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Thinking about switching......

S

SleeplessIncubus

Gawd
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
Messages
582
I just got my 500GB sata drive back from RMA from WD and just got done installing it in my rig. I then went to turn the system on and nothing happens. All I did was screw the damn drive in and connect the sata cable and power connection that was there when I took the bad drive out.

I am at the end of my rope with PC parts and such. I was thinking about selling all of it and just getting a mac pro. I just have a couple of quick questions.

The mac pro comes with a 250GB SATA drive - would I be able to install my 500GB storage drive as well? Could I even go further with it and just take that 250GB drive out and replace it with my 150GB Raptor drive?

I dont really game at all any more as I have been doing a bunch of video stuff - making and burning dvds. I really just have been playing with my 360 for games and even I dont have that much time for that even.

Last question....if I do decide to game then I am going to just do it on XP thru bootcamp. I have a 37" westinghouse so will the 7300gt that apple offers going to be good enough? They dont really have that many options - 7300gt, 7300x2 or x1900xt512.

This is the current setup I am looking at:

Two 2.66GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon
1GB (2 x 512MB)
250GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
Mac OS X - U.S. English
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT 256MB (single-link DVI/dual-link DVI)
Bluetooth 2.0+EDR module
Apple Wireless Keyboard and Apple wireless Mighty Mouse - U.S. English
One 16x SuperDrive

$2583 shipped

or I can downgrade the CPUs and go with a better video card with this config

Two 2.0GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon
1GB (2 x 512MB)
250GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
Mac OS X - U.S. English
ATI Radeon X1900 XT 512MB (2 x dual-link DVI)
Bluetooth 2.0+EDR module
Apple Wireless Keyboard and Apple wireless Mighty Mouse - U.S. English
One 16x SuperDrive

$2534 shipped
 
I think you mght be able to go for the faster CPU's and the dual 7300GT's.
Are you a college student? You'll get 10% off which is about 250$. That might be the extra cash you need to spring for the entire package :)

If you sign up as an ADC Dev, you get 20% off on 1 machine.
http://developer.apple.com/products/student.html
 
vraa said:
I think you mght be able to go for the faster CPU's and the dual 7300GT's.
Are you a college student? You'll get 10% off which is about 250$. That might be the extra cash you need to spring for the entire package :)

If you sign up as an ADC Dev, you get 20% off on 1 machine.
http://developer.apple.com/products/student.html
Click to expand...

Yes, I am a college student. Those prices were using the discount. So if I sign up would I be able to get the student discount as well as the dev discount?

edit: just read a little more on the ADC discount....looks like if I pay the $99.99 fee then I can get the 20% discount which would be about $500 off which would be awesome.
 
Macs aren't any less likely to suffer hard drive failures than other computers.

And if you're buying a Mac Pro with no need for a powerful video card, just go for a single 7300GT. The multiple 7300GT option is there for multiple displays. Macs don't support SLI anyway. But keep in mind that video editing♥does use the video card in quite a few applications (Apple's being a prime example).

The Mac Pro takes up to four hard drives. You can stick any hard drives you want in it.

You're only allowed one kind of discount at a time (you can't take your student discount and your ADC discount on the same machine, and you don't get a student discount on refurbished hardware either).

1GB of memory in a quad Xeon is nowhere near enough. What you should do is either buy 2GB (4x512), or 1GB and then just swap it out, if you can find it cheaper elsewhere. The Mac Pro has quad channel memory, so you'll see a performance increase by making sure you've got four modules with the same specs.
 
Black Morty Rackham said:
Macs aren't any less likely to suffer hard drive failures than other computers.

And if you're buying a Mac Pro with no need for a powerful video card, just go for a single 7300GT. The multiple 7300GT option is there for multiple displays. Macs don't support SLI anyway. But keep in mind that video editing♥does use the video card in quite a few applications (Apple's being a prime example).

The Mac Pro takes up to four hard drives. You can stick any hard drives you want in it.

You're only allowed one kind of discount at a time (you can't take your student discount and your ADC discount on the same machine, and you don't get a student discount on refurbished hardware either).

1GB of memory in a quad Xeon is nowhere near enough. What you should do is either buy 2GB (4x512), or 1GB and then just swap it out, if you can find it cheaper elsewhere. The Mac Pro has quad channel memory, so you'll see a performance increase by making sure you've got four modules with the same specs.
Click to expand...

I wasnt really worried about the hard drive failures with the mac. I was basically saying I had 2 better drives already then the 250gb that comes with the mac. Would it be possible to copy all the info from the 250gb to my raptor and just install the 500gb for storage?

I did want to do some video editing so which video card would you recommend? If I did decide to game on XP which card that they offer would work best?

As for the RAM that was exactly what I was going to do. Since apple charges out th arse for RAM I was just going to get what they gave and then buy atleast 2x1gb from some place like newegg.
 
Would it be possible to copy all the info from the 250gb to my raptor and just install the 500gb for storage?
Click to expand...
Yes, it would be a snap. Or you could just install it on the Raptor and not worry about the factory installation. Either way works fine.



I did want to do some video editing so which video card would you recommend? If I did decide to game on XP which card that they offer would work best?
Click to expand...
Get the X1900XT. They only have three choices: One is ridiculusly underpowered, and another is ridiculusly overpriced.
 
Black Morty Rackham said:
Yes, it would be a snap. Or you could just install it on the Raptor and not worry about the factory installation. Either way works fine.




Get the X1900XT. They only have three choices: One is ridiculusly underpowered, and another is ridiculusly overpriced.
Click to expand...

i believe what they offer is the x1900xt x2. is that a crossfire setup or something
 
No, it's just a regular single X1900XT with half a gig of memory. It does have two dual-link DVIs, though (unlike the 7300s that only have a single one).
 
Please, please, PLEASE don't bother with the wireless keyboard and Mighty mouse. I would just get the wired keyboard and upgrade to a wireless one (or use whatever keyboard and mouse you're using now, unless it has Windows proprietary drivers). The Mighty mouse is (literally) a pain to use. :mad:

With that said, go for it! One note about the hard drive installation: you don't even need any cables. ;)
 
Black Morty Rackham said:
No, it's just a regular single X1900XT with half a gig of memory. It does have two dual-link DVIs, though (unlike the 7300s that only have a single one).
Click to expand...

ah, i see i must have read it wrong.

if i was to replace the 250gb with my 150gb raptor....what would be the best way to do it? just take the restore cd/dvds and run it that way? also are the connections in place for the other hdds or will I have to run the power and sata cables myself?
 
SleeplessIncubus said:
ah, i see i must have read it wrong.

if i was to replace the 250gb with my 150gb raptor....what would be the best way to do it? just take the restore cd/dvds and run it that way? also are the connections in place for the other hdds or will I have to run the power and sata cables myself?
Click to expand...

I did exactly what you're talking about 2 weeks ago when my Mac Pro came in. I ripped out the 250gig drive and put in my 150gig Raptor, booted off the restore disks and did a fresh install of OSX. It comes with a bunch of stupid stuff installed anyway, like 2gigs of language translations, and printer drivers for every printer known to man. I never even booted it up on the 250gig drive. Didn't even turn it on first.

All the connectors are already wired. The hard drives install on "sleds" which are just slid into place. Once pushed in all the way all the necessary connections are made.

Note, only SATA drives are supported, no PATA drives. You could potentially install a PATA in the second optical drive bay if you want, but I would stick with SATA.
 
Arch said:
I did exactly what you're talking about 2 weeks ago when my Mac Pro came in. I ripped out the 250gig drive and put in my 150gig Raptor, booted off the restore disks and did a fresh install of OSX. It comes with a bunch of stupid stuff installed anyway, like 2gigs of language translations, and printer drivers for every printer known to man. I never even booted it up on the 250gig drive. Didn't even turn it on first.

All the connectors are already wired. The hard drives install on "sleds" which are just slid into place. Once pushed in all the way all the necessary connections are made.

Note, only SATA drives are supported, no PATA drives. You could potentially install a PATA in the second optical drive bay if you want, but I would stick with SATA.
Click to expand...

sweet, thanks. yeah, i only own sata drives ;)
 
ok, using the ADC discount I was able to get

Two 2.66GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon
1GB (2 x 512MB)
250GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
Mac OS X - U.S. English
ATI Radeon X1900 XT 512MB (2 x dual-link DVI)
Bluetooth 2.0+EDR module
Apple Keyboard and Apple Mighty Mouse - U.S. English
One 16x SuperDrive

$2412 shipped

Using the education discount it was around $2700 so because of you I saved about $300. Now I want to get more RAM so what would you suggest? Should I get some 2x1gb and sell the 2x512 that it comes with or should I just get another 2x512?

I plan on taking my 150gb raptor and replacing the 250gb drive and installing my 500gb as well. Then I'm going to take the 250gb and make it an external drive.

Now I just need to sell all of my s939 stuff....if you know anyone interested please let me know. Here is my FS thread

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1189193
 
Hm, I think it'd be better if you kept what you have right now -- wait for ram prices to drop a little bit and then buy 2x1gb from newegg :)
 
vraa said:
Hm, I think it'd be better if you kept what you have right now -- wait for ram prices to drop a little bit and then buy 2x1gb from newegg :)
Click to expand...

i thought RAM prices have dropped a lot lately. not sure whats best for the mac pro because i have never owned a mac before
 
The Mac pro is better with 4x 512 than 2x 1GB ebcause it has Quad Channel ram. If you run 2x 512 and 2x 1GB you only run in dual channel. What I recomend is not buy the ram from apple you would save a lot of money.

By defualt they ship with 2x 512MB so the system run in Dual channel, add another 2x512 and you get Quad channel ram.

While it may not be perceptible Quad channel in some cases but most of the time Dual channel work great too.

All you need to know about mac pro memory config http://www.barefeats.com/quad09.html
 
Cyant said:
The Mac pro is better with 4x 512 than 2x 1GB ebcause it has Quad Channel ram. If you run 2x 512 and 2x 1GB you only run in dual channel. What I recomend is not buy the ram from apple you would save a lot of money.

By defualt they ship with 2x 512MB so the system run in Dual channel, add another 2x512 and you get Quad channel ram.

While it may not be perceptible Quad channel in some cases but most of the time Dual channel work great too.

All you need to know about mac pro memory config http://www.barefeats.com/quad09.html
Click to expand...

before reading the contents from that link is there any memory that you could recommend?
 
Newegg. A gig of fully buffered ram runs like $100. So 2 gigs $150-200.
 
aznx said:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148043

Better off buying 2x1gb.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146585

Cheaper.
Click to expand...

Interesting that the 1GB stick is 97 while the 2x512 is 118. Would I need matched pairs of 1gb sticks for 2GB total or would that not matter? If I do go with another 2x512 I would be able to run the RAM in quad channel (since I would have 4x512) as opposed to only dual channel if I went with a 2x1gb. Even though the 2x512 is a little more expensive then the 1gb stick I still wouldnt have to buy another 1gb stick plus i wouldnt have to worry about trying to sell the original ram.
 
SleeplessIncubus said:
Interesting that the 1GB stick is 97 while the 2x512 is 118. Would I need matched pairs of 1gb sticks for 2GB total or would that not matter? If I do go with another 2x512 I would be able to run the RAM in quad channel (since I would have 4x512) as opposed to only dual channel if I went with a 2x1gb. Even though the 2x512 is a little more expensive then the 1gb stick I still wouldnt have to buy another 1gb stick plus i wouldnt have to worry about trying to sell the original ram.
Click to expand...

Why not get the original 2x512mb for 1gb and buy 2x1gb sticks, that way you'll have 4 sticks, quad channel. Plus maybe in the future, you'll then change out the 2x512mb sticks for 2x2gb sticks or something.:p
 
aznx said:
Why not get the original 2x512mb for 1gb and buy 2x1gb sticks, that way you'll have 4 sticks, quad channel. Plus maybe in the future, you'll then change out the 2x512mb sticks for 2x2gb sticks or something.:p
Click to expand...

i guess i could do that....but its going to cost me $200 for that solution (2x512, 2x1gb) when I could do 2gb (4x512) for $117 or so. im not sure how 3gb effects a mac as opposed to 2gb but in my PC/Windows it didnt do much if anything.
 
SleeplessIncubus said:
i guess i could do that....but its going to cost me $200 for that solution (2x512, 2x1gb) when I could do 2gb (4x512) for $117 or so. im not sure how 3gb effects a mac as opposed to 2gb but in my PC/Windows it didnt do much if anything.
Click to expand...

I dunno, but everything on my mac seems to eat up memory.

If you're spending over $2000 on your Mac Pro already, a few more hundred isn't going to hurt.:D
 
aznx said:
I dunno, but everything on my mac seems to eat up memory.

If you're spending over $2000 on your Mac Pro already, a few more hundred isn't going to hurt.:D
Click to expand...

haha, im just trying to cut costs as much as i can. right now im having doubts about switching. ive already sold my cpu, ram and video card. the only major parts left are my monitor (2407) the case (v1000b plusII), and Vista Home Premium retail.

i was offered a q6600 and some ram for the 2407 and then a e6600, 8800gts640 and some xms RAM for the 2407. that would leave me just needing a board.

i do like the mac pro a lot...but i could get the e6600, 8800, 2gb and a striker board for about $400 whereas the mac is going to cost $2400

i dont know what to do :confused: :(
 
SleeplessIncubus said:
haha, im just trying to cut costs as much as i can. right now im having doubts about switching. ive already sold my cpu, ram and video card. the only major parts left are my monitor (2407) the case (v1000b plusII), and Vista Home Premium retail.

i was offered a q6600 and some ram for the 2407 and then a e6600, 8800gts640 and some xms RAM for the 2407. that would leave me just needing a board.

i do like the mac pro a lot...but i could get the e6600, 8800, 2gb and a striker board for about $400 whereas the mac is going to cost $2400

i dont know what to do :confused: :(
Click to expand...

I'd say just wait for Barcelona. :p

Mac Pros are nice and all, but they are still very expensive, especially the ram. Vista is pretty good, not crap like everyone says it is. I'd stick with the PC.
 
aznx said:
I'd say just wait for Barcelona. :p

Mac Pros are nice and all, but they are still very expensive, especially the ram. Vista is pretty good, not crap like everyone says it is. I'd stick with the PC.
Click to expand...

well, i already sold my PC....so if I wait for Barcelona then I wont have a PC until then. Its either the 6600 or the mac pro at this point.

i have vista and i like it but i really did not feel like I had total control over the OS. basic things like running crapcleaner it would ask my permission, when i copied my psp's folders to vista so that i could format my mem. stick it wouldnt let me delete the folder saying it needed permission for that. simple cut/paste of multiple files folders was weird - never telling me what was being done - just a progress bar (in XP it would show the files being copied).

cost-wise $400 for the upgrade sounds really nice as opposed to $2400 for the mac....but i dont game on my PC any more and upgrading every year or so is starting to get tiring.
 
SleeplessIncubus said:
well, i already sold my PC....so if I wait for Barcelona then I wont have a PC until then. Its either the 6600 or the mac pro at this point.

i have vista and i like it but i really did not feel like I had total control over the OS. basic things like running crapcleaner it would ask my permission, when i copied my psp's folders to vista so that i could format my mem. stick it wouldnt let me delete the folder saying it needed permission for that. simple cut/paste of multiple files folders was weird - never telling me what was being done - just a progress bar (in XP it would show the files being copied).

cost-wise $400 for the upgrade sounds really nice as opposed to $2400 for the mac....but i dont game on my PC any more and upgrading every year or so is starting to get tiring.
Click to expand...

You probably don't really need to upgrade every year since you stopped playing games..whether you get a PC or Mac. I just think the Mac Pro is kind of expensive..:p I'd just get the 6600. You'll want to keep the 2407 :p
 
aznx said:
You probably don't really need to upgrade every year since you stopped playing games..whether you get a PC or Mac. I just think the Mac Pro is kind of expensive..:p I'd just get the 6600. You'll want to keep the 2407 :p
Click to expand...

I dont need the 2407 - I have a 37" Westinghouse ;)

I am having some difficulty in selling the 2407 however. And to kind of go off on a tangent for a bit.....I was ripped by some people when I RMA-ed my 2407 A01 because of the revision - I wanted the A03. People said that if the monitor was fine then why RMA it only because I wanted the A03. Now when it comes time to sell it people dont want it because its an A03 and not an A04. I mean c'mon you cant have it both ways people!!

So if I got the 6600 it would be for a trade with the 2407. But if I can find someone to buy it soon then I'll go with the mac - if not - then ill probably just trade it and stay in the PC game.
 
SleeplessIncubus said:
I dont need the 2407 - I have a 37" Westinghouse ;)

I am having some difficulty in selling the 2407 however. And to kind of go off on a tangent for a bit.....I was ripped by some people when I RMA-ed my 2407 A01 because of the revision - I wanted the A03. People said that if the monitor was fine then why RMA it only because I wanted the A03. Now when it comes time to sell it people dont want it because its an A03 and not an A04. I mean c'mon you cant have it both ways people!!

So if I got the 6600 it would be for a trade with the 2407. But if I can find someone to buy it soon then I'll go with the mac - if not - then ill probably just trade it and stay in the PC game.
Click to expand...

lol RMA it again and get an A04.:p
 
SleeplessIncubus said:
i do like the mac pro a lot...but i could get the e6600, 8800, 2gb and a striker board for about $400 whereas the mac is going to cost $2400

i dont know what to do :confused: :(
Click to expand...

I hear ya. I was set on getting a MacPro for a while (~$2500ish + video card extra) vs. a PC (~$750ish). Why not get those PC parts and also get a Mini? For non-gaming they aren't exactly slow. I think that's what I'll end up doing.
 
a mac pro is a beast, just make sure you are going to use all that power, if not you might be better with an imac or laptop..
 
Both kits are good, if you end up going 2x 1GB + the 2x512MB defualt put the 1GB in the first slots of each riser cards.

Like that:

Mac -> Each Riser cards -> Slot 1 (1GB) -> Slot 2 (512) -> Slot 3&4 Empty

This will ensure faster memory access. The way those FB-DIMMS work is the CPU check cache if the data is not in cashe it request the memory to pull the data. With the type of memory architecture the first slot check if it contain the data (take up some cycles), if it doesn't it send the request to slot 2... then slot 3 then 4... each time the latency is increased.

So if your bigger sticks are in the first slots and smaller one att he end there's more chance the data will reside in the first sticks since they are bigger. This is a crude explanation of the text I read about it on Anandtech when the Mac Pro were released.
 
Cyant said:
Both kits are good, if you end up going 2x 1GB + the 2x512MB defualt put the 1GB in the first slots of each riser cards.

Like that:

Mac -> Each Riser cards -> Slot 1 (1GB) -> Slot 2 (512) -> Slot 3&4 Empty

This will ensure faster memory access. The way those FB-DIMMS work is the CPU check cache if the data is not in cashe it request the memory to pull the data. With the type of memory architecture the first slot check if it contain the data (take up some cycles), if it doesn't it send the request to slot 2... then slot 3 then 4... each time the latency is increased.

So if your bigger sticks are in the first slots and smaller one att he end there's more chance the data will reside in the first sticks since they are bigger. This is a crude explanation of the text I read about it on Anandtech when the Mac Pro were released.
Click to expand...

hey thanks! actually all the memory sticks will be the same size so ill have 4x512mb total (2gb)
 
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