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angelmb · Apr 20, 2011, 12:02 PM

On boot my Mac Pro displays weird graphical glitches which lead to a reboot without any option on my end. It seems the Mac Pro just can't boot anymore. To me, it is an issue with the nvidia 8800 GT Mac Edition.

I can't run the AHT as the computer is not able to do a proper boot.

Same thing happens when booting W7 under Boot Camp. Graphical issues and the Mac Pro does a reboot.

I've took some picts.

What do you think…, is it 'the dead'?

reader50 · Apr 20, 2011, 01:19 PM

Seems likely. You should test with a basic graphics card, something cheap. Or something borrowed. And look over the fan on the card. Failing fans are a perennial curse on modern hot GPUs.

ps - You've tried resetting PRAM, right?

angelmb · Apr 20, 2011, 02:06 PM

reader50, thank you for your input. I appreciate it.

I can't try another GPU as I have no spare ones and don't know anyone with a Mac Pro… yeah, that sad. X-D

Also, tried resetting the PRAM and the SMC. Was able to get to the OS X desktop… to stare at this, go ahead, it is only 220 KB on size but pretty explanatory though. :-/

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1763527/halfthefun.mp4

Waragainstsleep · Apr 20, 2011, 03:53 PM

Windows should boot with a PC GPU if you can borrow one.

That looks like classic VRAM failure to me. Inspect the capacitors on your 8800 anyway, see if they are bulging at all.

angelmb · Apr 20, 2011, 11:24 PM

Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep

Windows should boot with a PC GPU if you can borrow one.

I don't know jack about Windows stuff. Would any PC GPU work or should it come with some kind of built-in support, drivers… Anything else I should be aware of?. This is a Mac Pro 1,1.

Inspect the capacitors on your 8800 anyway, see if they are bulging at all.

It doesn't seem to be the case here. But, why would that happen?.

Also, should I need to get a replacement for a Mac GPU, what is available, just the ATI 4870?.

angelmb · Apr 21, 2011, 02:01 AM

Would the ATI HD 2600 XT from a 2008 Mac Pro work with my 2006 Mac Pro?.

Waragainstsleep · Apr 21, 2011, 05:17 AM

Apple would probably say no, but apparently it does with one slight caveat.

ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT WORKS in MacPro 2006 edition - ehMac.ca

Also I think the 5870 and the 5770 do. An AASP should be able to get you a replacement 8800 if you prefer.

As for windows, any PCI-E card should at least give you a picture, even without the correct drivers.

angelmb · Apr 21, 2011, 12:02 PM

Apple would probably say no, but apparently it does with one slight caveat.

Well, since I am not going to use two or more cards, the 2600XT would benefit from the 16x slot.

Also I think the 5870 and the 5770 do. An AASP should be able to get you a replacement 8800 if you prefer.

Yes, it seems the 5770 would work. But I find it rather expensive, $363 here in Spain.

As for windows, any PCI-E card should at least give you a picture, even without the correct drivers.

Since the display attached to the Mac Pro is the Apple Cinema 30", I guess such a card should be dual-link DVI. Are those a rarity in the Windows world.?

Waragainstsleep · Apr 21, 2011, 06:09 PM

Rarer maybe but again you should still get a lower resolution signal.

angelmb · Apr 22, 2011, 04:00 AM

With a single-link DVI port max. resolution is 1280*800 if I don't recall wrong.

Anyhow, wanted to post about this on the nvidia forums but they are not working for me.

reader50 · Apr 22, 2011, 01:17 PM

Max resolution over single-link DVI is 1920x1200.

angelmb · Apr 22, 2011, 02:59 PM

Sorry, my previous post was an utterly disaster. What it was supposed to mean is the max. resolution for the Apple Cinema Display 30" over a single-link DVI port.

The Apple Cinema family of displays don't have an onboard scaler, so the only supported resolution is the native resolution of such display, be it the 23" or 20" model. I guess the same applies to the newer 24 and 27 inches family of displays but I am not 100% sure about it.

The 30" is the sole exception as it does also support the one-quarter (1280*800) resolution which is easy to get without the onboard scaler.

Once you attach the Display to the Mac, it is the duty of the GPU to do the full screen scaling which provides you with a bigger number of resolutions.

angelmb · May 12, 2011, 02:43 PM

OK, I did the oven trick and the GeForce is working again. Nothing short of awesome.

AKcrab · May 12, 2011, 04:02 PM

Ha! Awesome!

Waragainstsleep · May 12, 2011, 05:01 PM

Its not an issue with the 24" and 27" as they are Displayport and machines equipped with displayport should all be able to do 2560x1900 or whatever they are.

Big Mac · May 12, 2011, 11:51 PM

Originally Posted by angelmb

OK, I did the oven trick and the GeForce is working again. Nothing short of awesome.

Incredible!

Never heard of that trick before - seems to be the exact inverse of the hard drive freezer trick.

reader50 · May 13, 2011, 12:00 AM

So we have the:

Freezer trick - last gasp attempt to salvage a dying hard drive.
Oven trick - revives some graphics cards at 375º.
Washing Machine trick - when you need a later model iPod.

I look forward to the forthcoming repair tricks using other common appliances:

Dryer trick
Water Heater trick
Trash Compactor trick

and my personal favorite, the Garbage Disposal trick.

Waragainstsleep · May 13, 2011, 03:32 AM

Originally Posted by reader50

So we have the:

Freezer trick - last gasp attempt to salvage a dying hard drive.
Oven trick - revives some graphics cards at 375º.
Washing Machine trick - when you need a later model iPod.

I look forward to the forthcoming repair tricks using other common appliances:

Dryer trick
Water Heater trick
Trash Compactor trick

and my personal favorite, the Garbage Disposal trick.

You probably mean dryer as in washer/dryer but if it counts, the iPod Mini, tubular iPod Nano, Aluminium Cinema Displays and Titanium PowerBook G4s displays were all much easier if you used a hair dryer to soften the glue first.

Doc HM · May 13, 2011, 03:06 PM

The dishwasher trick works on sticking keyboards.