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User profile for user: loneaggie
loneaggie Author
User level: Level 1
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8800GT overheating. Mac Pro early 08, Snow Leopard

After two weeks of troubleshooting I have finally narrowed down what is wrong with my Mac. My 8800GT is overheating and locking up. Under normal use just surfing the web, etc it is fine; however, if I load up iTunes Visualizer full screen or WoW the card has to start working and freezes up in about a minute. This freeze can be postponed some if I crank up my IO and Exhaust fans to around 2k rpm. This only buys the card another minute or so. I can turn the machine off, let it cool for a minute, turn it back on and use it normally unless I start something that really works the 3D side of the GPU then it freezes again. What I did first was take out the card, remove the heatsink, clean the gpu and all memory chips, apply new thermal grease, reinstall the heatsink, and reinsert the card. This allowed the card to run maybe 15-20 seconds longer, not what I was hoping for. I found several VGA coolers that would fit the card, but I fear that if the card is getting that hot, there is a problem with it that just adding a cooler is not going to fix. This card ran WoW more hours a day than I want to admit for over a year, and now it can't get past the loading screen. I have left the case open and run the iTunes visualizer just so I could monitor how fast the card's housing was heating up. In the process I've noticed that the fan on the 8800GT never really seems to speed up despite the card getting noticeably hot. Could this be a firmware problem? a SMC problem? I have no way of getting the gpu fan to crank up its rpm to see if this would fix the problem. At this point I wonder if my only solution is to buy a Radeon 4870 and an adapter so I can continue running two monitors. Anyone have any other ideas??

Mac Pro 2.8, Mac OS X (10.6.2), NVIDIA 8800GT

Posted on Mar 21, 2010 3:41 PM

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14 replies
User profile for user: The hatter
The hatter
User level: Level 9
60,990 points

Mar 21, 2010 4:23 PM in response to loneaggie

OS X doesn't have good fan control of its own, lacks things like EVGA Precision.

Less trouble in Windows, but it is still single slot with small fan.

It may be June/July before there is anything to supplant the ATI 4870 which for now is still $350 but about the only option.

A good copper cooler really can do the job, and doesn't rely on fans alone.
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User profile for user: jeetung
jeetung
User level: Level 1
0 points

Mar 21, 2010 6:27 PM in response to loneaggie

Hi Loneaggie:

I have been having problems with my Mac Pro after doing SW upgrade (it's been a while... got 11 upgrades of which one of em was Pro-kit upgrade and iLife support ... etc) but just wanted to let you know that the 8800GT gave me alot of problems as well I'd changed twice the card now (since getting the system) and now it seems that most probably it's the reason that my Mac Pro (Quad 2.8 6GB ram) is freezing up... not able to wake from sleep and hanging during hard reboot....

After doing software upgrade, I was away and it froze (with screen black), i assume it went to screen-saver/off monitor
After doing Hard-Reboot, it hang up during start-up
After Resetting P-RAM i managed to got to the login screen
log-in into my account and after a while when my login items are starting it froze up, static beach ball
Hard-Reboot and resetting P-RAM i'd tried logging into Guest account, works... can open safari and surf
I'd log-out and log-in into my account again with shift key (disables login items) and it works...
until my Mac goes to screen-saver/sleep (i donno I'd went to bed myself)

so now it's back to hard-reboot and troubleshooting again...
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User profile for user: snogurt
snogurt
User level: Level 1
5 points

Apr 10, 2010 7:53 PM in response to loneaggie

I seem to be having the exact same problem now!
It all started with freezing problems while playing Dragon Age in bootcamp Windows XP. I tried updating and rolling back the video drivers from windows (which was maybe a bad idea)
The problem carried over to OSX ... the mac pro starts up to a blue or gray screen. It will NOT boot from the Snow Leopard DVD! ... it shows a gray outline of what should be there and then randomly freezes. I got it to run in safe mode for a while and tried to upgrade to Snow Leopard, thinking that would fix it. When it was installing i clicked on the apple bar and it froze. I have done countless hard resets!
After wiping the HD clean and installing SL fresh at the Apple store it froze on a gray screen- but did have the welcome to snow leopard music playing in the background! My video card is the 8800GT. They are ordering a new one to test (which is costing me about $280!) I wish i knew exactly what the problem was.
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User profile for user: DPArt
DPArt
User level: Level 3
604 points

Apr 29, 2010 12:28 PM in response to snogurt

The 8800GT uses a tightly packed cooling system. Dust tends to collect in front of heat exchange area. Best to take card out and look INSIDE where the fan blows air across fins. If front face is SOLID...dust/hair have clogeed the heat exchange fins. If you use canned air, place the straw on and run it to the opposite end of fins, near DVI connectors, and blow air TOWRD fan.

These fans frequently don't look bad from outside but will be nearly completely BLOCKED. Imagine placing a piece of carpet in front of your car radiator while driving up a hill.

Sadly, Nvidia did a 2nd generation 8800GT that used a larger fan and had an easily removable cover. The Apple 8800GT uses the 1st Gen fan, smaller area, smaller opening, and a difficult to remove shroud.

Anyone with an 8800GT that is more than a year old should check this cooling issue BEFORE the freezes and artifacts.
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User profile for user: anmoulay
anmoulay
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jun 1, 2010 7:11 AM in response to DPArt

Hi All,
for the past 3 weeks, I am having the same problem with my Mac Pro, intel, SnowLeo, Graphic card ATI Radeon X1900, 6GB RAM. The two screens freeze, but the mouse cursor still moves around. It's frustrating because I do lots of FCP and AE work, and when the screen freeze on me, I lose unsaved work since I have to re-start the mac..
I re-installed Snow, removed several progs, repaired in utilities, etc, but no improvement noticed.
I also noticed that before the screens freeze, some strange lines appear on the 2 screens.
Any ideas what to do next since my mac is out of warranty.
I read here that it's a Graphic card issue. How can I address that? Is the only solution to change the card?
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User profile for user: ender.saka
ender.saka
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jun 1, 2010 9:31 AM in response to loneaggie

My Mac Pro 1st gen, has exactly the same problems. Though, assistance do not want to help me, even if my Apple Care is still active.

They have already replaced the 8800 GT card, less then a month ago. Therefore dust cannot be the problem.

Furthermore, the previous 8800 GT card worked perfectly for more then an year, and now it started to give problems. As already said, also the 8800 GT replacement card gives the same problems.

Though I have also doubts that it is an overheating problem, since in my case it happens also at login screen.

I do not want a defective computer.

Please read this post: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2447052&tstart=0
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User profile for user: Theo77
Theo77
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jun 3, 2010 6:39 AM in response to loneaggie

Heat paste or grease is not efficient, they eventually due to heat become insulators instead of conductors, further more DON'T blow air on the fan, if it spins it causes back voltage which is bad for the fan and the card. Also the Air can cause the fan to become unbalanced or damaged either purchase a thermal-take kit with heat sink and fan or send it back to manufacturer and never use a vacuum inside a computer unless its an approved antistatic vacuum, they cost over $2000.

Don't touch chips static kills the components, if you want to clean use a anti static brush and a antistatic stick to hold the fan from moving. Check your bios for the voltage out put for your card or if your card comes with a program to control voltage and fan operation then set it to manufacturer default, the only other reason its over heating is because the card has become faulty.

Some times components that regulate current may fail therefore supplying more power than needed to the GPU, if this occurs you have to replace the card or for Drastic measures use water cooling to compensate however water cooling is not a solution eventually the current will burn the chip.
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User profile for user: ender.saka
ender.saka
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jun 3, 2010 11:08 PM in response to Theo77

Hey, Theo77. In my case I thought that could be something with current regulation, since 2 of my RAMs was damaged about in the same days that started to appear problems with the Video Card.
I Thought it could be a problem with Mother Board or Power Supply (since Video Card has been already changed and gives the same problems).
Though, Apple Care Repair Assistance Center does not want to help me more. They say that there is no problem. Note that it is an authorized center, therefore they are not Apple, though in Italy they are the only option I have except the Apple Care telephone call.
Someone told me that there is a Customer Relations service, but I am unable to find it.
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User profile for user: Theo77
Theo77
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jun 4, 2010 2:24 AM in response to ender.saka

I had similar problems here in Australia, the local Apple Mac centres are not very helpful I tend to call America direct, and let me tell you those guys do not fool around they will help you no matter what it takes.

I suggest you find the number to Apple in the USA, better service by far, I even challenge them and they take me head on so they are confident about what they say and know.

as for your fault, I suggest that you go back to the Apple store and request them to do systematic diagnosis of the problem starting with the power supply, then your main board, graphics card etc.. the process is technically termed process of elimination in which each part is replaced until cause is found.

If they refuse the I would send a letter of complaint to Apple explaining your circumstance. when you call the apple store they should put you through to the apple customer care centre, that is what they did for me, but again if no help is offered there then try America Apple Centre

Apple does use a lot of 3rd party service centres but from my experience they are not reliable or efficient, most probably because they don't just service Apple but are a general service centre for all types of electronics or computers.



here is a site with a list of numbers for apple support, Italy is about the 24th on the list:

http://www.apple.com/support/contact/phone_contacts.html

Message was edited by: Theo77
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User profile for user: be-sign
be-sign
User level: Level 1
4 points

Jun 7, 2010 3:23 PM in response to loneaggie

i got the gt8800 upgrade-kit (apple online-store germany) for my macpro first generation (2006) at april 2008 and it worked for exactly two years. then my mac freezes with strange patterns in magenta and grey during work. some days later, it wouldnt boot again.
there are no 512mbyte-cards for the 2006 macpros in the apple-store. apple only offered me to change my old gt8800 to a new gt8800 - for near the double price!
so i picked up a new gt8800 from a apple-dealer in usa (via ebay) for nearly the old upgrade-price. it worked two days - then freezes my mac again with this patterns on the screen...
any ideas?
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User profile for user: igelmac
igelmac
User level: Level 1
4 points

Jun 18, 2010 7:37 AM in response to be-sign

I had since two or three weeks the same problems. Coloured stripes on the monitor after a while. I send the GT8800 to the dealer and they confirm the error, but there was after two years no warranty 😟
After i get the card back i mounted it again and it will operate for some minutes...
So i removed the cover and the heat sink form the card and found also a lot of dust which totaly blocked the air flow channels from side to the fan.
So i get an Arctic Cooling Accelero Twin Turbo heat sink with two fans, mounted it to the card and it operates in the moment fine again 🙂 The Nvidia System Monitor and GPU-Z says (in Windows) there is a GPU temperature from 47°C.
Maybe that end my problem with the card.
B.T.W.: There can't be a error with the Mac Pro, because i used in the time between the original 7300GT.
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8800GT overheating. Mac Pro early 08, Snow Leopard

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