MP 1,1-5,1 Mac Pro 3,1 Upgrade Graphics Card

[r6mile]

Hi everyone, my early 2008 Mac Pro El Capitan boots but the monitors remain dark. It was doing this intermittently but now it’s all the time so presumably the ATI card has finally gone belly up.

I’ve done a lot of research but one thing eludes me: it would appear that some video cards (all video cards?) will work but not show the boot screen when the computer boots up but thereafter will display graphics correctly.

Is this the same for all graphics cards? Clearly there are some that need flashing but are there any available that will work without flashing, ideally brand new cards?

This is my studio computer so I don’t need amazing graphics and I am looking for the simplest solution. If it’s not possible I’ll just bin it and buy a Mac mini but it would be a shame just for the video card.

Thanks to anyone who can clarify the above.

You can't buy a brand new Apple card that will show boot screen. If you don't need performance, I would suggest you buy a Apple Geforce GT120, they are very common, cheap, and will work out of the box with a boot screen. Better performance than the stock ATI 2600XT for your machine too.

 

[Vai]

You can't buy a brand new Apple card that will show boot screen.

Hi, thanks for taking the time to reply. Do I actually need to see the boot screen though? If I don’t need to see it couldn’t I just buy a new card?

 

[r6mile]

Hi, thanks for taking the time to reply. Do I actually need to see the boot screen though? If I don’t need to see it couldn’t I just buy a new card?

You don't really need a boot screen 99% of the time. But you do need it if reinstalling the OS etc. Most people have an Apple card like the GT120 in a drawer for those occasions, even if 99% of the time they use another card. Your issue is that your stock Apple card is dead, hence why my recommendation of the GT120, which yes you can't buy new.

The issue with the 2008 Mac Pro is that you can't use modern Radeon cards without serious tweaking, and more modern nVidia cards don't allow you to go beyond OSX High Sierra (though this may not be an issue for you, if you are on el Capitan). But basically you'll struggle to find a brand new card that will work for you.

What's your objection to buying a second hand, if I may ask?

 

[Vai]

What's your objection to buying a second hand, if I may ask?

No objection per se, just comforting to have the guarantee that it will defunitely be in working condition.

I can buy a ATI Radeon RX 550 4 Gb brand new for £75 apparently. Would you by any chance have a reliable source for a second hand Mac GT120 in UK/Europe?

 

[r6mile]

No objection per se, just comforting to have the guarantee that it will defunitely be in working condition.

I can buy a ATI Radeon RX 550 4 Gb brand new for £75 apparently. Would you by any chance have a reliable for a second hand Mac GT120 in UK/Europe?

As I mentioned, a modern Radeon card is incompatible with the 2008 Mac Pro unfortunately. I don't have a recommendation for a seller of a GT120 - I got mine from a private seller a few months ago - but if you look on eBay there's plenty of business sellers selling them for around £35-40, so I would just look at one that has good feedback and a decent returns policy.

 

[Vai]

As I mentioned, a modern Radeon card is incompatible with the 2008 Mac Pro unfortunately. I don't have a recommendation for a seller of a GT120 - I got mine from a private seller a few months ago - but if you look on eBay there's plenty of business sellers selling them for around £35-40, so I would just look at one that has good feedback and a decent returns policy.

Ah ok emphasis on the “modern” then, as the Radeon 550 is mentioned as working on page 1 of the GPU discussion, must be referring to the older models?
In that case I’ll get a GT120 as you suggest from eBay. Thanks again for taking the time to help