Frustrating Day

[Barry Johns]

To the responses above let me give more detail.

Let's call the core card (card 1)

Second Accel card (card 2)

Third Accel card (card 3)

Card 1 works perfectly all the time.

Card 1 & 2 together work perfectly all the time

Card 1,2 & 3 give all errors mentioned in my OP.

Card 1 & 3 give all the errors mentioned in my OP

To me, it seems clear that it's a Card 3 issue as the problems only occur when it's in the system.

If it were a PSU issue, wouldn't Card 3 work when used with Card 1?

All three cards have been working together flawlessly for the last six months.

I did have a Core Card go had in Jsnuary, but replaced it with another one in January.

Card 2 & 3 were all part of an original HD3 system manufactured in 2009. As stated above the original Core Card with the HD3 went bad in Jsmuary, now one of the Accel cards from that HD3 set has now gone bad, which now makes me wonder is the other Accel card going to crap out sometime soon?

I am sending the original Core Card and Card 3 to see if they can be repaired.

Ther is a Core Card on eBay right now for 278.00 I may go ahead and buy.

Based on my above comments, they seem to address all suggestions above, which I am immensely appreciative of, could there be any other things it could be that would reveal that Card 3 is in fact working?

Is there any DUC members with an HD PCIe rig in Central Florida that will let me test Card 3 on their rig?

[Barry Johns]

Originally Posted by fm_xtk

Hi Barry,

I would hazard a guess and say the PSU of your MacPro 1,1 is on the way out. What you are describing sounds exactly like a dying PSU. Core card alone is ok, Core + 1 Accel is ok, then the problems start.

I, like you, used to run a 1,1 with upgraded CPU (exact same chip). However, my issue has been related to a Magma chassis and it's PSU (see my DUC post here).

However, when I fixed the Magma and still got errors I ended up using an external PSU for the MacPro's GPU (which I'd upgraded in order to run Mountain Lion) as my Mac Pro's PSU was also knackered.

My symptoms were exactly the same as yours and the fact that the cards would pass digitest made me think of all sorts of causes for the crashes - far too complicated ones as it turned out. It's very unusual for working TDM cards to suddenly go bad like this. I have seen it happen but it's very unlikely.

My experience has been that PSU's are a much more common problem. They can go bad from one moment to the next, especially computer ones.

The problem of course is that the MacPro uses a non standard PSU. You can buy old ones on eBay for ridiculous money or you need to think outside the box (literally).

I hope you find a solution. It will probably require some tinkering with an external PSU and a long ATX cable or something. Alternatively you can look for a chassis - the power draw for a Magma host card will be much less than that of three TDM cards.

I ended up building a Hackintosh and couldn't be happier.

On a side note, can you send me the parts you chose to build your Hackintosh?

[fm_xtk]

Originally Posted by Barry Johns

If it were a PSU issue, wouldn't Card 3 work when used with Card 1?

I agree that looks like another issue altogether.

[fm_xtk]

Originally Posted by Barry Johns

On a side note, can you send me the parts you chose to build your Hackintosh?

PM sent.

[Barry Johns]

Mitch Berger was able to repair the card, it's on it's way back to me.

[Craig F]

and the problem was?

[Barry Johns]

Originally Posted by Craig F

and the problem was?

Good question, I really don't know, he said he repaired it, didn't think to ask what he did, but will and report back after I get it and verify all things are good!

[Barry Johns]

Continued frustration. So I sent the Accel card to get repaired. Was sent back saying it worked, well it didn't. I'm going to send it back again just to see if he can get it to work.

Then, I bought another Accel card on eBay, arrived yesterday, guess what, it didn't work either. Now waiting for him to return my money.

Anybody got an Accel card that actually works that you want to sell me?

[Barry Johns]

Saga continues. I recently ordered a Core Card from Alto Music, it arrived yesterday. Damaged, auggggggggggggggggh, apparently during shipping.

Sure, they will replace it or give me my money back, but seriously, how can my luck be this bad?

Pics of the card that I just got from Alto...FYI, it actually works, but I'm hesitant to keep it.

[JFreak]

If it works and it is only the endplate that has bent, I would just set it straight and be done with it