topic Re: ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE in Installation & update

ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE

Anonymous — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:18:53 GMT

Yesterday Apple replaced the following:

Both of the above graphics cards in my MAC PRO (I have a card for each monitor), and

the same graphics card and cover in my MACBOOK PRO.

These were replaced because of a known problem in the card when running high end graphics programs such as ArchiCAD.

Had I not had the Extended Care, would have cost me close to $2,200; but as I do have the Extended Care, cost 0.

If anyone else has had the experience of what looks like an attempt at modern art take over their screen while in the 3d window, and has the above card, this is the problem. there was a problem in the manufacture of "certain" ATI cards and Apple has chosen to replace them. On my computer, that is 2.5 years old, they have has replaced 5 graphics cards.

Re: ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE

Thomas Holm — Fri, 22 May 2009 20:29:13 GMT

Interestiing. You must be a good negotiator! I guess this is the same issue as in this thread, see the attached image (Maybe a moderator should join the threads?)
I've had the issue on my MacBookPro 2,2 (late 2006, ATI Radeon X1600) and on my MacPro 3,1 (Dual Quad-core 2008, ATI Radeon HD2600). But not yet on 10.5.7.
What specific machine models do you refer to? Did you run into the issue with 10.5.7?

Re: ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE

Anonymous — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:22:26 GMT

my big mac pro is:

Hardware Overview:

Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro1,1
Processor Name: Dual-Core Intel Xeon
Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz
Number Of Processors: 2
Total Number Of Cores: 4
L2 Cache (per processor): 4 MB
Memory: 8 GB
Bus Speed: 1.33 GHz

It has two graphics cards that run one monitor each. they are
ATI Radeon X1900 XT:

Chipset Model: ATY,RadeonX1900
Type: Display
Bus: PCIe
Slot: Slot-1
PCIe Lane Width: x16
VRAM (Total): 512 MB

My MacBook Pro 17" has

Hardware Overview:

Model Name: MacBook Pro 17"
Model Identifier: MacPro1,2
Processor Name: Intel Core Duo
Processor Speed: 2.16 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per processor): 2 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz

It's graphics card is:

Chipset Model: ATY,RadeonX1600
Type: Display
Bus: PCIe
PCIe Lane Width: x16
VRAM (Total): 256 MB

I am using the latest update for ArchiCAD 12 on both computers. These problems started in 11 and continued to 12 and I hope after all the Apple replacements that they are past.

Re: ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE

Thomas Holm — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:51:31 GMT

Seems we're talking about the same thing. My MBP, although a bit newer than yours, has the same X1600 card as your, and a lot of iMacs (named in the other thread) and MacPros also have these problematic cards. It seems to affect a lot of ATI cards of several models, not just a few samples. But the issues started with Leopard (OSX 10.5), and did not happen with Tiger, so it might just as well be a software/driver issue, that hasn't been fixed until now.

If our problems continue, it would be good to know what info you have about the "known problem". Is that your designation, or is it Apple's, and did you get any documentation from them confirming this?

If somebody else has this problem under 10.5.7, please post!

Re: ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE

Anonymous — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:18:15 GMT

I received a letter form Sean Fennelly about this:

"Hello Beverly,
Im sorry to day it’s a issue with the hardware, its not a Mac issue, but a ATI issue on cards made for Mac, This happens in any intensive program. The only fix we know of at his time is to replace the cards with other cards then ATI cards.
Regards,
Sean Fennelly
Helpdesk Agent
Graphisoft North America
support@graphisoft.com"

So I went online and found this "http://www.aticlassaction.com/index.html", then called Apple support (I am now on a first name basis) and told them since there was a known issue with this card dating back to 2006, and that they sold me these computers (with these cards in them) after that, and that I am covered by the Apple Care Protection Plan; I felt they are responsible for the problems I have had since I purchased the computer and upgraded to Leopard. the upshot is that they agreed and I have what I could almost call new computers.

bk

Re: ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE

Thomas Holm — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:28:59 GMT

You must have found the soft spot in Apple Support. Congratulations!

Re: ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE

Anonymous — Sat, 23 May 2009 19:55:44 GMT

Look at Macworld, June 2009 issue, page 46, left side.

Re: ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE

Thomas Holm — Sat, 23 May 2009 20:20:01 GMT

Archimamamia wrote:
Look at Macworld, June 2009 issue, page 46, left side.

Sorry, don't have that. Could you brief us?

Re: ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE

Dwight — Sat, 23 May 2009 22:12:12 GMT

Many magazines are available online for free, now.

To download the MacWorld June 2009, go here.

MacWorld June 2009 Free Download

It comes as a RAR so you need

UnRarX

Free UnRarX download

Re: ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE

Thomas Holm — Sun, 24 May 2009 01:33:19 GMT

Is that a Pirate Bay for magazines?

And thanks. I have the Unarchiver, works just as well. And opens lots of formats. And starts when I need it without my asking!

Re: ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE

Thomas Holm — Sun, 24 May 2009 06:53:35 GMT

OK, I've read it. It's a proposed settlement in a class-action suit, concerning those in the US who bought almost any ATI graphics card no later than March 2006, claiming they were not "HDCP ready or otherwise conforming to High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection" specs.

I don't believe lack of HDCP copy protection has anything to do with this thread's subject, other than the fact that if almost all of ATI's production was flawed in one way at that time, it could be in some other too. Meaning if they're crooks, they're crooks?

'Our' issue concerns that ATI cards generally (I've no idea of the limits) are vulnerable to an OpenGL overload issue when operating high-end graphics programs within Apple's MacOSXLeopard. Leopard was released in late 2007, long after the period the suit concerns. The vulnerable cards were sold even longer (we bought the 8-core MacPro less than two months ago). They were AFAIK all built-in or bundled with Apple computers.

So my reply is: -So what?

Re: ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE

Anonymous — Fri, 29 May 2009 22:11:10 GMT

Hi, have been so busy and did not check back here for a few weeks.

In answer to someone's question "so what"...I mentioned all information to Apple when I called their support line, everything I had been told by Graphisoft and/or read in Mac World..."so what" happened is that Apple agreed to replace all my graphics cards, which included a new logic board on my laptop and the cover on said laptop. So <what>I saved close to $2,200.00 in costs because of my Apple Care Protection, and the above information.

So What?

Re: ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE

Thomas Holm — Sat, 30 May 2009 09:27:22 GMT

Quite interesting. In short, Apple's support people's ignorance about this OpenGL/Leopard ATI issue goes to the extent that they don't even realize that the class action suit about HDCP has no connection with it - so they shell up!

No offence meant, but I think your luck is in the class of Gladstone Gander's!

Sadly, I don't think this will do us other OpenGL-fault-stricken any good.

On the other hand, I haven't seen the issue in 10.5.7 yet. They may have got their act together at last!