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ATI radeon 5770 doesn't work in MacPro 2009

Mac Hammer Fan

Mac Hammer Fan

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 13, 2004
1,345
513
It works now, I had a problem with the powercable. But the fan is really noisy while the Geforce 120 was silent.
Anyway, here some Bench tests.
XBench:
Quartz Graphics Test 262.02 (vs 256 Geforce GT 120)
Line 223.48 14.88 Klines/sec [50% alpha]
Rectangle 302.85 90.42 Krects/sec [50% alpha]
Circle 253.96 20.70 Kcircles/sec [50% alpha]
Bezier 255.75 6.45 Kbeziers/sec [50% alpha]
Text 289.18 18.09 Kchars/sec
OpenGL Graphics Test 262.88 (vs 220 Geforce GT 120)
Spinning Squares 262.88 333.47 frames/sec
User Interface Test 360.62
Elements 360.62 1.66 Krefresh/sec
Cinebench
OpenGL 28,82 fps (vs 15 Geforce GT 120)
SmallLux
Luxball Midrange GPU
7,5 sec (ATI 5770) vs 57 sec (GT120)
 
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Fan speed (iStat Pro) from the ATI Radeon 5770 is approx 2000 rpm.
The result is that the fan from the power supply also runs faster.
What a disappointment.
 
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Most 5770s are pretty quiet, you might see if you can exchange it for a new one.
 
My 5870 is actually quieter than my GT 120, something sounds defective with your 5770.
 
Cindori said:
istat can not read gpu fan.
Click to expand...

It can!
I have only one card in a PCI-e slot and iStat Pro shows the speed of the fan.
After one hour, the speed is now 800 rpm and noise is acceptable.
But when I shutdown the computer and reboot after 10 minutes, I will be in trouble again.
 
Mac Hammer Fan said:
Fan speed (iStat Pro) from the ATI Radeon 5770 is approx 2000 rpm.
The result is that the fan from the power supply also runs faster.
What a disappointment.
Click to expand...

The fan WILL be noisy @ 2K rpm. You need to find out why its rev'd up to its max. i.e. its either defective or more likely something is not happy with the driver/installation.

JohnG
 
noisyfan.jpg
 
That isn't the fan on the card, but the PCIe expansion bay fan. You're using an old version of iStat that isn't properly updated. However, your speeds are fast - I'm at 900 and 600 rpm on PCIe and PSU respectively.
 
According to iStat Pro, I have the latest version. (No updates available).
What can I do?
I have removed iStat Pro but the noise is still there after rebooting.
 
Mac Hammer Fan said:
According to iStat Pro, I have the latest version. (No updates available).
What can I do?
I have removed iStat Pro but the noise is still there after rebooting.
Click to expand...

iStat Pro has nothing to do with your fan speeds, as it a monitoring software only.

Something seems to be wrong with your SMC settings. Try resetting your SMC.

Did you install third party fan control software?
 
I didn't install a third party fan speed control.
I zapped the PRAM already.
I tried resetting SMC. But it didn't solve the problem.
 
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Mac Hammer Fan said:
It can!
I have only one card in a PCI-e slot and iStat Pro shows the speed of the fan.
After one hour, the speed is now 800 rpm and noise is acceptable.
But when I shutdown the computer and reboot after 10 minutes, I will be in trouble again.
Click to expand...

no it cant. it shows mac pro pci fan. not graphic cards.
 
Why is this PCI fan so noisy now? This wasn't the case before I replaced the Geforce GT120 with the ATI Radeon 5770.
 
Mac Hammer Fan said:
Why is this PCI fan so noisy now? This wasn't the case before I replaced the Geforce GT120 with the ATI Radeon 5770.
Click to expand...

The GT120 is a low power, low heat card. The 5770 is higher power draw, and hence higher heat. Basically your Mac Pro is working harder to cool the GPU. In many ways your Mac Pro is actually doing the job it was designed for. It could be that you simply have a hot running 5770, or there's an issue in drivers.

[EDIT: Is the 2k rpm reported when you're idling, or is it when you're actually doing something or just finished something?]
 
2000 RPM is idle!
I opened the computer and the card isn't hot at all.
In most cases, after an hour the speed drops to 800 RPM and the noise goes away.
But every time, I restart the problem is back.
 
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I placed the Geforce GT 120 back instead of the Radeon and my computer is silent again.
I will return the 5770 to Apple.
If I would be sure that I don't have this trouble with the 5870, I would order this card instead.
However, now I won't take the risk.
I stay with the Geforce GT 120.
 
Won't they let you exchange it? Why go the full way of returning it and never trying again? Nothing really lost by doing so, but more to be gained if things go fine.
 
The problem was that the fan of my PCI expansion bay makes the noise. It could be something with my computer or that I did something wrong in the installation. I am not sure.
And I am embarassed that I have to send my card back to Apple.
There is no certitude that I won't be in trouble again if I install another 5770 or a 5870.
 
Can someone who has a 2009 MacPro and replaced the GT120 by an ATI Radeon 5870 tell of the PCI expansion bay fan makes much noise now?
(I got 2000 RPM with a 5770 installed, and 800 RPM with the GT 120)
 
Installed today an ATI Radeon 5870 in my MacPro 2009 and this one is luckily silent.:)
When I boot up the Mac, the PCI expansion bay fan runs at 2000 RPM. After one minute, it is only 800 RPM and it stays at that speed.
Very acceptable.
XBench and CineBench results are the same as with the 5770, but SmallluxGPU runs faster.
Quartz Graphics Test 261.99 (ATI 5770 = 262, GT120 = 256)
Line 224.92 14.97 Klines/sec [50% alpha]
Rectangle 302.14 90.21 Krects/sec [50% alpha]
Circle 252.34 20.57 Kcircles/sec [50% alpha]
Bezier 257.25 6.49 Kbeziers/sec [50% alpha]
Text 287.42 17.98 Kchars/sec
OpenGL Graphics Test 276.14 (ATI 5770 = 262, GT120 = 220)
Spinning Squares 276.14 350.29 frames/sec
User Interface Test 408.10
Elements 408.10 1.87 Krefresh/sec
Cinebench
Open GL Test 28,92 fps
Smalllux GPU
LuxBall Mid 6,2 sec (4870 = 10 sec)
LuxBall Ultra 21,5 sec (4870 = 49 sec, 5770 = 33 sec)
Sponza Ultra 28,1 sec (5770 = 38 sec)
 
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5770 or 5870 ?

I am just about to order a 5770 to replace the GT 120 in my Mac Pro 2009 when I came across your post.

Do you think the noise issue was the 5770 in general or a defective 5770?

Tim
 
There are people who use a 5770 in their MacPro 2009. I know one who complaint about the noise, but I think the 5770 card was defective, howeever I am not 100% sure. Anyway, I didn't want to take the risk with a second try of the same card.
I ordered the 5870 instead. Apple doesn't guarantee that the 5770 is compatible with my MacPro, although Barefeats says it is.
 
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