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Early 2008 Mac Pro quad 2.8 w/ 8800GT video problem (boot camp 2.1/Vista x86)

shinchook

shinchook

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 13, 2008
110
0
New Jersey
Hello,

This is my first post on the forum though I always go here for news. Anyway, I have an Early Mac Pro 2.6 quad with the 8800gt Nvidia card. I have recently installed a 320gb hard drive to run Vista 32bit. Everything runs great but I'm having trouble with the video. I have a 24" monitor that's native resolution is 1920 x 1200. Vista will let me select this resolution (so will the Nvidia tools) but when I use this resolution the everything is stretched and about a quarter of the desktop goes off the screen to the right. My mouse will move over there off the screen but it seems that Vista is trying to run the 1920 x 1200 resolution on a 26" screen. (Thats what it looks like to me) :mad:

Any ideas? I have the latest bootcamp installed (2.1) went to Nvidia's site and downloaded updated drivers even installed Vista drivers for my monitor. I do have another 19" monitor hooked up as a secondary.

Thanks :apple:
 
Sorry if I am wrong but aren't the early 2008 models 2.8GHz and up? Did I miss something?

As for your issue try 'Calibrate' option. Should be somewhere in your monitor menu.
 
Try changing your refresh rate.

I do not recall where it is located specifically in Vista but it should be under the advanced tab or button in display/display properties.
 
[Correction] 2.8 mhz not 2.6 and still having a problem

D4F said:
Sorry if I am wrong but aren't the early 2008 models 2.8GHz and up? Did I miss something?

As for your issue try 'Calibrate' option. Should be somewhere in your monitor menu.
Click to expand...


Oops sorry bout that... it is 2.8 quad, got confused it was 2.6 when I started looking at them for my purchase then the updated models came out and I jumped on it. Anyway... I remember looking at the refresh rates and I could only select 60 Hertz or 56 Hertz. I believe the monitor runs at 70 Hertz and I had 60 Hertz selected. Do I really want to lower it down to 56? Would that really effect the size of the screen? I thought that was the refresh rate. I'm not getting any screen tear or flickering. Just a blown up screen almost like it was magnified like you can do is os x for those with seeing problems. Also Any clue on the configure button or section? I was in the Nvidia control panel looking around but there wasn't a configure option just a slider to manually change the resolution.:eek: I clicked Auto configure on the monitor (both are hooked up with DVI-D) If I manually change the size adjustments I will have to change it every time I switch between os x and Vista

thanks :confused:

I hate that the 3d CAD software I use works best in Vista other wise I would just run xp. Well... that and I wish they made an os x version so I wouldn't need windows at all.
 
Anyone Got An Answer To This One?

[UPDATE]: By the way I can't change the display settings on the monitor because it is hooked up with DVI and the settings get grayed out automatically.
 
Age of Conan and if your read above there is specific 3d cad software that is only windows compatible that I use
 
Help Me!!!

This is really annoying... so I have been looking online and found some possible solutions. Everything from installing drivers found on Guru3D.com to uninstalling the drivers and letting Vista install the drivers itself.

Anyway let me reiterate just to make sure. I am running Vista Home Premium because I would like to run a specific 3D cad program that is only made for windows. I just pre-ordered Age of Conan and would like to play it in full resolution.

It seems when looking at it further the display will show everything ok in 1920 x 1080 resolution but its not at the full resolution of the monitor. Screen is completely filled with this lower resolution. When I bump it up to 1920 x 1200 the desktop shows up fine from vertically but horizontally the screen get stretched to the right. Stretched so much that I can no longer see the running icons or the clock. The mouse moves over there as if the desktop existed but I can't see it.

FYI screen displayed fine under xp so its not the monitor.
 
peejack said:
What the HELL are you wanting to run Vista on you Mac Pro for anyway? :eek::eek::rolleyes::confused::p
Click to expand...

I use Vista to run Photodex Proshow Producer.

Believe me, if there was anything as good on the mac, I would be using that instead.

There are some windows programs that there are just no Mac alternatives and if you need to run one of these then Vista is whats needed.

Vista Ultimate 64bit is streets ahead of XP and runs great on my Mac Pro.
 
this is true and the exact reason why I have to run vista. Anyway I'm still not sure why the screen is stretching to the right. Any ideas on an updated video driver that I could use or do you think its something went wrong with the install and I should refresh reinstall vista?
 
shinchook said:
Anyone?:(
Click to expand...

What version driver are you using? Have you tried using the latest beta?

One thing you could try is disconnecting the smaller monitor and checking if the bigger one works properly then. If not then power off and use the other DVI port.

Remember the problem here is more than likely an nVidia driver problem, not Vista. One of the main causes of crashes on Vista while in Beta and when it first came out were nVidia drivers.
 
I've tried disconnecting the smaller screen and restarting and even switching the DVI outputs in the back of the computer. I've tried 5 different driver right now I have 175.16 installed. I did try something else out that tells me it is definitely a driver issue.

I went into the section that lets you choose a driver to use that is present on the computer. I have 4 different possible drivers. Each one does the same thing with the screen stretching except for the generic vga video drivers that, I'm guessing, come built in with Vista. When I used those drivers the computer let me see the entire desktop the way it should at 1920 x 1200. The only thing is that those drivers only see the vid card as a 14 mb card and doesn't support multi screen spanning or cloning.

I have a ticket opened with Nvidia they emailed me and asked for a lot of information as well as a .nfo file so they know what kind of computer and components I'm working with. Anyway, I'm not sure what will come from conversing with Nvidia about this. I doubt they will produce a new driver for one person unless this is happening to a number of people. I hope there is an easy fix.

Anyone have a similar problem? I would like to start a petition to send Nvidia about this problem. I'm sure there are people running their screens at lower resolution because of this problem and are just living with it.
:eek:
 
D4F said:
Which way did you choose to set up the monitors?
Separate or extended desktop?
Click to expand...

I want to set it up so the 24" is on the right and the 19" is on the left. I have tried it the opposite way as well. I even tried setting the 19" as my primary monitor. I can see the entire start and no distortion on the 19" but the display is still distorted on the 24" no matter if its the primary or not.

I do not want to set them up clone because (1) the resolution is automatically lowered down to the same as the 19" and (2) I want the extra screen space for design work.

In Nvidia's control panel I tried all three ways "use one monitor", "clone monitors" and extended desktop or "set up monitors individually"

The only time I saw the screen actually show up the correct way was with the generic Vista drivers and thats not going to work for me at all. Its a 512 card and it only sees it as 14mb and not dual display support.
:eek::confused::mad::(
 
Well you aren't the only one to have this issue.

I found something which might help here

[url=http://forums.nvidia.com/lofiversion/index.php?t55679.html]nVidia Forum[/url] said:
I've got a Dell 2407wfp-hc actually. I've managed to fix the problem by using creating a custom resolution within the nvidia display properties. I had to kept messing with different settings and hitting test until I found one that worked. I'll get more detailed later when I get home and check the exact steps I took. It isn't too hard to figure out.
Click to expand...

and
[url=http://forums.nvidia.com/lofiversion/index.php?t55679.html]nVidia Forum[/url] said:
5) I next go into Manage Custom Resolutions, and select Create.... The next menu presents a "Simple" Custom Resolution configuration of options that are already filled in. Horizontal desktop pixels: 1920, Vertical desktop lines: 1200, GDI Refresh rate:60, Bits per pixel: 32, and finally the Interlaced box is not checked. I then click on the Test button, agree to the disclaimer, and the screen goes momentarily blank again, and again presents the correct "non-stretched" 1920x1200 resolution. Finally I click OK, and I've created my correct Custom Resolution.
Click to expand...
 
shinchook said:
I want to set it up so the 24" is on the right and the 19" is on the left. I have tried it the opposite way as well. I even tried setting the 19" as my primary monitor. I can see the entire start and no distortion on the 19" but the display is still distorted on the 24" no matter if its the primary or not.
Click to expand...

A few questions:

1. What are the brand names for both the 24" and 19"?
2. What's the resolution on your 19"?
3. Have you tried installing the drivers for the LCDs? Hook each LCD one at a time and install the drivers. I don't think it's necessary but you never know.
4. In OSX, select About This Mac from the Apple menu and click on More Info...how much VRAM does it say under Graphics/Displays?
5. What's the resolution on the 24" under OSX?

A few comments:

1. The latest Bootcamp 2.1 should have the latest NV drivers for Vista SP1.
2. In the display settings, my Vista Ultimate 64 says
(1) Generic PnP Monitor on NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT
(2) (Default Monitor) Generic PnP Monitor on NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT
 
::Update::

Thanks for all that replied...

After much discussion with both Nvidia and Acer I have found that there is actually a problem with the EDIC on the monitor. It seems to be a problem with this monitor for a lot of people. Unfortunately Acer hasn't done anything as far as firmware is concerned and is taking no responsibility.

On a good note, Circuit City was willing to return this monitor and swap it out with a 24" Gateway LCD. It was about $100 more but It has a ridiculous number of inputs on it (DVI-D, HDMI, Component, Composite, S-Video, VGA) It has PIP and a built in USB Hub... Not to mention you can get a sound bar that integrates itself into the monitor and transmits audio form the HDMI without additional wires.

Anyway, The monitor displays the proper resolution without a hitch but I'm having a different problem. :mad: When I have the monitors plugged in with the Gateway as the main (DVI 1) and the 19" as the secondary (DVI 2) the computer seems to see the 19" monitor as the main. I can't get the computer to put the actually desktop items (dock and menu bar at top) on the main screen (Gateway)

Weird:confused::eek:

Some help with this would be good. Is there anyway to tell os x which monitor is the main? I can switch the arrangement of the screens but it keeps the little screen the main desktop. (No problems in Vista yet)
 
shinchook said:
Anyway, The monitor displays the proper resolution without a hitch but I'm having a different problem. :mad: When I have the monitors plugged in with the Gateway as the main (DVI 1) and the 19" as the secondary (DVI 2) the computer seems to see the 19" monitor as the main. I can't get the computer to put the actually desktop items (dock and menu bar at top) on the main screen (Gateway)
Click to expand...

Good to hear you solved your monitor problem. To change the main display just go into the display preference pane and you should see mini versions of both monitors. There will be a white bar on one of them (the smaller) which represents the menu bar. Drag this to the bigger screen to change the default monitor.
 
Just drag the little bar? I think I tried that yesterday but the bar didn't move... Ill try again today after work. Thanks for the quick reply.

By the way... Despite Nvidia's driver problems that everyone complains about their customer service ans support is very good and quick
:D:apple:
 
Hi,

I've got a similar setup. An August 2006 dual 2.67Ghz Mac Pro with nVidia 8800 GT which I've installed MS Vista Home Premium edition on with Boot Camp 2.1 just yesterday. I don't have the resolution stretching issue mentioned here, but my 3D Graphics index score is set at 1.0. The control panel in Vista where all this is done indicates that it needs to be refreshed, but doing so doesn't seem to change the values any. Anyone know how to fix this?
 
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