10.8 Moutain Lion carries 6950/70 fix (and Fermi refinements too) !!!

[MacVidCards]

As confirmed by 2 separate parties, the use of 6950 and 6970 is now possible in stock version of 10.8.

With any luck this will give Netkas the pieces needed to bring this fix to 10.7.3

7970 still not going yet in 10.8

There is now built-in support for GTX5xx cards in 10.8 and it seems we no longer will need to edit AGPM, the cards are now self throttling.

 

[ActionableMango]

It's fantastic to finally see support for newer cards and Nvidia improvements.

A 7000 series card might very well drag me out of Snow Leopard and into Lion territory.

 

[wonderspark]

10.8 will run PC cards as is? No more need for special Apple cards, or is that still needed?

 

[MacVidCards]

10.8 will run PC cards as is? No more need for special Apple cards, or is that still needed?

Until all video cards come with an EFI ROM and a regular BIOS, there will always be a need for EFI added or emulated.

This isn't the place for a primer on EFI.

The grey boot screen that appears when you push power on button has nothing whatsoever to do with drivers, OS, or anything on your hard drive.

What I am reporting is that the much troubled 6950/70 project no longer requires special drivers to work. The drivers in 10.8 are complete.

Netkas offered up an EFI64 ROM for 6950/70 cards. COmbine it with your 6950/70 BIOS and in 10.8 you have a functional card, no additional hacks needed.

As far as GTX5xx cards go, the brilliant guy who wrote the GTX470/80 EFI will need to take another shot at GTX5xx cards. All of his efforts have ended in misery so far. As is, you can use GTX5xx cards using ATY_Init, same as before, but now you don't need to edit the device id into the drivers or fiddle faddle with AGPM.

Everything written here can be googled, I would rather move discussion forward rather than list a bunch of definitions that anyone can google for themselves.

I next need to see how 6870 and Quadro 6000 behave

 

[ClassObject]

This isn't the place for a primer on EFI.

Why not? Give it up. 6870 works great.

 

[wonderspark]

Sorry to annoy you so. "Built-in support" read as plug-n-play in my mind. I thought that would be amazing. So, in my stupid mind, nothing new for my world.

 

[BigJohno]

This is great news! I will take a 6970 but a 7xxx series card would be better...

 

[MacVidCards]

10.8 will run PC cards as is? No more need for special Apple cards, or is that still needed?

I have discovered that a Mac Pro 1,1 can use a 6950/70 in ML.

You won't see boot screens, but card self initializes and can even run 4 displays.

This is in a Mac Pro 1,1 so the card's 64 bit EFI has nothing to do with it. The 10.8 DP has drivers that work quite well with the card. (iTunes is the exception)

Many ATI cards have had this functionality since 10.6.6 MBP release. 10.6.8 included it and all 10.7 releases have had it. Some 5xxx cards don't have working DP when run this way, but they can be flashed for better support, though maybe not all will work as hoped.

But 10.8 is unique, up until this OS release the only way to get the cards to work was to use special drivers that Netkas "fixed". Now the drivers come working A-OK right from Cupertino.

We are hopeful that 10.7.4 will have this same functionality. Once this is the case, the 5870 will no longer be king of the ATI/AMD hill in our Mac Pros. (with 7970 somewhere in the future too)

 

[Inconsequential]

So what stage are we know with PC cards (Flashed or otherwise)?

For example, if I popped a 5870 or 6970 into my MP in replace of my Apple 4870, will everything work just as it should Edit: With the necessary firmware/kexts?

The bold bit is important, if it doesn't work, then it is NOT a solution.

 

[ActionableMango]

For example, if I popped a 5870 or 6970 into my MP in replace of my Apple 4870, will everything work just as it should?

No.

 

[MacVidCards]

So what stage are we know with PC cards (Flashed or otherwise)?

For example, if I popped a 5870 or 6970 into my MP in replace of my Apple 4870, will everything work just as it should?

The bold bit is important, if it doesn't work, then it is NOT a solution.

That's funny.

So we should only report GPU discoveries when they are 100% perfect with no effort or bother required from the user?

ALOT of people have bought 6870s and placed them in their Mac Pro and been thrilled with results. No flashing or hacks are needed for basic functionality. I am pointing out that the same behavior is coming from 6950/70 when used in 10.8.

Many would consider that good news.

If you want everything perfect and functional from the second you yank it out of the box, The Apple Store is your friend. A 5770 or 5870 will do as you have asked. (Unless of course you try to use an OS or System Disk prior to 10.6.5, in which case you will be rather disappointed. It won't work at all, much less "just as it should")

Maybe you'd better hold on to that 4870......

 

[Inconsequential]

That's funny.

So we should only report GPU discoveries when they are 100% perfect with no effort or bother required from the user?

ALOT of people have bought 6870s and placed them in their Mac Pro and been thrilled with results. No flashing or hacks are needed for basic functionality. I am pointing out that the same behavior is coming from 6950/70 when used in 10.8.

Many would consider that good news.

If you want everything perfect and functional from the second you yank it out of the box, The Apple Store is your friend. A 5770 or 5870 will do as you have asked. (Unless of course you try to use an OS or System Disk prior to 10.6.5, in which case you will be rather disappointed. It won't work at all, much less "just as it should")

Maybe you'd better hold on to that 4870......

Never said you shouldn't report it, I asked, if you read it again "what stage where we at?" I've edited my original post for clarification.

I'm not adverse to flashing GPUs or messing with the kernel, been there, done that and would quite happily do that if the end result would mean that I'd have a boot screen, games working (Steam), iTunes (Some kernel panic at the moment I see), mDP and DVI ports working, etc.

Just because people have fitted 6870s into a MP (Believe me, I want to get rid of my 4870) and were thrilled doesn't mean they have to avoid doing something (E.g. Launch iTunes) in order for it to work.

So, if I bought a 6870 (one with the correct firmware, ports, etc), flashed it and installed whatever kernel extensions, what *wouldn't* work?

 

[wonderspark]

Never said you shouldn't report it, I asked, if you read it again "what stage where we at?" I've edited my original post for clarification.

I'm not adverse to flashing GPUs or messing with the kernel, been there, done that and would quite happily do that if the end result would mean that I'd have a boot screen, games working (Steam), iTunes (Some kernel panic at the moment I see), mDP and DVI ports working, etc.

Just because people have fitted 6870s into a MP (Believe me, I want to get rid of my 4870) and were thrilled doesn't mean they have to avoid doing something (E.g. Launch iTunes) in order for it to work.

So, if I bought a 6870 (one with the correct firmware, ports, etc), flashed it and installed whatever kernel extensions, what *wouldn't* work?

I was thrown off by the post as well, and after what read to me like a condescending reply, determined that MacVidCards is probably someone I wouldn't hang out with in person. I know a lot of people who know more than I do, but they're usually better about educating people than what I've seen in this thread, because this post is apparently for people who already know all about flashing GPUs, and everyone else can just go elsewhere if they want more information.

Us dummies is be polluting the thread with stoopid questions that the elite can't be bothered to answer without a rotten attitude.

 

[MacVidCards]

I was thrown off by the post as well, and after what read to me like a condescending reply, determined that MacVidCards is probably someone I wouldn't hang out with in person. I know a lot of people who know more than I do, but they're usually better about educating people than what I've seen in this thread, because this post is apparently for people who already know all about flashing GPUs, and everyone else can just go elsewhere if they want more information.

Us dummies is be polluting the thread with stoopid questions that the elite can't be bothered to answer without a rotten attitude.

Hold on, let me get out my spoon....

I'm just trying to report news of 10.8, why am I required to regurgitate all of the 6870 and other info which is contained here on these very boards?

The info is there, why not do a simple search and apply some critical thought?

The info is there guys. Either read it and learn or remain blissfully unaware. I refuse to give each new person their own personal interpretation.

It is not my job to "educate you", it is your job.

 

[wonderspark]

I've educated myself, but your choice of words can be misleading at times.

Can you put your spoon down and answer a simple question, or do you simply lack the confidence in your knowledge to answer in a sentence or two? You wrote more to belittle others than it would have taken to tell Concord Rules what wouldn't work... several times over.

Just because you're having a terrible month doesn't mean you should drag everyone else down with you. Goodness, man.

 

[MacVidCards]

I've educated myself, but your choice of words can be misleading at times.

Can you put your spoon down and answer a simple question, or do you simply lack the confidence in your knowledge to answer in a sentence or two? You wrote more to belittle others than it would have taken to tell Concord Rules what wouldn't work... several times over.

Just because you're having a terrible month doesn't mean you should drag everyone else down with you. Goodness, man.

Google and the "Search" bar up on right corner are your friends. Feel free to use them when you have a break from analyzing other people's lives.

I REFUSE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ANSWERED AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES BEFORE. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT DON'T COME POSTING IN A THREAD I STARTED !!!

I'm sure that you are doing a grand service standing up for the rights of the Lowest Common Denominator, please just do it in someone else's thread.

 

[highdefw]

So what the OP is saying is that the 6000 series is simply plug and play? As if I bought it directly from apple like a 5770? As for NVidia, are you saying I should start saving up for a GTX 580???!!!

 

[wonderspark]

Google and the "Search" bar up on right corner are your friends. Feel free to use them when you have a break from analyzing other people's lives.

I REFUSE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ANSWERED AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES BEFORE. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT DON'T COME POSTING IN A THREAD I STARTED !!!

I'm sure that you are doing a grand service standing up for the rights of the Lowest Common Denominator, please just do it in someone else's thread.

Nice rant. I award you three stars for anger, but zero stars for useful information. Maybe someone who knows the answers to the questions of the LCD will stop by for some enlightenment.

 

[MacVidCards]

So what the OP is saying is that the 6000 series is simply plug and play? As if I bought it directly from apple like a 5770? As for NVidia, are you saying I should start saving up for a GTX 580???!!!

Thank you, I was beginning to wonder if anyone remembered why I started this thread. The 6870 has had basic functionality since the 10.6.6 MBP update. This functionality moved into the general OS in 10.6.8.

You will not see the EFI "Boot Screens" but desktop will appear. There have been many MANY reports on here and at Netkas regarding this. There are some limitations, but doing a search is best way to find experiences of a broad group of users.

If you have a Mac Pro 3,1 or later, you can flash card and gain boot screen and fix some of the other issues. For these machines, the cards are nearly flawless in that the lower DVI port will display a boot screen and the 2 MDP ports as well as the HDMI port can be used simultaneously for a total of 4 displays. If you buy one that only has 1 @ DP, you can only run 3 displays.

So far in 10.7, the only way to get a 6950 or 6970 to work was to use some patched drivers that the Great Mac God Netkas wrote. The amazing discovery in 10.8 was that the "it just works" behavior of 6870 has now moved to 69xx cards. And when they are flashed with an EFI written by Netkas, they have boot screen, etc. The only remaining big problem is that iTunes crashes out the system. Netkas knows how to fix, he may or may not fix the 10.8 DP drivers for this. Can't speak for him.

The GTX5xx cards have been able to be gotten working by usig ATY_Init in 10.7+. Unfortunately, you also need to add the device id to one kext and remove another kext to gain full power. The great thing in 10.8 is that neither kext fix is needed now. The cards just work, albeit with ATY_Init still needed. It is possible that the guy who wrote the EFI that boots GTX470 and GTX480 cards may someday get a GTX570/580 written, if he ever gets a chance.

My intention with this thread was to post info on NEW discoveries in 10.8. It was not to give a primer on Mac EFI and GPUs, nor was it to recount a history of which cards did what in what OSs.

This thread was started to discuss 10.8 and the new GPU options that are available in it. If there are people with questions about older OSs and older GPUs, they should read the pertinent threads on those. We move ahead when we build on past knowledge. To do so, we have to avail ourselves of it and not expect someone to regurgitate it to us at our leisure.

 

[wonderspark]

That last post of yours, along with:

7970 still not going yet in 10.8

would have been an excellent first post in this thread. Thank you... it's now moving forward!

 

[ActionableMango]

Just because people have fitted 6870s into a MP (Believe me, I want to get rid of my 4870) and were thrilled doesn't mean they have to avoid doing something (E.g. Launch iTunes) in order for it to work.

I haven't heard of inability to launch iTunes with 6870. Maybe you are thinking of 6950/6970.

 

[wallysb01]

Google and the "Search" bar up on right corner are your friends. Feel free to use them when you have a break from analyzing other people's lives.

I REFUSE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ANSWERED AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES BEFORE. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT DON'T COME POSTING IN A THREAD I STARTED !!!

I'm sure that you are doing a grand service standing up for the rights of the Lowest Common Denominator, please just do it in someone else's thread.

Wow, you got issues. If you come here to tell people something is possible, you should probably expect questions about it....

Googling stuff like this is often not easy. That's why we have forums to ask/answer questions, like this one.

On a slight side note, why do people have some sort of sense of ownership over a thread they start? People aren't going to play by what ever rules you wish to try and enforce just because you pleasured us with starting the thread. Get over yourself.

 

[pprior]

Sorry to pollute this thread, but I have to LOL when I'm reading through this great news only to find that you can't even run this stuff without it puking all over itself when you try to do something esoteric like, say, open itunes....

Man I sold all my PC rigs close to 10 years ago just to get away from updating bios, flashing boards and endless driver conflicts. I can't in any way imagine why you all would want to inflict pain on yourself like that.....

But I return you to your regularly scheduled hackfest and wish you all well. Me, I'll just stick to what works.

 

[derbothaus]

It is great news. It is to be taken or left as so. If you know what is possible with the news, great. But no one should complain about free info. Not too many of you are testing cards and have access to many models to test against. So why complain about anything? Hacking does not always yield easy results. If you are so truly excited to get an upgrade, buy a card and try it yourself. You can always return it. Costing you very little. If this does not sound like a great idea you should probably wait for an official Apple upgrade card.

 

[wallysb01]

It is great news. It is to be taken or left as so. If you know what is possible with the news, great. But no one should complain about free info. Not too many of you are testing cards and have access to many models to test against. So why complain about anything? Hacking does not always yield easy results. If you are so truly excited to get an upgrade, buy a card and try it yourself. You can always return it. Costing you very little. If this does not sound like a great idea you should probably wait for an official Apple upgrade card.

I don't think anyone is complaining about this new capability of OSX. I think a few people were a little confused by the OP's few posts, asks some question, and the OP reacted poorly to them. Why get your panties in knot when someone unfamiliar with this kind of capability or is simply confused by word choices starts asking some questions? This is a forum to TALK right. The OP seems to think he's here to make some grand announcement and we're all just supposed to "get it" right off the bat.

To someone like me, who's happy to do anything short of recompiling the kernel, this was something I wasn't aware of. As such the OP's first few posts had me a little confused as well. A lot of people read these posts that have a large diversity of familiarity with computing. Plus, this is a computer forum, so its quite off-putting when someone behaves like the OP and essentially acts annoyed when asked to, you know, talk on a forum he posted to. But hey, I'm not trying to enforce some code of conduct here. I'm just saying my basic went something like this as reading down the post:

1) "Mac Pro's running 10.8 can use the better XXXX graphic cards, neat."
2) "Wait, not exactly, you need this EFI64 ROM and BIOS for the card too?"
3) "Oh ok, that doesn't sound too hard, I've done plenty of stuff similar to that. Anyway, too bad I don't care about GPUs"
4) "Jeez, this guy is kind of a DB."
5) "Wow, look at said DB blow up at the guy who asked the same questions I would have had I not being doing other things."