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Radeon 5770 in 2008 Mac Pro - won't boot past apple logo screen??

E

emjayen84

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 18, 2012
26
0
Hi,

I am very desperate for some help here. I have an early 2008 Mac Pro (3,1) and I recently swapped out my Radeon 2600 XT (I'm 6 months past the recall end-date), because it was giving me pink & green transparent checkerboard patterns and freeze ups often. It eventually got to the point where it wouldn't boot past the white & grey Apple logo screen. So, I researched & decided it was a videocard problem. So, I installed my new Radeon 5770 today, got the MiniD to DVI- adapter I needed. Now, it still will not boot past the white & grey Apple logo screen. Both of my hard drives have been working fine, one is brand new so I'm not thinking it's an HD issue. I am stuck and very frustrated, and out $300+ 'til I can get this working. I would GREATLY appreciate help with this.

Matt
 
Is your 5770 a true Apple card or is it a PC card?
Do you have a power cable running from the video card to the motherboard of your Mac Pro, one is required and should of come with your card.
 
ashman70 said:
Is your 5770 a true Apple card or is it a PC card?
Do you have a power cable running from the video card to the motherboard of your Mac Pro, one is required and should of come with your card.
Click to expand...

Yes, It's straight from Apple. and Yes, the power cord is plugged into the Logic Board. I couldn't edit my OP, but here's a couple of other things I tried since my original post:

I held the key down upon startup, ran Apple Hardware Test -- everything was 100%
then, from that same menu, I chose which HD to boot from, guess what? Neither would boot! Then, I held "C" to boot from my OSX 10.5.2 installation CD (i'm running 10.5.8) and I am in the OSX installation screen. I don't want this though, as this is what happened last time I had problems with the Radeon 2600 - I installed a new HD, just so I could log into OSX and use ANY of it.
 
Hi. I had a very similar problem but I replaced a 8800GT with a 5770.

I was able to boot into bootcamp though by holding alt at start up.

See my thread "not sure what is dead or dying"

To cut a long story short I had to replace the 8800 (with the 5770) and replace my Mac boot up drive. You could have bad sectors where GPU drivers are stored (my guess) or a corrupted boot up system.

BTW which of the HDs is your boot up drive?
 
emjayen84 said:
Yes, It's straight from Apple. and Yes, the power cord is plugged into the Logic Board. I couldn't edit my OP, but here's a couple of other things I tried since my original post:

I held the key down upon startup, ran Apple Hardware Test -- everything was 100%
then, from that same menu, I chose which HD to boot from, guess what? Neither would boot! Then, I held "C" to boot from my OSX 10.5.2 installation CD (i'm running 10.5.8) and I am in the OSX installation screen. I don't want this though, as this is what happened last time I had problems with the Radeon 2600 - I installed a new HD, just so I could log into OSX and use ANY of it.
Click to expand...


Need to do more research before purchase.

Pretty sure you need 10.6.4 or later for a 5770.
 
Yep, as mentioned you don't meet the minimum requirements for a 5770. It requires 10.6.4 or higher.
 
emjayen84 said:
Hi,

I am very desperate for some help here. I have an early 2008 Mac Pro (3,1) and I recently swapped out my Radeon 2600 XT (I'm 6 months past the recall end-date), because it was giving me pink & green transparent checkerboard patterns and freeze ups often. It eventually got to the point where it wouldn't boot past the white & grey Apple logo screen. So, I researched & decided it was a videocard problem. So, I installed my new Radeon 5770 today, got the MiniD to DVI- adapter I needed. Now, it still will not boot past the white & grey Apple logo screen. Both of my hard drives have been working fine, one is brand new so I'm not thinking it's an HD issue. I am stuck and very frustrated, and out $300+ 'til I can get this working. I would GREATLY appreciate help with this.

Matt
Click to expand...

Was this the original 2600? If so, it's a miracle it lasted 4 years?

I've had 4 die and a 8800 snuff it. All from Apple. After much encouragement I got them to send me a 'new' 2600 as a straight swap as the machine has been in for repair so often.

Hope you get it sorted.
 
G4DP said:
Was this the original 2600? If so, it's a miracle it lasted 4 years?

I've had 4 die and a 8800 snuff it. All from Apple. After much encouragement I got them to send me a 'new' 2600 as a straight swap as the machine has been in for repair so often.

Hope you get it sorted.
Click to expand...


Ha, yes. It was an original, but I bought it in August 2008 with the MacPro, but it started giving me problems about 2 years in. I guess mine lasted longer than most peoples'.

Okay, so I need 10.6.5 -- however, with the Radeon 5770 in, I can still boot from CD, and it gives me the option to partition, install fresh, archive & install, etc. and shows the normal 'space' wallpaper and everything, as though it were working - is this only because it's booted from CD? It just won't actually boot into OS X, without it being at least 10.6.5? That may sound like a silly question, but I very much appreciate the replies so far!
 
Wardenski said:
Hi. I had a very similar problem but I replaced a 8800GT with a 5770.

I was able to boot into bootcamp though by holding alt at start up.

See my thread "not sure what is dead or dying"

To cut a long story short I had to replace the 8800 (with the 5770) and replace my Mac boot up drive. You could have bad sectors where GPU drivers are stored (my guess) or a corrupted boot up system.

BTW which of the HDs is your boot up drive?
Click to expand...

I read your thread, but I only saw mentions of a 5870 card? Also, I boot up on the 500 GB (new) Seagate HD. So, I can boot from CD - which is only for the 'OSX install' (10.5.2 disc that came w/ MacPro), but not actually get INTO OS X. Is this a problem you had as well? Is this normal? I'm assuming once I get 10.6.5, it should boot right up from one of my HD's?..
 
goMac said:
Yes. You cannot boot from 10.5 with that card.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot. I just had to make absolute sure, as it seems like a strange coincidence that it is doing the same thing it did when the Radeon 2600 XT was eventually & apparently shot - The 'hanging at white screen, but able to boot only into OSX install on OEM disc'. I'm taking several peoples' word for it, and just guessing that is just what OSX does, in both circumstances.
 
emjayen84 said:
I read your thread, but I only saw mentions of a 5870 card? Also, I boot up on the 500 GB (new) Seagate HD. So, I can boot from CD - which is only for the 'OSX install' (10.5.2 disc that came w/ MacPro), but not actually get INTO OS X. Is this a problem you had as well? Is this normal? I'm assuming once I get 10.6.5, it should boot right up from one of my HD's?..
Click to expand...

The 5870 I had was a PC card which was in when my 8800GT died but the 5870 was inactive at the time. I have not put it back since though but I see no reason why it won't work (in windows). Basically the main character of my post is the 8800GT and the 5870 was a special guest.

I misread your initial post, I did not realise that you could boot from disc. I could not boot with the 8800 from HD or DVD but I could boot windows but I got code 43 error for GPU implying it had a fault.

When I replaced it with my new Apple 5770, I could get into log screen but it was incredibly slow with the initial HD I had. I replaced that HD with a new one and did fresh install via 10.6 disc and all is well. I have since installed the 10.6.8 patch.

But in your case if the boot drive is new it does imply that your OS is too old to support that card as the others above have mentioned.
 
Last edited:
Wardenski said:
The 5870 I had was a PC card which was in when my 8800GT died but the 5870 was inactive at the time. I have not put it back since though but I see no reason why it won't work (in windows). Basically the main character of my post is the 8800GT and the 5870 was a special guest.

I misread your initial post, I did not realise that you could boot from disc. I could not boot with the 8800 from HD or DVD but I could boot windows but I got code 43 error for GPU implying it had a fault.

When I replaced it with my new Apple 5770, I could get into log screen but it was incredibly slow with the initial HD I had. I replaced that HD with a new one and did fresh install via 10.6 disc and all is well. I have since installed the 10.6.8 patch.

But in your case if the boot drive is new it does imply that your OS is too old to support that card as the others above have mentioned.
Click to expand...

Oh, well i have a feeling the problem isnt just that i dont have 10.6.5 because I can boot from DVD which means one or more of my drives is bad possibly, i guess ill find out when i can find a place to get Snow leopard. everywhere in Oregon is sold out / and theyre not getting em back in stock supposedly.
 
Last edited:
SO, I held down "Option" whilst starting up the Mac Pro, it went to a blue screen, then LOADED my 500 GB new HD just fine, then logged on to my other account on the 'Macintosh HD' that came with it, and it works! I'm not even using 10.6.5, still on 10.5, but I do notice that loading pictures takes a little longer, and the color is a little 'off', and text is ever so slightly fuzzy, but still works! I'll just need to find where to buy Snow Leopard, besides online!
 
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