Re: Mac Pro/HD3 boot-up problem
 

hi there,
happy to read that I´m not the only one...
I got the same problem on my Mac Pro with HD3 - found out that everytime I´m booting with core card after shutdown Mac and Power of the studio Mac would have serius booting problems (red lamp alarm on the motherboard P-CU B. If I got it to run the cards work with no problems.
I just got the call from the Apple service that the got that problem with my core card in several other Mac Pros, too - so I guess, since the system is running in general (friends systems do) - that the core card seems to have a powerup problems.
Maybe there are several core cards out there who do have that problem - so check with digidesgn...
All the best - and after all lots of good music!-))
Carsten Schmelzer
Berlin

Re: Mac Pro/HD3 boot-up problem
 

Could there in fact be a compatability issue?

To my reading it seems like the card could be drawing too much power from the 3.3V slots which would obviously create a bit of a problem.

Re: Mac Pro/HD3 boot-up problem
 

C - We're looking into this, but I have a suspicion it's already been evaluated by engineering.

On the other hand, we do have some other clues.

I'm wondering - anyone having this problem, do you have any powered USB devices connected, especially to the front USB port? If so, does disconnecting them help at all?

Re: Mac Pro/HD3 boot-up problem
 

I have extensive USB devices. All are connected on the back ports though.

Port 1-USB KVM
Port 2-SELF Powered USB hub with 2 Iloks, Fastlane USB Midi Interface, and an extension cable going to another Self Powered USB Hub with a Command 8 and an extension going to ANOTHER powered USB Hub with a mini keyboard/trackpad.

Also, to update my current situation: Since a P-Ram clear I haven't experienced the grey boot screen. I DID however have 3 kernal panics in one day (the last one with no apps running). I Then ran Apples hardware test, checked permissions and ran Disc first aid. All these found NOTHING wrong, but I haven't had another kernal panic since running them.

all very frustrating, since I sure they'll return at the worst possible time.

Tim

Re: Mac Pro/HD3 boot-up problem
 

I have been having this problem with a dual core 2.66 Ghz MacPro with an HD Core and HD Accel card. The only USB devices I have plugged in are the keyboard, a Kensington trackball and an ilok (none of which are plugged into the front). When I unplug the Pro Tools hardware from the HD Core card (192's and Sync I/O) but with both cards still in the computer, the mac will boot up fine.

Re: Mac Pro/HD3 boot-up problem
 

There are no USB devices pluged to my front panel - in fact I disconnected all USB and Firewire, even the Monitor from the Mac and it wouldn´t help.
Just got the information from an apple support guy that there might be problems with certain Mac Pros (I think he said ...made in Europe)
Digidesign said they tried changing core cards with no help on these Pac Pros - so will we all get new Mac Pros to be able to work with the core card?!
arrrrrghhhhhh

Carsten

Re: Mac Pro/HD3 boot-up problem
 

I have no USB devices on front (and no Firewire at all) and just 1 iLok and keyboard/mouse chain on back.

I've just upped the memory on my machine (quad 3GHz HD3 running OSX 10.4.9, ProTools 7.3.1cs2) from 4x512MB modules to 4x1GB + 4x512MB modules (2Gig -> 6 Gig) and the booting problem is Loads worse. I took it all out and reseated it just in case but no luck. This of course may be some bad coincidence...

Re: Mac Pro/HD3 boot-up problem
 

My point in posting here was that I've observed the behavior people have been discussing *without* any third-party PCI-E cards in the machine, and with no Digidesign hardware involved. Seems kind of relevant to the discussion.

FWIW, I have *not* seen this behavior since applying the 10.4.9 system update, which was around the time I installed a WD Raptor 150-gig as the boot drive. One or the other change seemed to fix the issue.

Re: Mac Pro/HD3 boot-up problem
 

That's my config and as I said in my previous post, since putting in extra memory it's got worse too. Hopefully all these pieces will light up something in someone's brain soon!

Re: Mac Pro/HD3 boot-up problem
 

Just thought I would chime in here as well -- I am on a G4 Dual 1.42 - HD5/HD Expan Chassis - TDM 7.3.1cs2 - 2g Ram (matched)

Was having similar boot hang issues/date resetting (my nvram battery tested fine) which I posted on earlier in another thread -- I posted my "crash log" and Tech Support recommended removing my Belkin Powered USB Hubs -- After I did this I no longer experienced crashes --

I had two Belkins -- One going into a Gefen HD Extender and another connected directly to machine...

Thought this might be of use, apologies if it was not...