Successful GTX 280 installations?

[Backman]

Hi, I'm a total noob when it comes to this, but I'm looking to get a GTX-280 to run on my mac pro 2008 which is running win XP. I hear it's just a case of getting some new cables and throwing it in there, but also some people are concerned about heating issues..?

Have any of you installed this card successfully and has there been any issues with it? It'd be good to hear which method you chose as well, I've also seen this -> https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=4821315#post4821315 which maybe applies more to older mac pros.

Thanks.

 

[10THzMac]

There are several threads on this dealing with various 200-series cards - I would search for 260, 280, 285, 295 and look at the existing posts, that deal with power, drivers, use under OS X as well. Under XP it is easier if your boot card is also nvidia - do you have 8800 for example? I run an 8800+260 and 8800+285 with no issues under Windows, heating or otherwise, with extra PCI power sourced from the optical bay. Though I have not managed to replicate Cindori's neat cabling yet.

 

[Cindori]

The case layout is same for old and new Mac Pro's. My cabling works fine. I now even have a third molex coming down there, for powering my Twin Turbo cooler on my new 4890 card.

However I am worried about running both graphic card and cooler from the same original cable, so I'm getting a motherboard power cable anyway. Unfortunately I accidently wired my molex power to a power outlet on my 4890, short circuiting my Mac. It wouldn't boot after that, so right now it's on service. I never remembered to reset SMC , quite a bummer. Could have saved me from sending it away on expensive service. Anyway I hope that everythings unharmed.


If I'd get a USB DVD-RW and remove my Superdrive I could draw some massive power down there and allow up to triple crossfire of 4890's. But my Mac is an old tired '06, and only has one PCI-E 16x speed slot.

Under Windows the 280 works fine. But you will not be able to boot OSX without a Mac-card in slot 1.

Look for Netkas thread here or netkas.org for info on getting 280's to work in OSX.