iM 4,1-14,4 2011 iMac Graphics Card Upgrade

[wlagarde]

The RX580 is actually the easiest because the WX7100 card should already come with a working vbios, you just need to do the back-light mod. Not sure what’s happening with the DyingLight but in the mean time you can do a basic “hot-wire” mod instead, I think I posted about that before, to re-cap… You can do this with a single wire, but a safer method uses a PCIE power extension cable between the PSU and LCD “inverter” board.

Can you confirm more details about exactly which WX7100X MXM card will produce boot screens with back light mod?

 

[Nick [D]vB]

AFAIK there is only one WX7100 MXM card, the Dell / 308VY. It comes with a vbios that works on the iMac as long as you have done a back-light mod. You will get Windows boot / installer screens with the stock vbios but to get the Apple boot-screen / boot-picker etc you'll need to flash my modded vbios and also do the bootrom mod.

 

[passatgt]

WX7100

AFAIK there is only one WX7100 MXM card, the Dell version comes with a vbios that works on the iMac as long as you have done a back-light mod. You will get Windows boot / installer screens with the stock vbios but to get the Apple boot-screen / boot-picker etc you'll need to flash my modded vbios and also do the bootrom mod.

Can you post a Valley score with that card?

 

[Lodge52]

Just finished installing one of the PWM modules inside a iMac 21.5" it controls the back light OK, got it set to 13KHz and 60% duty, 50% was a bit dark. Made my own short extender from some Molex 3.0 connectors and powering the module from the SD card reader. Going to do an external version in the future.

 

[Nick [D]vB]

Can you post a Valley score with that card?

I don't have it installed at the moment but I will do when I get time, it should perform about the same as the Radeon Pro 580X in the new iMacs, a little slower than a desktop RX580 depending on how fast you run the fans.

Just finished installing one of the PWM modules inside a iMac 21.5" it controls the back light OK

Nice job! I'll post details about how to add USB / software control when I've done some more testing. You can power the PWM module from the USB interface board so you would only need the one PWM wire running back inside. On my 2011 27" I noticed that running off 3.3v the screen blacks out below about 20% duty, you can run the module off 5v to get the lower brightness range back but then you probably shouldn't go above about 80% or the PWM voltage gets a bit high. Frequency doesn't seem to matter, anything in the KHz range seems to work.

 

[Lodge52]

I don't have it installed at the moment but I will do when I get time, it should perform about the same as the Radeon Pro 580X in the new iMacs, a little slower than a desktop RX580 depending on how fast you run the fans.

Nice job! I will post details about how to add USB / software control when I've done some more testing. You can power the PWM module from the USB interface board so you only need the one PWM wire running back inside. On my 2011 27" I noticed that running off 3.3v the screen cuts out bellow about 15% duty, if you run the module off 5v you get the lower brightness range but then you probably shouldn't go above 80% or the voltage gets a bit high.

So I can run the module from one of the USB ports on the back and then run a wire to the backlight board, what about a ground output, at the moment just got it attached to the iMac's case. If I understood you right that would be a simple do.

 

[Nick [D]vB]

Yes you can run off external USB with that interface board, which drops it to 3.3v, but if we get software control working there is no real need for it to be external. You can also run it off the IR sensor header, there is no need to connect the PWM ground because its just connected to VIN- which is connected to ground anyway.

 

[Lodge52]

Yes you can run off external USB because the interface board drops it to 3.3v, but if we get software control working there is no real need for it to be external. You can also run it off the IR sensor header, there is no need to connect the PWM ground because it's connected through VIN- which is connected to ground anyway.

Thanks for the reply, will keep it internal for the time being and fingers crossed for a software control. I grounded it just incase.

 

[jonwatso]

So I've booted the Mac and remoted in. Fans are still going full speed but the card is detected in macOS its using the same firmware in the quote above. Will spend some more time looking into this and will report back. so far so good.

Success! Not sure what was causing me to have issues with the fans, probably a disconnected temp sensor cable. After dismantling the Mac and reseating everything the fans came right. The GPU is detected without any issues, like many others I ended up removing the HDD mounting bracket nearest the GPU in order to get everything to fit.

I used one of my Mojave supported Mac's to install Mojave and then used do dudes patcher to patch it before installing the drive into the iMac. Mojave runs quite well on this 2011 iMac now that GPU has been replaced, It seems to run even better than it did on High Sierra.

 

[FlorisVN]

AFAIK there is only one WX7100 MXM card, the Dell / 308VY comes with a vbios that works on the iMac as long as you have done a back-light mod. You will get Windows boot / installer screens with the stock vbios but to get the Apple boot-screen / boot-picker etc you'll need to flash my modded vbios and also do the bootrom mod.

Yes, removing the DVD drive does more harm than good because it breaks the seal between the air-dam and the screen, which reduces the static pressure / air flow through the heat-sink. To correct this you could build-up the air dam with a strip foam or something and seal up the DVD slot with tape.

I tested one of those PWM modules and they do store their settings, you can get a boxed version with screw terminals so people wouldn’t have to solder anything, they could be mounted externally by running the wires through the RAM cover. For software back-light control you can add a $2 USB interface (the drivers are built into MacOS) then use a serial terminal to adjust the duty cycle, there isn’t much info on the serial commands but it should be pretty easy to make a slider app for it.

I have updated my original post with the modded vbios & EFI files needed to enable boot-screens on the AMD 560 / 580 cards, let me know if you need any help with it. I'm still working on something for the Nvidia cards…

wow this is great news !
And thx so much for sharing your custom vbios and EFI files !!

So if I understand your post correctly, it is now possible to get an EFI bootscreen when using your custom bootrom mod, combined with your custom vbios ?
RX560 and RX580 cards are supported only at the moment.. ?

AMD Radeon Pro WX7100 = RX580 equivalent and has a eeprom chip onboard
AMD Radeon Pro WX4170 = RX560 equivalent and does not come with an eeprom in most cases.. ?

So there are no RX580 nor RX560 mxm cards, but these Radeon™ Pro cards are made with MXM slots.. ?

The only AMD WX7100 model that is supported atm is the : AMD Radeon Pro WX7100 8GB DDR5 MXM 3.0 Type B For Dell Precision 7710 7720 7730

This card also works withouth and custom vbios, but then needs a backlight mod ?

What is the recommended cheaper WX4170 out there.. ?

Would be great if it was possible to make an App, that will patch these files into the bootrom with 1 click..

Also wondering if it would be possible to for example steal some code from 2012-2013 iMac's and or Macbook Pro's, to get this working with supported nvidia kepler cards..

I still prefer nvidia cards over AMD cards..

And adding this info with files to the opening post of this big thread, could be a good idea perhaps.. ?

 

[Roman78]

I tested one of those PWM modules and they do store their settings, you can get a boxed version with screw terminals so people wouldn’t have to solder anything, they could be mounted externally by running the wires through the RAM cover. For software back-light control you can add a $2 USB interface (the drivers are built into MacOS) then use a serial terminal to adjust the duty cycle, there isn’t much info on the serial commands but it should be pretty easy to make a slider app for it.

Is there a DIY manual for that? I would like to test this on one of my tests macs.

 

[kilianrmh]

Yes you can run off external USB with that interface board, which drops it to 3.3v, but if we get software control working there is no real need for it to be external. You can also run it off the IR sensor header, there is really no need to connect the PWM ground because its just connected to VIN- which is connected to ground anyway.

I am currently working on a solution for connecting a hardware brightness mod with software, I'm trying to use a small micro controller (NodeMCU) that talks via Bluetooth to the software. It would be really nice if you could make a tutorial how you managed to connect that interface board inside the iMac so I could try adding the software method.

 

[Nick [D]vB]

This card also works without and custom vbios, but then needs a backlight mod ?

Both 560 and 580 cards require a back-light mod, even with the custom vbios / bootrom mod.

What is the recommended cheaper WX4170 out there.. ?

HP Zbook WX4170, part 917107-001 / 925180-001. But you will be very lucky to find one with an EEPROM chip.

Would be great if it was possible to make an App, that will patch these files into the bootrom with 1 click..

Yes, it would, but the Bootrom on newer Macs is protected so things like RomTool / Flashrom won't work when the system is on (you can dump the bootrom but not write it). There are hacking tools like Chipsec but that's too complex for most people, and very slow. It's just too risky to make a boot disc / script, especially as you can't see what is happening on screen, if something goes wrong you can brick the iMac. Using a hardware programmer is much simpler, faster and safer because you can always recover the bootrom if something goes wrong. They're cheap and useful for fixing many things, using a clip you don't have to solder or even remove the logicboard.

I still prefer nvidia cards over AMD cards..

Fair enough, to each his own! But the AMD cards are more future-proof, they support modern video acceleration etc, and I worry that Apple will try to strip all the Nvidia drivers out of MacOS as soon as they can, maybe even the next OS update after Catalina, but I hope I'm wrong about that.

Also wondering if it would be possible to for example steal some code from 2012-2013 iMac's and or Macbook Pro's, to get this working with supported nvidia kepler cards..

Yes...

Adding this info with files to the opening post of this big thread, could be a good idea perhaps.. ?

Is there a DIY manual for that? I would like to test this on one of my tests macs.

It would be really nice if you could make a tutorial how you managed to connect that interface board inside the iMac ...

Sadly I don't have time to write all these guides at the moment, and it's probably best to wait until some other things are ready first... You can check my post history for info on the back-light mods, and see what wlagarde and others have done. The information is probably there somewhere, but I agree trawling through 100+ pages to find it is not fun. I'm no electronics expert, but if you have specific questions I'll try to answer when I can.

 

[wlagarde]

The RX580 is actually the easiest because the WX7100 card should already come with a working vbios, you just need to do the back-light mod. Not sure what’s happening with the DyingLight but in the mean time you can do a basic “hot-wire” mod instead, I think I posted about that before, to re-cap… You can do this with a single wire, but a safer method uses a PCIE power extension cable between the PSU and LCD “inverter” board.

Can you confirm more details about exactly which WX7100X MXM card will produce boot screens with back light mod?

This is fantastic. Thanks for your efforts and for posting your work on flashing the iMac bootrom and WX7100 vbios. I downloaded all of the software and my programmer and WX7100 card will be here this week.

 

[Zulus555]

Does it mean that everyone with a Kepler card will not get a Windows boot screen, etc.? Most on this forum have just such video cards ...

 

[wlagarde]

Does it mean that everyone with a Kepler card will not get a Windows boot screen, etc.? Most on this forum have just such video cards ...

Yes, that is correct. No boot screen for any of the NVIDIA cards yet unfortunately.

 

[Borak]

After upgrading to a 770m my imacs starts only after pressing the power button for 2 or 3 times. Any idear why?

I'm too. After upgrading i need install some software?

 

[Polydactyl]

Just finished installing one of the PWM modules inside a iMac 21.5" it controls the back light OK, got it set to 13KHz and 60% duty, 50% was a bit dark. Made my own short extender from some Molex 3.0 connectors and powering the module from the SD card reader. Going to do an external version in the future.

View attachment 855561

Lodge52, did the SD card reader have a 3.3V lead, or did you step down with resistors? I'm preparing to do a similar mod.

Thanks.

 

[Lodge52]

Lodge52, did the SD card reader have a 3.3V lead, or did you step down with resistors? I'm preparing to do a similar mod.

Thanks.

The SD card reader is powered by 3.3v, I just used the middle two wires no resistors required.

 

[Polydactyl]

The SD card reader is powered by 3.3v, I just used the middle two wires no resistors required.

View attachment 855833

Perfect! And thanks for the picture.

 

[Nick [D]vB]

Lodge52, did the SD card reader have a 3.3V lead...

There is some foil grounding tape around that SD cable, if you remove it you can carefully separate the shield layers and get to the wires, so you can just tap off the 3.3v and keep using the SD reader if you need it, but if that's too tricky it is much easier just to cut the cable, or get the 3.3v form the PSU instead.

This is fantastic. Thanks for your efforts and for posting your work on flashing the iMac bootrom and WX7100 vbios. I downloaded all of the software and my programmer and WX7100 card will be here this week.

Thanks, you're very welcome, and a braver man than most! Here are a few tips that might help:

Use the original 6970M X-bracket, NOT the small 6770 / Nvidia type, No heat-sink mods are needed but it should’t hurt if you have already done that. I would use MacFanControl to increase the fan speed when running 3D apps, you can run this grep script to monitor real GPU temp under MacOS, and GPU-Z in windows.

while sleep 2; do ioreg -l |grep \"PerformanceStatistics\" | cut -d '{' -f 2 | tr '|' ',' | tr -d '}' | tr ',' '\n'|grep 'Temp\|Fan\|Clock'; done

What programmer did you get? The CH341A works great but the Windows software is garbage so I’ve attached Flashrom here, but if you're going to use MacOS you can just install it with brew.

I would check to make sure you have the latest Bootrom version before you patch it, if you have updated to the latest HS you should have that already and I doubt they will update it again. You can also use this tool to make a full bootrom back-up: http://dosdude1.com/apps/ROMTool.zip

But just keep that copy in a safe place, you must dump it again with the programmer and use that copy in UEFI Tool to do the mod. Be extra careful to make sure the test clip is on the right way around, putting it on backwards could damage the card / board! Unplug the iMac's AC and when you connect the clip you should see the first debug LED on the logic board light up green, then you know the clip is connected OK. You can also use the clip to flash the graphics card or just do that from Windows.

If you want to enable “iMac Pro” HEVC video acceleration in Mojave use the method shown here (the Lilu + WEG method does not work as well on the 580X) But that's only really worth doing if you do a lot of video work, FCPX etc. That’s everything I can think of for now, let me know if you have any questions, good luck with it! 8)

 

[jmilan0302]

Yes, removing the DVD drive does more harm than good because it breaks the seal between the air-dam and the screen, which reduces the static pressure / air flow through the heat-sink. To correct this you could build-up the air dam with a strip foam or something and seal up the DVD slot with tape.

Finally someone's debunked this nonsense. On my bone stock iMac 2010 (i3 3.2, HD 5670, only RAM has been upgraded, still has the same old 500GB HDD) even just at idle speeds there is a noticeable amount of air coming out of the right side of the rear vent and it's not even warm. The PSU however... That gets up to 80c doing nothing and I broke it a while back, replacement should be here in a week or 2. Also on tonymacx86 someone did make a brightness slider app for the iMac G5 which they put an Intel NUC into. But brightness control is a macOS issue not hardware.

 

[120066724]

Yes - Stock dell VBIOS and works OOB without need for web drivers. Will post update with screenshots shortly...
[doublepost=1544973658][/doublepost]NVIDIA Quadro K2000M installation for 2011 21.5" iMac

Purchased this card on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Precision-M4700-Video-Card-nVIDIA-Quadro-K2000M-2GB-D30WG-0D30WG/123487397348?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649.

Dell NVIDIA Quadro K2000M; Dell Part No: D30WG (intended for Dell Precision M4700 laptop); VBIOS 80.07.52.00.18.

MXM-A form factor fits perfect without any modifications of the heatsink or iMac required. Runs Mojave flawlessly. Expected issues with backlight control and no boot screen. However, the X-bracket that is included with the card is permanently glued to the card and cannot be removed. The X-bracket holes were threaded and needed to be drilled out and enlarged to allow the stock Apple mounting screws to pass through to the heatsink. Started with 5/64" drill, then moved up to 3/32, and finally to a 7/64" drill. Worked perfectly.

View attachment 811118 View attachment 811119 View attachment 811120

Hey I bought the exact same card for a 27" imac 2011 and it boots up but the gpu wont communicate with my board. Any thoughts?

 

[120066724]

It wont let me edit my post so I wil say that i forgot to elaborate that LED 1 and 2 are the only present diag indicators and that I wouldn't mind having to flash the card or the mac im just more used to working on macbooks so this is uncharted territory for me and i didnt wanna read all 104 pages of this thread. So excuse me if this has already been discussed ad nauseum

 

[FlorisVN]

It wont let me edit my post so I wil say that i forgot to elaborate that LED 1 and 2 are the only present diag indicators and that I wouldn't mind having to flash the card or the mac im just more used to working on macbooks so this is uncharted territory for me and i didnt wanna read all 104 pages of this thread. So excuse me if this has already been discussed ad nauseum

As far as I know led 3 and 4 are not lightning up, since there is no original amd card inside the iMac.

They way I used to test was simple, startup the iMac with new installed compatible nvidia card.
Boot up the iMac, and connect external display.
Assuming you have Macos installed and ready to boot from the internal hdd/ssd.
I reccomend running high sierra.

After confirmed external display working, but original iMac display back and test again with iMac display..