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BFG 8800GTX NOT working for me in my mac pro.
- Thread starter wsgroves
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Holy thread resurrection. Batman!
well, since the thread has been digged, and it's been quite a while since recent updates...
Has anyone had new experiences with this project?
like not having to switch between video cards every time you wanna go into OSX ? or getting the 8800 to work under OSX?
+ any info on going for a little less (an Ati 2900XT for example...)
Whats the best possible video card to put into a Mac Pro without having to switch between cards everytime you want to boot another OS?
On a PC to run two graphics card, one would specify the PCI card/slot in the BIOS. Since a Mac does not have a configurable BIOS, I do not know how you can get two cards to work.
Has anyone tried zapping the PRAM to reset the video card? The NVRAM on a Mac holds the information relating to PCI-based displays.
Resetting PRAM on Power Macintosh Computers with PCI Video Cards: Zapping the PRAM resets the display setting. If your Macintosh's video uses NuBus technology (which is standard), the display settings are stored in PRAM. Power Macintosh computers, however, support video cards based on PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) technology. The display settings for these are stored in NVRAM (Non-volatile RAM). To reset the PRAM on these computers, you must press Command+Option+P+R before the gray screen appears during startup.
1.Shut down the Macintosh, then restart it with the Power On key. (Don't use the Restart button.)
2.Immediately press Command+Option+P+R. Note: If you do not press the keys before the gray screen appears, the default video display information in NVRAM will not be reset.
3.Keep the keys held down until the Macintosh restarts again.
4.Release the keys and let the startup complete.
Using a Utility to Reset PRAM You can also use a Macintosh system maintenance utility, such as Micromat TechTool, to reset PRAM.
Has anyone tried zapping the PRAM to reset the video card? The NVRAM on a Mac holds the information relating to PCI-based displays.
Resetting PRAM on Power Macintosh Computers with PCI Video Cards: Zapping the PRAM resets the display setting. If your Macintosh's video uses NuBus technology (which is standard), the display settings are stored in PRAM. Power Macintosh computers, however, support video cards based on PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) technology. The display settings for these are stored in NVRAM (Non-volatile RAM). To reset the PRAM on these computers, you must press Command+Option+P+R before the gray screen appears during startup.
1.Shut down the Macintosh, then restart it with the Power On key. (Don't use the Restart button.)
2.Immediately press Command+Option+P+R. Note: If you do not press the keys before the gray screen appears, the default video display information in NVRAM will not be reset.
3.Keep the keys held down until the Macintosh restarts again.
4.Release the keys and let the startup complete.
Using a Utility to Reset PRAM You can also use a Macintosh system maintenance utility, such as Micromat TechTool, to reset PRAM.
Sad
I continue to be amazed and saddened by the fact we have to go through these girations to try the latest and gratest PC video cards.
Where is Apple in all of this? Why doe we not have access to better and more varied choices of hardware?
When Apple moved to Intel processors we were promised access to all the goods available to the PC world. Instead Apple has managed to restrict what we are able to use so it can profit in the process.
We may be better off writing and pressuring Apple, not just writing on these boards.
I continue to be amazed and saddened by the fact we have to go through these girations to try the latest and gratest PC video cards.
Where is Apple in all of this? Why doe we not have access to better and more varied choices of hardware?
When Apple moved to Intel processors we were promised access to all the goods available to the PC world. Instead Apple has managed to restrict what we are able to use so it can profit in the process.
We may be better off writing and pressuring Apple, not just writing on these boards.
I agree, I sent an email to Jobs last month about this subject (no reply - what a surprise
My crappy dual core PC owning friends are all running 8600 and 8800 cards and p*ssing from a great height on my 7300. I don't want to buy a 2 year old, 200 dollar card for 400 dollars that won't likely to be supported in the future (the XT1900 which is now owned by AMD who said they will never support Apple). I own an 8-core mac with 2 tb and 6 gig RAM and a card that would be perfect in a single core pentium 4.
Very annoying, from a graphics professional point of view, the fact that we can't own whatever graphics card we wish is embarrassing and unprofessional. My PC mates laugh at me. I've been using macs since 1988 but I'm sorely tempted to make a PC rig for gaming now.
Sort it out Apple and sort out those who actually do make money for you (the computer buyers not the ipod buyers).
Source or it never happened!
The AMD graphic department does support Apple. Both the iMac and Mac Pro offer AMD cards.
Besides Dell they are properly the largest OEM costumer for AMD.
Graphics Card Updates
I'd like to add another monitor (third) to my system. I currently have 2 24" Dell hooked up to a Radeon x1900, can I add another x1900? Should I just pick up a stock 7300GT? Beyond that will my system show any performance degradation? I'm using FCP, After Effects and DVD Studio Pro. Will the nvidia work with the Ati card?
My specs are
Mac Pro 2.66 ghz
13 gigs ram
250 gig system drive
3 x 500 gig scratch drives.
I'd like to add another monitor (third) to my system. I currently have 2 24" Dell hooked up to a Radeon x1900, can I add another x1900? Should I just pick up a stock 7300GT? Beyond that will my system show any performance degradation? I'm using FCP, After Effects and DVD Studio Pro. Will the nvidia work with the Ati card?
My specs are
Mac Pro 2.66 ghz
13 gigs ram
250 gig system drive
3 x 500 gig scratch drives.
Is the 1900 single or dual slot cooler? If single then it should work just fine. If it is dual I am not sure if it will fit.
It's a dual slot cooler and noisy to boot
You could just get an extra Geforce 7300GT.
I agree, I sent an email to Jobs last month about this subject (no reply - what a surprise
My crappy dual core PC owning friends are all running 8600 and 8800 cards and p*ssing from a great height on my 7300. I don't want to buy a 2 year old, 200 dollar card for 400 dollars that won't likely to be supported in the future (the XT1900 which is now owned by AMD who said they will never support Apple). I own an 8-core mac with 2 tb and 6 gig RAM and a card that would be perfect in a single core pentium 4.
Very annoying, from a graphics professional point of view, the fact that we can't own whatever graphics card we wish is embarrassing and unprofessional. My PC mates laugh at me. I've been using macs since 1988 but I'm sorely tempted to make a PC rig for gaming now.
Sort it out Apple and sort out those who actually do make money for you (the computer buyers not the ipod buyers).
I concur. Apple is sorely behind on dedicated graphics. The should at least offer aftermarket upgrade kits twice per year as new gpus make their way into the market. Not beeing able to drop something like the 8800gt/3800 series in a 8core workstation sucks badly. Gaming is definitely something that you can forget on the Mac for now. Gaming is also THE application that drives hardware sales and performance increases in general in the pc arena.
funny thing.. i hacked my retail leopard disc to run on my pc which has a 8800gtx in it - and it worked fine, which really surprised me.
A pc friend told me that AMD wouldn't support Apple, so I could well be mistaken (and hopefully so - it'd be nice to see a new ATI card available too).
I read somewhere yesterday that a few Leopard users have had more success with running OS X with the 8800GT but I can't find those links today. One guy said he had a 7300 and a 8800 working simultaneously in his macpro.
Maybe that card will be released.
I read somewhere yesterday that a few Leopard users have had more success with running OS X with the 8800GT but I can't find those links today. One guy said he had a 7300 and a 8800 working simultaneously in his macpro.
Maybe that card will be released.
Just because they share the same marketing name does not imply they are the same. Under the "hood" they are in fact very different. One is based on the G80 chip (the Geforce 8800GTX) and the other is based around the G92 chip (the Geforce 8800GT).
I don't want to buy a 2 year old, 200 dollar card for 400 dollars that won't likely to be supported in the future
According to this the 2600XT will work on the existing MacPros that have the slow 7300.
http://www.barefeats.com/harper2.html
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?find=MB198Z/A
Perhaps that is a reasonably priced alternative to the overpriced x1900.
Cheers,
That would make poor business sense. They already sell OEM cards to Apple (and have a good relationship with Apple), why would they want to sell less OEM cards. You don't refuse business, especially when Apple is selling more and more computers these days.
All that AMD rumor stuff is just because Apple went Intel instead of AMD, and some people think AMD will get back at Apple for going Intel, but it makes no sense. It would just end up with AMD hurting themselves.
Apple would just go more with Nvidia based graphics cards.
Indeed it is but no DX10 support in bootcamp on the X1900XT and the 2600XT is $250 less expensive. The 2600XT is a very viable option for people who only have the stock nvidia 7300.
Cheers,
Its already been done by a bunch of people (including me). Look at the 8800GT ROM thread.
I thought I might post some of my thoughts here being a relatively recent Mac convert from Windows...
First of all, I must say that OSX is a great operating system - Mac's got great software and OS far better than Windows however, on topic - it will never have the hardware flexibility of a PC system.
Imagine how disappointed I was to discover that the new 8800GT is not compatible with pre-early 2008 MPs!!
As a result, I'm running mac for my "serious" computer work and run a full PC for gaming due to reasons already outlined in this thread - ie. a 10k machine + several years old outdated gfx.
Apple, please stop shafting your customers and suffice to say it does not make a good impression on PC users who wants to convert to a mac.
A yum-cha no namer PC mobo + component can take the latest and greatest gfx and so it seeems apple has not really changed at all. It deliberately cripples its flagship machines to maximize profits from upgrade parts and even force people to buy new machines.
First of all, I must say that OSX is a great operating system - Mac's got great software and OS far better than Windows however, on topic - it will never have the hardware flexibility of a PC system.
Imagine how disappointed I was to discover that the new 8800GT is not compatible with pre-early 2008 MPs!!
As a result, I'm running mac for my "serious" computer work and run a full PC for gaming due to reasons already outlined in this thread - ie. a 10k machine + several years old outdated gfx.
Apple, please stop shafting your customers and suffice to say it does not make a good impression on PC users who wants to convert to a mac.
A yum-cha no namer PC mobo + component can take the latest and greatest gfx and so it seeems apple has not really changed at all. It deliberately cripples its flagship machines to maximize profits from upgrade parts and even force people to buy new machines.
Which is what you should be doing, seeing as even the paltry Radeon HD 2600 XT beats the Geforce 8800 GT 15 out of 16 times in Motion and other Core Image applications.
Wish we would have gotten the Radeon HD 3870 instead of the Geforce 8800 GT.
Gamers may feel different.
You know, I still can't figure out why that is the case. Why would the ATI line do so much better than the nVidia line? I mean the GF8 series supports 10-bit per component output, so what is it that it is so slow at?