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Mixing EFI-32 and EFI-64 / PC graphic cards in Mac Pro Rev.A (EFI 32)

C

carrerabahn

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 25, 2011
8
0
Dear all

I've been reading for months now to fully understand the EFI-32 / EFI-64 / PCgraphic card situation related to my Mac Pro Rev.A. EFI 32. And I am still not in a position to grab the whole picture.

Still considering the best nvidia solution for my old 1st. gen Mac Pro. (already sold a working APPLE ATI 5780 for mac cause of temperatures).
But have not found it.

My picture so far:
Many people use netkas injector or similar procedures to replace a EFI 32 card with a PC Card. most of them with success.
(me - I was not able to even boot my Mac with 8800 GTX (PC) in Slot one and original ATI 7300 GT (Slot 3 - 4 PCIe Lanes). No screen at all on none of these cards - just "working" the superdrive - "rrrrrr - break - rrrrr - break ...")

Many people added a PC card (GTX 285) in conjunction with an EFI-32 helper card.

now my question - because I am not successfull in integrating PC Cards in my Mac Pro.
Has anybody tried to mix EFI 32 and EFI 64 nvidia cards in Mac Pro Rev A?.

I think of buying an MAC EDITION EFI 64 GTX 285 (EFI-64, for Slot 1) in addition to NVIDIA 7300 GT (EFI-32, for Slot 3).

But I won't do if there is no road to success.

So - any hint will be fine.

Thank you and best regards
c.
 
when talking nvidia, netkas injector has to be used in conjunction with a nvidia mac "helper" card and a PC nvidia card, to make the PC card work.
 
hi cindori

thx for your answer.

the 7300 GT should work as helper card - in Slot 3 I assume.
is there a list of nvidia PC cards working in Mac Pro 1.1 in conjunction with nvidia 7300 GT?

and again - did anybody try to combine EFI32 apple card (Nvidia) and EFI64 apple card (nvidia)?

thx again
best regards
c.
 
mac Pro 1.1 with EFI-32 (7300 GT mac) and EFI-64 (GTX 285 Mac)

Hi again

Maybe I need to be more precise ;)

Has anybody already tried / made experiences or knowledge about a possible solution:

* Mac Pro 1,1
* nvidia 7300GT (genuine apple) - EFI32
* EVGA 285 GTX Mac Ed. (for apple) - EFI64

is there any chance this combination will work or is this impossible?

My thought is, the 7300GT will do the boot job - and the EVGA will be added by the OS... maybe too naive ;)

thx for info
c.
 
The GTX285 should work that way, provided you use ATY_Init.

But if you can't make 8800GTX work, you won't get the GTX285 to work.

The EFI64 will be ignored by the EFI32 machine.

BTW, the "helper card" absolutely MUST have 4 lanes assigned to it via the "Expansion Slot Utility".

There are your answers, googling and some elbow grease will get you what you want from here.
 
@macvidcards

Thank you for the answers.

It would be very much appreciated if you could just "doublecheck" my understanding so far.

my understanding
(1) there is no "help" from the EFI-64 ROM in the EVGA GTX 285 Mac Edition because the Mac Pro 1.1 will ignore this.
-> Right or wrong?

(2) If this is right, a PC based GTX 285 will behave identically (more or less) in the EFI-32 based Mac Pro like the EFI-64 version and the EFI-64 Version will be of no advantage.
-> Right or wrong?

(3) If I manage to get the 8800GTX to fly - the 285GTX will fly as well - or a least has a good chance to start...
-> Right or wrong?


Actually I am on a step-by-step approach for the "netkas-way".

managed today
(1) Installed ATY_Init.kext provided by cindori (thx :) ) with its 6870-package
(2) put 7300GT in PCIe-slot 3 - given exactly 4 lanes
(3) put gainward 9500 GT (GF9500GT 512M DDR2) in slot 1

-> success

I will tomorrow try the 8800GTX again - maybe my first installation of the ATY_Init went wrong. And maybe now I have a good base.

Keep you posted - and thx for any more replies :)
c.
 
Update

After a few weeks of testing and so on I found out the following

(1) for whatever reason my PC EVGA 8800 GTX will not work within my Mac Pro 1.1 :(
-> I tried the combination with nvidia 7300 GT (EFI-32) in slot 3 - 4 lanes and 8800 GTX in slot 1 - 16 lanes
--> this makes me a bit unhappy bec. I have 3 brand new never used EVGA 8800 GTX. If someone has knowledge if they could be flashed with an EFI-32 it would be pretty much appreciated to help :p

(2) I bought an refurbished EVGA GTX 285 Mac Edition - this setup works in Snow Leo :D - using ATY_INIT.KEXT and the drivers direct from nvidia.
-> but it is still handled as a PC card (rom is netkas.org (again thx for that work) :)
My performance is nearly identical to the values "The Rominator" once posted in the "PC GTX 285 in Mac Pro thread". :rolleyes:

I only have one problem with this setup!! :mad:
one of the fans (the PCIe/HDD fan) speeds up to over 1.700 rpm - even just while working office documents - and never comes back at below 1.000 rpm. This is too loud for concentrate work...
If anyone has an idea how to correct this? Any other people experiencing the same or similar effects? Thx for any information on this. :)

Actually I pulled the card out of the Mac Pro while working - that's not what I had in mind. :eek: help is needed :eek:

best regards
c.
 
SMC fan control could maybe be used to override fan issue

the 7300GT spoils people.....no fan at all

maybe put the machine under your desk?

The 8800GTX should work same exact way as GTX285, no reason why it wouldn't

in fact, as I have posted in many places, by using Nvidia's Quadro 4000 drivers in 10.6.8 you can dispense with "helper" card altogether (still need ATY_Init)

EFI64 cards are just like PC cards to EFI32 machine. They can't make sense of EFI64 and ignore it, just read PC BIOS part of ROM.
 
how to control the ******* fan speeds

Thanks for your suggestions and replies.

(1) 8800 GTX - will give it another try the other day.

(2) smcFanControl (here version 2.3) monitors the fanspeeds AND ensures the speeds not dropping BELOW a certain value. - As far is I know, the app is not able to LIMIT the speed up to certain higher level. According to the programmer's FAQ this is still Apples business.

(3) Yes, I did reset the SMC - but no effect.

(4) also tried the app "fanControl" http://www.lobotomo.com/products/FanControl/
- but this is not giving me access to the noisy PCIe/HDD Fan. (because it's main focus is macbooks)

I have no idea what causes this particular fan to speed up - even the 285 GTX fan is not even hearable.
As soon I pull out the GTX 285 and put two more 7300 GT (3 in total) the fan is running with only 800 - not to hear.

HOW CAN I CONTROL THIS PCIE/HDD FAN? WHAT CAN CAUSE IT IS RAISING?
any help is appreciated.

thanks c.

PS: I had a similar experience with an APPLE ATI 5870 in the same machine. But the fanspeed was only 1400 instead of 1800 (which is now). This was the reason for me to resell the 5870...
 
What kind of temps are you getting off that sensor? It sounds like it might be faulty. Mine is set to 1000 by in SMCfancontrol BTW (with HD5770)
 
Hi gullySnOwCat - thx for your interest.

The sensor readings (istatPro 4.92- widget) are as follows:

FANS
(1) Power Supply - around 600
(2) Exhaust - around 700
(3) CPU/FAN - around 500
(4) HD/Expansion - around 1200 (actual) will raise up to 1800 with no load

TEMPS
(1) CPU A - around 35 C
(2) Expansion - around 35 C
(3) Mem Bank - between 38 C and 45 C
(4) Mem Modules - between 60 C and 65 C
(5) Northbridge - around 60 C
(6) power supply - around 50 C

Any opinion on that?

Best regards
c.

PS: I did another SMC reset - it gave a "beep" while press & hold the power button of the mac pro for more than five seconds while starting.
-> this changed (??) the namig of the fans.
The now listed HD / Expansion fan was former listed as: PCIe/Harddisk fan. :confused:
 
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