new mac tower

[Lazza]

Hope this does not sound to stupid.
I have ProTools 7 and HD hardware with an old mac tower limited to OS9
Will I be able to place my HD cards in the new tower? Obviously I will have to update the software.

[peterle]

no

[JFreak]

Hi, welcome to the community.

If by "new" you mean these late 2019 Mac Pro cheesegraters, then no. OS9 era computers did not have PCI-express slots available, therefore your cards must be PCI. You can find 2nd hand G5 PowerMacs released early 2005 that are capable of running OSX 10.5.8 "Leopard" but that won't get you past PT8.

If you want to keep the old cards, your only option is to find an external chassis for them that can connect to a modern PCI-express computer.

[Lazza]

Thanks Janne for the info.

I will have to check but for some reason I think I have express cards. Won't be able to check till I get back to my studio in March. I seem to remember I have three cards in my kit two long and a short one. Will the cards have express written on them anywhere?
Sorry to be such a tech bozo

[JFreak]

You just remember it wrong. First ever Mac to have PCI-express was this late 2005 G5 model and that did not run OS9

[Lazza]

That is the Mac I have.
All metal casing, opens with the removal of a side panel giving full access.

[JFreak]

So you are not limited to OS9, instead your system is limited to PPC software.

If you have PCI-express cards (the ones that have inch-wide connector to computer) then you can buy almost any Mac Pro out there and be happy.

The old HD cards however require PT 10.3.10 or earlier which means you need to run OSX 10.8.5 or earlier. That means the 2019 model is out of the question.

Compatibility info here.

[Lazza]

Hi,
I have just looked inside my old tower and I believe there is a PCIe card and another smaller one. Are they both PTools cards. Shall i take a pic and attach it.
If I do the PTools test it states I have one PCIe card.
So I can proceed to a new mac tower I believe as my old comp seems a bit on the way out.

[JFreak]

Read the compatibility info I linked earlier. You cannot buy the new 2019 tower because it requires way too new OS -- take a look at 4,1 or 5,1 models, those are great for what you need.

[Lazza]

I want to update my protools program but mainly want to be able to use my cards
I mainly use Logic and the cards work well with that
I do appreciate your knowledge and it certainly is helpful