I have played Myst V since it came out, on my 2.7 GHz Dual CPU PowerMac G5, with no trouble anywhere in the game. But now it freezes the video in random places, and the cursor disappears, while the audio continues on. I have tried my original Mac OS 10.4 OS, and every incremental upgrade (along with the graphics driver updates supplied by Apple for the ATI Radeon 9650) to Mac OS X 10.4.11, and the freezes always happen. Originally this game played with all the Video Options set to default. Now, to reduce the frequency of freezing, I have to turn off both Anti-aliasing and Anisotropic filtering. This allows more playing time before a freeze, but the graphics are noticeably degraded. I have cleaned the disc, vacuumed the graphics card, tried various options in System Preferences, like not allowing "Nap," and selecting "High" CPU mode in the Energy Saver panel (I usually use "Automatic"). It seems that nothing over which I have control affects freezing except as noted above.

Does anyone have any idea about what is happening? Apple's graphics drivers must be used with this computer, i.e. I cannot go to ATI.com and download their retail driver, and there is no Apple Radeon driver that I can find that is later than what came with the latest OS version.

As a first pass, see:
-- Powermac G5 freeze
-- Frequent Kernel Panics/Freeze up, PowerMac G5
-- 1.6 G5 freezing problem
-- freeze, freeze, freeze

Some of the stuff in those threads may not be directly applicable to your PowerMac G5, but look for related "fixes"!

Heimdall,

I read all of your references, and all the links within links. The last link you posted does contain some material on freezes within games, but apparently there were no fixes for any of them, except an Apple-created fix for the iMac, which I do not have. My computer has never frozen on anything except Myst V, and that only from about April of 2007 to present. Before that, no freezes at all. I do believe it is graphics card or graphics driver related, but other than that, have no clue. Thanks for your response!

Forgot to note that this topic is a continuation of Cursor "Freeze" on PPC PowerMac; Third time Game Played, which documents your earlier efforts to resolve the problem.

Well, OK, you have a problem that's gradually been getting worse. Could it be hardware-related?

Take a look at random freezes, fans spinning up to full speed on G5, especially "...just had a very similar pb on my quad g5. Intermittent, and then more and more frequent crashes, even after system update etc ... I actually found that the video RAM was faulty (on my expensive quadro fx card) using Techtools deluxe (in fact testing the VRAM caused systematic crashes). I opened the box and found a considerable amount of dust inside, in particular on the exhaust of the graphics card ventilation. I cleaned carefully everything, and have had no crashes anymore." You got maybe an internal dust bunny infestation?

There's also Powermac G5 Hard Drive Heat/Cooling Tip (Relocating HD Temperature Sensor).

Or maybe it's a slow leak. See Power Mac G5: Coolant Leaks (scroll down the page).

If you're into troubleshooting:
-- Power Mac G5 (Late 2004) 1.8GHz models stop responding randomly
-- General Steps in OS X Troubleshooting
-- 20 Troubleshooting Steps for OS X
-- Mac OS X 10.4 Help, My application quit unexpectedly
-- Multiple applications quit unexpectedly or fail to launch, especially the steps under "In addition to the reasons cited ...steps below in the order specified."

And again, some of the above stuff may not be directly applicable...etc.

Heimdall,

Thanks for your response. I will try TechTool Pro v 4.1.2 on the hardware and see if the video RAM looks bad.

[Edit: Just ran the full hardware sequence of TechTool hardware tests... all passed including video RAM.]

I would like to add here that this freezing problem is unique to Myst V; no problems on any other game or other app.

Currently the workaround for my computer to play Myst V is to set "Anisotropic Filtering" to OFF. Seems to have prevented freezes. (I don't know what this is anyway... so missing it can't hurt, right?)

See also Likely fix to Mac OS 10.5 problems.

Heimdall,

Thanks for the link... I had seen that, but it applies only to Mac OS X v 10.5.2, and no other version of the Mac OS (I run 10.4.11.) I'm not "upgrading" to Leopard, since it has no support for the Classic Mac OS.

Yeah, I know you're running 10.4.11 - you said as much in your first post in this topic!

The "see also" is for those other folks who might read the topic.

Sorry, thought that was for me.

Over the last couple of days I have replaced my operating system by doing an "Archive and Install" using my original Mac OS 10.4 Install disc, and then upgrading with the v 10.4.11 Combo Updater, but leaving out all the Apple Security updates that have been incrementally added to the OS since 2007. I thought maybe the OS was just slower with the added baggage. But nothing has helped. Since the highest performance video card available today for my particular computer (uses an AGP 8X card slot) is the ATI Radeon X800 XT, I have considered upgrading to that. But the installed ATI Radeon 9650 supplied with my PowerPC 2.7 GHz dual CPU computer has specs so much better than the minimum requirements for Myst V, that I hate to throw $400 or so at the problem without knowing it would fix it.

The game is still playable, but it's like watching Star Wars with 20 commercial breaks.

Does anyone have any further advice? Thanks!

I played Myst V in "Windowed Mode" and ran CHUD's Processor Palette separately to watch CPU activity. Both CPUs showed roughly 50% activity during play... nothing that would make me think the CPUs were causing the problem. I also ran a Memorex laser cleaner DVD on the "Superdrive" in the G5... no luck; still freezes. I guess the OEM ATI 9650 graphics card has lost some capability or speed since 2005. So today I ordered the only ATI Radeon X800 XT Mac Edition I could find... from Amazon/eMegaDiscount. And it is a used component, in "very good" condition, according to Amazon's website. $400! This had better fix the freezing problem, or they are getting it back!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: wstrohm,

Good luck with the new card!

For reference, Review and Installation: ATI Radeon X800 XT Mac Edition.

And if your luck isn't so good:
-- Problems With ATI Radeon X800 XT Mac Edition (problem discussion starts about 1/3 of way down thread)
-- ATI Radeon 9800XT AGP for PowerMac G5

Heimdall,

Thanks for those links. (Hope I don't have the artifact problems mentioned in the forums of your second link. Since this is a used card, who knows?) I'll post the results here after installation.

Well, I did plan to post back after installation, but as it turned out, I never received the ATI Radeon X800 XT Mac Edition graphics card from emegadiscount (via Amazon.com). They claimed they shipped it on 4/17, but it never arrived. It was the only one available, according to Amazon's website at the time I ordered it, but strangely enough now another one has appeared at Amazon, also used, also "like new," by a different seller, and priced at $489, $90 higher than the one I ordered. I have been notified of a refund, but no explanation for what happened to my original order.

I would be interested to know whether this item actually exists, or whether Amazon and friends are playing a "jack up the price" game with me.

As of the moment, I no longer intend to spend >$400 for a $300 item that may fix one video game.

Maybe a Radeon 9800XT for $265?

Thank you, Heimdall G, I will research the specs on that card. It won't be as good as the X800 XT, but it might be good enough.

You can see the differences in performance between the 9800XT and the X800 XT in this table.

After reviewing the relative performance of the various AGP graphics cards for the PowerMac G5, I decided to try & find another ATI X800 XT. And I did, on eBay. However, apparently eBay doesn't want me to spend any money with them...

Since I am already registered with them, I attempted to sign in, only to be told that either my user ID or password was incorrect. So I clicked on "Forgot Password," and they asked for my user ID and e-mail address, after which the next window reported "We just sent you an e-mail." Well, that was yesterday, and this is today, and no e-mail here.

I also tried requesting access as a "guest," but was kicked out because "You are already registered." Same thing when I tried to register as a new user. At one point they asked for my ZIP code and phone number, but then replied that
my responses did not "correspond to our records." Having had the same ZIP code and phone number for the last 29 years, I think maybe their records suck eggs.

So I finally sent them an e-mail outlining the above problems... no response yet. And the ATI card I saw is a "Buy now" at $349; $50 less than that of my previous abortive order at Amazon.

Finally accessed eBay (which had somehow changed my userID) and ordered the "brand-new" X800 XT, paid by PayPal, and got acknowledgment from the seller that I paid the right amount. Now to wait for shipment from somewhere... (maybe Hong Kong?)

If the card is being shipped from Hong Kong, there might be a delay longer than implied in the seller's notes - US import requirements and all that. And if the seller gets really creative with shipping, you might also want to be prepared for a visit from Homeland Security and some searching questions....