Compatible video card replacement for nVidia GeForce 7300 GT? Please advise!

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Level 1

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Compatible video card replacement for nVidia GeForce 7300 GT? Please advise!

Hi - About six months ago my computer started giving me the grey screen of death upon startup - I've done everything I can, including taking it to the apple store, where they told me they would "...try replacing my video card "as a first step" for $843.00" to which I said, "**** no, I will do it myself."

I bought my mac pro in July of 2007 which means that it must have the nVidia GeForce 7300 GT with 256 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM because I did not upgrade the video card from the factory specs. Unfortunately since 5 years is the equivalent to 500 in technology upgrades, I have no idea what kind of card would be compatible with my computer.

I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice?I was looking on Newegg.com for cards and there are several reasonably priced ones there (at least less than $843.00!)

I was running Mac OSX 10.4.11 when it crashed. I am willing to upgrade to the current OS but I'm afraid I won't even be able to do that unless the graphics card is working in the first place...

Any help at all is appreciated!

Thank you very much! - Lisa

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.4.11), nVidia GeForce 7300 GT with 256 MB

Posted on Jan 23, 2012 2:32 PM

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Answer 1

Kujako

Level 2

270 points

Jan 23, 2012 2:48 PM in response to bzzt_chhk

You can find a replacement Apple 7300 GT on eBay for around 50-100$, or you can find a faster option such as the NVidia 8800 GT or ATI XT 1900 . From your purchase date I am assuming you have a first generation Mac Pro which does limit your options as it lacks any PCI Express 2.0 slots.

If you go with the 8800 or ATI 1900 be sure you get the power cable to connect it to the power connector on the motherboard, otherwise it wont work.

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Answer 2

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Jan 23, 2012 3:23 PM in response to bzzt_chhk

The X1900 is junk, the 8800GT can be found but anything is going to require OS upgrade, so I'd just try to get to 10.6.3 and update to 10.6.5+ and go with safe ATI 5770. Even Lion. But NO Rosetta, no POWERPC support.

YOU DON'T NEED PCIe 2.0 to use it! that is just not true.

Maybe it isn't the video card.

Try Apple Hardware Test and find the cause if you/we can for the kernel panic.

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Answer 3

Kujako

Level 2

270 points

Jan 23, 2012 3:24 PM in response to The hatter

I was thinking of the GT 120 in reference to the PCIe 2.0

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Answer 4

bzzt_chhk Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 24, 2012 8:30 AM in response to The hatter

Thank you - I am worried because the system has been going into kernel panic upon startup, even in safe mode and diagnostic mode. The circumstances under which the initial crash happened are what made me (and the Apple store team) think it was the video card. I was watching netflix and a little square of dots and dashes popped up next to my cursor (looked like a glitch), then I got the spinning beach ball, then the grey screen. After that it would kernel panic on startup, and I couldn't even get to my desktop...

I guess I do have a first generation mac pro, but honestly I have no idea how to upgrade the operating system if I can't even get it started up... (or get it to work for long enough that I can get to the kernel panic log...)

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Answer 5

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Jan 24, 2012 9:15 AM in response to bzzt_chhk

A GT120 only works with EFI64 ROM firmware. Apple doesn't like to get that technical. ATI has used firmware that works with both EFI 1.x and 2.x, aka UEFI. Early two models Mac Pro are 32-bit while later models are 64-bit firmware.

And you waited this long? started six months ago...

- About six months ago my computer started giving me the grey screen of death upon startup -

Depends on your $$$ and your tolerance for pain I guess, or how much effort to get the system up and running.

If you can take it somewhere, or have a friend with a Mac Pro, they could test a new OS and new card. Cost to do both would be about $70 for Lion and $250 for ATI 5770. Throw in a new hard drive while at it.

Keep a good copy of your system somewhere safe, for emergency purposes. A clone of your working system. Another, just for repairs and maintenance that is just Apple OS and minimum drivers and utilities needed.

7300's may show a couple of bulging parts on the card. I'm not sure where or if they can be 'fixed' or soldered, or not. Or find a cheap $50 ebay.

If you have Windows, you could drop any PC card in and boot and test with that too.

Some places will charge $75 to do a full check and diagnostics.

AS for how to upgrade the OS: just pull your drives, boot from the new OS DVD and format and install, it is easy as pie. But keep it as is and to avoid copying any problems to new OS for a few days.

http://www.amazon.com/Apple-ATI-Radeon-5770-MC742ZM/dp/B003Z6QH6M/

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC742ZM/A

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD256Z/A

Buy 10.6.x $30 and electronic download of Lion if you choose, or Lion on thumb drive.

Check the comments and feedback on ATI 5770.

http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Caviar-Internal-Desktop/dp/B004DMFAJ2/

Would have been nice to tackle this and other questions of course when it first happened.

Seems to me I saw threads about 7300GTs failing a couple years ago and not doing as well with 10.7.

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Answer 6

bzzt_chhk Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 24, 2012 9:39 AM in response to The hatter

Thank you both so much for your help!

The computer crashed 6 months ago for the first time, but unfortunately I have been dealing with a lot of financial problems and living in less-than-ideal living circumstances, so I have been using my work computer after-hours if I need to do anything. Throughout the six months I have been intermittently trying different things: Things tried include - full cleaning of inside of computer, resetting PRAM, trying to start up in safe mode, diagnostic mode, and booting from OS X 10.4 disk, re-seating RAM and hard drive, switching a compatible hard drive into the computer (it didn't register), and finally taking it to the apple store. From what I had read, I suspected it might be the video card, but I wanted to try everything less expensive first.

I will be moving into a living situation on the first which is much more ideal (financially) for tackling this problem! First things first, I need to get an external enclosure for the hard drive and back everything up, then I will go about performing those steps!

I really appreciate the help! Thank you so much!

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