Frequently Asked Questions About NVIDIA PC (non-EFI) Graphics Cards

[Morgan Mac]

I purchased a Nvidia GTX 680 video card for my 4,1 Mac Pro. On the card there are 6-pin and 8-pin ports. I am confused as to exactly what sort of power cables to purchase. Am I to buy a 6-pin PCI-E to male molex and 8-pin PCI-E to male molex cables?

 

[cubandressing]

Hi,

Besides being patient, what are the steps for taking an OS update when you have a card that requires drivers? Do you simply check for updates in the NVIDIA Driver Manager preference pane, and install that update ahead of the OS update? You don't have to swap back to an OS X supported EFI card to complete the OS update, do you?

 

[navaira]

Hi,

Besides being patient, what are the steps for taking an OS update when you have a card that requires drivers? Do you simply check for updates in the NVIDIA Driver Manager preference pane, and install that update ahead of the OS update? You don't have to swap back to an OS X supported EFI card to complete the OS update, do you?

I don't think you can install an update before OS update. What I do on my hack:

1. Install OS update
2. Start the computer with nv_disable=1, I get 1920x1080 resolution which looks hideous, but
3. That enables me to update NVidia driver
4. Reboot, all works.

 

[nigelbb]

I purchased a Nvidia GTX 680 video card for my 4,1 Mac Pro. On the card there are 6-pin and 8-pin ports. I am confused as to exactly what sort of power cables to purchase. Am I to buy a 6-pin PCI-E to male molex and 8-pin PCI-E to male molex cables?

You need two special Mac Pro graphics card cables like these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Pcs-of-...972068?hash=item3a902d02a4:g:9GcAAOSwXeJXegqm Depending on your current graphics card you may already have one or both of these. You will also need a 6-pin to 8-pin adapter like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-pin-to-...435754?hash=item489241deea:g:7M8AAOSwBahU3MOW

 

[ActionableMango]

Most GTX 680 models won't need the 6-to-8 pin adapter and you can just plug one of the 6-pin power cables directly into the 8-pin socket.

 

[toke lahti]

Somebody needs to find caps-lock and lock it off...
But, that 6x4k is impressive and you don't even have to have eGPU for that...

 

[dotsfilmes]

Hi all!

I have Mac Pro 5,1 and I previously had a GTX780 MacVidCards, using with external PSU (fully loaded MacPro, 4 hd's, 2 optical drives, 1 pci usb3, 1 velocity solo with Samsung 850 evo boot drive, 40gb ram).

Just bought a GigaByte GTX970 mini-itx, and it has a 8-pin connector. Can I use internal power now?

Which is the best way to do:

- Dual 6-pin to 8-pin (and use both 6-pin cables from the motherboard)
- Regular 6-pin to 8-pin (and use just one cable from motherboard)

Thanks!

 

[Synchro3]

Hi all!

I have Mac Pro 5,1 and I previously had a GTX780 MacVidCards, using with external PSU (fully loaded MacPro, 4 hd's, 2 optical drives, 1 pci usb3, 1 velocity solo with Samsung 850 evo boot drive, 40gb ram).

Just bought a GigaByte GTX970 mini-itx, and it has a 8-pin connector. Can I use internal power now?

Which is the best way to do:

- Dual 6-pin to 8-pin (and use both 6-pin cables from the motherboard)
- Regular 6-pin to 8-pin (and use just one cable from motherboard)

Thanks!

Dual 6-pin to 8-pin is the best way.

 

[datars]

I have a Mac Pro 1,1 that I'm setting up for a non profit organizations. I'm using a Nvidia GT 240 1024 mb with 10.10.5 installed plus the updates, and all working fine, except for having a problem installing Nvidia Web Drivers.

Thanks for any help with this problem
Chuck

 

[ActionableMango]

except for having a problem installing Nvidia Web Drivers

The built-in drivers are probably better for your scenario. Using the web drivers would be an ongoing maintenance issue for the non-profit you want to give this computer to.

 

[datars]

The built-in drivers are probably better for your scenario. Using the web drivers would be an ongoing maintenance issue for the non-profit you want to give this computer to.

Cool! Nice to know. It appears to be working fine. I'm adding this to a 52" Samsung TV and roll around stand and mount MP to the base of the wheels. That will make everything self contaned, Show their videos, Websites and PowerPoint presentations

 

[orph]

cool to see some one helping a non profit ^^ you may be able to get audio via hdmi if you want https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/guide-hdmi-audio.1499797/
not shore if your card supports it but if it dose it can be handy

 

[datars]

cool to see some one helping a non profit ^^ you may be able to get audio via hdmi if you want https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/guide-hdmi-audio.1499797/
not shore if your card supports it but if it dose it can be handy

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, so much orph, this is what I wanted to use, but I would not get any audio from HDMI, so I was having to go with VGA and the audio plug. The Samsung TV would shut down so fast if it did not pick-up the signal during boot up. The TV I pick-up for $25 plus taxes and the capacitors for $13 and I made the repairs. The TV stand I pick-up for $120 at Fry's


Chuck

 

[flehman]

If the 1,1 doesn't already have WiFi, that would be a nice and cheap feature to add so it can be a mobile streaming platform. Non-profits and government entities post a lot of their informational and educational content to YouTube these days for easy access and consumption. Internal 802.11n cards (i.e. The Apple OEM cards) that fit the motherboard mPCIE slot are dirt cheap these days.

 

[datars]

If the 1,1 doesn't already have WiFi, that would be a nice and cheap feature to add so it can be a mobile streaming platform. Non-profits and government entities post a lot of their informational and educational content to YouTube these days for easy access and consumption. Internal 802.11n cards (i.e. The Apple OEM cards) that fit the motherboard mPCIE slot are dirt cheap these days.

I was fortunate enough this Mac Pro has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. I did not want to use cat5, plus a wire Mouse / Keyboard. The easier the better. I have an old Mac Bluetooth Keyboard to add to it

 

[datars]

cool to see some one helping a non profit ^^ you may be able to get audio via hdmi if you want https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/guide-hdmi-audio.1499797/
not shore if your card supports it but if it dose it can be handy

So far no luck making it work

 

[orph]

the hdmi audio will only work if you video card supports it, might be to old.
you can always use a audio cable for sound and hdmi for video (if your tv lets you)

 

[Mikey MTC]

Hi guys. I've read bits of this thread and thanks so much for those contributing really good advice.

I'm still struggling to solidify what I need to buy right now but I was hoping I could get a straight answer on this. I've got a 2009 Nehalem quad 2.66 with the horrible stock GT-120 card.

I want to know if I buy a "Gigabyte GeForce GTX 960 OC Mini-ITX 4GB", can I just slot it right in with the existing cables and get going? Or are there issues with power and/or cable compatibility?

If this is not going to work, can you recommend a decent current Nvidia chipset card? I'm not a gamer - I'm an audio professional, so what I want is at least enough outputs for 2 DVI monitors as well as HDMI to a large TV.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[orph]

hi you will need to buy a mac 6 pin to 6 pin cable to power the card as the pc one that comes with the card will not work. (unless the card takes a 8 pin but you get the idea)
you will need to be on osx10.10 or higher, with the nvidia drivers installed and turned on before you install the card.

 

[Mikey MTC]

Thanks for helping Orph.
I don't know what the card natively takes but I read in this thread of people stuffing 6 pin cables into 8 pin sockets. Is that feasible or stupid?

Is there another card that is known to just work without needing to buy anything extra?

 

[jblagden]

I don't think you can install an update before OS update. What I do on my hack:

1. Install OS update
2. Start the computer with nv_disable=1, I get 1920x1080 resolution which looks hideous, but
3. That enables me to update NVidia driver
4. Reboot, all works.

Yeah, but a Hackintosh is a newer machine. Older Mac Pros don't have integrated graphics.

 

[orph]

if the card takes a 8 pin you may be able to just use a 6 pin to 8 pin cable (especially if your not gaming or doing big compute) but the card may draw more power than your mac wants.
id gess it's safe but cant say 100%

or you can get two 6 pin to 6 pin (mac cable) then a pc dual 6 pin to 8 pin
plug your two 6 pins in to the dual 6 pin to 8 pin the plug the 8 pin in to the card

if you dont want to have to buy power cables then you can get a card powered just by the slot,

(id gess most people will just buy a 6 pin powered version or dual 6 pin powered or just powered it from one of the 6 pins, if the card dose draw to much power the macpro will shut off for safety.
also always good to turn on screen sharing so if you have a problem you can remote login to the macpro to fix it & keep your old card for safety)

once you install a GTX 9xx card dont install security updates until after there is a new nvida driver or you will have no video out from the card

 

[Mikey MTC]

All great advice - thanks again Orph.
A couple more stupid questions if I may? Does my existing old GT-120 have anything plugged into it? Or is it powered off the PCIe bus? And if it's the latter, are any of these 6 or 8 pin cables we're talking about already sitting inside my Mac Pro case, waiting to be used?

 

[lowendlinux]

Yes its powered off the PCI bus and no the cables aren't there

 

[Mikey MTC]

Thanks - so are any modern cards out there powered off the bus as well? Or do all these additional outputs demand more power?

And I've seen people mention "Mac" power cables, but a quick search showed up generic PCIe 6 or 8 pin cables at basic prices. Can we use those?