Mac Pro GPU

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So I guess a while back macbook pros came down with a bit of a deadly problem with GPUs, to which Apple offered a free repair (see link?):
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/apple-notebooks/169837-kernal-panics-gpu-issue.html

Yesterday I encountered the same problem with my mac pro 2008 model (Mac Pro (Early 2008) - Technical Specifications). It froze in the middle of use.
-I could use the mouse, but nothing was responsive
-Any key combination was unresponsive
-Blue and sometimes yellow squiggely lines covered the screen, although the desktop was still visible

The only resort was to restart using the power button. The problem has persisted - sometimes it boots and works for an hour, sometimes it boots and works for five seconds, or most times it loads up with a picture like the one shown, gives the apple logo, the swirl, and once the swirl has finished loading simply freezes.

Occasionally I also get the black screen of death along with blue bars/squiggely lines (usually squiggely lines if it crashes after booting, blue straight lines if it crashes/is going to crash while booting).

I tried resetting the PRAM with command option p r, to no avail

These are the same symptoms as described in the other forum link above - ie. I think its the GPU or logic board, any thoughts?

Thanks in advance?

Photo on 2010-08-05 at 23.11.jpg
 
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Also:
Just opened her up and after it crashed on boot at the apple logo with the blue vertical lines and felt the gpu - it was burning hot. I reset the SMC by pulling out the power chord, holding the power button for five seconds and plugging the power chord back in, but it was again useless. However, it might just be overheating - ill let it cool down over night and try again tomorrow....
"NOOO mac why have you forsaken me....."
 

chscag

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Is the machine covered by Apple care? If it is, make an appointment with Apple and take it on in. It does look like it may be a GPU problem which of course means a swap out of the graphics card. Do you by chance have a spare graphics card that you can try?

Also.... check to see if the fans are all operating OK in the machine. The graphics card fan, CPU fan, tower fan, etc.

Let us know.

Regards.
 
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Not anymore, unfortunately. I have an older mac lying around with an NVIDIA GeForce 6600 instead of the 8800? Are those compatible?

I looked inside and all of the fans are running, including the graphics card fan. Its a bit dusty, but works fine.

I heard from a friend that on the mac install cds theres a hardware check utility - would that help isolate the problem?

Thanks already for your help
 

chscag

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I'm not sure the nVidia card will work, but it's worth a try. As far as the Apple Hardware Test goes, it's not the most accurate predictor of trouble but it may find something. Give it a go.

Let us know what you find out.

Regards.
 
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I also have techtool pro. If I could ever get it to boot... haha.
Turns out I do have Apple Care still, I thought it had already been three years for some reason but it turns out it was only two. So I called the support people, and I'm taking it in tomorrow to the genius bar. I'll keep the world updated in case anyone ever has the same problem. Thanks for your help =)
 

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