PCIe x1 video Card for Mac Pro 2006?

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Robert1969 Author

Level 1

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PCIe x1 video Card for Mac Pro 2006?

Hello ,

My need is a little backwards of the regular request. We have a 2006 Mac Pro (upgraded to the dual quad-core Xeon 2.33ghz E5345) we are using for LTO data backup, not the usual graphics/editing setup.

So what we have found is the original NVidia card is PCIe 8x graphics, we also have an 8x RAID card and an 8x SAS HBA for the LTO tape drives. All this is taxing the PCIe bus on this older mac. We would like to free things up a bit by putting in a video card that does not attempt to use, or at least reserve a full 8 lanes for it's own use.

If this was a newer Mac Pro then no issue... But as it is now, I am getting lockups and freezes and other issues that I am sure are related to having 3 high-bandwidth cards in the same machine.

Anyone know of a good x1 business graphics card that can work for a Mac Pro (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)

Robert

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Aug 14, 2011 8:47 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

The hatter

Level 9

61,001 points

Aug 14, 2011 8:54 AM in response to Robert1969

You use Expansion Slot Utility to assign how many lanes each PCIe slot uses.

The cards don't force it to, but there are limitations.

The 7300GT is a "low" as it goes in bandwidth and performance, though I doubt you can force it into running at 1X and get video. 4x yes.

8x SAS for tape is over-kill. iSCSI and Fibre yes, for video arrays.

If you get freezes, and lockups, look at other areas first and rule them out, starting with clean up OS and drivers.

Does it need 10.6.8?

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Answer 2

Robert1969 Author

Level 1

10 points

Aug 14, 2011 9:05 AM in response to Robert1969

I looked at the expansion utility, but it does not really let you assign things how you would like. It only gives you some possibilities to choose form. I would like to make the video card 4x and the other 2 as 8x just to be sure they are adequately taken care of.

What other possibilites would you say could be there for the lockups and freezes?

10.6 is required for the LTO writing software, yes...

Robert

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Answer 3

The hatter

Level 9

61,001 points

Aug 14, 2011 9:53 AM in response to Robert1969

Move the cards.

Some slots can't be 16x, and one can't be 8 or 16x.

Also, the PCIe is 1.1 which means half the bandwidth of current specification.

A driver or utility ought to tell you it isn't getting bandwIdth I guess.

A PC with PCIe 2.1, or wait for next generation of motherboards that could have even more bandwidth, PCIe 3.0, to support things like ThunderBolt, SSD controllers with 8 and 16Gbit/sec in bandwidth.

Or a computer with more than 4 PCIe slots or an expansion chassis.

What could be cause?

drivers

IOKit

Rule out means trial and error of trying with just one thing changed at a time and get it working, then move on.

7300GT in slot #3 for starters.

Put your most demanding in slot #1 which is double width.

More air flow, boost the darn fan rpm and keep them @ 1200 rpm

I'd pull drive bay #4 and keep it free to allow more airflow for an 8x card

High density FBDIMMs. Odd but 4GB DIMMs run cooler and better, and in 1,1 the ideal is just a set of 4 (two on each Riser) for 4 x 2GB or 4 x 4GB.

Different SAS and RAID cards. Maybe they don't get along and have bus contention or driver conflict.

Are you using ATTO? usually a good bet.

You aren't using Mid-2010 Mac Pro and can't use 64-bit kernel, which is a shame but simplifies troubleshooting and no issue with 64-bit drivers.

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Answer 4

Robert1969 Author

Level 1

10 points

Aug 15, 2011 12:28 AM in response to The hatter

Solved...

As you suggested, I moved the CalDigit RAID card to slot 1, the SAS HBA (ATTO H380 as you surmised) to slot 2 and the Nvidia video to slot 3. Selected 8x 8x 4x and now the video is going at 4x and the important cards at full 8x. My system is quite stable again. Thanks much!

Robert

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Answer 5

The hatter

Level 9

61,001 points

Aug 15, 2011 4:39 AM in response to Robert1969

Hey, nice, now that wasn't so bad or hard either.

ATTO and others have generally said to use #4 as that is usually used for 8x card slot (why I said to remove drive bay #4 back there which tends to get hotter).

As long as it is stable, you are fine to go, and you still have one free slot.

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