Mac Pro 2,8 GTX 960 boot issue

[ALF07]

Alright, bit of a novice it's my first graphics card install and after 2 days of playing around i'm still having the same issue.

I've installed the Nvidia drivers for the correct OSX updates 10.10.3 and i've set the machine to Nvidia on the driver setting part.

When i turn the machine on the card boots albeit briefly, the fans spin freely but eventually come to a halt after about 30-40 seconds and nothing is being found on my monitor (i've waited minutes just in case). I've got a 6pin power supply but have tired to attach the double 6 pin supply that comes with the card still same thing.

I've searched everywhere and i've tried various different things to my knowledge but as of yet no luck and there are so many different forum posts it's become a bit overwhelming and i just wondered if someone could perhaps give me a clearer version of what i have to do in order to make this work.

Thanks

 

[MarkC426]

This is a PC card you have, it needs to be flashed with Mac EFI to give you a boot screen.

 

[ALF07]

This is a PC card you have, it needs to be flashed with Mac EFI to give you a boot screen.

Thanks, any idea how to do this? I found something called Zeus but i'm not sure if that will work?

 

[MarkC426]

Sorry, I don't know the exact procedure.
There are numerous threads about this though, if you search.
If you are in the US, macvidcards offer a flashing service.
Alternatively, if you have a 'mac' card and dual monitors, you can boot using the mac card connected to one monitor (providing you have enough power from your supply to drive them both).
I think the old GT120 cards don't need any power.

 

[h9826790]

Unless you can write the EFI by yourself, otherwise, you have to pay someone to do it for you (if there is a EFI already exist for your particular card).

 

[ALF07]

Unless you can write the EFI by yourself, otherwise, you have to pay someone to do it for you (if there is a EFI already exist for your particular card).

But i've watched numerous videos of people installing these cards on mac pro's of the same age straight from the box using the Nadivia drivers. I wouldn't have brought the card had i not discovered this was possible.

Or am i missing something here?

 

[pastrychef]

EFI firmware is only needed if you want to see a boot screen when you turn on your computer.

If you don't care about the boot screen, your video card should work fine without the EFI firmware. Just make sure that you have the Nvidia web drivers installed and enabled.

 

[ALF07]

EFI firmware is only needed if you want to see a boot screen when you turn on your computer.

If you don't care about the boot screen, your video card should work fine without the EFI firmware. Just make sure that you have the Nvidia web drivers installed and enabled.

I'm absolutely not fussed about the boot screen, i thought i was going crazy then.

So what i'm doing now is updating the OSX and then i'm going to update the Nvidia drivers to go along with that. I'm hoping somewhere along the line i've got the wrong drivers installed. If that failed i'll wipe the machine and start again.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[h9826790]

But i've watched numerous videos of people installing these cards on mac pro's of the same age straight from the box using the Nadivia drivers. I wouldn't have brought the card had i not discovered this was possible.

Or am i missing something here?

I should make it clear the EFI is for boot screen, PCIe 2.0, or if you need to access the recovery partition, etc. Sorry about that.

Once you have the correct OSX, web driver installed, and enabled. Then you can shut down the machine and install the card. It should work once the OS boot to the desktop.

 

[MacVidCards]

Your mention of power cables was confusing.

The power plugs on a GPU are not optional.

If card has 2 @ 6 pins, they both need to be plugged in.

If that is covered you should tell us what display and how connected

 

[ALF07]

Your mention of power cables was confusing.

The power plugs on a GPU are not optional.

If card has 2 @ 6 pins, they both need to be plugged in.

If that is covered you should tell us what display and how connected

Sorry i didn't really explain myself very well.

So along with the card i brought a mini 6 pin to large 6 pin, the mini goes in the mac and the large goes in the card. However the card has 8 pin and comes with a Y connecter that has 8 pin. I read somewhere the card should be fine with the separately to the card but i also read that i should connect the 6 pin end of the Y connection to other cable and then one of the 8 pin ends into the card. Basically doubling up both the connectors.. Hope that makes sense

As for my display is an Asus MX279H 27-inch i have tried both DVI to HDMI and HDMI to HDMI and thus far no luck.

Also i tried the new update and that has failed to work, same issue the mac doesn't boot with the card in, the card initially spins it's fans but they cut out and come to a halt after about 30 seconds then nothing.

 

[pastrychef]

I think herein lies your problem. You need to provide adequate power to both the 6 pin and the 8 pin connector. I think that the following is what you need:

http://www.amazon.com/PCIe-Power-Cable-nVidia-Video/dp/B0045Q8F84

* Disclaimer: I've never used a mini 6 pin to 8 pin power cable and I have never used a video card that has an 8 pin connector.

 

[ALF07]

I think herein lies your problem. You need to provide adequate power to both the 6 pin and the 8 pin connector. I think that the following is what you need:

http://www.amazon.com/PCIe-Power-Cable-nVidia-Video/dp/B0045Q8F84

* Disclaimer: I've never used a mini 6 pin to 8 pin power cable and I have never used a video card that has an 8 pin connector.

Ok, that makes a fair bit of sense.

After doing a search it appears i'll have to get the power connecter you suggested from the states (i'm in the UK) and i'm on a bit of a tight schedule with getting this machine up and running, do you think it would be work if i brought the same adapter i already have and put that into the second port of the Y connector supplied?

 

[pastrychef]

I'm sorry. I don't know what type of cable the Y cable you have is. Again, I don't have any experience dealing with video cards with 8 pin connectors...

 

[ALF07]

I'm sorry. I don't know what type of cable the Y cable you have is. Again, I don't have any experience dealing with video cards with 8 pin connectors...

No worries, it's a cable supplied with the card, basically one side is 8 pin (this goes in the card) and the other side is split into two 6 pin plugs. I currently have one of those plugged into my mini 6 pin to 6 pin connector and basically i'm thinking if a buy another and plug it into the empty plug..

I'll give it ago and hope for the best, i appreciate your efforts

 

[MacVidCards]

Try plugging in to the other 6 pin end of the y.

Most of these splitters will only work with a single 6 from one side and not the other

 

[ALF07]

Try plugging in to the other 6 pin end of the y.

Most of these splitters will only work with a single 6 from one side and not the other

I've been trying that using all my different ports and both sides of the Y splitter and sadly still the same issue, fans spinning for about 30 seconds then stopping.

 

[MacVidCards]

You should enable Remote Desktop and see if the Mac has completed boot and what it says about GPU in system profiler

 

[ActionableMango]

It would help a lot if you described the power connectors on the GTX 960. I've seen two different setups and there may be more I haven't seen. The setups I've seen are (A) one 8-pin power port and (B) two 6-pin power ports. Your descriptions are very confusing, but I think you have (A).

(A) If you have a single 8-pin power port on your card, you need two mini-6 to full-size-6 cables from the motherboard, then you can connect those two to the included y-cable that is two full-size-6 to a single 8-pin to the card.

(B) If you have two 6-pin power ports on your card, you only need the two mini-6 to full-size-6 cables. Connect them to the motherboard and to the card.

I guess it's possible you have a 6-pin and 8-pin power jack on your card, but I personally have never seen that on a GTX 960. If this is really the case, you can probably get away with doing (B).

 

[ALF07]

It would help a lot if you described the power connectors on the GTX 960. I've seen two different setups and there may be more I haven't seen. The setups I've seen are (A) one 8-pin power port and (B) two 6-pin power ports. Your descriptions are very confusing, but I think you have (A).

(A) If you have a single 8-pin power port on your card, you need two mini-6 to full-size-6 cables from the motherboard, then you can connect those two to the included y-cable that is two full-size-6 to a single 8-pin to the card.

(B) If you have two 6-pin power ports on your card, you only need the two mini-6 to full-size-6 cables. Connect them to the motherboard and to the card.

I guess it's possible you have a 6-pin and 8-pin power jack on your card, but I personally have never seen that on a GTX 960. If this is really the case, you can probably get away with doing (B).

Ok, the connector on the card is 8 pin female so yes i believe you are correct it's (A), sorry for my bad descriptions i'm new to this and quite tried.

And you've answered my question perfectly with (A) i will order myself another mini 6 to full 6 power cable and hopefully get the thing running.

Thank you so much, i'll update once i've got the second cable.

 

[ActionableMango]

Ok, the connector on the card is 8 pin female so yes i believe you are correct it's (A), sorry for my bad descriptions i'm new to this and quite tried.

And you've answered my question perfectly with (A) i will order myself another mini 6 to full 6 power cable and hopefully get the thing running.

Thank you so much, i'll update once i've got the second cable.

It just occurred to me that the y-cable included with the video card is probably the wrong gender on the 6-pin ends. I really don't know because I have no idea what you have, but it's a very strong possibility.

Basically you need, in total, two cables that look like this. The smaller sides plug into the motherboard.

And one y-cable to merge the above two cables together into a single 8-pin for your card's power jack:

 

[ALF07]

It just occurred to me that the y-cable included with the video card is probably the wrong gender on the 6-pin ends. I really don't know because I have no idea what you have, but it's a very strong possibility.

Basically you need, in total, two cables that look like this. The smaller sides plug into the motherboard.

And one y-cable to merge the above two cables together into a single 8-pin for your card's power jack:

I have the correct gender y-cable but i only have one of the mini 6-pin so i have ordered another one.

Again thanks for your help, i think i read some conflicting information which lead me to believe i could get away with what i had, clearly this is wrong. Fingers crossed i'll have full power to the card once the new cable arrives on Friday.

 

[MacVidCards]

most dual 6 to 8 will work from one side

on ones with yellow & black wires and a single side with brown, it is the brown side that will work alone

on the all black ones, harder to find working side

out of hundreds I have only seen one that wouldn't work this way

 

[ALF07]

most dual 6 to 8 will work from one side

on ones with yellow & black wires and a single side with brown, it is the brown side that will work alone

on the all black ones, harder to find working side

out of hundreds I have only seen one that wouldn't work this way

All the cables i've got are all black. I've switched them around numerous time but to no avail. Hopefully i'll get something once i double it up and go from there.

 

[ALF07]

Just to bump the thread, i now have all the correct cables as explained to me but sadly still no booting.

I'm getting the same results as before the card starts spinning but stops after about 30 seconds.

I'll doubt check the drivers again but i'm pretty sure they're correct, any other ideas? I'm coming to the end of my patience with this