Silly question about the 8800GT

[tanooki]

Hello everybody!

I've been anxiously awaiting a decent Mac Pro update for the past year, and now that the time has finally arrived, I am more than ready to take the plunge.

I have been reading this forum extensively over the past month (which has answered PLENTY of questions for me, thanks!), but I just have one really silly question...

I've been using my Powerbook G4 for the past 5 years, so this will be my first desktop computer since then, and obviously, my first Mac Pro. Because of this, I have become somewhat clueless about certain aspects of desktop computers.

I'm going to order the base configuration from Apple, and because of the suggestions I have read in this forum, I am going to buy all my additional RAM and HDs from OWC and other 3rd party vendors. I want to upgrade to the 8800GT, but since I need the Mac Pro ASAP for some projects, I don't want to wait the 2-3+ weeks for the entire system.

So, I am willing to order 8800GT for installation at a later time, but I am wondering how easy it is to install a graphics card in the Mac Pro. I know I can install RAM and most likely the HDs, but I am unsure if I need to do anything special to install a graphics card.

Sorry if this is a silly question, I've just been used to my Powerbook for the last 5 years of my life!

 

[bigbird]

If you can install RAM in a laptop, you can much more easily put a graphics card into a Mac Pro. Not to worry.

 

[arn]

So, I am willing to order 8800GT for installation at a later time, but I am wondering how easy it is to install a graphics card in the Mac Pro. I know I can install RAM and most likely the HDs, but I am unsure if I need to do anything special to install a graphics card.

Sorry if this is a silly question, I've just been used to my Powerbook for the last 5 years of my life!

Not a silly question. Mac Pro's are very easy to access. And replacing a graphics card is very easy. You might need a screwdriver to unscrew it before you pull it from the slot.

Here are instructions from Apple

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/MacPro_PCIeCard_DIY.pdf

arn

 

[tanooki]

Wow, it doesn't get much easier than that. Thanks for the link to the instructions, arn!

 

[Macinposh]

Another silly question:


Ok.

So people wait for 10.5.2 as I "will" bring the kexts for the 8800.
Ok.So it has the drivers to make the card work.

But.

If you get hosed and need to reinstall OS X you have to revert to 10.5.0 that is on the installation disk. Card no worky? Card no worky=No installation?

No? I tought the card has itself has all the neccessary drivers?

 

[LeKiD]

good question! Well, I read that people have already installed the 8800 GT card in their Mac Pros. I guess it's doable even if the OS is not updated.

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=83931

 

[arn]

So people wait for 10.5.2 as I "will" bring the kexts for the 8800.
Ok.So it has the drivers to make the card work.

But.

If you get hosed and need to reinstall OS X you have to revert to 10.5.0 that is on the installation disk. Card no worky? Card no worky=No installation?

1. You have an old Mac Pro with 10.5.0 install disks. the 8800GT won't work in it yet anyway. But usually video cards work in an unaccelerated mode without drivers.

2. If you are talking about the new Mac Pro with the 8800GT, your install disks will come with the 8800GT drivers on it.

arn

 

[Macinposh]

2. If you are talking about the new Mac Pro with the 8800GT, your install disks will come with the 8800GT drivers on it.

arn

It is that I was wondering!
I tought that all disks are pressed as batch,in a virgin state of 10.5.0. Didnt know they contained machine specific/updated drivers.


But how about the 08 MP owners that allready have the machine and gets their card later? Via that theory,they should allready have the drivers on their installation disk? Or will there be a driver disk shipping with the card?
Or will they have to resort and rely on the "unacclerated mode" if the have to re-install?

 

[arn]

It is that I was wondering!
I tought that all disks are pressed as batch,in a virgin state of 10.5.0. Didnt know they contained machine specific/updated drivers.

The Early 2008 Mac Pro didn't exist when 10.5.0 was released, so 10.5.0 won't run on that Mac Pro. As with all new machines: The oldest version of Mac OS X you will be able to run is the version that ships with it.

If you buy the 8800GT later, the Early 2008 Mac Pro's install disks will presumably have the driver.

arn

 

[JesterDev]

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't they talking about a hackintosh? That's what I thought insanleymac was all about. I would imagine that it would be easy to hack the drivers to work on a PC running OSX.