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Monitors lose video on 2008 3.1

Gothboy1

Gothboy1

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 9, 2015
96
6
Have a dual Samsung Syncmaster flat screen monitor setup on a recently purchased 2008 3.1.(Same monitors worked fine with my old 2006 1.1) Everything boots fine but after 20 minutes the video goes black. I have to shut the machine down then boot again to get video back. Monitors stay powered on throughout. NOT a sleep issue I don't think as I'm actually working on something when it happens. I tested both monitors on their own and on other computers they work fine and don't lose video. Just got this computer I'm suspecting the Graphics card?
Specs of machine in signature
ATi Radeon HD2600 XT 256 Graphics
 
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Does your graphics card require power? Perhaps check the power cables going to/from the card.
 
raymanster said:
Does your graphics card require power? Perhaps check the power cables going to/from the card.
Click to expand...

No it just sits in the 1st card slot it's a typical red ATi Radeon HD2600 XT 256 Graphics
 
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Would think it must be the video card, probably worth upgrading anyway. I suggest a GTX 680 and then flash it yourself for bootscreens.
 
Tried pulling all the RAM down to the 2 4GB modules that came with the computer. The video stayed on for quite a long time so I added a 2nd pair of RAM making it 12GB and video stayed on....added another matched pair and after 30 min the video turned off.
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raymanster said:
Does your graphics card require power? Perhaps check the power cables going to/from the card.
Click to expand...

I keep seeing mentions about Graphics cards that have power cables running to them. I'd like to know about this I've never used or even seen one what's this about?
 
Could be a ram issue then. I have a recently acquired 2006 and bought some used ram. It boot up from cold/off ok but would just show a black screen on warm reboot and no bong. Turns out one of the dimms I bought might be faulty, I removed it and it warm booted fine. could be a dirty contact haven't had a chance to clean it yet. You could give that a go as well, clean the contacts on each dimms and on the two riser boards which push into the motherboard.

A graphics card that needs power will have for example a 6 pin connection with a cable running to the motherboard/backplane. Similar to this 2009:

http://pindelski.org/Photography/2013/07/03/mac-pro-2009-part-vii/
 
What did you use to clean these areas? I have compressed air but it doesn't blow the fine dust off.
 
When the monitors are blacked out, is the rest of the Mac still working?
Can you still power off the Mac using the keyboard? or you just press the power button?
(turn off using keyboard=ctrl+eject, release them, and press enter.)
 
filmak said:
When the monitors are blacked out, is the rest of the Mac still working?
Can you still power off the Mac using the keyboard? or you just press the power button?
(turn off using keyboard=ctrl+eject, release them, and press enter.)
Click to expand...

When the monitors are blacked out the Mac is still on and working but I can only turn it off from the on/off button keyboard on/off doesn't work.
 
Decided to test graphics card with my older 2006 1.1. The card in that one was gone so popped in the APi and it boots and runs seemingly fine. I had it running with the card for about 3 hours without video blackout. Wakes from sleep so looks like I might have figured out that the 1.1 just needs a new card(which is nice) and also that the Graphics card works fine(which is also nice). The question remains though what's wrong with the 3.1? A sleep problem...a RAM issue?
 
Gothboy1 said:
Decided to test graphics card with my older 2006 1.1. The card in that one was gone so popped in the APi and it boots and runs seemingly fine. I had it running with the card for about 3 hours without video blackout. Wakes from sleep so looks like I might have figured out that the 1.1 just needs a new card(which is nice) and also that the Graphics card works fine(which is also nice). The question remains though what's wrong with the 3.1? A sleep problem...a RAM issue?
Click to expand...

When the screen goes black, open the cover to the mac and see if there are any flashing red LEDs on the logic board and/or memory boards.

Also have you checked temperatures? Install something like Macs fan control or SMC fan control. Try ramping up the fans to provide more cooling and see if that helps.
 
raymanster said:
When the screen goes black, open the cover to the mac and see if there are any flashing red LEDs on the logic board and/or memory boards.
Click to expand...

I'm testing with the side cover off, have it running with the 8 GB RAM it came with. All 3 fans running and Graphics fan working too. No lights at all on either board or Ram sleds? Is this normal?

raymanster said:
Also have you checked temperatures? Install something like Macs fan control or SMC fan control. Try ramping up the fans to provide more cooling and see if that helps.
Click to expand...

You think it's overheating?
 
Gothboy1 said:
I'm testing with the side cover off, have it running with the 8 GB RAM it came with. All 3 fans running and Graphics fan working too. No lights at all on either board or Ram sleds? Is this normal?



You think it's overheating?
Click to expand...

So the screen went black, you opened the cover and could see no led lights flashing or flowing on the logic board of the Mac Pro?

I just had a temperature issue on a 1,1. Would warm reboot and threw up DIMM error lights on the memory riser, and CPU error lights on the logic board. I increased the fan speeds and all is ok now, so it's worth a go.
 
you said you started testing the ram by using just the two sticks that came with the machine, it works fine then you added two more and they worked ok for a while then you added the next two sticks and you start getting problems itwould be my assumption that one or both are bad as thats when the error start up.
 
Blackey Cole said:
you said you started testing the ram by using just the two sticks that came with the machine, it works fine then you added two more and they worked ok for a while then you added the next two sticks and you start getting problems itwould be my assumption that one or both are bad as thats when the error start up.
Click to expand...

Humm well I hear you but they worked fine in the 1.1 before pulling them to use in the 3.1. I'm trying them again for some reason I'm suspecting one of the RAM sleds. Does it matter which sled is used for the top sled and which for the bottom??
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raymanster said:
So the screen went black, you opened the cover and could see no led lights flashing or flowing on the logic board of the Mac Pro?

I just had a temperature issue on a 1,1. Would warm reboot and threw up DIMM error lights on the memory riser, and CPU error lights on the logic board. I increased the fan speeds and all is ok now, so it's worth a go.
Click to expand...

I'll check it out, Thanks
 
Tested all RAM again starting with the 4GB modules upon startup RAM sled flashed Red at chime and Preferences showed the 8GB RAM installed. Then installed 2 matched pairs with same result now showing 16 GB RAM installed. From what I understand the sled would stay red if the RAM was bad right?
 
So now this 3.1 is blacking out again....screen just goes black randomly at any time and with seemingly any combination of RAM. It's NOT the monitors....it's the computer. It's crashing and I have to turn the machine off with the front panel button to be able to power on again....wow really stumped don't know what else to try?
 
Pulled out the 1.1 again installed RAM in various configs and ATi Radeon HD2600 graphics it chimes and boots but video goes to black and computer crashes just like the 3.1 which to me is pointing to the Graphics card as being faulty anyone else with similar thoughts?
 
The most obvious way to check it is to borrow a card, even a PC one (it will work without boot screens but this is irrelevant foe your case). just check an old nvidia (a gt120 or 680 and others up to 9xx Maxwell) or an AMD one (a 5770 5870 4870 7950 etc). It's very easy.
 
I don't have a way of borrowing a card I can only buy an old one. Is there one that you might recommend that will work with both my 3.1 and 1.1?

I always thought that a Graphics card either works or it doesn't without an "in between" state where it works for 10 minutes and then crashes the computer and goes to black? Maybe I'm wrong?
 
Gothboy1 said:
I always thought that a Graphics card either works or it doesn't without an "in between" state where it works for 10 minutes and then crashes the computer and goes to black? Maybe I'm wrong?
Click to expand...

A lot of cards will start showing artifacts before failing completely. It is very common for a video card to work well until warmed up a bit. Many of them develop cracks in solder joints that open as they are heated. Depending on where the poor joint is, you can get a wide variety of symptoms, most common are artifacts (bad area on the screen) and crashing. You could try the oven trick, heating the card up in the oven to remelt the solder and repair connections. There are procedures documented in several places, I think there is a thread here or in the peripheral section.
 
ColdCase said:
A lot of cards will start showing artifacts before failing completely. It is very common for a video card to work well until warmed up a bit. Many of them develop cracks in solder joints that open as they are heated. Depending on where the poor joint is, you can get a wide variety of symptoms, most common are artifacts (bad area on the screen) and crashing. You could try the oven trick, heating the card up in the oven to remelt the solder and repair connections. There are procedures documented in several places, I think there is a thread here or in the peripheral section.
Click to expand...

Interesting because I was getting artifacts...bad areas on the screen and tiny green specs on the second screen before crashing. Right now it's been working in El Capitain with computer/display sleep set to one hr and the screensaver to 20 minutes I'll see how long this lasts.

Wow the display card plastic covering is super hot to the touch though the fan is going.
[doublepost=1490551487][/doublepost]5 minutes later video went black and computer crashed. Fan still going on the Graphics card. Damn.

What is a flashed card?
 
Gothboy1 said:
Interesting because I was getting artifacts...bad areas on the screen and tiny green specs on the second screen before crashing. Right now it's been working in El Capitain with computer/display sleep set to one hr and the screensaver to 20 minutes I'll see how long this lasts.

Wow the display card plastic covering is super hot to the touch though the fan is going.
[doublepost=1490551487][/doublepost]5 minutes later video went black and computer crashed. Fan still going on the Graphics card. Damn.

What is a flashed card?
Click to expand...
It is a PC version card programmed by a third person to work fine with a Mac.

If you use a made for PC card, i.e a 5770, you won't have boot screens or some ports may not work.
If someone reprogram (flash it) this card it will work flawlessly with your Mac.
 
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