Using a Phillips # 1 screw driver, unscrew the screw right next to the graphics card.
Remove the G5 metal cover from the processing/cooling unit of the computer. NOTE: Apple inserted a rather fragile plastic pin that inserts through the top divider shield and clips into a tab on the hidden ledge of this CPU shield. Removing this pin, certainly voided Mac's warranty - but more appropriate for now, voids most after-market insurance plans. A replacement pin (new) is hard to get ahold of, and very few are talented and patient enough to remove this pin without damaging it. Just something to keep in mind. If you have no warranty any longer or don't care, please continue.
Unfortunately, you have the Mac that is by far the hardest to get a video card for.if you have one of the 6600 cards your only option is either an Apple OEM GeForce 7800GT or an Apple OEM Quadro FX 4500. Both are expensive, both can be tough to find, and that situation is unlikely to change in the near future.
![How To Remove Screw For Video Card Power Mac G5 How To Remove Screw For Video Card Power Mac G5](/uploads/1/2/5/4/125498753/358943874.jpg)
There has been talk of a retail card for the PCI-E Macs from XFX (probably a 7800/7900 series card) and ATI (X1900XT).both rumors have so far come to nothing. The Strangedogs video card flashing forum developed a modded ROM that allowed PC 7800 cards to be flashed to the PCI-E Macs, but - they have not yet released the ROM to the public - you need to pay them to do the mod for you. lately the person who does them has not been around the site, and - only certain 7800s work, and they aren't necessarily easy to find.
So, you're pretty much stuck either ordering a 7800GT/Quadro FX4500 from an Apple reseller as a repair part or scoring one off ebay. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. ATI has been pretty good about releasing a few retail cards for Mac users in the past.they have not yet done so for the Intel Macs, but hopefully we will see retail cards early next year at MWSF, possibly some Nvidia ones too if the rumors about XFX are true. The new Macs make it very easy to upgrade the CPU - hopefully the same will be true for the GPU as well in the near future. Other than Photoshop CS2 not being a univeral binary, I'd say you have nothing to lose by selling your Quad G5 and picking up a new Mac Pro with an X1900XT. Ati x1900gt release For myself I am trying to buy a Quadro FX4500 pull. I need the 3D output not higher game frame rates.
In any case, ATI has released the X1900 GT for the G5 pci-e platform. Sadly, it is a little crippled by only 256 mb and some other tech specs are crimped compared to the x1900 XT 500 MB MacPro version. Of course, it is more expensive and slower than a pc version but it is still way cheaper than a 7800 or a Quadro. Still, I think it delivers 7800 performance or better. Don't count out Strangedogs though. There are still good people there. Only one of the modders, Ruby Tuesday, is now considered to be a thief.
One other guy there still does the mods though. Hopefully, the core image of the GT and the XT mods will be the same so soon PC x1900 XT cards may be flashable to open firmware. In any case, most of you now have a more affordable option right now. Poor me sniff, I just lost again bidding on a Quadro.