I've tried literally everything I could think of to eliminate the 4890's issue whereby the screen tears when two monitors are connected and one of them is 30". I've had no luck. This is a shame since the card runs beautifully in any other configuration.
As I see it, if I want to use the card and my two monitors, my only viable option is to put my ATI X1900 back in to drive the smaller monitor. I tried it, and it just works. Here are the issues I see:
1) The only spots the X1900 will fit into are slots 2 and 3. In slot 2, it sits right on top of the 4890 and is a heat problem waiting to happen; in slot 3, it's pressed right up against my hard drives, and is another heat problem (and possible data loss) waiting to happen. Since it won't fit into slot 4 (where it could run at 8X), then the next best slot is slot 3, where it will at least run at 4X (slot 2 would be a meagre 1x).
2) I have 5 hard drives, with the fifth installed into the open optical bay. This is my Time Machine drive.
Given the above, I have these options:
1) Put the ATI card back in and use the 4890 as a paperweight until a solution is found;
2) use both cards and make do without the Superdrive;
3) use both cards and make my Time Machine drive external;
4) go mental with Molex splitters, keep everything internal, and hope nothing explodes.
I used to practice option 4 all the time with old PC's, but who really cares if an old PC or two blows up.
What are the thoughts about the capabilities of the stock 1,1 power supply?
As I see it, if I want to use the card and my two monitors, my only viable option is to put my ATI X1900 back in to drive the smaller monitor. I tried it, and it just works. Here are the issues I see:
1) The only spots the X1900 will fit into are slots 2 and 3. In slot 2, it sits right on top of the 4890 and is a heat problem waiting to happen; in slot 3, it's pressed right up against my hard drives, and is another heat problem (and possible data loss) waiting to happen. Since it won't fit into slot 4 (where it could run at 8X), then the next best slot is slot 3, where it will at least run at 4X (slot 2 would be a meagre 1x).
2) I have 5 hard drives, with the fifth installed into the open optical bay. This is my Time Machine drive.
Given the above, I have these options:
1) Put the ATI card back in and use the 4890 as a paperweight until a solution is found;
2) use both cards and make do without the Superdrive;
3) use both cards and make my Time Machine drive external;
4) go mental with Molex splitters, keep everything internal, and hope nothing explodes.
I used to practice option 4 all the time with old PC's, but who really cares if an old PC or two blows up.
What are the thoughts about the capabilities of the stock 1,1 power supply?