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8800 GTS/GTX Mac Pro Taskforce

bobthecow

By bobthecow,
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bobthecow
bobthecow
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Hey all-

I know I'm not the only Mac Pro owner that wants to upgrade from the lowly 7300 GT or outdated X1900 XT.

People have successfully gotten the 8800 GTX and 8800 GTS working booting to Windows (only).

However, the computer will not even boot into Mac OS X with the 8800 card installed (and a 7300 GT in for example).

Since we have the 8800 cards (except for GT) working in Leopard on Hackintoshes, why can't we do it on a real Mac?

With the NVinject work done, we should be able to do it.

 

For those who don't know Mac Pro owners will need two (2) of these power cables to supply adequate power to the GPU:

http://www.welovemacs.com/9227128.html

 

So to expedite the process I am placing a twenty dollar ($20.00 USD) purse if we can get this to work.

The person who makes the breakthrough will get the purse via PayPal.

Other people may pledge as well.

 

Let's get this project moving!

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Blubb
Blubb
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@olofd: We' are talking about a 8800GTX inside a Mac Pro not Hackintosh. Sure you did it ? If so, can you give us some informations ?

 

The last step was the following. I didn't had enough time yet to make a clear test of this. But i'll try it soon.

 

1) Clean install Leopard with your 7300GT inside!

 

2) Extract the attached NVinject.kext.zip and move extracted NVinject.kext to ROOTDRIVE/System/Library/Extensions

 

3) Open up the "Terminal"

 

4) Type: sudo chmod -R 755 /System/Library/Extensions/NVinject.kext

 

5) Type: sudo chown -R root:wheel /System/Library/Extensions/NVinject.kext

 

5a) Use "Disk Utility" and press "Repair permissions"

 

5b) Check in "Terminal" if: sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions/NVinject.kext gives any errors or loads successfully

 

6) Close "Terminal"

 

7) Shut down Leopard

 

8) Remove 7300GT from your MacPro

 

9) Put in 8800GTX

 

10) Try to boot into Leopard

 

11) Report back ;)

 

 

PLEASE DO NOT USE THE INSTALLER!!! IT INSTALLS TIGER KEXTS!!! LEOPARD HAS ITS OWN, NEW NV KEXTS! ONLY INSTALL ATTACHED NVinject.kext!

NVinject_1_.kext.zip

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slinger
slinger
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I just wanted to add some additional info to this thread based on experiments I've already done with attempting to get an 8800GTS card working in a Mac Pro...

 

I've attempted to go the NVinject route with a Leopard install, and while NVinject can be loaded without any problem using kextload, and indeed even the NVDAresman and NVHAL50 kexts also load fine with kextload, once the machine is rebooted it kernal panics at the point where the screen turns blue during bootup.

 

One experiment that I tried with TheMAXX32000's help was to attempt to load the nvidia.efi file contained within the Macbook Pro 8600M bios and then proceed with booting OS X. This attempt failed due to the fact the nvidia.efi file is a 64 bit binary, and needs a 64 bit efi environment to run in. The efi environment for my Mac Pro is 32 bit, and thus nvidia.efi would not load as it was an "invalid image file".

 

My particular Mac Pro is one of the Quad 2.66GHz models, but I think its possible that the 8 core Mac Pro models may actually use a 64 bit efi environment, so it would be very interesting to see if someone who has an 8 core MP coule try the nvidia.efi method and see if it works. Also, another possibility might be to see if it was possible to flash a quad core MP with the 8 core firmware and see what happens there. I am reluctant to try this, and indeed I have no real idea how to do it.

 

FYI: It is a well known fact that the Mac version of the 7300GT does not get along with any other kind of PC video card, so if you have it installed along with a PC video card, the Mac Pro will fail to boot pure and simple. What is not so well known is that the MAC version of the X1900XT does not have this problem and can be used alongside PC video cards. I have tested this with both a PC 8800GTS and a PC 8800GT video card.

 

Hopefully together we can figure this problem out. I have noticed that the 10.5.1 update contains newer NVIDIA kexts than the ones that come with Leopard, so maybe that will help things along...

 

-Robert

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slinger
slinger
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The ATI bios and Nvidia bios are completely different though, so you can't expect to get the same result out of the two brands.

It's not clear what point you are trying to make. Are you referring to the use of nvidia.efi to attempt to initialize an 8800-based card, or the fact that the Mac X1900XT is more compatible with PC cards?

 

-Robert

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vbetts
vbetts
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It's not clear what point you are trying to make. Are you referring to the use of nvidia.efi to attempt to initialize an 8800-based card, or the fact that the Mac X1900XT is more compatible with PC cards?

 

-Robert

 

It was refered to this part of the post.

FYI: It is a well known fact that the Mac version of the 7300GT does not get along with any other kind of PC video card, so if you have it installed along with a PC video card, the Mac Pro will fail to boot pure and simple. What is not so well known is that the MAC version of the X1900XT does not have this problem and can be used alongside PC video cards. I have tested this with both a PC 8800GTS and a PC 8800GT video card.

 

Sorry for not clearing that. :( But we need to be able to flash the bios, which flashing the bios isn't the problem. It's flashing right to the right bios, but we have no real base for the bios to go on.

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bobthecow
bobthecow
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So, to summarize, the main obstacle is that the Mac Pro EFI is 32 bit? And the card wants a 64 bit EFI?

Also, could we flash the 8800 to the Quadro ROM to allow Mac OS X to boot?

Please explain if I am misinterpreting the information.

 

P.S. My 8800 GTX is in the mail and I have a 30 day replacement warranty, so just tell me what I need to do. :(

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vbetts
vbetts
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Okay, the bios on a GTX, or any 8800 are set up boot up properly in a normal PC. A Mac, is a heavily moddifed PC, the bios on the 8800 series aren't set to boot up on them. Like I said, we maybe able to flash the bios, but what would we flash them to? There's no reference for the 8800.

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bobthecow
bobthecow
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Okay, the bios on a GTX, or any 8800 are set up boot up properly in a normal PC. A Mac, is a heavily moddifed PC, the bios on the 8800 series aren't set to boot up on them. Like I said, we maybe able to flash the bios, but what would we flash them to? There's no reference for the 8800.

 

Ok thank you.

10.5.1 just came out, and I believe the nVidia kexts have been updated.

It doesn't help us much though.

Anyone have any ideas?

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bobthecow
bobthecow
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I don't know if this will expedite the process, but I really need to get the 8800 GTX working in Mac OS X on my Mac Pro.

So, I am bumping up the reward to $100 USD (ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS) via PayPal, if someone can help me get it working.

 

Thank you.

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bobthecow
bobthecow
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Ok, my 8800 GTX arrived, and I have been using it in Windows.

So, correct me if I am wrong, but people have successfully flashed PC X1900 XTs to be compatible with the Mac Pro, because the ROM they flashed onto the card was a Mac one with the EFI and BIOS.

Is it possible to apply the same princliple and flash the 8800 GTX PC Version to say, the Mac Pro Quadro FX 4500 to gain the necessary EFI component?

Or could we extract the EFI from the Quadro FX 4500?

$100.00, anyone?

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vbetts
vbetts
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They can flash the PC x1900 to a Mac X1900 because that have the code of the x1900 mac editions bios or efi, but there is no source for the 8800. Maybe the 8600 in the macbook pro could help out some. I don't know for sure, since I'm not a coder in any way.

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bobthecow
bobthecow
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Yes, I understand that that is the reason they could use the PC X1900 XT.

What about flashing to the Quadro FX 4500, like I said earlier?

If that isn't possible, I have a MPB as well as the Mac Pro.

Just tell me how I can help...

 

We really need to get this working!

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Vishaakje
Vishaakje
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Glad I found this topic. I have a Mac Pro as well and I'm not too pleased with the crappy video card ;)

 

I still have a video card from a pc I dumped: EN7600GSSilent, I know this has nothing to do with getting the 8800 to work, but if there is some testing possible I am more then happy to try something. I'm running 10.5.1 btw

 

Just thinking out loud here but isn't it possible to boot the pro on the standard 7300 and end up using a secondary card wich happens to be a kick ass 8800?

 

edit: Just tested with 2 cards in, but I'm not able to get any screen shown, just stays black. OSX does start completely though. I'm shuttin down using "ctrl+eject , return".

Tried all the slots and resetted the PRam every time, no luck.

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JollyRogers
JollyRogers
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The extra step is the ROM. Apple uses EFI and PC's use BIOS. If you have a newer mac pro and the 8800GTS you have is G82 then check http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=434092I have flashed an eVGA 8800GT w/ the 8800GT rom from the mac pro(early 2008) and it will work... IF you have a new macpro and the rom on the card is 1024X1K, because the rom is 64bit vice the 32bit of the older macpro's and exceeds the typical 64k of pc bios roms. When the 8800GT "upgrade kit" for the older macpro's comes from apple then this will be a possibility for them also if someone will share the rom dump.

Is this the best method of powering these? http://www.welovemacs.com/9227128.html ? Know of a better/cheaper method?I rigged up a weirdo cord to plug into the sata power port where my hard drives go, but now im using 4 harddrives soo.... :(
Yes: http://shop.ati.com/product.asp?sku=3280778
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TK521
TK521
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FYI: It is a well known fact that the Mac version of the 7300GT does not get along with any other kind of PC video card, so if you have it installed along with a PC video card, the Mac Pro will fail to boot pure and simple. What is not so well known is that the MAC version of the X1900XT does not have this problem and can be used alongside PC video cards. I have tested this with both a PC 8800GTS and a PC 8800GT video card.

 

-Robert

 

Robert thanks for the info and hello. This is my first post here. I have a Pre 2008 Mac Pro and already have a modified PC X1900XT that I am using. I just wanted to clarify something, based on what you said. If I go out and buy any PCIe card, I should be able to use it in my Mac Pro as long as the X1900XT is in there. Is that what you were saying? And does the X1900XT still have to be in slot one, or were you able to place your PC cards in slot 1 to take advantage of the 16X lane. Also were you able to boot into OSX Tiger as well?

 

Thanks

Mario

 

Also if any one is interested, here is a link to my Mac Pro mods. http://www.fieryjackproductions.com/mymacmods/

The X1900XT is be powered by the same power line that powers both my Disc drives, 2 extra hard drives and the lights. The 2 extra hard drives are set up with the hard drives in bays 3 and 4 for a RAID 10 setup. No problems what so ever with power and heat. I even have a Creative PCI express sound card in there (will boot to OSX, but no drivers for it). The sound card sounds much better IMHO than the Realtek sound card built into the motherboard. And VISTA has drivers for it as well.

 

Any feedback would be great.

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