Q: ATI Radeon 2600 XT on Mac Pro 2008 has died

hmm...ok.   i don't have a power cable for this...so perhaps this is the reason it's not working properly?

Also, i'm wanting to stay on 10.6.8, as that is the last offically supported OSX for FCP 7.

I'm refusing to go to FCP X.

I am mistaken about the aux power cord. I thought it took one, but I just looked at mine and it is using TWO. These will do the job:

http://www.amazon.com/PCIe-Power-Cable-nVidia-Video/dp/B002UR1654/ref=sr_1_1?ie= UTF8&qid=1388727536&sr=8-1&keywords=G5+6-pin+aux+nvidia+ATI

These shipped as the upgrade card for Mac Pro 4,1 that shipped with 10.5.6, so that is all you should need. No need for 10.7 in this case.

It's quite easy to remove the card:

Remove all static electricity from your body, touch something that's grounded.

Open the macpro (obviously)

unplug everything at the back of the card

Remove the blade on the side of the card that has two screws on it

push the little black peg on the connection terminal

pull the card

done

LEKOVISION wrote:

 

 

 

My question - A friend of mine gave me an ATI Radeon 4870 HD graphics card with one DVI port and one mini display port.     I installed it, and only one of my monitors worked.   It said an error on my working monitor that "it wasn't installed properly, or something was missing".   I don't remember exactly what the message was.

 

Do i need a driver for this to work?     Will this video card work with my Mac Pro?

 

Apologies for the long winded post, but i'm very frustrated by all this, and my projects have all been on hold cause of this BS that i'm going through.

Same here, I couldn't work and had to fall back on my (reliable) PCs... It is frustrating.

I'm afraid you can't plug a PC card in a mac, except maybe if you flash it or upgrade your osx. The thing with that macpro is that the choice of replacement cards is quite limited. This is one of my other grudges. If I don't get any joy with Apple, I would have to go to places like ebay to find a replacement. Except it's all second hand or "reconditioned" card (read "pulled out of a macpro), and I have my share of crooks in that place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWDjhyTZkec

Update: success.

Apple has confirmed that my graphics card was one from the bad batch and agreed to a warranty extension. I left my macpro in an apple shop and it should get repaired within a week.

To anyone else who owns a macpro fitted with a ATI XT 2600, I strongly suggest to move the card from slot one to slot two.

Manu,

So then are you saying that my Radeon 4870 is indeed a PC graphics card and NOT a mac graphics card?

The person who gave it to me had previously used it in his mac.

I have the card, but no cables (or 2 cables) to power it.    Could not having these cables be the reason it's not working properly?

Just curious.

Thanks.

Manu, just curious where you are located?

I have been on the phone with Apple Canada, and they are not wanting to budge on this.

My serial number is one of the bunch that is defective (29H*)

"The broken cards have serial numbers which contain the following last four digits (* denotes any character):

YPU(*), YPV(*), 1M4(*), 1M5(*), 29H(*), or 29G(*)"

The rep at Apple even called the Apple store that I took my Mac Pro to for them to do a full diagnostics on (which they confirmed it was a faulty graphics card), and he said that they don't want to honour the recall.

I am now being transferred to a customer service rep to see if they can do anything to help me out.

Any suggestions on what to say or what i can do to try help my case here?

Thanks,

Richard

LEKOVISION wrote:

 

 

I have the card, but no cables (or 2 cables) to power it.    Could not having these cables be the reason it's not working properly?

That would certainly be a contributing factor.  You need the 2 power cables.

The 4870 Apple version has a bracket attached to it.  It looks like it has a handle on one end.  The PC cards don't have this bracket.

Does your 4870 have the bracket?

Many of the PC versions have two DVI ports. One Mini DisplayPort may also help identify it as an Apple card.

Yes, mine has a black handle on it.

Attached are 3 pics of it.   The last pic shows the connection...this is what you are referring to that I need the power cables for..correct?

Yes, that is where the two aux power cables plug in.

They each have three 12Volt wires and three grounds. The card needs a lot more power than what it can get off the PCIe connector to operate fully.

That is the Apple verison of the Radeon 4870.

Assuming the card is working properly, plugging in the 2 power cables should get you back in business.

It's nice to have someone willing to give you an OEM Apple card in a moment of need.

Ok, so after quite a lengthy conversation with Apple, they agreed to replace my ATI Radeon 2600 with another one due to me being such a 'loyal' Apple customer.    They stated a few times that this has nothing to do with the recall.

Anyways, so i took my MacPro back in, and they replaced the Graphics Card.    I was told 3 to 5 business days, but about an hour after I was home, they emailed me saying it was ready.   I rushed there to get it before they closed at 9pm, and came home eagerly wanting to set it all up.

Upon starting up my MacPro, i noticed that both screens turned on, but the Right screen was delayed before coming to life.    Ok, no worries...i started doing some rendering and left it.

A few hours later, i came down and awoke the screens from 'sleeping' as my MacPro worked, and noticed that AGAIN....my right monitor REMAINED BLACK!!!!

I had not access to my right monitor, so had to do the shut down (shift + eject + enter).     Upon restarting, the Right monitor screen remained black once again.    My problem has NOT been solved.....

AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

What the &*^$????

I thought that this replacment Graphics card would fix this problem.

I have no idea as to why this is still happening...would anyone know why?

Maybe they replaced it with another dud, I guess you're in for another trip back to the shop... Check your cables though, just in case.

LEKOVISION wrote:

 

Manu,

 

So then are you saying that my Radeon 4870 is indeed a PC graphics card and NOT a mac graphics card?

 

The person who gave it to me had previously used it in his mac.

 

I have the card, but no cables (or 2 cables) to power it.    Could not having these cables be the reason it's not working properly?

 

Just curious.

 

Thanks.

My bad, I got mixed up. Apple have their own versions of what are otherwise pc cards And yes the bridge interconnects are necessary to power the card.

LEKOVISION wrote:

 

Manu, just curious where you are located?

 

I have been on the phone with Apple Canada, and they are not wanting to budge on this.

 

My serial number is one of the bunch that is defective (29H*)

 

"The broken cards have serial numbers which contain the following last four digits (* denotes any character):

YPU(*), YPV(*), 1M4(*), 1M5(*), 29H(*), or 29G(*)"

 

The rep at Apple even called the Apple store that I took my Mac Pro to for them to do a full diagnostics on (which they confirmed it was a faulty graphics card), and he said that they don't want to honour the recall.

 

I am now being transferred to a customer service rep to see if they can do anything to help me out.

 

Any suggestions on what to say or what i can do to try help my case here?

 

Thanks,

 

Richard

I live in the UK. Over here the consumer laws clearly stipulate that an electric/electronic machine should be free from defects for up to 6 years. I did not have to call that card as I sent the pictures I took to Apple, and claimed for an implementation design flaw. Which is something a manufacturer cannot argue with over here if the fact has been clearly and properly established.

If your plea to Apple if falling in deaf ears, I would refer to your own consumer laws regarding goods that were sold to you with a built in defect, that is in essence doomed to fail. In my case it was easy to prove as I have burn marks in the tower.