Dual 1.8ghz G5 Power Mac Video Card Replacement question

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MacBook 1.83Ghz Core Duo, 120Gb HD, 2Gb Ram, OS 10.4.11/PowerMac G5 Dual 1.8Ghz, 1.5Gb RAM, 500Gb HD
My Power Mac G5 Dual 1.8Ghz tower has a problem. About 3 weeks ago, when trying to wake up my G5 Power Mac, the screen came up black, with multi-colored vertical lines and dots randomly appearing, but the mouse arrow drawn perfectly fine when I'd move it. I could log into the Power Mac just fine through the network, but for all intents and purposes, the video was simply not working. The GeForce 5200 FX AGP PRO video card is messed up, I believe, and I need to find a replacement.

I have seen 2 cards recommended in this forum as a replacement. The ATI RADEON X1900 XT, but it looks like it's Intel Mac Pro specific, or the Radeon 9600 Pro, but it is just an 8x AGP card, not an AGP PRO. Does that make any difference?

Has anyone had any experience in replacing the AGP PRO card in the old Power Mac G5s with something better?

The other slots are just PCI-X slots, and unfortunately, nodda is available for that type of slot anymore. If what I read is correct, PCI-Express cards are not compatible with PCI-X slots?

I've also been told 8X AGP cards are useable in the AGP PRO slot, but the card's rom has to be flashed to be Mac specific. Is this also true?

I'm seriously stuck here. I can't finish the DVD project I'm working on until I get this resolved. Everything points to the video card as the problem.
 
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Silver M1 iMac 512/16/8/8 macOS 11.6
The 9600 Mac Pro 256MB will work, but make sure it is a Mac Pro as it is a different card to the identical PC card. Works in FW800 and G5's and is cooler than the 9800, and is quieter as it has no fan just a heat sink. Here is a link to OWC at www.macsales.com and the card:-

http://eshop.macsales.com/search/video+cards+AGP

Have a look at the prices and then shop around eBay dealers etc.

Suggest you get a Mac Pro rather than the flashed card.
 
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nMP 6-core/32Gb/D700/512Gb: rMBP 15" 2.3GHz/16Gb/512Gb: iPhone 6 128Gb: iPad Air 2 128Gb: NEC PA322U
Hi DakRoland,

The single core G5's all used AGP Pro slots, only the dual-core revisions changed over to PCIe 16x slots.

However, NO Mac Pro video card will fit in your G5. Mac Pros were PCIe from the start. You are correct in saying the a PCI-Express card will not fit in the G5s PCI-X slots.

It maybe worth taking a look on eBay for a replacement card, the Mac variations are a lot more expensive than the PC counterparts.

I have the ATi 9650 XT and its fine for design work and probably moderate 3D gaming/rendering (haven't tried either out yet though). The best card you will be able to fit is a nVidia Geforce 6800 Ultra, this is a very good 3D card but I don't know if you play games or render large 3D models etc to recommend for you.

Basically so long as you buy a Mac-Compatible card using the AGP interface you should be good to go. Just ensure the card to buy is AGP Pro compatible - this means it will have additional mounting slots, AGP Pro just sends more power to the card.

For a fuller explanation of AGP check out this site. Scroll down to AGP pro and you'll see the additional slots I'm on about.

Hope that helps you somewhat. :D
 
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Have a look at the specs from OWC for the 9600 and you will see it suits G5 1.8DP and they ARE AGP 8X and 4X compatible.
 
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How did you go DakRoland?

Think martyp may have been getting a Dual Processor and Dual Core mixed up a little. The 9600 sure would not operate in a Dual Core but it is the card for a 1.8 Dual Processor as it is cool, has no fan to fail and fry the card as is reported on the ATI Radeon 9800's.
 

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