Previously, saving the 2006 Mac Pro was an exercise in what to do with a trashed-out relic out of a computer. The first thought is to do nothing and get another one when it burns up. Here at the Rockhouse, however, we got a message from the People of the Future that this particular computer is important as it was the only thing they could find in Fort Worth that was still working after the wars in 2020 in which there was a worldwide campaign to wipe out asshats everywhere.
So it is important to restore the computer and it's not just for me as it isn't for me at all. This is a project computer and it won't be resold or anything of that nature. The object is to fix it and use it as now we know its destiny and want to prepare it as well as possible for that. Here's the original article on the case study: Saving a 2006 Mac Pro MA356LL/A
The first move is to put 16 GB of RAM in it. This is first because it's inexpensive, fast, and easy with a result being subtle in that you can run more things without the computer bogging down, etc. This has been ordered and will arrive next Thursday.
The second move after that is to replace the video card. That move is more expensive but it has more spectacular results in that Second Life will do much better with it plus it will permit running software the machine would not previously support (e.g. Final Cut). The owner is intensely interested in video so this is a big deficit and it will be fixed. This order has also been placed and should arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday.
The most questionable move is replacing the processors. If you look directly at the case of the computer, the processors are the bits which are buried all the way at the bottom under everything else. I have studied the process and it's not impossible but there's a lot of fiddling about. One saving grace is there are relatively few screws to remove to do it. The cost would be minimal and I've found an even better processor but I'll have to work up some nerve to try this one. It would be worth it as this would instantly double the processing power of the machine.
The order has been placed but this won't be a fast move when they arrive as I'll study this on video until I'm satisfied I'm ready for neurosurgery.
The computer is for the People of the Future so they are financing the upgrade which starts ... well ... right now.
There's no way I can resist upgrading the processors. If you're going to hotrod something, why do it partway and just put GlassPaks on the exhaust. (Kids did that in high school car clubs at one time. It made the cars sound stupid and did nothing for performance)
(Ed: what about cleaning the fookin' thing??)
The actual first order of business is getting some cans of compressed air to blow it out as much as possible. You don't have to be all that surgical with most of what I will do but upgrading the processors has to be absolutely immaculate.
So it is important to restore the computer and it's not just for me as it isn't for me at all. This is a project computer and it won't be resold or anything of that nature. The object is to fix it and use it as now we know its destiny and want to prepare it as well as possible for that. Here's the original article on the case study: Saving a 2006 Mac Pro MA356LL/A
The first move is to put 16 GB of RAM in it. This is first because it's inexpensive, fast, and easy with a result being subtle in that you can run more things without the computer bogging down, etc. This has been ordered and will arrive next Thursday.
The second move after that is to replace the video card. That move is more expensive but it has more spectacular results in that Second Life will do much better with it plus it will permit running software the machine would not previously support (e.g. Final Cut). The owner is intensely interested in video so this is a big deficit and it will be fixed. This order has also been placed and should arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday.
The most questionable move is replacing the processors. If you look directly at the case of the computer, the processors are the bits which are buried all the way at the bottom under everything else. I have studied the process and it's not impossible but there's a lot of fiddling about. One saving grace is there are relatively few screws to remove to do it. The cost would be minimal and I've found an even better processor but I'll have to work up some nerve to try this one. It would be worth it as this would instantly double the processing power of the machine.
The order has been placed but this won't be a fast move when they arrive as I'll study this on video until I'm satisfied I'm ready for neurosurgery.
The computer is for the People of the Future so they are financing the upgrade which starts ... well ... right now.
There's no way I can resist upgrading the processors. If you're going to hotrod something, why do it partway and just put GlassPaks on the exhaust. (Kids did that in high school car clubs at one time. It made the cars sound stupid and did nothing for performance)
(Ed: what about cleaning the fookin' thing??)
The actual first order of business is getting some cans of compressed air to blow it out as much as possible. You don't have to be all that surgical with most of what I will do but upgrading the processors has to be absolutely immaculate.
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