Nehalem MacPro

Just clicked "place order" on a new Mac Pro, the Nehalem. I'm sure others understand how nerve-wracking that can be; my first Mac Pro too!

Decided on the 2 X 2.26 Quad, 8 core. Of course I would have loved to get the 2.66 Octo, but the 8 core 2.26 was at the top end of my limit. I almost got the 2.66 4 core, but limitations were written all over that model. I'll see with the upcoming software releases in the upcoming year if I made the right choice. Or if I just have "cores" sitting there - wasted. I tried to buy for at least a semblance of longevity (of course computers and longevity are diametrically opposing terms - but I can try)....

Within the last ten days I lost a 1TB external drive full of manatee photos, but since I back my photos up in 3 places I was able to find everything after hassle pointing Lightroom Catalog to everything. Then right after I told someone I thought Time Machine was an awful program because I couldn't ever complete a backup (always error msgs). He suggested I get the computer looked at and low and behold there was hidden HD damage that kept TM from backing up. Looks like I caught it just in time; wouldn't want to lose my main HD while overseas or something; contingency would be there but it would be a hassle.

I realized too that my way of working with Lightroom and my photos, & all else I do, was seriously flawed and I had probably been overusing my MacBook Pro (its barely 1-1/2 yrs old). Plus my system of backing up to ex HDs left a lot to be desired.

So I decided to go the Mac Pro route, since the new ones just came out. I was able to get the NAPP discount, but be warned I think Apple is phasing that out - NAPP doesn't even advertise the discount on their site any longer and Apple has nixed the lease discounts for NAPP members. So if you want to use that discount I'd suggest action post-haste. But who knows? I saved quite a bit with NAPP discount on this system.

Unfortunately I would have loved a new monitor also, but couldn't afford it. My 20" Apple Cinema Display will have to do, it is fine for me now but it would have been nice to get a spiffy display with the spiffy system!

I'll let everyone know how it performs. You haven't heard from me much, because I was putting together a "real" manatee portfolio of 24 of my best images when computer trouble ended that project. Right now I don't even have access to a computer that can read my NEF files..... That will all change soon enough as I'll have a MBP with a new HD and a new Nehalem MP.

Now my photo, etc files can heave a sigh of relief I think! And I'll sleep better at night - hopefully.... And just maybe I'll get my manatee portfolio done!

Carol

Congrats on the new computer. I cant wait to hear about the performance of the new processor.

One of my favorite games to play is to see how high I can run a fully loaded MacPro on the Apple Store Website.

I only managed to get as high as $14,249.00. (Keep the change from $14,250)

Congrats Carol, enjoy.

Thats funny, ive definitely put together a few shopping carts full as well...damn toys!!

One of my favorite games to play is to see how high I can run a fully loaded MacPro on the Apple Store Website.

I only managed to get as high as $14,249.00. (Keep the change from $14,250)

Congrats Carol, enjoy.

That is hilarious!! Only someone who has tried to configure a New Mac Pro on line can fully appreciate the jest!

But I had to do it, just found out we will have challenges getting all the data off my old Macbook Pro HD. Weird, the damaged section(s) were hidden & never showed as damaged in DiskWarrior or Disk Utility Repair. It will be OK, I have a lot of the data backed up & we can get data off in sections...., it's been a trying last few days for me.

So as I told my husband isn't my peace of mind & ability to sleep at night worth 4K+ a few upgrades?

But Jeff I am not so sure he would have agreed my peace of mind was worth a $14,249 Mac Pro!

It's Here!

And its all going to my Mac guy this am, before I even open it. First computer I've had that I can "fiddle" with, so best to have someone show me how... We will also be installing 3 Seagate 1.5TB drives (yes RealDrew firmware is to date ok)

Going crazy trying to structure new b/u stategy + reorganizing Lightroom Catalog to try to get most of my photos in there. Lots to figure out & do. But anything will be better than my last system..., images spread out over 7+ external HDs; all b/upped 3x but who knew where? Now I will learn to use Super Duper or something, with larger externals - and maybe Drobros or something else next year.

Ok, just an update, I'm staying out of the water pretty much to get all this stuff done. Hope it all comes out OK - I am so unknowledgable re:computers... :-0

Later Carol

PS-My Year and a half old MBP has a new lease on life with the snappy SG 320/72. And the damaged HD is still under warranty, I will get it exchanged and make a portable b/u. C

Congratulations Carol

I'd be curious to see the results from Xbench or some other benchmarking utilities, just to see how fast your new toy is

Congratulations Carol

 

I'd be curious to see the results from Xbench or some other benchmarking utilities, just to see how fast your new toy is

Yes Simon, I would be interested too! But honestly I don't know if I will get that picky with the speed thing as I have so much else to tweak.

From what I understand the machine won't be much (or any) faster than 2008 MPs unless one is doing work in pgms that use the extra cores. But an Adobe employee we consulted before I bought this machine said, yes, definitely Adobe pgms will be using the extra cores more & more; even general photoshop.

Frankly I probably won't mess with any speed tests because Snow Leopard is really going to change things I hear. My Mac guy said some interesting stuff today about that. As I understand it Snow Leopard will take up less space & resources across the board so even older (Intel) machines will run faster. We will see...

In any case it will be so much faster than anything else I have had; I'm stoked! Now if only I could get a clear concept of all the drives, what goes on them & how to manage it all :-0

Both Craig Jones and I are on one of the early MacPros from 2-3 years ago (quad core). I stuffed the thing with RAM and have a fast disk setup, and I've never felt like I need a faster computer. This thing is still amazingly fast for photo work!

Your new machine is going to seriously rock!

The new chips/boards are great for fast throughput demands of video. Barefeats has figures showing nice improvement.

In fact they showed Photoshop to be 4% slower with the 8 cores computers than the 4 cores. Perhaps PS isn't all that multi-threaded afterall.

The new chips/boards are great for fast throughput demands of video. Barefeats has figures showing nice improvement.

In fact they showed Photoshop to be 4% slower with the 8 cores computers than the 4 cores. Perhaps PS isn't all that multi-threaded afterall.

Yes Drew, I knew of these tests before I purchased the Nehalem 8. While basing my decision on several factors, what is coming out in the near future and the greater memory capacity of the 8 cores (especially if the memory chips in multiples of 3 proves to be significant) anyway I think the coming months will tell me if I made the best decision.

But as Eric said, it is going to be seriously rock [regardless]! ;-)

Thanks I will let you all know how it runs etc once I get it back.

Later Carol

It's here!

Although, I am going to be slow in setting it up. I have to draw out a big chart for how I will be using & formatting all the drives, etc.; make sure my backup strategy makes since & I have a full backup on a reliable drive - stored offside (in addition to a second full backup on the desk & TM in the machine on drive 4)

My Mac guy, who installed the drives & ran 0s on all the drives while checking out the machine, said the Nehalem is so fast [and super-quiet!!] (& I don't even have the raid card.). Plus, he keeps talking about Snow Leopard & how Apple sometimes gives us smaller & more efficient OSes that make Apples across the board run faster. :-) !!

Hey while I am typing (still on my phone till I get the MBP back out & MP setup.) Until I can afford mirrored backup enclosures, I am going to use one of the 4 internal drives for TM & I have a 2TB & a 3TB Graid to clone too (one goes offsite). Does anyone know if the Graids, coming formatted in Apple Partition Map, will have any problem being clone targets if my 1 & 1.5TB internal drives are all GUID? I am afraid to reformat the Graids because they are Raid 0 (only way I could get capacity & reliability was to get the Graids at this time -- remember besides losing a year -1/2 old 1TB Lacie ex lately; lost my internal MBP Hitachi HD to hidden damaged sections also..)

Anyway sorry for the ramble, I have a lot to think about. But does anyone know if I can clone to the Graids as they come formatted in Apl Part Map, or if I will have a problem, if the internals are GUID? Is there any problem formating the Graids to match (GUID?). But then the only thing I need bootable is one copy of boot drive? Any ideas CCC vs SuperDuper before I start using one? The guys at the Apple Store & my MC guy like CCC?

Any advice appreciated, as said I have lots to think about... :-o

Update...

I'm finally seeing the light of day and getting to understand how the system operates; options for setting it up. i've figured out the formatting issues, etc.

This computer is fast!!! That's all I can say about it, for once I'm at a loss for words.....

Carol

OK; after years of great service I will be retiring an old G4 tower that I used as a server at work and will be 'forced' to move my home Intel tower (just over a year old) to the office as a replacement.

So it's upgrade time and of course playing the Apple Store game.

Here's my present plan:

2x2.66 Quad Cores

ATI Radeon HD 4870 Graphics card

8 GB memory

2x1 TB drives

Do I really need a RAID card. I have never messed with RAID, just done multiple backups to internal and external drives and Time Capsule etc. I will probably add an offline backup to Carbonite. My needs are standard photography and early forays into video.

Any comments on this setup; and no Wags I am not going to build my own Windows box that has twice the power at half the price.

Recently got a new Mac Pro. Got the basic processor and an upgraded graphics card and extra memory.

Didn't get a raid card. I back up everything on two external HDs and in Aperture. I keep the Aperture library and vault each on their own external Hd.

This thing really rips. I can't believe how fast Aperture and CS3 are compared to my old G5.

I got just 2 500 GB internal HDs. I find any HD will eventually go bad. I prefer extra external HDs.

Here's my present plan:

2x2.66 Quad Cores

ATI Radeon HD 4870 Graphics card

8 GB memory

2x1 TB drives

The RAM and HDs are less expensive to buy and install yourself, and easy to install on the Intel Machines (you probably have done that before on your older Intel Machine?). 1.5 Terrabytes can be had for 2 for $200 on a recent/current sale, and I would probably put in 4 HDs, either the 1 Terrabyte or 1.5 Terrabytes, if for nothing else than having the ability to do automatic backups every night. (I usually have my computer on and chedule back-ups to be done overnight. Will also do back-ups to externals for off-site storage.) Additionally, if doing video, you may want to set one as a place to store video, a second for scratch and still have the other two - one for the system and one for the rest. I would also throw more RAM in. Of course RAM and HDs can be added down the road.

As to a RAID card, I had one put in when got my machine to have the ability to have an internal RAID when I wanted to. It does RAID 0, 1 and 5. I use it to make large, fast drives for video editing, and I also set up RAIDs on external enclosures. There are many options for external RAIDs, and I do often edit HDV/ProRes/AIC from externals (even non-RAIDs). The reason I ultimately threw the RAID card in was I wanted the options available to me and the Apple RAID card was one of those things that seemed to be a major PITA to add later. One thing to consider is an eSATA card, hooking up externals via eSATA does help with speed.

Oh yeah, Why waste money on a Mac? You can build a PC with twice the power at half the price.

Recently got a new Mac Pro. Got the basic processor and an upgraded graphics card and extra memory.

Which graphics card did you get?

ATI Radeon HD 4870 graphics card. My processor is a 2.66 Quad Xeon with 8 GB ram.