MAC PRO Gurus: Need to Boot Camp, Do I buy 32 bit or 64 bit

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Hi, first time poster, long time viewer.

I have an early 2009 Mac Pro, at least I bought it Jan 2009. Beleive it is a Quad Core Xeon. Don't know the exact details right now (get home from vacation tomorrow)

I need to run Boot Camp because I run a CAD/CAM program for work and I like to work at home sometimes (designing stuff for me (I have a 4 axis CNC mill to play on).

So right now I have Boot camp and windows XP installed. I need to upgrade to Windows 7 or 8 to run the latest versions of the software and I also understand that windows XP only runs one processor and since I have two, upgrading would give me extra processing power (assuming my feeble understanding of computers is true)

So my questions are:

1.) How do I tell what bit system I can run?
2.) I heard there can be compatibility issues with hardware such as my Mac keyboard?
3.) If I can run either Bit versions do I get the 32 bit version or 64bit (since I only know the
32 bit version as it is all I have ever used).


Also if anyone can help me, how do I know what ram to buy, I intend to purchase more ram for it (only have 2, I spent my money on the video card instead when I bought it) and plan to buy it from here Canada RAM sells memory in Canada - Apple Mac Pro Penryn 4-Core and 8-Core, Dual intel Xeon, Quad Workstation

I know it is a Xenon processor. but which one, the website lists two. early 2009-2010 or Jan 2008-Mar 2009. Since I bought mine in a time frame that could fit either I am at a loss.


Sorry if this is posted elsewhere I did a search first and could find nothing that answered my questions.
 
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Grab Mactracker from the App Store - easiest way to tell what you computer supports.

1 - According to Mactracker the early 2009 is 64 bit - so you can run 64 bit on Windows as well. I would check and make sure your CAD/CAM software supports 64 bit - I know CAD/CAM tends to lag in that respect.

2 - I've heard of compatibility issues as well - but I personally haven't run into any hardware compatibility issues. That being said I don't have my own specialty devices like a CNC so I don't know how well that will work. Most typical USB peripherals work fine with virtual machines. I have an ODB-II programmer that has a USB connection to download programs and that works - that is the most exotic thing I hook to my VM.

3 - See my comment in 1 - you'll have to verify what your CAD/CAM works on - and as I said most CAD/CAM lags and doesn't work on 64 bit but that is changing.

Here is the RAM install instructions and how to find out what you actually have (or use Mactracker)
Mac Pro: How to remove or install memory
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mactracker/id430255202?mt=12
 
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Thanks for the reply.

I will check but I think we have 64 bit support, and the new software does for sure.

The computer is just for drawing and creating the tool paths into a G-Code, the mill itself has its own dedicated software on the machine at work, I just want to draw stuff at home that's all.

I will run Mactracker when I get home and see what it says. That being said I noticed something very interesting about the memory. It shows that the early 2009 use a processor tray to house the Ram. Mine are attached to two trays you remove. So that according to the instructions makes it an Early 2008, Mac pro 8 Core, or Mac pro original but according to Canada Ram (link above) anything from Jan 2008 on would have a Penryn processor, I have a Xenon. So either that or I got screwed and ordered a Mac Pro in January 2009 and was given a 2007 mac which makes me very ****** off. I hope Mac Tracker can figure this one out or Canada Ram is wrong.
 
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You can also check with OWC - their hardware info has been very good when I have looked for upgrades
Performance Upgrades; FireWire USB SATA Storage; Memory, more at OWC

Are you running Mountain Lion? At some point (not sure if Lion or Leopard said it) under Apple -> About This Mac -> More Info
They started putting the year - i.e. mine says Macbook Air 11-inch, Mid 2011 and Macbook Pro 17-inch Mid 2009
With Mactracker too - you should be able to figure out what is right. There is a "This Mac" category - where Mactracker takes a best guess - and shows you what it thinks your Mac is.
 

Slydude

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I don't know if this helps at all but the full version of Windows 8 contains both the 32 and 64 bit discs. In theory if you insert the 32 bit disc and have 64 bit hardware it will warn you and ask for the 64 bit disc.

I didn't test that when I installed Win 8 recently.
 

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