1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Apple Graphics card for OSX 10.7.4

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by law99, 5 Feb 2013.

  1. law99

    law99 Custom User Title

    Joined:
    24 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,390
    Likes Received:
    63
    How does it work with GFX cards then and OSX.

    Version 10.7.4 which I believe is mountain lion? ... is in use.

    Can you just plug in your card, i.e. GT 430, and you are good to go?

    Is there bundled drivers in with OS or repository similar to GNU/Linux distros with drivers available?

    GF needs to use two monitors and on the machine apparently only has one output. (This is a tower unit, so should have PCIe slot I'd imagine. Not an all in one jobby.) Located at her work, so I can't exactly look for myself. :grr:

    I have a card I can lend their IT dept... but if they need outside help for a £30~ gfx card then I think her worries should be somewhere else.
     
  2. jizwizard

    jizwizard Modder

    Joined:
    24 Dec 2010
    Posts:
    1,934
    Likes Received:
    147
  3. law99

    law99 Custom User Title

    Joined:
    24 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,390
    Likes Received:
    63
    Cheers. They want to make this difficult I see.
     
  4. saspro

    saspro IT monkey

    Joined:
    23 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    9,610
    Likes Received:
    401
    10.7 is Lion not Mountain Lion.
    Technically you should only buy a proper apple graphics card (essentially custom firmware on a standard card) to put in the mac pro however in reality most newer ATi & nvidia cards work however you do lose the white screen etc during boot and the card doesn't kick in until the desktop appears.
     
    law99 likes this.
  5. law99

    law99 Custom User Title

    Joined:
    24 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,390
    Likes Received:
    63
    Are these something available through a distributor? Any in particular?

    Edit: Yes... turns out 10.7 is just a lion. Not a mountain lion
     
  6. saspro

    saspro IT monkey

    Joined:
    23 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    9,610
    Likes Received:
    401
  7. Cei

    Cei pew pew pew

    Joined:
    22 Mar 2008
    Posts:
    4,714
    Likes Received:
    122
    Righto.

    Sounds like she has a Mac Pro, as that's the only tower Apple make. However, that immediately makes me suspicious - Mac Pro GPUs always have had 2+ outputs. It depends on what era of machine she's using, but off the top of my head she should have one of the following:

    2006/7: 7300GT or X1900 XT
    2008: 2600 XT or 8800GT
    2009: GT120 or 4870
    2010/12: 5770 or 5870

    So yeah, get her to either find out what GPU she has in there right now, or at least take a picture of the PCIe bay I/O.
     
    law99 likes this.
  8. law99

    law99 Custom User Title

    Joined:
    24 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,390
    Likes Received:
    63
    Woah... do they want an arm and a leg for a 5770!?

    So, yeah. Unless someone has had the card out of there that seems unlikely.I'll get her to get me a picture of it from the rear. I don't think she is allowed to take the side off.

    I don't want to make a moan about Apple thread... but I'd be pretty peeved if I had a new machine only capable of 1 display. There are some USB adapters out there that can give you and extra monitor for OSX I saw for about £70~ thought. They could be worth a shout.
     
  9. saspro

    saspro IT monkey

    Joined:
    23 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    9,610
    Likes Received:
    401
    The usb adapters aren't bad but not great for anything other than text, I have a couple on my macbook pro so I can have 4 screens in use (although that'll change when I get the cable to connect my 30" screen to it)
     
  10. jizwizard

    jizwizard Modder

    Joined:
    24 Dec 2010
    Posts:
    1,934
    Likes Received:
    147
    standard 5770 should work fine in it
     
  11. Cei

    Cei pew pew pew

    Joined:
    22 Mar 2008
    Posts:
    4,714
    Likes Received:
    122
    There's no need to take the side off - a shot of the rear I/O would work fine, or she can click the Apple logo in the top left, select About This Mac, then More Info. This will open the system profiler, where she can select Graphics on the left hand side and it'll tell you the card.

    Macs capable of single display output are the laptops (although newer models can do more) and the older iMacs. The desktop towers have always been capable of 2 at the absolute minimum. Even if somebody has replaced the GPU with something else, I still fail to see how it can have less ports.
     
  12. elAwesome

    elAwesome What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    1 Nov 2012
    Posts:
    214
    Likes Received:
    3
    Just upgrade to ML and you're got a whole bunch of GPUs to run (basically every Fermi and Kepler).
    But AFAIK 10.7.4 has the drivers for Fermi (GTX5xx) cards.
     
  13. law99

    law99 Custom User Title

    Joined:
    24 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,390
    Likes Received:
    63
    Cool. I'll get her to have a look. I was suprised when she said the it person said it was going to cost loads and it couldn't do it...

    Honestly a second monitor is one of the biggest productivity boasts you can make and it would he well worth the relatively small investment this company would be making.

    I have 2 Fermi cards she could use, but I'm not giving them to her work. I'm not lending them a card for anything other than testing for the day. But I can't be bothered to sort them out till after the weekend. In the mean time I just want to make sure they aren't doing something stupid like not knowing what a displayport mini is or something...
     
    Last edited: 5 Feb 2013
  14. law99

    law99 Custom User Title

    Joined:
    24 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,390
    Likes Received:
    63
    Hard to see as gf is using iphone... but are these not Apple's mini displayport connections to the right of the dvi?

    [​IMG]

    I'll email her now with instructions on finding out what card is in there.

    Edit: Just got another picture and it is clear as John Terry is a **** that they are mini display port connectors. My other hint is that is a dual bay gfx card... so I'd be surprised if they had that beefy a card but no dual monitor support.

    Second Edit: It is indeed a 5770 in there... I'd be pretty peeved if it didn't do two monitors!
     
    Last edited: 6 Feb 2013
  15. Cei

    Cei pew pew pew

    Joined:
    22 Mar 2008
    Posts:
    4,714
    Likes Received:
    122
    Yes, those are MDP ports, which when combined with the full size DVI port means it's a 5770 or 5870. Basically her work IT department is staffed by retards.

    It will happily support triple monitors, you'll just need to get the MDP to DVI adapters. No need for a second card in the slightest.
     
    Last edited: 6 Feb 2013
  16. saspro

    saspro IT monkey

    Joined:
    23 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    9,610
    Likes Received:
    401
    Tell them I'll swap it with the 2600 in my macpro if they want 2 DVI ports :D
     
  17. debs3759

    debs3759 Was that a warranty I just broke?

    Joined:
    10 Oct 2011
    Posts:
    1,769
    Likes Received:
    92
    How will you fit the new card without removing the side of the case?
     
  18. law99

    law99 Custom User Title

    Joined:
    24 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,390
    Likes Received:
    63
    Ha ha... at a bargain price of £100 too! That's half the cost of the official apple price. :lol:

    I've recommended an active adapter... she won't be going over 1080p I'd imagine. You need USB power adapter for bigger res don't you? Something to do with conversion.

    Anyhow, if they buy the active ones, if there is a spare screen lying around at some point, they can go right ahead and use a 3rd with another adapter, and if they foolishly bought a passive, it's ok as I already had them buy an active one.

    Correct me if I'm wrong.

    IT can take it off and poke around, but my lady friend won't be so inclined! Kapiche? /joke although the first part isn't a joke. The kapiche bit is.
     
  19. saspro

    saspro IT monkey

    Joined:
    23 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    9,610
    Likes Received:
    401
    You just need to £20 apple adapter to do a regular screen on the mac.
    Or if you use an apple monitor it plugs straight in
     
  20. law99

    law99 Custom User Title

    Joined:
    24 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,390
    Likes Received:
    63
    She'll be using Dell screens I'd imagine from what she's said before. I recommended a startech adapter based on no reviews, no feedback, no experience and zero effort.

    I did a tiny bit of research and heard that the Apple adapters sometimes don't play nice with non-Apple monitors. So therefore I immediately took that once sentence as infallible and unwavering as if handed down by Steve Jobs himself.

    Here is the startech one
     

Share This Page