Mac pro 2.66 Quad Core - boot drive mirrored, replace?

All,
I have a Mac Pro 2.66 Quad Core system.
I got all 'sexy' when I set it up - loaded four 1-TB drives in the 4 bays, Mirrored the boot set, also mirrored the secondary set for data.
I am getting ready to have these guys filled up (I do lots of video, pics, etc), and am thinking about 'growing' the drives to 2TB or even 3TB disks (mirrored of course, I'm paranoid).
So I am thinking about the 'how' of moving my data to the larger drive, getting things set up. I have not had any of the drives fail, so I haven't needed to do a swap out yet.
Can I simply take out one of the mirrored boot drives, put in a larger drive, and it will then rebuild the mirror?
or if anyone has some info they can point me to, I'd appreciate it.
thx

You cannot just add a larger drive and grow your RAID Volume size. You need to create an empty larger RAID Volume and COPY the data to the larger Volume, e.g., from your Backups.
Mirrored RAID is NOT Backup. It merely extends the time to repair to keep a drive failure from becoming a data disaster. RAID gives you no protection from human error, crazy software or file problems that happen "just because". You still need backup.
One of the best ways to get increased performance from a computer with the ability to support multiple Internal drives is to keep only System, Library, Applications, and the hidden unix files including paging/swap on the Boot Drive, and move everything else off. This dramatically reduces competition for the Boot Drive and everything speeds up. A Velociraptor is a little faster, and an SSD is incrementally faster still.
If that is all that is on the Boot Drive, you do not need to RAID it, since it can be reproduced from DVDs or downloads in short order. All your User files and Preferences are on other drives..
Implementing this would suggest a single small fast Boot Drive, typically with an offline clone as Backup for emergencies, and forget about RAID-ing the Boot Drive.

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Patch the ISO so that it will boot on your MacPro 1,1
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Thank you
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Hello, I have a early 2008 Mac Pro and it won't boot even with SL DVD

My Mac Pro (3.0GHz quad core (dual CPUs) 8GB 667 RAM) won't boot. it gets to the grey screen/ Apple logo and hangs on the logo for a few seconds then flashes either the question mark folder icon or on the circle-slash icon () for about half a second then the logo for a few seconds and repeats. It will go into Target Disk Mode (T) but not Diagnostic Mode (D)
Here's what I have done to try to fix it:
unplugged all peripherals
tried to force DVD boot holding C (checked disc for errors on SL iMac)
removed all HDDs and rebooted holding C, plus a combination of having some in/ some out.
removed first DVD-ROM and used second drive
removed second DVD-ROM and used first drive
held shift during startup
held option during startup
removed graphics card
put HDDs back in with GFX card out, plus combinations
put only the boot drive HDD in (not time machine or 3rd HDD)
put blank HDD in and booted DVD
put mac formatted (used iMac to format) HDD in and booted with DVD
used an G4 USB keyboard again for all of the above
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Any suggestions (except taking it to a Apple repair centre as I can usually fix anything myself!)
Thanks.

Go to System Profile and look, does it say "MacPro3,1"?
That is 2008.
FBDIMM would be 800MHz. Did you use older slower 667MHz in yours?
You can but take a hit in performance.
Sounds like MacPro1,1.
Mac Pro (3.0GHz quad core (dual CPUs) 8GB 667 RAM)
In 2007 March an 8-core 3GHz did come out 2,1.
So just to be clear.
===========
It was all working fine a couple of days ago. At the time it randomly shut down I was trying to use Boot Camp to create a Windows 7 area,
Whenever you want to install Windows, remove all the drives other than the one Windows goes to. And if you use a dedicated drive YOU DO NOT NEED Boot Camp Assist, unless you use XP, which really is limited and crippled (one processor, 1.9GB RAM support).
And when it freezes, your only choice is to nuke (reformat) and restore or get out that backup CLONE you made before (ie, Step #1 in the Boot Camp Guide).
Sure that whole NTFS / MBR / GUID could be an issue, but you should just have a blank drive or clone.
No don't bother Apple, they seem to not have a good sense about Windows on Mac Pro anyway.
Other than zap pram from cold boot / tried booting with NO drives inside and just 10.6. DVD - should be fine.
You should be fine iwth Windows 7 DVD and one drive, or even XP.
Make sure you take your time and reconnect cards etc properly and any cables.
Booting from OS X DVDs may not work if there is a drive with a totally shot directory or partition table. Put them in FW case and turn on AFTER OS X is booted.
Why aren't people Cloning as a Backup Strategy
Carbon Copy Cloner 3.4.2
How To clone

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TimeMachine 101
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How can I install Windows7 -64BIT on a 1st Generation Mac Pro 2.66GHZ Quad?

Hi,
I posted this in Bootcamp but haven't received any replies so I am reposting it here where perhaps it really belongs.Is it possible to install Windows 7 64 bit on a 1st Generation Mac Pro 2.66Ghz?
Apple suggests that it's not possible and yet I've seen several Googled posts where the users have successfully installed 64 bit on a 1st Generation Mac Pro. The problem is that they've done this creating a bootable iso disk(whatever that is) using a Windows computer with imgburn and windows commands. I'm pretty good at following instructions but I haven't seen any instructions on how to install Windows 7 on this machine using a Mac based approach.
I'm using BootCamp and was able to partition the drive into NFTS and "proceed" with installation; however all the installations failed during setup and Windows would not boot; disk repair was not possible. Besides, from what I've gathered, 32 bit is problematic around memory issues.
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Problem is it's all Windows based with exe files and presupposes I already have Windows running.
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Mac Pro 2.66GHZ Quad Core

I have a March 2009 Mac Pro dual quad core running Win7 Pro 64 bit. I have Windows installed on a dedicated internal hard drive. There are no partitions, the entire drive is for Windows use.
Here's how I installed it, I did not start with BootCamp. Make sure the drive you're going to use for Windows doesn't have any important files on it because it will be formatted.
1. Update Snow Leopard
2. Place the Windows cd in the Super Drive
3. Shut down the computer
4. Remove all the hard drives except the one you want Windows installed on. Keep track of the order they are in and at the end replace them in the same order.
5. Boot the computer holding down the Option key
6. Boot to the Windows cd
7. Install Windows and format the drive to NTFS
8. When Windows needs to restart during installation you'll need to hold the Option key and boot to Windows, not the Windows cd.
9. After Windows installs, place your Snow Leopard disc in the Super Drive
10. The Drivers for Windows will be installed along with a Windows version of BootCamp.
11. Go to Start > All Programs > Apple Software Update
12. Update again until it's done.
13. You'll also find a BootCamp under Control Panel, check it out.
14. Shut down the computer and replace the hard drives in their original order
14. Now if you turn on the computer it will boot to Snow Leopard, but if you hold the Option key during boot you can select Windows or Mac.

Full backup ( ~ 1 TB ) using external HD - speed USB vs. Firewire vs. eSATA - what are relative speeds - how to install eSATA on mid-2010 Mac Pro desktop ( dual hex-core processors)_

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Thanks

Jim Bogy wrote:
...I suspect eSATA connection may be considerably faster … how to install eSATA on mid-2010 Mac Pro desktop ( dual hex-core processors)?
      ( The quicker and easier backup protocol is, the more likely one is to use it to backup on a routine repetitive basis.)
Adding a USB 3.0+eSATA PCIe card, which The hatter mentions, is the best solution that I've found. See http://eshop.macsales.com/item/CalDigit/FASTA6GU3/. The card is not cheap, but the USB 3.0 works flawlessly (which can't be assumed; ask me how I know) and the eSATA connection allows booting from the connected drive. Grant Bennet-Alder's point about HD speed is important to consider; in addition, the size of the individual files being backed up and where on the backup disk they're going will affect overall transfer speed. For example, using the USB 3.0 connection on that CalDigit card going to a Toshiba 3TB external, the transfer rate for a big file (say a virtual machine file) from an internal SSD boot drive was about 145 MB/sec while a bunch of little files might drop to 30 MB/sec and both rates decrease as an inner partition on the external is used. All told, a nearly 700 GB backup took under 1.5 hours. Using a HD as the source added almost an extra hour, though a WD external was used for that. Using a WD green drive plugged into this http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/FWU3ES2HDK/ with an eSATA connection took about 2.5 hours also, but that was bootable whereas the USB 3.0 connection is not.
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Mac Pro Early 2008 will not boot off Win7 Install DVD

Hello,
I am hoping someone out there will have encountered something similar and have some suggestions or ideas, because at this point I can't think of anything else to try.
I have a 2.8 Ghz 8-core Mac Pro (Early 2008) with an Nvidia 8800GT Graphics card. I am running OS 10.6.2, fully patched and updated.
I am attempting to install Windows 7 Ultimate via Boot Camp, and am encountering a rather odd problem.
Once I have launched Boot Camp Assistant it allows me to partition the drive and does so correctly, but when it attempts to reboot off the Windows 7 installation DVD, I encounter a blank grey-white screen similar to that which you normally get on startup but without the Apple logo. This continues for some time (it seems to vary), and then the screen goes dark and the monitor says it is receiving no signal. The fans on the Mac Pro go for a while, then it goes to sleep. I've tried leaving it for a couple hours, no dice.
I've tried both the 32-bit and 64-bit Windows install disks. I had the release candidate for Windows 7 installed previously, and it worked perfectly. I have since tried that same install DVD that I used to install the release candidate, and it encounters the exact same issue. Booting up off the Snow Leopard Install DVD works fine.
I tried doing a clean install of Snow Leopard on a spare drive, booting off that, and then starting from square 1 using Boot Camp Assistant to re-partition that same drive. Same problem. No matter what I do or try, my Mac Pro does not want to boot off this install disc. I have yet to try the disc in another machine to see if it works there, and I will as soon as I can, but the fact that the RC disc worked a few months back and now will not seems to rule out the boot discs as defective. I've also tried both my internal optical drives with no change, and no other discs have any issues.
I've already spent an hour and a half talking to Apple Technical Support, and they seemed stumped, so I'm hoping someone will have a notion. If not, I understand and appreciate you taking the time to read this- I have no idea at this point, and I'm generally a pretty knowledgeable user.
- Andrew

Thank you for your reply,
Pull all the drives you have other than the one that you will install Windows 7 to.
I think I will try this next.
Don't put Windows 7 on the same drive as OS X, give it its own.
That was initially what I started out doing.
And you don't even need Boot Camp Assistant.
True, but it's what Apple suggests using.
Might also want to try moving the monitor cable to the other card port.
Hmm, I think I'll try that.
Any other PCI cards or devices attached or installed should also be questioned or disconnected.
I've disconnected everything I could.
Always a good idea to start fresh which I assume you are doing (not trying to upgrade over RC etc).
Yes, the drive was empty to start with.
Honestly it seems like the Mac Pro is generally refusing to boot from any Windows disc. Things I've tried since my initial post:
- Loaded Windows 7 Install disc into my room mate's windows PC... loaded up fine, got to install screen
- Tried his OEM copy of Windows Vista 32-bit, same issue
At this point it seems like maybe some kind of firmware issue or some kind or graphics driver issue, but I'm pretty much grasping at straws at this point. It doesn't seem like it's even getting to the point where hard drives or anything matters.
It does recognize that I have a Windows 7 install disc inserted when I use the boot selector/startup disk chooser.
Thanks for the ideas, I'll try those out and see if any of them help,
-Andrew

Running new 10.8.2 on my pro 2x3 Ghz Quad core with 32 GB DDR2. everything seem to slow and frezze up some time

I had fresh installed 10.8.2 on eight core with 32 GB of Ram. Everything seem to slow and frezze up sometime. but running OSX 10.6.8 is fine. Can anyone help
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I am certainly confused. 10.8.2 is not supported on pre-2008's. There was an 8-core 2008 that has 800MHz DDR2 FBDIMMs (and can accept 667MHz as well).
A clean install is the safest and best way, you can migrate or let Setup Assistant import your settings.
Old PowerPC apps, drivers and plugins are a no-no, no Rosetta. Check Roaringapps.com
Put your system on an SSD.
Put your data on a non-array or if you must use a mirror only. Stripe is fine. Both should have 2-3 backups and extra redundancy instead of trying software based 1+0 with four drives.
Upgrade to new(er) drives. And format them with ML. Build or rebuild the arrays in ML.
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Original Mac Pro 2.66 Quad any good?

I am considering buying a used Mac Pro. I would like the 2009 Nehalem Quad 2.66, but those cost $1,500+ from what I have seen. I've noticed that the 2006 Woodcrest Quad 2.66 machines can be had for less than $1,000. I currently use a late 2008 MacBook Pro C2D 2.4GHz unibody, with 8 GB OWC RAM, and it is very fast, and does everything that I need a computer to do. My uses are Photoshop CS5, Nikon Scan 4.02, general internet use, e-mail, itunes/iphone, and gaming. Would an older 2006 Mac Pro 2.66 quad be able to do that stuff well? Would it be as fast as my MacBook Pro?
Is the older machine a waste of money and outdated, or still viable?
Jared

the mac pro 1,1 has been selling for under $1,000 for the years, sometimes more but that is rare.
Pressure from new 2011 Sandy Bridge laptops and iMac has pushed the price down.
People can run 10.410 which also for some is ideal unless they 'want' to shell out thousands on new software and sometmes new hardware.
Unless you actually own and use one, you won't know.
Or frequent other discussions and what is being said and market.
But $1200 is too much and $800 has been common for the last two years.
But 8-core 2.66s can be installed easily enough and rival any 2009 model other than lack of DDR3 (much cheaper than our FBDIMMs), and of course there is just such a huge selection of one (or two possible) graphic cards. No GTX 580 for you or us unless you run and use it as a PC Window which it does quite well also.

Mac pro 2.66 Quad Core - boot drive mirrored, replace?

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