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User profile for user: AJD1170
AJD1170 Author
User level: Level 1
67 points

Replacement graphics card?

As you can see from my tags I have a Mac Pro 4,1 (early 1009), running 10.7.1. ( I also have 10.6.8 on an external drive which I can use as an alternative to Lion). The OEM graphics card is a NVIDIA GeForce GT 120. I need to replace it with a card that has both VGA and DVI connectors. EVGA tech. says it is not hardware compatible. I have reviewed other threads on this issue, and it seems as though non-OEM cards do work in the Mac. Specifically, I want to use the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520. Will it work? Does SN or Lion have a driver for this card in the OS, or would it be recognized as a PnP?

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.1), (MacPro 4,1 (early 2009))

Posted on Sep 27, 2011 12:26 PM

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3 replies
User profile for user: DPArt
DPArt
User level: Level 3
604 points

Sep 27, 2011 12:37 PM in response to AJD1170

Google is your friend.


While there are SOME ATI cards that can be used OOTB, any Nvidia cards that do not have Mac EFI on them will require a variety of software & hardware hacks to work.


As you are clearly not the technical sort, you would probably be best served by just getting an Apple 5770 from this very website.


You will need an adapter or two but that will be simplest and easiest solution.


The use of Nvidia cards requires that you know which model identifier you have as Apple switched from EFI32 on 1,1 and 2,1 machines to EFI64 on 3,1 4,1 and 5,1 machines, which means that there are different Nvidia cards for either type and you need to pay very strict attention to which you have otherwise you will be starring at a black screen.


Do some research.

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Replacement graphics card?

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