I have a stock 8800GT but have had my eye on the GTX285 for a while. Rather than removing the 8800GT is it possible to keep it in the machine and use it as a dedicated card for my XP virtual machine or the second virtual machine I want to set up for Win7?
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Quick Video Card ?
- Thread starter Michael73
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If you have both in, whichever one your monitor is connected to is the one that will be used. So if your monitor is hooked up to the gtx285 and the 8800gt is sitting there beside it, with no monitor connected to it, well then that's all it's doing, sitting there. But with 2 monitors, I THINK you might be able to dedicate separate video cards to separate monitors (and have your virtual machine window on the screen that the 8800gt is using) but I'm unsure, since I've never used more than 1 video card.
Are you saying there isn't enough power coming from the PSU for 4 hard drives, 2 Pioneer DVD-RW drives and 2 PCI-e video cards?
I know that can't be true because when I bought the machine I could have configured it on apples online store with 4 HDD, 2 Superdrives and multiple graphics cards to power more than 1 apple 30" cinema display! So, the PSU has to be big enough to handle all those items.
Sure, PSU can handle the Watt, but show me where you grab the two PCI-power cables you're gonna use for the 285GTX.
Mac Pro motherboard carries two pci power outputs, you are using one for the 8800GT.
The 285GTX requires 2 more.
The power cord to the superdrives (Molex) can be converted into a PCI-power connector too, but since you're already using those...
Mac Pro motherboard carries two pci power outputs, you are using one for the 8800GT.
The 285GTX requires 2 more.
The power cord to the superdrives (Molex) can be converted into a PCI-power connector too, but since you're already using those...
So you want him to run half the GTX on the superdrives?
You know the superdrive molex is already splited (for 2 drives) and you want to split it again to run a graphic card? Basically 2 drives + half a GTX 285 on 1 molex cable.
Fine with me, just dont send me the repair bill
You know the superdrive molex is already splited (for 2 drives) and you want to split it again to run a graphic card? Basically 2 drives + half a GTX 285 on 1 molex cable.
Fine with me, just dont send me the repair bill
I would not do that with the GTX, but why not powering the 8800 with the Molex?
Does the Apple 8800 need that much power?
Does the Apple 8800 need that much power?
You can use a PCIe power Y cable. Plug the female end into one of the existing cables that attaches to the logic board (to the one driving the 8800 as it's a lower draw than the GTX285), and presto. Power w/o the need to touch the Molex cable.
I presume the OP intends on getting the Mac edition of the GTX285. If not (PC card via flashing or injectors), another cable that connects to the logic board is needed (here, just in case).
Well we are still talking 2 superdrives + 1 card. People here are advising against even 1 superdrive and 1 card.
You can use a PCIe power Y cable. Plug the female end into one of the existing cables that attaches to the logic board (to the one driving the 8800 as it's a lower draw than the GTX285), and presto. Power w/o the need to touch the Molex cable.
again, doing something not recommended. feel free to try, but again, don't be surprised if something breaks.
OK, so it sounds like unless I have a second monitor then having a second card in the MP is useless. But with all the back and forth I'm still unclear about one point...can I maintain my current setup: 2 superdrives, 4 HDDs and still accommodate the GTX285? If so, what (if any) special connectors do I need to make it work?
The Mac edition of the GTX285 contains the power cables needed to attach to the logic board. You wouldn't have to touch the drive setup at all. If you get a PC version, you'd need to order one that is used on the logic board (linked a few posts back).
If you want to keep the 8800 and get a second monitor, you can still keep the drives as-is, if you use the PCIe power Y splitter. It's not ideal, but it does work according to those who've done it (no reports of something going "poof").