Help with replacing old graphics card on OSX86

[canuckdude]

Hello,

I've had my Jas 10.5.3 Leopard for about 1 year now and it's been working perfectly, until recently my graphics card died. I have a dual boot Vista/OSX86, so I can still use this computer in the mean while with a temporary ATI x300 card.

1) How do I install this new one without breaking the install?

2) If I DO need to reinstall everything, how do I boot the current system and what is the best way to salvage some stuff from it.


If you would like to help me, can you please give detailed explanations.

Thank you.

Edit, My specs HP Media Center M8125x

Base processor
Core 2 Quad Q6600 (K) 2.4 GHz
1066 MHz front side bus
Socket 775

Chipset
Intel P965

Motherboard
Manufacturer: Asus
Motherboard Name: P5BW-LA
HP/Compaq motherboard name: Basswood3G-UL8E


Memory Installed 2 GB

Hard drive
400 GB SATA 3G (3.0 Gb/sec)
7200 rpm

Video Graphics
GeForce 7350LE
128 MB DDR memory
I/O Ports: DVI, S-Video, VGA

[aquamac]

Hi and welcome to Aquamac forums. Which video card did you have before?

[canuckdude]

Jul 28, 2009 18:24:59 GMT aquamac said:

Hi and welcome to Aquamac forums. Which video card did you have before?

Thank you for the welcoming and the quick response.

I posted my full specs in my above post. The card I had before was
GeForce 7350LE
128 MB DDR memory
I/O Ports: DVI, S-Video, VGA.


I just went out and bought a XFX GeForce 9800 GT 512mb (low power) because I don't want to upgrade my retail power supply. If you know this card won't work please tell me, and I will go exchange for a card that you may recommend.

My system is pretty much all retail parts and I was lucky that it worked previously without any hardware changes at all.

Thx For the help.

[aquamac]

This card should work fine. My preffered way to get this to work is using GFX trings and adding them to your apple.com.boot.plist.

Instructions on how to do this are here:

aquamac.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=hack1&action=display&thread=509

As is a prepreped download input list for your card.

Another alternative (slightly easier) is to download PCWizz's OSX86 tools and install the Graphics string with that:

code.google.com/p/osx86tools/

Or use NVDarwin.kext and install it with Kexthelper b7:

web.mac.com/v1.42ghz/Kext_Helper/Software_files/Kext%20Helper%20b7.zip