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Help with PCI card in PCI-X G5
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
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I picked up a Certified Data PCI USB card today. The documentation specified that it was compatible with OSX 10.1 and newer and that it is a 3.3V type PCI card with a 5V tolerant circuit. My understanding of the PCI-X architecture in my G5 was that it was backwards compatible with 3.3V PCI cards but when I install the card, my G5 won't boot. I try to power it on and it just makes a clicking sound. As soon as I remove it I have no problem booting again.
Obviously there is some sort of compatibility problem but does anyone know why? This goes counter to my understanding of how it should work.
Thanks.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Rochester, NY
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Is there anything else important on PCI-X cards in that system (like, say, the Video card)? A PCI card plugged into a PCI-X slot will slow down the PCI-X bus if that slot is shared with other slots on the same channel, which other cards may not like.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
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No, I don't have any other PCI/PCI-X cards installed. My video card is AGP.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Rochester, NY
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Well, I got nothin' then, other than perhaps OS X doesn't really support PCI cards in PCI-X slots. Just because the spec supports it doesn't mean it got implemented properly. I'll look around a bit more, though....
Edit: The only other thing I can find is that the Mac might not like 66 MHz PCI cards, but that's probably not the problem....
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Last edited by Dork.; Jul 22, 2007 at 06:52 PM.
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Addicted to MacNN
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Defective card perhaps?
I have an Adaptec 4-port USB 2.0 PCI card in my old 2.5GHz G5 (PCI-X) and it works just fine.
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Addicted to MacNN
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
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I've tried the card in all three available slots with the same result. I"m wondering if drivers are my issue. The document you linked states that a driver is required to install a new PCI or PCI-X card, which I didn't realize was the case with a generic card like this. Sadly, the Mac driver files that are included on the installer disc for the card both give me a message saying they are out of date when I launch them. The update option links to this page:
http://www.projectomega.org/subcat.p...ts_firestarter
Which seems VERY strange.
Can anyone confirm that drivers should be required for this? If so is there a generic driver that might do it? I've done a couple google searches but haven't come up with anything usefull.
Thanks.
If not, the next step is most likely returning this card, but if I'm going to do that I need to know which type of card is will work for sure - I think the retailer I bought this one from also carries an Iomega variety.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2005
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Well I returned the card I mentioned above and replaced it with an NEC card..... I have the SAME problem! Is there anybody who can help me out with what the problem might be? It does seem to have something to do with my computer, not the cards at this point, even though all of the specs I can find say that there should be no problem at all.
Argh.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Rochester, NY
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Can you boot into Open Firmware (Command+Option+O+F when booting) when the card is in the machine? If not, I think it means that you're failing before even starting OS X, when the firmware BIOS is first powering up the system. That's probably bad, and indicates something's funny with your computer when any card is in a PCI-X slot.
If you can boot into Open Firmware, there might be a way to query the devices that are connected, and see whether or not your card is recognized. I'm by no means an expert on Open Firmware, but I'm sure if you had to you could Google up some help....
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
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I can't boot at all when the card is installed. I press the power button and after a .5 second delay it makes a click sound then does nothing.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
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Originally Posted by gradient
I can't boot at all when the card is installed. I press the power button and after a .5 second delay it makes a click sound then does nothing.
That doesn't sound good. This means it has nothing to do with OS X: the Mac firmware is crashing catastrophically when a card is inserted, but works fine without a card. This could be a hardware problem (something gets shorted when a card is inserted, or a power distribution problem where inserting the card draws too much power) or a firmware bug. Either way, it sucks. You might want to check if you have the most up-to-date firmware for your Mac.
I wish I could be mroe helpful. I'm learning more about PCI and PCI-X for my job, but nothing about their use specifically in Macs or in Open Firmware. Good luck!
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
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Thanks for all the help Dork. I appreciate it, even if it means I'm still at a non-functioning state. I'll look into the firmware but I'm pretty sure it is all up to date. If it's really a hardware problem with my specific machine I don't think I'll worry about getting it looked at unless you think that theres a good chance of this type of behaviour being symptomatic of a much larger failure looming. I'll just go with an external USB hub - I had really been hoping to cut down on the clutter but when it comes right down to it an external hub would work just fine for my needs.
Thanks again - I'll post again if I manage to get any further.
Edit: According to this document.... Mac OS X: Available firmware updates there has never been a firmware update release for dual processor G5 PMs. A little surprising but it looks like I'm out of luck on that front.
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Last edited by gradient; Jul 29, 2007 at 09:14 PM.
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Addicted to MacNN
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Maybe you have a bad power supply. It may be unable to provide power to any PCI card and is shutting itself down. Could also be a motherboard problem.
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