ATI Radeon HD 5770 in MacPro 1,1

Won't boot up off a DVD

although it will boot up in safe mode.

Then the card is working fine, you are using a DVD that does not have the drivers for your currecnt card on it, and your system add-ons are messed up, or there is a truly diabolical problem with your 7300.

Others have reported the same issue and attributed it to the video card.

Many others are attibuting Glabal Warming to their disoplay cards as well. That does not make it so.

On that thread: Shannon McFlaherty reports his new 5770 comes up, but only offers ONE resolution, in 10.5.8. When he gets it up to 10.6.4 it should all start to work.

Yes, it's possible that the DVD I'm trying to boot from doesn't have the right drivers, although I"m pretty sure I've booted from this DVD in the past. Unfortunately, I don't have the original system restore disks right now. A new set is on its way. But it seems unlikley to me that both my boot drive and my backup drive are messed up, and I can't boot from either of them. While in safe mode, I tried running a few programs to see what would happen. When I tried FCP, I got the message that the application couldn't launch because it requires a video card with 64 MB of VRAM that supports Quartz Extreme, and that my card had 0 VRAM and didn't support Quartz Extreme. It seems to me this indicates that there are aspects of the nVidia card that aren't enabled when the computer is running in safe mode. Perhaps there's a problem with these features and that's what causes the crashes in normal mode. Anyway, even though others said they tried it and it didn't help, I'm gonig to do a clean install of the OS on a new drive when my disks arrive and see if I can boot from that.

MacPro 1,1 has PCIe 1 slots. Your Max slot speed is still less than what the card can do if plugged into a MacPro with PCIe 2 slots. Just allocate the biggest chunk you can to the graphics card slot and that's the best you can do.

I am going to install the Radeon HD 5770 in my Mac Pro 1.1. If I swap out the 7300 card that it came with can I intall it above the new Radeon 5770 in slot 2 for extra DVI connected monitors. I am buying the new graphics card for Final Cut Pro X. Will the installation of both cards cuase any issues?

Hi all,

Slightly off topic, but I do plan on getting one of these cards to install in my MacPro 1,1, to enable me to hookup one of the new 27" LED cinema displays. However, I'd also like to be able to use this screen with my new laptop (MacBook Pro w/ thunderbolt port).

I'm sure this is the case, but just wanted to check that the LED display will work with the laptop plugged into the thunderbolt port. I'm sure the thunderbolt ports re backwards-compatible with non-thunderbolt displays, but wanted to check! Thanks!

This seems to be a hit and miss situation. Some older Mac Pros will run the ATI 5770 as their owners have said in this forum. This owner however is here to say that on MY Mac Pro 1.1 (early 2006) with dual duo-core 3.O Mz processors running Snow Leopard 10.6.8 the Apple ATI Radeon 5770 WILL NOT RUN. I wanted to replace/upgrade an aging x1900 video card but no luck. My Mac Pro refused to boot... just repeatedly 'bonged'... and I had to shut it down. Maybe THE card I purchased was defective... it is made in China... but this is the Apple upgrade so I doubt it. It's not a driver issue either... there are none for the 5770 available from AMD so it's only what's supported in OS X and that's it. So... the 5770 upgrade either runs or it doesn't. My situation is a basic incompatibility issue with the specific mother board for the vintage Mac Pro I own. Bottom Line: for those thinking of the 5770 upgrade be warned... the reason for Apple's non support for machines made prior to 2010 is based on such incompatiblity issues as mine.... and I doubt there is a palatable fix. Those that have managed to upgrade... lucky them... but others like me may not be so fortunate.

responding to last two posts: ahx8 and Grant Bennet-Adler

Yes and Yes. The card was purchased from another retailer than Apple BUT it came in the Apple upgrade package and with Apple's instruction booklet and warranty. I checked, double, and triple checked the power supply connection... it's the same set up as used on the ATI Radeon x1900. My situation is clearly one of two things... either the compatibility issue as mentioned or the card I installed really is defective. I've done a little searching on the net looking for similar symptoms on start up but can't find any. It's got to be a hardware issue as the boot cycle ends shortly after the 'bong' and then repeats over and over. My monitor shows only a full screen of jagged lines. I doubt the machine ever completes it's internal boot diagnostics so no OS software is ever loaded. AND it's the new card or the Mac Pro would fully not start up as it does with the old card reinstalled... which it is now. Compatiblity or defective... either way I'm returning the 5770 card and heeding Apple's non-support warning. In my case they mean it.

Update to the post above:

In checking with the Apple specifications for my Mac Pro 1.1, I find that the PCIe slot on the logic board seems to be the PCIe 1.1 version and NOT the PCIe 2.0. The upgraded PCIe 2.0 upgrade came out as of 1/15/07 which means that some early 2006 1.1 machines could have included this newer PCIe slot. The next Mac Pro models came out in 2008. The difference is the 1.1 version is 16 lanes wide and 2.0 is 32 lanes wide enabling a greater data flow. Now, backward compatibiltiy "in general" is said to be possible. That is, any PCIe 2.0 slot will work with a 1.1 device and vice versa. However, this not an absolute universal truth which my case clearly illustrates. Further, specs on the 5770 state the need for a PCIe 2.0 slot with no statement about backward compatitiblty. Why other similar 1.1 machines like mine DO work with the new HD 5770 cards I can't explain other than to suggest those machines may somehow have the PCIe 2.0. slot on their logic boards. Again, the specific card I received could have been defective however it was an official Apple upgrade and Apple quality control, in my experience, has been awfully good. Bottom line: 1.1 owners shoud heed the Apple warning... or take your chances.

Take all that with the proverbial grain of salt / marketing / yes there is a lack of bandwidth

No it isn't a big issue

Apple even has an article that 2008s are not supported / nor is the 2009 model Mac Pro as well.

You ain't got many options in graphic cards. The X1900 has more than its share; the 7300GT isn't worth mention and isn't sold and many of those are failing.

There are no 2.0 PCIe on any Mac Pro pre-2008.

There is EFI1.1

UEFI 2.x came and certified adobted at end of 2007 in time to be part of March Early 2008s.

Yeah, tell me about the limited options... the ATI x1900 I have is relatively new BUT is a replacement under Applecare warranty for one that went bad. And when it did it apparently took the logic board with it which was also replaced under warranty service. If this happens again I'm looking at some serious money for a similar repair... or probably a new machine. So, the 5770 seemed like a good idea in terms of both an upgrade and preventative maintenance. Plus the 5770 has the new mini display ports which I need to run a new 27 inch LED Cinema Display. But all that fell flat when the new 5770 card wouldn't run. I'm switching to plan B by reinstalling the ATI x1900 and buying the Altona AT DP400... a DVI to mini display port adapter. It too is an Apple certified option and specifically designed for the application I intend. Good feedback from those who've used it as I will. Meantime, I'll keep an eye out for any kind of new card that could (one day) replace the x1900. The one I have still works fine and has given me no problems to date... but for how much longer?

Just to further add to this thread...

I've been considering this upgrade for well over a year now, and finally took the plunge.

It all works great - it's as if I hadn't changed a thing (albeit now I have a 27" ACD!)

I'm not using it so much for graphics, but I needed a card that would work with the mini display port, so I can't really comment on advanced graphics performance. But it has worked for the past two weeks without issue!

I will add these two bits of advice:

1) the day before buying the card, I called Apple tech support, and they weren't very helpful. Firstly, he said the card physically wouldn't fit in the MacPro 1,1 (I bought mine in 2007, so I'm assuming it is the 2006 model). Of course, I came to find out it fit no problem in slot 1.

2) He said given the card is PCIe 2, and the MacPro 1,1 is PCIe 1, it definitely wouldn't work here either. However, I did a bit of research (simple google search, barely research), and found out that PCIe is forward and backward-compatiable. ie, PCIe2 card would work on a PCIe1 motherboard. No issue there either.

So I risked it and it worked! Word of warning: whilst the display is probably returnable with full refund within two weeks of purchase, the grahics card, once out of its static bag, is non-returnable/non-refundable. You can probably sell it on eBay for the same sort of price (or many people in this thread even) if it doesn't work for you.

Good luck, and thanks to everyone who has posted before me giving great advice!

I have been reading Walter Isaacson's biography on Steve Jobs and it gives some interesting insights into Apple's business philosophy which basically does not like users tinkering with their design and so they spec and test things out and expect users to "accept it".

The long and short is - as consumers we need to test the boundaries to what Apple is willing to suport (which is what I believe we have done in this community thread), but don't expect Apple to confirm what works/does not work when trying to try hardware that works with prior models even while to the consumer it would seem reasonable to do so given the big $$ spent on this particular Mac.

I agree with The hatter, but with a little less pessimism on their intent.

SJ never believed in games, though games are where and how the bleeding edge gets tested, pushed, and where GPU and other hardware was pushed to limits.

Actually I think you sound more pessemistic than me! Their tech writing would try to link the type of memory or have you believe that PCIe GPU wasn't backward compatible, as if all the buyers of GPUs have the latest motherboards already.

And the whole OS tied to hardware, sounds good, on paper but can't support a new GPU with last OS? nah.

I have an original Mac Pro 1.1 bought in August 2006 so I do think it's one of the earliest versions (I ordered it as soon as it popped up in Apple Store).

I just upgraded to the 5770 and it totally works, no strings attached.

Actually, my poor old Mac Pro (6 years now and still counting) had to have its graphics card replaced 2 times out of need (both original ATI and then nVidia cards had over-heating issues and died prematurely) and then, just one week ago, I replaced the 4870 with 512mb because I needed an extra kick to play the latest MMOs.

Since Lion came out I'm experiencing wifi problems (had to go back from Lion to Snow Leopard but the problem is not totally solved) and I'm probably going to change the airport card. But that's another story, just to say that the old mule is still in good shape despite its now venerable age! ^^

I too have a original Mac Pro 1.1 It was originally a Quad core machine with 2 dual core processors and I upgraded it to an 8 core machine with 2 Quad core processors.

Recently the original x1900 graphics card was giving issues so after a little research decided to go for a Radeon 5770. Quick swap over - used the same aux power cable as the x1900 used.

Installed the card and worked first time. I have 2 boot disks one Snow Leopard and one Lion.

Both work perfectly. Apple boot screen displays - all ports work no issues at all.

First thing you notice is how quiet the Mac is - that old card really made a racket.

The card came from a really good ebay seller who has a shop called Buy It Love It who sell very good quality genuine Mac Spares - new and almost new (box opened but unused)