Video card problems on 2010 Mac Pros?

[lbeck]

I was only having the problem with my 30" Dell, though, and not my Samsung 24". I don't think it's your Monitor.

I dont think its the monitor either, my samsung worked perfect on another machine. I'm suggesting its related to software, needeing a firmware update.

What I am fairly certain of is its not the graphics card, if it was my ACD should do the same thing. It has to be software related.

 

[reel2reel]

I dont think its the monitor either, my samsung worked perfect on another machine. I'm suggesting its related to software, needeing a firmware update.

What I am fairly certain of is its not the graphics card, if it was my ACD should do the same thing. It has to be software related.

Oh sorry, misunderstood. I hope they get a fix out for this thing. Soon! I placed a call to Apple. The rep recommended booting from the System DVD to see if it still happens. Worth a try, I guess.

 

[hoosker]

Oh sorry, misunderstood. I hope they get a fix out for this thing. Soon! I placed a call to Apple. The rep recommended booting from the System DVD to see if it still happens. Worth a try, I guess.

This would not work for me as my issue happens randomly. Sometimes several days between.

I emailed Lloyd Chambers and he sent me a link to a NEC notice that may address some peoples experience but not everyone's.

http://www.necdisplay.com/cms/documents/UserManuals/DisplayPort_Notice.pdf

 

[lbeck]

Oh sorry, misunderstood. I hope they get a fix out for this thing. Soon! I placed a call to Apple. The rep recommended booting from the System DVD to see if it still happens. Worth a try, I guess.

When I called them they said they know about it and are working on it. They were unsure if it was hardware/software but that's only cause it just happened. I'm positive it should be software related.

 

[Fesan]

My rig:
3,33 ghz, 5870 and a 23" LG monitor connected via DVI port.

Problems that have occured:
Mouse skipping/jumping (logitech G5 2nd ed.), seems to be hrz problems with the USB port.

Screen going all 1980's TV on me (snow/static) but not constant snow, flickers between snow and what looks like my desktop on LSD. Had the machine for a week but this has "only" happened three times (and rebooting the monitor or replugging the cable always fixed it) the curious thing is that two out of three times it happened after installing steermouse. Made me belive it was related to the software somehow, but then happened the third time after waking the monitor from sleep and that made me wonder.

I do howerer still have steermouse installed so might have something to do with my problems?

Cannot say it has bothered me much, but if it turns out to be a hardware issue i will be bummed:-(

 

[Fesan]

Happened a fourth time now, so seems to happen at semi-regular intervals. Still once every 3-4 days is something I can live with untill a firmware update comes out.

Strange however that a reinstall of steermouse 3.9 can 100% re-create the issue.

 

[Fesan]

Had a new experience that I think is regarding this issue today. I decided to hook up my TV to my Mac Pro (my main monitor is connected through DVI port).

I connected my Computer to the TV via the mini-display-port with an Apple connector. The other cable was a DVI to HDMI with the HDMI end going into my TV.

I have done this several times with different macbooks, macbook pro's and iMac's with the exact same setup and had no problems whatsoever.

The result was a blank screen, no signal. So I thought OK I'll try the other port, same result.

I then tried both the mini-disp. ports withouth my main monitor connected through the DVI port, still nothing.

I then tried my main monitor with the DVI to Mini disp. port adapter in both ports and nada again. Switched my main monitor back to the DVI port and got a signal.

The only thing I did not try was the HDMI to DVI cable from my TV to my comp straight into the DVI port since I had already tested the mini-display-ports on my main screen and neither worked, since my main screen works perfectly through the DVI port (and other computers work on the TV) I can safely assume that neither mini-ports work.

Could this be related to the snowy screen and other issues with the 5870?

*edit*

I tried the following with a good result:

Connected the TV via the DVI port, worked. Then my main display via the mini-display-port at the same time, nothing on the main display.
Then I turned the main monitor off, switched it to the other mini-display-port, turned it on and whilst doing that clicked "detect displays" and then boom the TV changed from "screen 1" view to "screen 2" view (dock and desktop icons was gone, wallpaper changed to default). And when the main display came back on it had my "Screen 1" view.

Strange stuff, had my TV connected to mini-port and main screen on DVI and clicked detect displays 10 times with no effect.

Also note I am only using two displays so this is not related to the three-display problem where you need the 99$ dual link connector.

*edit 2*

I have now moved screen-connectors back and forth a few times to try to figure out what the problem was, I finally managed to get my TV on the mini-port and main monitor on the DVI port at the same time. 2nd mini-port is still not "active" but I guess I could force it to be by moving stuff back and forth more.

What I learned was this: The ports do not work like they do on a laptop where you just plug it in and it pops up. Seems like you have to "activate" a port, and when you do it remembers that you prefer to have your desktop at that specific port (or it remembers it by the screen name/id/model/whatever).

So now that I have "activated the mini-port closest to the DVI port I can plug my TV into that port and it pops up, no detecting or fancy-schmancy stuff needed. If I take it out of that port and move it to the other mini-port furthest away, nada.

Then again this can all be a random bug the first few times I tried to connect my TV. If noone else experiences problems with two displays I'll just assume it was a freak thing🙂

 

[tty007]

I am having the same issue with my bran new MacPro

When the screen goes in sleep mode, it doesn't wake up all the time. Also, what happened to me this morning is that the screen woke up as in Poltergeist movie... Snow in my screen....

Very weird....

I'm starting to worried to see all these issues lately..

 

[Konsole]

I am a little confused as to what the issue is, but I wanted to provide an additional data point. My config seems to be working fine.

I have the 8-core 2.4ghz, 5770

1. DVI port, 30" dell (dual link dvi, no adapters used)
2. mini-displayport 1, mini-display port to displayport 10' cable into 24" dell display
3. mini-displayport 2, mini-display port to displayport 10' cable into 27" dell display running at a dual-link resolution, no adapters

This config works just fine.

i can just attach this I guess, a lot of detail


Chipset Model: ATI Radeon HD 5770
Type: GPU
Bus: PCIe
Slot: Slot-1
PCIe Lane Width: x16
VRAM (Total): 1024 MB
Vendor: ATI (0x1002)
Device ID: 0x68b8
Revision ID: 0x0000
ROM Revision: 113-C0160C-155
EFI Driver Version: 01.00.436
Displays:
DELL 2408WFP:
Resolution: 1200 x 1920 @ 60 Hz
Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Rotation: 90
Connection Type: DisplayPort
DELL U2711:
Resolution: 2560 x 1440 @ 60 Hz
Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Rotation: Supported
Connection Type: DisplayPort
Television: Yes
DELL3007WFPHC:
Resolution: 2560 x 1600
Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Rotation: Supported

 

[reel2reel]

When the screen goes in sleep mode, it doesn't wake up all the time. Also, what happened to me this morning is that the screen woke up as in Poltergeist movie... Snow in my screen....

Very weird....

I'm starting to worried to see all these issues lately..

That's the problem I've got on 2 x 2010 Mac Pro's (one with a 5770 and one with a 5870).

What kind of monitor are you using?

 

[dcslacker]

When the screen goes in sleep mode, it doesn't wake up all the time. Also, what happened to me this morning is that the screen woke up as in Poltergeist movie... Snow in my screen....

Very weird....

I'm starting to worried to see all these issues lately..

I've also got this problem...

 

[sauria]

Met too

I've also got this problem...

It is very flaky. Any fix found? Thanks!

 

[xgman]

My 5870 very occasionally boots up to a static filled desktop. You can still sort of see things but filled with static/snow and also blinks off and on until you restart the computer and then all is fine. (no sleep mode involved) It's a DVI to a 30" Dell 3007. Turing off the Dell power and back on doesn't help. It doesn't happen often enough to be able to show Apple. Anyone else see this only at boot up and not involving sleep mode at all?

I have to think that since the "snow" effect seems common, but since I have sleep disabled, then maybe sleep isn't really causing this, but it is just happening more often because you probably wake up the computer more often during sleep than powering up and rebooting. Also since it is both 5770 and 5870 cards, then that makes me doubt it is the cards themselves unless it is one of the shared components. Maybe the motherboards? Maybe the firmware if both cards use the same firmware? Does not seem at all to be the monitors themselves or the cables. I almost wish this was happening constantly so we could show Apple at least. Are there any good theories about the cause?

 

[VideoFreek]

Update

Though this issue has been blamed mostly on cable issues, recently Lloyd Chambers noticed that the recent 10.6.7 OS X update contained a fix for the NEC monitor issues, so clearly it was not all about cable problems.

On my rig (2010 Mac Pro w/ 5770 running a NEC PA271w), I just haven't had many issues with waking up from sleep, etc., so I can't say whether 10.6.7 has made a difference.

 

[darwin022]

I'm new to this thread, but have been having the exact same problems since September with my 2010 Mac Pro w/ the 5870 as a primary card and GT120 as a secondary card + 3x NEC LCD2490WUXi displays. Right now only one of them is hooked up using an Accell B087B-003J UltraAV miniDisplayPort/DVI-D Dual-Link Adapter ( http://www.amazon.com/Accell-B087B-003J-UltraAV-miniDisplayPort-Dual-Link/dp/B0030XMREG ), but I have 2 of them that I've used. This adapter does fit the requirement The best setup I've been able to get is to use the two DVI ports on the two cards first, then hook the mini displayport adapter up to the middle port on the 5870. I can't confirm if the problem goes away when I use mini DP on the GT120 as it would be retarded to have to use the dinky card for a majority of the displays. Ultimately, I'd like all 3 back on the 5870.

I have the displays go to sleep via hot corner (most convenient way with this many monitors). Pretty reliably, the one on the adapter will refuse to wake from sleep if they sleep for more than 4-6 hours. The fix is to unplug the minidp plug and plug it back in. This has been VERY annoying to do approximately once a day. 10.6.7 did seem to fix the problem for about a week, but now it's back.

Apple is sending me a new (refurb probably) 5870 which should be here today. Based on this thread, this may not fix the problem, but it's worth a shot.

 

[Riot Nrrrd]

Though this issue has been blamed mostly on cable issues, recently Lloyd Chambers noticed that the recent 10.6.7 OS X update contained a fix for the NEC monitor issues, so clearly it was not all about cable problems.

On my rig (2010 Mac Pro w/ 5770 running a NEC PA271w), I just haven't had many issues with waking up from sleep, etc., so I can't say whether 10.6.7 has made a difference.

My impression (from reading this site and other forums, like Apple's Support Discussions Forum) is that it's mostly only people with 5870s that have had problems, making me glad my 2010 hex-core Mac Pro has a 5770 😀

 

[xgman]

I'm new to this thread, but have been having the exact same problems since September with my 2010 Mac Pro w/ the 5870 as a primary card and GT120 as a secondary card + 3x NEC LCD2490WUXi displays. Right now only one of them is hooked up using an Accell B087B-003J UltraAV miniDisplayPort/DVI-D Dual-Link Adapter ( http://www.amazon.com/Accell-B087B-003J-UltraAV-miniDisplayPort-Dual-Link/dp/B0030XMREG ), but I have 2 of them that I've used. This adapter does fit the requirement The best setup I've been able to get is to use the two DVI ports on the two cards first, then hook the mini displayport adapter up to the middle port on the 5870. I can't confirm if the problem goes away when I use mini DP on the GT120 as it would be retarded to have to use the dinky card for a majority of the displays. Ultimately, I'd like all 3 back on the 5870.

I have the displays go to sleep via hot corner (most convenient way with this many monitors). Pretty reliably, the one on the adapter will refuse to wake from sleep if they sleep for more than 4-6 hours. The fix is to unplug the minidp plug and plug it back in. This has been VERY annoying to do approximately once a day. 10.6.7 did seem to fix the problem for about a week, but now it's back.

Apple is sending me a new (refurb probably) 5870 which should be here today. Based on this thread, this may not fix the problem, but it's worth a shot.

please let us know the results and again after a week or so. thanks and good luck,

 

[darwin022]

please let us know the results and again after a week or so. thanks and good luck,

No need to wait that long. Since swapping the 5870 with another that Apple sent last night, I can confirm that it's a lot more reliable than before. I swapped both mini-DP -> Dual Link DVI adapters back over to the 5870 before testing.

Both times the computer has been idle with the screens sleeping for more than 4 hours, neither of the monitors on Mini DP have woken up.

Yes, that's 100% FAIL. More reliable FAIL than before (it was about 60% previously). I'll give it a week to see if it actually decides to work... Once would be nice.

 

[xgman]

No need to wait that long. Since swapping the 5870 with another that Apple sent last night, I can confirm that it's a lot more reliable than before. I swapped both mini-DP -> Dual Link DVI adapters back over to the 5870 before testing.

Both times the computer has been idle with the screens sleeping for more than 4 hours, neither of the monitors on Mini DP have woken up.

Yes, that's 100% FAIL. More reliable FAIL than before (it was about 60% previously). I'll give it a week to see if it actually decides to work... Once would be nice.

Do you also get the "snow/static" from time to time or just the "no wake up" problem?

 

[xgman]

Apple sent me a new 5870 card and now the snow is worse than ever. It can be stopped by a hot corner monitor sleep in/out move, but I am going to try a new panel with only a straight displayport connector to see if it helps. Oh, it also happened in Lion DP3.

 

[philipma1957]

Apple sent me a new 5870 card and now the snow is worse than ever. It can be stopped by a hot corner monitor sleep in/out move, but I am going to try a new panel with only a straight displayport connector to see if it helps. Oh, it also happened in Lion DP3.

I had the teardrop/static problem I use a dvi to dvi cable and one 24 inch 1920 x 1080 panel. so far I have never had the problem since 10.6.7 update . also my problem was upon hard boot. only way to fix it was a second hard boot. by hard power off then push power button. I am thinking your issue is different.

 

[dtechlogic]

Same here ATi Radeon 5780. No Video during boot up. Can't see screen to switch between windows and mac. Have to guess when it is up. Screen comes when i am ready enter my password to login into my account.

I had the teardrop/static problem I use a dvi to dvi cable and one 24 inch 1920 x 1080 panel. so far I have never had the problem since 10.6.7 update . also my problem was upon hard boot. only way to fix it was a second hard boot. by hard power off then push power button. I am thinking your issue is different.

 

[xgman]

Changed to new 30" HP monitor and used Displayport mini to Displayport normal adapter into the HP, and so far no static.

 

[pecman]

sleep issues in Boot Camp

Is anyone testing to see if they're having these problems in Boot Camp, when booted to Windows?

8core-macpro2010-gt120
nvidia gt120 - dvi with nec pa271 - mdp with eizo fx2431

connected eizo via mdp-dvi dvi-hdmi (adapter) - everything works
connected eizo via mdp-dvi / dvi-dvi - both monitors went into sleep mode/no wake up possible/pc is still running ... as soon i reconnect to hdmi (adapter) everything comes back to normal

on mac side no issues in any configuration

solution for boot camp: had before the actual nvidia driver - went back to the original boot camp driver

 

[sauria]

5770

I have the snow, artifact, and occasional black screen issue. BenQ 241W Z DVI