scored a 4,1 8-core today on CL! Time to hot rod it!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/272729037417?

Caveat: The listing says "fully tested", but that's not completely true.

EDIT: Removed a couple sentences about not receiving the credit. It happened!