How to Install Snow LeOS10.6 on SSD in MacPro 3,1?

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How to Install Snow LeOS10.6 on SSD in MacPro 3,1?

I have a MacPro 3,1 (ca. 2008) into which I've installed a 1TB SSD. I use this as a music recording device and nothing more using Logic Express 8. I have a Snow Leopard (OS 10.6) install disk that I purchased from Apple. When I try to install 10.6 on the SSD using the MacPro's DVD drive it seems to go smoothly until I get the "black screen of death" with all the different languages telling me it did not work. The original HD that came with the MacPro works great and has 10.6.8 on it already. So as I can tell, it's version of Safari no longer works, so I can't download anything directly. Thus far I have not been able to find a browser that works with 10.6.8. I want to use the faster SSD for music recording. I still have the Logic Express 8 install disks, so I can install that on the SSD. I just figure that at some point the original drive will die, so I prefer the SSD. Thanks for any help.

MH Brown

Earlier Mac models

Posted on Nov 28, 2023 2:35 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 28, 2023 4:44 PM in response to Michael Brown12

OWC says that 4000 card requires 10.6.5

on further thought, it seems to me that the kernel panic could be caused by trying to install 10.6.x (where x is less than 5) with your 4000 graphics card in place. Drivers are not yet available and it crashes.

that card works with 10.6 fully update to 10.6.8, right?

do you have an old graphics card that still works? you could try plugging in the old card and do the install , and when you finish updating, maybe the 4000 graphics card will be fine.

You could also consider a later version of MacOS. Mac Pro 3,1 is supported through 10.11 El Capitan.

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Answer 2

Nov 28, 2023 11:26 AM in response to Michael Brown12

according to that report, the crime is a Page fault, typically a reference to unmapped memory, or memory not owned by the process making the call. The process making the call is WindowServer, and the extension present at the scene of the crime is the NVIDIA graphics drivers.

The conclusion is your graphics card is no longer among the living.

--------

The Apple-Firmware 5770 is a good replacement. Drivers are said to be available in 10.6.5, so you should be able to coax it through the updates and get it working.

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Answer 3

Nov 28, 2023 7:30 AM in response to Michael Brown12

what make&model SSD drive exactly?

SATA drive in a bay or on a PCIe slot card?

erased with disk Utility to GUID partition Map and MacOS extended (journaled) HFS+ Volume?

You boot form the DVD, right? and the installer allows you to select this drive as the destination for the install.

¿at what point, and how much time has elapsed when it crashes?

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Answer 4

Nov 28, 2023 10:30 AM in response to Michael Brown12

The install process requires a lot of stuff be copied to the (proposed) boot drive. Then that stuff is put into bootable order, then a restart has it come up and the incoming system. It sometimes then re-organizes and extends, sometime rebooting again, then is ready to go.

But using well-respected SSD drive in a drive bay and a Read-only DVD as the source eliminates a lot is side issues.

My Best guess:

You said you just replaced all the RAM. You may be encountering a RAM error.

Mac Pro 3,1 with Xeon processor has error correcting code RAM memory. An uncorrectable RAM Error will cause a kernel panic, machine check, error code 4 or 5, with multiple processors reporting the error. if you remove (non-interlocked) the side door** at that point, Error LED will be lit next to any DIMMs that produced an error.

**if you reside in the EU, do not place your fingers in the way of the spinning fan blades. (later versions of this Mac were outlawed in the EU, and Apple ceased production, because of this so-called hazard.)

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Answer 5

Nov 28, 2023 10:06 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thank you for your help!

I've tried both booting from the DVD and trying to install to the SSD after booting to the original drive. Regardless as to how I try, the black curtain comes down after around five minutes or so. Much of the system is on the drive at this point, but it is not bootable. It is formatted MacOS extended journaled HFS+. Here are the changes from the original configuration of this computer:

SSD: Mercury Electra 6G. In the "About This Mac" it is under Serial-ATA along with the original drive, BSD Name, "Disk1." The SSD is partitioned 200/800 using the GUID Map. The smaller partition is for the system, but I can reformat it to be a single partition.

Video Card: NVIDIA Quadro 4000 is under "PCI Cards." PCIe Slot 1. It has 2GB of VRAM

RAM: I replaced the original two, single 1GB RAM sticks with 32GB, filling it to the max RAM it can hold.

It has various USB and Firewire devices plugged in, if that matters.

Thanks again!

MH Brown

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Answer 6

Nov 28, 2023 11:12 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thank you for your help. Here is the system crash report, attached using the "additional text" feature

Crash Report for 10.6 on Mac Pro 3,1

. Does it tell you anything? I might be able to use Carbon Copy Cloner, but I can't find a version old enough to run under 10.6.8. As a side note, I can't get any browsers to work; I can't type anything into the fields. Also, I get a little flicker on some apps.

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Answer 7

Nov 28, 2023 12:30 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thank you very much. So are you saying it is a software problem with the drivers for the video card? After all, it does work when I'm using Logic Express 8. Is it possible to update the firmware? Getting an install copy with 10.6.5 is very unlikely, if not impossible. It is possible to get the 10.6.8 update as a download, but that is all that is available. I can't do an installation with that, just an update. I have to get some form of 10.6 on the disk first. I have a 10.6.3 DVD installation disk I purchased from Apple and that is the one that won't work.

I appreciate the help very much, but I don't know how to fix the graphics card. Could you elaborate?

Thanks,

MH Brown

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Answer 8

Nov 28, 2023 12:37 PM in response to Michael Brown12

No.

your graphic card is dead.

However, if you don't try to do tricks with a 5770, but just apply the software updates, it will likely go just fine.

a cheap card guaranteed to work (but not much of a card) is the Apple-firmware GT120

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Answer 9

Nov 28, 2023 12:45 PM in response to Michael Brown12

Thank you for your help! I can't install the drivers if there is no OS installed on the SSD. I need to get an OS installed on the SSD before I can install the new drivers. It seems like I'll have to remove the new video card, put the old one back in, try to install OS 10.6 from the Apple DVD. If that works, then I can just update to 10.6.8 which has the NIVIDIA drivers it needs. Is this correct?

MH Brown

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Answer 10

Nov 28, 2023 1:06 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Yes, it has been working. I'm being told to reinstall my version of Photoshop and the browsers I've downloaded don't accept type. I don't know if that's a video card problem. I bought it from OWC which said it would work with the 3,1 Mac Pro. Is the 5770 an NVIDIA card? I can always just put the other card back in, though it may not work with modern monitors.

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Answer 11

Nov 29, 2023 2:17 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Yes, I think you are on to something. I still have the old card (I always keep original stuff). I'll put it in for the install before investing in another care. I want to run Logic Express 8, so 10.6.8 is the "sweet spot" for that software. I can what OS it will run under or see if I can purchase a used version of LE9 or even Logic Pro. The 3,1 MP is a great machine, built like a tank. It makes a fantastic stand-alone DAW. It even heats the room in winter.

Thank you again for all your help!

MH Brown

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Answer 12

Nov 28, 2023 12:50 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

according to my same sources, Quadro 4000 requires macOS 10.9 or later. (maybe that is not correct?)

Has that card been working with your other 10.6 drive?

is that perhaps a Quadro Fx 4500 instead?

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Answer 13

Nov 29, 2023 7:49 AM in response to Michael Brown12

Keep readers posted on your progress, good or bad.

There are always many more "Lurkers" that responders, and others will find your posts by searching later.

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Answer 14

Dec 5, 2023 2:00 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Will do. I had El Capitan on the SSD, but erased it in order to install 10.6. I'll look into installing it again from my MacBook Pro using target mode perhaps. We'll see. Thanks for all your help.

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How to Install Snow LeOS10.6 on SSD in MacPro 3,1?

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