Display - NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT problem

Ken Spiker wrote:
You didn't describe your particular problem. If it's like others on this thread (frequent freezing, unfreezes after a few seconds, artifacts on screen, works okay in Safe Mode)

Hi Ken,

Apologies that is exactly the symptoms I have. I've spoken to 7 or 8 different Apple tech guys today, sent them screen grabs, and digital camera snaps of my screen showing artifacts etc. I'm currently running on system 10.5 but still have frequent screen freeze.

They had me do an erase and install of 10.5 and update to 10.5.6 and the problem remains. I've now been sent a CaptureData application and have sent them back the package created by this.

I think I would have been better getting a dealer to courier a new video card to me on the assumption that this is the problem. I've now lost almost 2.5 days work and would be well in pocket if I'd just bought a new card in the first place.

Anyway tomorrow I think I'll give the Apple guys one last chance then my credit cards going to get flexed.

Cheers

Phi

PS FWIW in my case I think that something, possibly Adobe CS4 apps or something new in OS 10.5.6 has highlighted an issue with a flaky video card. Or maybe these things are just coincidental but why is it all OK in safe mode?

Phi--my theory is that in Safe Mode parts of the video card just aren't being used, the parts that are faulty.

I can confirm that this is not, as I had first thought, a 10.5.6 issue. I'm running 10.5 on a second hard drive and am now getting almost the full range of problems, described above, on this. For example I just went to print and the print dialogue window broke up into shards within the window. I've not seen the full screen problem but I only get that immediately after start up and I'm so desperate to get on with work I had decided to leave my computer running so as to be reasonably sure I could work today. Now I'm not so sure I'll be able to work without the fear of losing stuff.

Cheers

Phi

As far as I can tell, removing the .kext files in question stops Mac OS X from using Quartz Extreme, and therefore offloading the majority of graphics functions to your GPU. As a side-effect, you will not get things like iTunes Visualizers, many Core Animation effects (including reordering and sorting icons lists in Finder/iPhoto, etc., dual monitor support, transparent menubar, etc.). So (and again, only as far as I can tell) you are severely downgrading the performance of your machine. I think removal of these files are a temporary fix.

For statistics sake, i'll add my case to the list.

my thread;
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2055513&tstart=0

No applecare, so ill probably just spring for a new card.

My case;

The computer freezes,
then after 3 seconds, the monitors go blue (blank) for 5 seconds,
monitors come back on,
another 2 seconds with no responsiveness
and then the clock starts ticking again and the mouse responds.

i have the fans running around 1400rpm (SMC fancontrol)

GeForce 7300GT driving 2 dell E228WFP

No bulging capacitors and a good cleaning outside with compressed air.

"Phi--my theory is that in Safe Mode parts of the video card just aren't being used, the parts that are faulty."

Your partly right; safe boot mode operate in 24bit so the full capability of the card is'nt being used, moreover apple released some faulty '7300 GT' graphic cards and they are more than happy to exchange them for free, even after warranty has expired,
Good Luck

Message was edited by: DanielKucharski

Hi i dont know if your problem has been resolved but, safe boot mode operates in 24bit so the full capability of the card is'nt being used, moreover apple released some faulty '7300 GT' graphic cards and they are more than happy to exchange them for free, even after warranty has expired,
Good Luck

Message was edited by: DanielKucharski

Hey everyone, I think that my issue has something to do with the problem(s) described in this thread. Can someone shed any light on my issue? Do I need a new video card?

Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro1,1
Processor Name: Dual-Core Intel Xeon
Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz
Number Of Processors: 2
Total Number Of Cores: 4
L2 Cache (per processor): 4 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 1.33 GHz
Boot ROM Version: MP11.005D.B00
SMC Version: 1.7f10
Serial Number: G8744 **Q2

Running OSX 10.4.11

NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT

Display is a 30' Cinema HD

My problem is that when I boot up my machine at the start of a day, it will do one of the following:

• Not pass the black screen, as if the machine did not turn on at all, although the power button is on.
• Get past the apple logo with the spinning graphic and hand at the blue screen.
• Make it to the desktop environment but with odd pixels visible in clusters in certain areas and frozen.
• It will operate normally for a minute but then the display will go crazy with flickering nonsense.

At this stage i would power down the machine and boot it up again. It would boot up to one of the above states.

After one or two more restarts, the machine works fine and will do so for pretty much the entire day, or until I restart.

I ruled out the RAM issue so now I'm perplexed. I hope somebody has some ideas to this problem.

Thanks,
Saki

Skaskas,

I had much of the same problems you have. My pro had been down for 9 days now, could only get in in safe mode.

Well on the first page of this thread, it's mentioned to do the sudo mv etc... and as a last ditch effort I tried it. Guess what? I'm typing this to you on my Mac Pro in normal mode, not safe mode.

Try it out, it worked for me.

I have the exact problem, except I have two Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT cards in my Mac Pro.

In slot 1
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT:

Chipset Model: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT
Type: GPU
Bus: PCIe
Slot: Slot-1
PCIe Lane Width: x16
VRAM (Total): 256 MB
Vendor: NVIDIA (0x10de)
Device ID: 0x0393
Revision ID: 0x00a1
ROM Revision: 3008
Displays:
Cinema HD:
Resolution: 2560 x 1600
Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Rotation: Supported
SyncMaster:
Resolution: 1280 x 1024 @ 75 Hz
Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Rotation: Supported


In Slot 4
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT:

Chipset Model: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT
Type: GPU
Bus: PCIe
Slot: Slot-4
PCIe Lane Width: x8
VRAM (Total): 256 MB
Vendor: NVIDIA (0x10de)
Device ID: 0x0393
Revision ID: 0x00a1
ROM Revision: 3011
Displays:
Cintiq 12WX:
Resolution: 1280 x 800 @ 60 Hz
Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Rotation: Supported
Display Connector:
Status: No Display Connected

I did notice when you move any of the Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT cards... after restart, an expansion slot utility comes on which lets you select the PCIe Lane Width (something to do with using the card maximum power)? Any idea what that is?

Thanks.

hi Mig53 I was just wondering if there is a way to get it back to its original state previous to the terminal code:

1. cd /System/Library/Extensions
2. mv NVDAResman.kext NVDAResman.kext.old /* a sudo before the mv will do it

for a trusted user account */

sorry for my noob question was just worried after reading your other post when you said:

Bottom line is removal of the hardware driver will eliminate the horrific
unusual screen freezes but impacts other functionality and might possibly
ruin your machine unless the Wizards in Cupertino tell you otherwise.

My problem went away when I replaced the NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT card with a same model that works on another Mac of similar specs.

So, in my case, which seems to be the same problem everyone is talking about in this thread, the solution is: Replace the graphics card.

Saki

Hi, I've been having exactly the same issues with my Mac Pro, just a few months out of warranty. I've tried all the usual stuff - and am very grateful to Mig53 on this post for the tip on renaming the .kext file.

Now my Mac is free of glitches, however as predicted the graphics capabilities are greatly reduced - I can't watch DVDs, use any 3D software, view fullscreen photos in iPhoto, and I get frequent browser crashes (presumably graphics card related).

Before going out and buying a new graphics card I thought I'd call Apple and get the official word - as of today they still say there are "no known issues with the NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT". And as I was over 100 days out of warranty they wouldn't make an exception to repair it for free.

So its a new graphics card for me then - can anybody recommend a suitable (not too expensive) upgrade?

Thanks,

mbg.

We have a Geforce 7300 that went completely dead, after being erratic for a few weeks. (worked in Safe Boot or from System disk, etc) There is now no output from either connector. There are MANY reports of exactly the same problem on Mac Pro, and apparently Apple has extended warranties on MacBook Pro's from the same period. I've also read several reports that Apple IS replacing the defective cards, but cannot find anything about this in the Discussion or Support pages. Does anyone have any specific information? (phone, email, etc)

$219 ATI 3870 from http://www.macsales.com