" Mac Pro: Video frame rate appears to be slow in some programs
If you are running Mac OS X 10.4.7 on your Mac Pro and notice that the video in some programs or games appears to be slow, check the Mac OS X build number. The build number is available in the About This Mac window. To locate the build number:

From the Finder, go to the Apple menu and select About This Mac.

When the About This Mac window appears, click on the gray text that says "Version 10.4.7" directly under the large words "Mac OS X".

This will toggle the text to give you the build number. It should say "Build 8K1079" or something similar.

If your build number is 8K1054 or anything less than 8K1079, use the Install discs that came supplied with your computer to perform an Archive and Install. This will update your computer's version of Mac OS X to Build 8K1079 and should improve the video performance. "

This page has other Mac Pro owner comments on different builds they've seen (including later ones than 8K1079 mentioned above) as well as some reporting problems with build 8K1079.

Mac Pro OS X 10.4.7 Build Comments: (later reports first. Other Mac Pro owner comments are welcome.)

(added 9/11/2006)
" 3 System Builds for Mac Pro's
I was having some strange issues where my applications would just crash for no apparent reason. I was wandering around the Apple Discussions and found an interesting thread indicating that the 3 System Builds exist for Mac Pros.
The first was not listed but the secondary one's were:
Mac OS X 10.4.7 build 8K1079 (Instability)
(that's the build apple mentions to use in their previous Mac Pro: Video frame rate appears to be slow in some programs kbase doc)
And
Mac OS X 10.4.7 build 8K1124 (Stable)
The first Build exhibits instability in some applications like Parallels, Second Life, and Xcode's OpenGL Shader Builder Application and Path Finder, which will not even open. I tried Path Finder and it just crashes instantly.

Apple Discussions Thread:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=632315&tstart=0
Also there exists two SMC versions:
1.7f6 and 1.7f8
Hopefully Apple will address this issue in 10.4.8 or in Mac Pro update.
-William R. "

(added 9/11/2006)
" I am one of the beta testers working with Neil on PathFinder and the Mac Pros. (developer noted problem reports from Mac Pro users running build 8K1079) I believe I was the first to report the crash on build 8K1079 of OS X.
Interestingly, during a recent support call with Apple (I needed new install DVDs), they said that my build (8K1079) of OS X was fine. I wonder what build will be on the new DVDs when they finally arrive?
-Milhouse "

(reply to above)

(added 9/11/2006)
" Not everyone has the same SMC Version either.
Boot ROM Version: MP11.005C.B00
SMC Version: 1.7f6
When someone says your build is fine, remember, they are not a programmer, they have a book telling them what to say or what is confirmed. And there really isn't anything they can do (and they don't want everyone calling in saying "my disks are bad."
Is it buggy? Has there been a version that isn't or doesn't have a bug? I know some programs that won't work until 10.4.8 is out.
-Gregory "

(added 9/11/2006)
" After doing a -lot- of forum reading and posting, I have noticed an interesting thing: some people who report they can run Parallels without kernel panics (albeit using a workaround that limits their RAM), people who have no problems with Second Life, and some other odd behavior like Xcode OpenGL developer apps crashing have a newer build of Mac OS X 10.4.7 than the earlier Mac Pros were shipped with. Most earlier Mac Pros from last month shipped with build 8K1079 (mine included). Newer machines have been confirmed to ship with build 8K1124.

People with 8K1124 aren't reporting problems with Kernel Panics and other oddness in a few apps that people with 8K1079 are. Of note, most of the new build computers also contain an ATI card, but from what I remember reading the new build is not exclusive to systems with the ATI card.

Something is amiss, and hopefully these fixes will be rolled into the upcoming 10.4.8 update.. though a much-sooner Mac Pro only update would be nice.

The newer build is not on my DVDs; I have reinstalled from them.

By the way... I think the original complaints about my Kingston RAM may have been unfounded.. (he posted several reports on the page of Mac Pro owner reports on 3rd party Memory) they may have been directly tied to the OS build I have. While I am happy knowing I have huge heatsinks and Crucial/Micron RAM, a bandwidth-friendly 8 DIMMs and all... I have since found people who had similar issues as mine and yet had Apple RAM alone installed.

To summarize what problems I saw and what others are seeing with their Mac Pros:

Parallels Kernel Panics, even with the RC update made for the Mac Pro

Second Life Kernel Panics on systems over 2GB of RAM and "freezes" every once in a while for users with 2GB unless you hack the game to run under Xcode's OpenGL Profiler with a reduced function set

Pathfinder crashes

Xcode OpenGL developer tool crashes

bizarre multiple hard drive bay problems, usually 10-15 second "pauses" during copying files. I ended up fixing this by reinstalling OS X on a new WD drive and reintegrating my other WD drive and Apple-supplied Hitachi drive back into the system. I haven't seen ANY problems since. I initially blamed it on the Kingston RAM, though now I wonder. IN any case, it was fixed for me, but other users have had similar issues.

I will admit only a small subset of users will ever run into these problems, if at all. It is entirely possible Apple didn't encounter them either, in testing. This is especially true when you consider the problems get worse with more RAM installed.

People with new Mac Pros with the newer OS build and ATI cards aren't seeing any of these issues from what I have read... except for maybe some Parallels crashes. The hardware boot ROM and SMC versions on all the machines are the same, so I don't think any hardware has changed. But the OS definitely did.

Until I get my ATI card upgrade kit, I can't test to see if it is the -card- (and its drivers) that solve the problem or the newer build (which if the new card does not solve the problems I can assume the new build will.) At this point I think the problems lie squarely with the OS build, but I can't confirm that until I have the card and/or the OS update...
-Paul "