At a loss...

[Novataglio]

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=934141&tstart=0

and

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=926903&tstart=0

To sum it up:

Mac Pro, ATI X1900 XT, 2gb RAM, two harddrives...

I set boot camp to install XP or Vista on the second drive and when it boots up about 95% of the time the screen is distorted/artifacts everywhere, you can kinda make out what is going on but its hard. Vista's install NEVER succeeds, XP sometimes does but then will cause major problems in failing to restart, etc.

I've reinstalled Boot Camp, zeroed out the second hard drive, taken out the one gig of memory I added, nothing seems to help.

I went nuclear on my OS X install this evening and that was also a no go.

I thought maybe the X1900 just wasn't supported at the moment but was at a friends who had almost the exact same rig and Boot Camp was working perfectly.

Do I have a hardware problem that isn't showing up on OS X? I've played WoW frequently without problems, errors, or crashes. My memory has never reported an ECC error and I've also scanned everything with Mac's hardware check.

Everything was updated on OS X.

I very much enjoy OS X but purchased this Mac Pro for the flexibility of OS X AND XP/Vista. I really would like to get this figured out soon. :(

If you have ANY ideas that I haven't tried yet PLEASE let me know. I'm willing to give anything a go.

[balamw]

Could this be related to the known issues with Vista and BC 1.2 on Mac Pros?

http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=199000567

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305156 claims you need to disconnect the OS X drive temporarily at least.

B

[Novataglio]

Could this be related to the known issues with Vista and BC 1.2 on Mac Pros?

http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=199000567

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305156 claims you need to disconnect the OS X drive temporarily at least.

B

I'll give it a try but I dont think this is my problem as it happens in XP installation as well. I'll let you know though.

EDIT: BSOD. :(

[Novataglio]

http://neoslash.com/images/DSC00383.JPG

To give it a picture. This is the blue screen in Windows XP that is loading all the drivers and what not to allow the installation to continue, so the first screen essentially.

It would just be nice to hear "Oh I had that too and they replaced X."

[Alican]

I had that too - on my PC. I reseated the graphics card

[Novataglio]

I had that too - on my PC. I reseated the graphics card

Didn't make a difference. I did inspect the card though and could not see or smell any problems. The heatsink and fan looked good with no dust.

[MacRumorUser]

That definetly looks hardware problem. :o Time to contact apple support.

[Novataglio]

That definetly looks hardware problem. :o Time to contact apple support.

The thing that confuses me is that on the OS X side of things not one problem and I can play WoW for hours with no issues.

[MacRumorUser]

strange.

what monitor are you using, are you using dual screen ?

[seanf]

That definetly looks hardware problemLooks more like a driver issue, especially as the OP is getting blue screens.

Novataglio - have you installed the Bootcamp drivers?

Sean :)

[Novataglio]

Looks more like a driver issue, especially as the OP is getting blue screens.

Novataglio - have you installed the Bootcamp drivers?

Sean :)

Yup. Right now the XP side only has its updates and Mac drivers installed.

Probably 2 out of 5 times the machine will boot in that distorted screen when Windows was selected, and after the Windows XP splash screen it pauses for a bit and then blue screens and reboots itself. If I let it reboot that time, sometimes another time, then XP will come up normally but then with "Critical Error Recovery" messages.

strange.

what monitor are you using, are you using dual screen ?

It is a Viewsonic VP171b through DVI.

I wouldn't expect a monitor to cause a BSOD but I could try getting another monitor.

I'm not dual screening.

[Alican]

That photo you posted - that's the windows installation screen isn't it. It's not a BSOD, I can just make out "copying files" at the bottom of the screen. During that installation stage, no drivers would have kicked in. It seems to me like a hardware problem, but as you say, you're having no probs under OSX. Is it a double width card? If not you could try in another slot. But as another poster said, it's probably time to contact apple. May be a frustrating experience as the apple customer service rep works through the script.

[Novataglio]

That photo you posted - that's the windows installation screen isn't it. It's not a BSOD, I can just make out "copying files" at the bottom of the screen. During that installation stage, no drivers would have kicked in. It seems to me like a hardware problem, but as you say, you're having no probs under OSX. I suggest trying the card in another slot if you haven't done so already.

Yes thats just the install screen. What happens after XP installs is if it boots with that same graphical pattern after the XP splash screen it BSODs and reboots. Until the install is complete though it does not BSOD.

[Alican]

Your system listing doesn't say so but do you have bluetooth installed?

Also I know the ATI is a mac version (different bios i think), but does anyone know if manufacturer supplied drivers written for xp will work on a mac that's booted into windows natively?

[MacRumorUser]

Yeah you can use that ATI catalyst drivers if you want.


Just weird, the reason I said abot dual screen was on my mac pro often when dual screen is on and it's booting xp, the displays flicker until it's loaded and then it's normal. With one monitor it doesnt flicker.

However that's not your problem.

All I can say is I have had XP and now Vista on my mac pro with an ATI X1900 and never had those display problems.

The fact that the machine BSOD at the end of the process is funky too.

You are using XP with integrated service pack 2 I assume ?

[Novataglio]

You are using XP with integrated service pack 2 I assume ?

Yes. And when I did attempt Vista it is a full blown Home Premium.

Both legal copies.

The XP Pro w/ SP 2 is factory and was not slipstreamed.

[Alican]

If you're getting BSOD after the splash screen then it's a driver or hardware issue. On one of your successful bootups to XP, from the start menu select 'run'. In the box type msconfig. Select the startup tab and uncheck everything. Select apply and reboot. That in itself won't necessarily stop dodgy drivers from loading but it might help.

Go to ati and download the latest windows driver for your card. Just the driver, not the catylist control centre.

Can you boot vista in safe mode? If so do the msconfig thing again and in startup uncheck everything except 'ms windows vista operating system'

[machou]

I have the exact same problem on my Mac Pro. I can't get to finish my installs (be it XP SP2 or Vista) due to this display disorted/corrupted.

Has anyone found how to resolve this ?