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I've never understood the phone support vs warranty bit...

...surely you can still call up to get a piece of failing hardware replaced, as it's under warranty? You just aren't entitled to troubleshooting or software support? Hmm.

(Looks at you smugly from behind Applecare)
 
Well, I'm on the phone right now, I am out of free phone support, BUT, since its a hardware failure, and the hardware is covered for a year, I am able to get free support (makes total sense, right?).

Anyway, she's "chatting with a product specialist" right now, says she's trying to find out about getting a new card shipped. If I get this thing, is there anyway to make sure its the new revision (rev # on the card or something?) and not a refurb of the same version? She's being very helpful, but it doesn't really seem like she knows about the problem and the need for the new version, just treating it like any hardware failure that needs replacement.

edit: *sigh* came back with "unplug the computer and reset the p-ram", "restart the computer with the install disk and run the diagnostics, and then repair disks", etc. So, I got my case number, got off the phone, and e-mailed blizzard at the address in the thread, hopefully they can help.

btw, I looked under system info, and under graphics/displays, there is a revision listed, 0x0000, is yours the same mini, or does it reflect a new version?
 
Well, I'm on the phone right now, I am out of free phone support, BUT, since its a hardware failure, and the hardware is covered for a year, I am able to get free support (makes total sense, right?).

Anyway, she's "chatting with a product specialist" right now, says she's trying to find out about getting a new card shipped. If I get this thing, is there anyway to make sure its the new revision (rev # on the card or something?) and not a refurb of the same version? She's being very helpful, but it doesn't really seem like she knows about the problem and the need for the new version, just treating it like any hardware failure that needs replacement.

edit: *sigh* came back with "unplug the computer and reset the p-ram", "restart the computer with the install disk and run the diagnostics, and then repair disks", etc. So, I got my case number, got off the phone, and e-mailed blizzard at the address in the thread, hopefully they can help.

btw, I looked under system info, and under graphics/displays, there is a revision listed, 0x0000, is yours the same mini, or does it reflect a new version?

Here's the info I get out of my new card in windows:
 
Thanks for the SS damado, but could you post the revision info from the apple system info? Unless I missed something, it looks like the only version info posted there was a bios version.
 
Thanks for the SS damado, but could you post the revision info from the apple system info? Unless I missed something, it looks like the only version info posted there was a bios version.

Here's what I get on the apple side:
ATI Radeon X1900 XT:

Chipset Model: ATY,RadeonX1900
Type: Display
Bus: PCIe
Slot: Slot-2
VRAM (Total): 512 MB
Vendor: ATI (0x1002)
Device ID: 0x7249
Revision ID: 0x0000
ROM Revision: 113-A52027-140
EFI Driver Version: 01.00.140
Displays:
Cinema HD:
Display Type: LCD
Resolution: 2560 x 1600
Depth: 32-bit Color
Core Image: Supported
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported
Rotation: Supported
Display:
Status: No display connected
 
Hmm, all identical to mine. Are we sure this is a new revision they're shipping out, and not just a new run of cards?

Also, for people who are putting the new card in a different slot, have you noticed any performace loss?
 
It took 3 very long phone calls to apple support, but finally they're sending me a new card as well. :D

The results happend today when I called and talked to a product specialist, he put me on hold several times as he investigated the problem. What they tried to tell me everytime I had called in the past, was that this is an ATI card and I should be calling ATI. It's true that it's an ati product, but I ordered this card from apple and it showed up in an apple box.

Anyway, I mainly called support today to get my case number so I could follow the advice of others on this thread, but thankfully apple took care of it for me.

So any of you guys send your old 1900 cards back to apple with the arctic fan cooler still attached? I don't even want to bother changing that back.. but I will if you guys think I should.
 
So any of you guys send your old 1900 cards back to apple with the arctic fan cooler still attached? I don't even want to bother changing that back.. but I will if you guys think I should.
You must absolutely restore the card to its original state. Why would you want to send them your cooler anyway?

Don't piss off the Apple unnecessarily :p
 
Ya, good point. I have no feelings for that cooler as it is tied into my entire bad experience with this card. But I'll go ahead and take your advice to remove it anyway.. just thought one of the apple guys might think, "cool an x2 arctic cooler!"
 
Hmm, all identical to mine. Are we sure this is a new revision they're shipping out, and not just a new run of cards?

Also, for people who are putting the new card in a different slot, have you noticed any performace loss?

I guess you never know. I don't have any performance hits in the slot above the bottom. I'm not sure if it will make a difference in lifespan over putting it in the bottom slot, but it having it on the slot above makes me feel fuzzy. Put it on the slot above play a game, ground yourself and touch the back of the card.

I'm currently playing lord of the rings online at 2560x1600 on high settings and it works really well.
 
Had identical issues with my system. They took my word for it -- didn't even bother to power my system up -- and replaced my card. It has been rock-solid stable since then, but I still boost the fan speed a bit while playing WoW to avoid damaging the new card.
 
Now THATS service. Friday afternoon, I e-mailed blizzard, and heard back from someone there after less than 5 minutes. This morning, the doorbell rang, and there was a replacement card sitting on my doorstep. 10 minutes later, recieved a call from someone at Apple. He was unable to reach me Friday afternoon, but shipped the card anyway. :eek:
 
It was on Saturday that they agreed to send me a new video card. My doorbell just rang and here it is. That's fast.
 
Took a few minutes to look at the the 2 cards before putting the new one in, the new one does have a slightly different part number (ends in a 2, old one ended in a 4). Whether is actually different in any signifigant way who knows though.

I also put it up in slot #2 (what a treat it was squeezing it in there, btw!), and when I rebooted I got this.

expansionze7.jpg


Picked the third option, 3 8x and 1 1x, assume thats what everyone else is using? Is there anyway to bring that utility up on my own? I searched for "expansion slot utility" with spotlight and got nothing.
 
Here's what I get on the apple side:
ATI Radeon X1900 XT:

Chipset Model: ATY,RadeonX1900
Type: Display
Bus: PCIe
Slot: Slot-2
VRAM (Total): 512 MB
Vendor: ATI (0x1002)
Device ID: 0x7249
Revision ID: 0x0000
ROM Revision: 113-A52027-140
EFI Driver Version: 01.00.140
Displays:
Cinema HD:
Display Type: LCD
Resolution: 2560 x 1600
Depth: 32-bit Color
Core Image: Supported
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported
Rotation: Supported
Display:
Status: No display connected

I just purchased a new X1900 upgrade at the AppleStore and it says the same as above.

I have a question: On my Apple Receipt ticket it says I have Warranty until May 22, 2008 - that makes it 1 year. It also says 1year Warranty on the warranty booklet that came in the box with the card. Has this always been the case? I think I read here that it only came with 30 or 90 days warr.

I don't play Wow so I can't say but I play an online game that probably obody heard about:D "Warbirds" and I get a crazy 200/250 fps. max everything with a 23" Apple display. With the GT7300 I got 50/60 in the same conditions.

Bests,

Pablo
 
Took a few minutes to look at the the 2 cards before putting the new one in, the new one does have a slightly different part number (ends in a 2, old one ended in a 4). Whether is actually different in any signifigant way who knows though.

I also put it up in slot #2 (what a treat it was squeezing it in there, btw!), and when I rebooted I got this.

expansionze7.jpg


Picked the third option, 3 8x and 1 1x, assume thats what everyone else is using? Is there anyway to bring that utility up on my own? I searched for "expansion slot utility" with spotlight and got nothing.

That's what I have it on (3rd or 4th should be fine). 8x seems to be fine. I am playing Lord of the Rings online right now in windows and it plays on high at 2560x1600 with no problems at all so the pci-e speed doesn't seem to be a problem at all.

Here are some comparison pics I took of the old card and the new card before I sent it back.
 
I played for several hours last night, one of the first times I have done so on the Mac Pro since the card replacement. Mine's still bottom slot.

Everything worked great. I'm still turning the fans up, but performance was generally good - 40-70fps in Hellfire Peninsula, in the 100s indoors, no distortions.

I still don't intend to turn my fans down when I play :D I just want it to keep working with no more fuss!
 
Just wanted to share some info I got about the early release of ATI X1900XTs and the latest:

According to one of the posters on the WoW forum the early cards that came with Mac Pros were manufactured by NTK Part# 102A5202950 000004, and the new cards that Apple is shipping now as replacements are manufactured by FOXCOMM Part# 102A5202752 000006.

He also reported that his new card was working great with no assistance of smcfancontrol.

I checked my card -- purchased at an AppleStore 2 weeks ago as an Upgrade - and it has the latest FOXCOMM Part number. If not a rev.2 it is definitely a new batch by a different manufacturer.

Just wanted to update this info.

Bests,

Pablo
 
Just wanted to share some info I got about the early release of ATI X1900XTs and the latest:

According to one of the posters on the WoW forum the early cards that came with Mac Pros were manufactured by NTK Part# 102A5202950 000004, and the new cards that Apple is shipping now as replacements are manufactured by FOXCOMM Part# 102A5202752 000006.

He also reported that his new card was working great with no assistance of smcfancontrol.

I checked my card -- purchased at an AppleStore 2 weeks ago as an Upgrade - and it has the latest FOXCOMM Part number. If not a rev.2 it is definitely a new batch by a different manufacturer.

Just wanted to update this info.

Bests,

Pablo

Well that sucks, that means they sent me the old card =/ A link to pics of the part numbers are on my previous post.
 
Same Here...

I am having the same problem with my Mac Pro and until I read this forum, I realize it didn't start happening until I installed the TBC expansion. Oddly though, and I'm curious is this is for others, my G4 Powerbook has never run into and problems like this with the TBC expansion. So it seems like TBC and Mac Pros just aren't getting along?

As far as heat goes, the Mac Pro has fantastic cooling in my opinion and I can fry and egg on the bottom of my laptop from playing WoW and it NEVER crashes so I doubt it's a heat issue.

So this does seem to be a TBC + Mac Pro = Bad News issue. I know 10.5.2 is supposed to fix the gray polygon problem but it would be nice if this issue was resolved as well through that update or a Mac Pro firmware update.
 
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