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Video card bad or something else

A

arbyBoy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 15, 2010
3
0
Hi:

Just found this forum. I'm trying to troubleshoot my Mac G5. When I start up the computer the monitor is breaking up with patterns of dots, colour problems, and broken images/text so the screen is unreadable. Frequently, the computer crashes or freezes. After I restart it about 4 times the monitor works fine. I've now had it on for a couple of days and it's been fine. Would this indicate a video card problem or some other issue and is there any tests that would help me determine the problem.

G5 Dual 2 GLHz PowerPC
Video Card: GeForce FX 5200 AGP

Thanks,

Rex
 
arbyBoy said:
Hi:

Just found this forum. I'm trying to troubleshoot my Mac G5. When I start up the computer the monitor is breaking up with patterns of dots, colour problems, and broken images/text so the screen is unreadable. Frequently, the computer crashes or freezes. After I restart it about 4 times the monitor works fine. I've now had it on for a couple of days and it's been fine. Would this indicate a video card problem or some other issue and is there any tests that would help me determine the problem.

G5 Dual 2 GLHz PowerPC
Video Card: GeForce FX 5200 AGP

Thanks,

Rex
Click to expand...

Do you still have the original CDs that came with your computer?
One of them should have Apple HardwareTest on it. The Cd will be labeled somewhere with Apple Hardware Test and says to hold down "T" on startup to start the test.
 
I believe I do have them. I'll try to find that disc and see what I can do. I'll post back.

Thanks
 
I used the Apple Hardware Test, starting the computer while holding down T. I got a blue screen with an orange icon that moved around the screen. I let it go for about 90 minutes but got no messages so I don't know if it was actually testing anything.
 
Holding down "T" is going to enable Firewire Disk Mode - that won't do anything for you.
When you restart you want to hold down the "C" that will boot the computer from the disc.
 
Ahh my fault!! I think hardware cd test is "D"!
The cd should have instructions printed on it tho
 
Similar problem monitor image breaking up

Whenever I use a web browser it works fine for a while then the image breaks up on my monitor and I must restart the Mac to fix it. I suspect Flash may be the problem.
I had this problem before and updated the video card drivers and Flash plug in software and that fixed the problem. Then recently I installed a new SSD drive from OWC and cloned my start up drive to the SSD which I now use as my start up drive. Now the problem is back.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Toshiba/HNSNC512GBSJ/?APC=READERSPC&Source=Blast12Sep

I have a 2009 Mac Pro 2.66 (MacPro4,1), 10.6.8 system. Two NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 video cards, one HP LP3065 30" Monitor and one HP 2335 24" monitor

Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro4,1
Processor Name: Quad-Core Intel Xeon
Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 4
L2 Cache (per core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 8 MB
Memory: 7 GB
Processor Interconnect Speed: 4.8 GT/s
Boot ROM Version: MP41.0081.B07
SMC Version (system): 1.39f5
SMC Version (processor tray): 1.39f5
Serial Number (system): H09313TX4PC
Serial Number (processor tray): J5927032Y4MFE
Hardware UUID: D48A0256-E177-54DB-AAFD-8C151BB490CF

Any suggestions? I could go back to using my old start up hard drive, but it is so much slower than the SSD drive.
 
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