Installing ATI Radeon HD 3870 and Leopard

Hi Everyone,

Well I've been putting off upgrading to Leopard because of all the hiccups I've been reading about in the 95 posts - but since it's been out for a while and I hoping most of the bugs have been worked out with the latest version -- 10.5 right?

I'm doing a lot of work in Motion and decided to upgrade my graphics card to the ATI Radeon HD 3870 and although the Tech Support at OWC told me BEFORE I purchased it that it would work with Tiger, I can't install the graphic card software unless I have Leopard.

I'll be in between projects soon and am getting my courage up to install the new operating system and graphics card & software.

For the Leopard upgrade - do I install over Tiger? Or do an archive and install?

Am I right in the order of steps:

1) Install Leopard
2) Check for software updates and perform
3) Use disc utility to repair permissions after software install and upgrades
4) Install Graphic Card software
5) Check for software updates and perform
6) Use disc utility to repair permissions after software install and upgrades
7) Turn computer off and install graphic card

Is there anything else I need to know? I have several other applications installed on my this computer like CS3 - How likely is it that I will encounter problems with other apps currently on my system?

My system is has been working great for a year and I'm very nervous about doing these upgrades but really want my new card installed.

Any advice from you wise souls that will save me from headaches is much appreciated.

Thank you,
Shelley

Shelley
MacBoo Pro 2015
16 GB Ram
OS X 10.13
Premiere Pro CC

Shelley,

If I was going to do this I would set aside time to do it the correct way. (My idea of correct).

I would first back up your current boot drive onto a Firewire drive (to make it bootable), so that no matter what happens you can go back more easily. Use Carbon Copy Cloner and you have insurance.

Then install Leopard by first erasing the boot disk and I do mean use the writing all zeros to the drive first. That will take an hour, then install Leopard. After installation, get the Combo update to 10.5.4 and install that. Then use the Software Updates to install any thing that makes sense before installing applications.

Then, use Disk utilities to Check/Repair Disk permissions. This seems to be critical (to me) at this juncture.

Then install Final Cut Studio 2 and any other applications you need from the installer disks, then run Software Updates again and then Disk permissions, again. make sure everything is wotking as expected, then install the video card and retest.

I, just last week went through this on my Quad G5. I regret that I did not update my video card when I could, but!

I mentioned the writing all zeros to the disk because it took me a couple of attempts and reinstalling leopard more than once to get both FCS2 and Logic Studio installed. Since they both have Soundtrack pro 2, it took a bit of doing to get them both installed correctly. i also have Adobe CS3 on this G5 and it seems to work just fine.

Plan and work thhrough a squeeky clean install and it should serve you well.

Thanks for the info John,

I made a bootable external FW drive using Carbon Copy Cloner and I back up to it regularly using Speed Tools. So I could do a final back up then perform as you suggested. Sounds like a day or two long project.

A couple of questions:

1) How can I double check to see if the FW drive I back up to is bootable? When I click on the drive and "Get Info" it doesn't say that it's bootable. Someone told me that if it has an operating system on it (in this case Tiger) than it's bootable, But since I never had to boot from it I would be more comfortable testing it? How do I do this?

2) So I need to buy the Leopard 10.5 software and THEN get the "Combo Update"? Where do I get the "Combo Update"? Is that available on the Apple site?

3) If i wanted to install Leopard on both my Mac Pro Book and Mac Pro Desk top do I have really have to pop for the Family package? With Tiger, you could install on a lap top and desktop.

Thanks again for your guidance,

Shelley

Shelley
MacBoo Pro 2015
16 GB Ram
OS X 10.13
Premiere Pro CC

shelleyrae Wrote:

>
> A couple of questions:
>
> 1) How can I double check to see if the FW drive
> I back up to is bootable? When I click on the
> drive and "Get Info" it doesn't say that it's
> bootable. Someone told me that if it has an
> operating system on it (in this case Tiger) than
> it's bootable, But since I never had to boot from
> it I would be more comfortable testing it? How do
> I do this?

Open up System Prefs and then click on Startup Disk. This will show you each available startup device.

> 2) So I need to buy the Leopard 10.5 software and
> THEN get the "Combo Update"? Where do I get the
> "Combo Update"? Is that available on the Apple
> site?

Yes, I prefer to download it instead of letting the Software Updates do it. Go to Apple.com>Support>Downloads

> 3) If i wanted to install Leopard on both my Mac
> Pro Book and Mac Pro Desk top do I have really
> have to pop for the Family package? With Tiger,
> you could install on a lap top and desktop.

That is a good question. I am not sure of the legal implications of loading the same OS onto more than one machine. I would get the legal family package to be sure. I always have gone with the same restrictions of a pro application, that it can be loaded on a Desktop and a Laptop!

> Thanks again for your guidance,
>
> Shelley

My understanding is that Mac OS X is now, and always has been, licensed for use on one Apple computer. If you have two computers, I believe you have to buy two copies of the operating system. But since the 5-license pack is cheaper than two single-license packs, that's the way to go.

Hi All

Unless Apple changed this in the last year or so -
you can install FCP on 2 computers - One tower and One laptop-
both computers have to be registered in your name -

Look at your users agreement towards the bottom of the page-
kind of hidden but its there --Jay--

Last year I was able to install FCS2 on both the laptop and desktop. I could also install Tiger on both the laptop and the desktop. Maybe they got strict about the one computer limit with Leopard.

Shelley
MacBoo Pro 2015
16 GB Ram
OS X 10.13
Premiere Pro CC

You can install Apple software on any number of Macs. But that doesn't necessarily mean you're allowed to under the terms of the license. Double-check me on this, because I'm not completely sure. But I think the license for Final Cut Studio is one desktop and one laptop owned by the same person, but the license for Mac OS X is one Apple computer period.

Read the license to be sure, though, 'cause I could be mistaken.