[SOLVED] Radeon x1900xt gone bad...

[gunnarinla]

I just came back from the Apple Store (Manhattan Village, CA) where I had an appointment at the Genius Bar.– I had been asked to bring computer with card (x1900xt) inside.– I did not bring any startup drive on grounds that I wanted them to use their system and not worry about my OS – I have three drives, using SnowLeopard of various versions...that was ok with them – they used small monitor and never bothered to even look at the card...

I told that card would start up fine and all would look normal, but after a couple of minutes, screen would go black without warning...

That didn't happen to them and I commented that their small mono-color monitor hardly taxed the card. they agreed.
Their diagnostics tools found no problem.

In other words – a total waste of time...I now know personally that the Genius Bar proposition is not worth bothering with.

What should I do...? – I need to run Photoshop on one 32" monitor at full HD (1920-1080) – The x1900xt could barely handle that– at any time – I would eventually get the rolling cursor after which no recovery was possible.

Is there a "golden cross" where economy meets performance...? – ...the Apple geniuses let me know that replacing the x1900xt with another (!) would cost me over $600....outrageous...
Grateful for constructive suggestions or recommendations...
gunnar in LA

 

[amdfangirl]

Boot up a Linux live CD and see if the same problem is apparent, it could just be corruption in the OS.

If it does turn out not to work, place the graphics card sealed in an anti-static bag and place it into the fridge. Expansion-contraction theory later, there is a chance it will be fixed.

 

[bwrlane]

Take a video of it happening and show them.

I had a problem with my iPad that I knew wouldn't happen when I took it to the store. And sure enough it didn't.

So I went in armed with a video. They asked me to give it to them on a memory stick to show their superiors if there was any problem with doing a warranty repair on my machine. They replaced the iPad.

 

[gunnarinla]

Boot up a Linux live CD and see if the same problem is apparent, it could just be corruption in the OS.

If it does turn out not to work, place the graphics card sealed in an anti-static bag and place it into the fridge. Expansion-contraction theory later, there is a chance it will be fixed.

....are you serious? – ...I take it you're in fact serious...
...no...it's not corruption in the OS...(how do I know? – ...I have three startup drives, one that has not been altered since summer of 2010...I have tested to see if problem might "go away" if I simply use one of these alternative startup drives – all running SnowLeopard of various "colors"....video card failed with all...)
...issue is moot now – I solved by getting an nvidia 8800 for Mac Pro 1.1 generation...seller offers to buy my faulty x1900xt card for 45 bucks...which would leave me with a total cost of 100 dollars to fix problem....

 

[gunnarinla]

...Thanks all for replies – as mentioned in reply to amdfangirl I solved problem by getting an nvidia 8800 card...it worked instantly and has so far been a wonder of snappiness and quiet...it's totally quiet. – It will work with the two startup systems I have even though one is 10.6.3...which I saw somewhere might not work with this card, but did...

This nvidia card seems overall a bit snappier and does not ever (so far) produce any artifacts like the x1900xt did (lines across screen...)

I "attended" a webinar first day i used card and I did see strange artifacts on webinar window, but I believe the source was generating those and not the card...have seen such before...)
The net is full of stories about problems with the Radeon x1900xt card...it's just an outrageously expensive and simply "bad" card...

 

[gunnarinla]

...and I have now been using my Mac Pro 1.1 for some time and never had a crash or any other problem...the nvidia 8800 card is almost completely quiet and there are just no "issues" at all anymore...
The artifacts I experienced in a webinar, were source generated....
All is well...I never understood the attraction of the Radeon card that somehow warranted its very high price....

 

[gunnarinla]

I have been advised to select a "best answer" – but there was no "best answer" – I provided the most valuable information so i should have the "best answer" recognition, but there is no provision for that.

...the replies given were no help at all, and should one have acted on them, one could be in for a pretty laborious, tedious and time consuming exercise...forget it...

 

[Ijack]

Don't you feel that last paragraph is rather rude to those who offered advice in all good faith?

I think that I'm going to give the OS X forum a miss in future. It seems to be peopled largely by spoilt, demanding people, with more money than sense, and spammers (which does rather reinforce the typical stereotype of Mac users). There's more interest to be found elsewhere.

 

[gunnarinla]

..."congeniality" kills truth...

...no, I don't think it was "rude"...it was true...
...what was 'rude" was offering insane suggestions for solutions....

...but it's all over now...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtSRD9i1Vyg

 

[amdfangirl]

Behave yourself. We are volunteers, not Apple Store employees.