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

[rere64]

Hi everyone,
I'm about to change my 6750 card in my Imac 21,5 mid 2011 with a GTX 765M 2GB(Alienware).
I have receved my 765 (on the photo)....now to my question...
Does anybody know if the chip i marked red on the attacht photo is the vbios-chip?
There is a empty place marked in green also. I've seen two chip on other 765 cards...???
On these cards the bios-chip sits in the empty slot.
My plan is to flash the vbios

.

 

[FlorisVN]

Hi everyone,
I'm about to change my 6750 card in my Imac 21,5 mid 2011 with a GTX 765M 2GB(Alienware).
I have receved my 765 (on the photo)....now to my question...
Does anybody know if the chip i marked red on the attacht photo is the vbios-chip?
There,s a empty place marked in green also. I've seen two chip on other 765 cards...???
On these card the bios-chip sits in the empty slot.
My plan is too flash the vbiosView attachment 874403.

red marked chip is eeprom (containing vbios) chip indeed.
Mine all also have one, the green second one is also not present on mines.
Nothing to worry about.

I think perhaps all Dell/Alienware GTX765M versions only contain 1 eeprom chip.
Some other models of other vendors might contain multiple..

 

[rere64]

Great, Thanks a lot FlorisVN, then it just to wait for the CH341a-kit to arrive ....

 

[FlorisVN]

Great, Thanks a lot FlorisVN, then it just to wait for the CH341a-kit to arrive ....

great ! 👍
Happy flashing 😉

 

[Underbeat88]

Hi. I think it’s possible to upload firmware directly to the chip using the ch341a programmer v1.34 software and another PC with windows or Linux?

 

[FlorisVN]

Hi. I think it’s possible to upload firmware directly to the chip using the ch341a programmer v1.34 software and another PC with windows or Linux?

thats correct indeed.
use Windows/Linux or MacOS.
I would prefer Linux/MacOS, worked best for me.
No driver isseus.

You can of course also use nvidia nvflash within windows bootcamp.

 

[Murometc]

Intel HD graphics are not visible, and somewhat disabled for OS use.

Hello.
I will correct it.
When my old AMD was still functioning, I installed Win_10 in UEFI mode.
In the Device Manager, there were two separate video adapters in this case.
1 Intel(R) HD Graphics 2000
2 ATI AMD 6970M
In my opinion I did not use BOOT Camp then.

I can not argue. But I read that when creating the WINDOWS-7 section (using the BOOT Camp) a flash drive is used, on which all the drivers are written.
Can someone provide the contents of this flash card to me? For Windows 7 64.
Correct me if I'm wrong... Or confirm. Anybody.
P.S.
BIOS version (AIDA_64):
IM121.88Z.0047.B29.1702171916
What is it ?

 

[highvoltage12v]

IM121.88Z.0047.B29

That's a very old bootrom, googling it reveals it's indeed from 2011 around the time from Mac OS Lion. A bootrom this old won't be capable of reading things such as APFS. But since this iMac will never run Mac OS again, who cares. It's great to know an EFI version this old can still be patched. Thanks for sharing

 

[Underbeat88]

thats correct indeed.
use Windows/Linux or MacOS.
I would prefer Linux/MacOS, worked best for me.
No driver isseus.

You can of course also use nvidia nvflash within windows bootcamp.

I do not have a working ATI graphics card. It’s much easier for me to remove the chip using a soldering station, and connect it directly to the programmer.

 

[FlorisVN]

I do not have a working ATI graphics card. It’s much easier for me to remove the chip using a soldering station, and connect it directly to the programmer.

ok I see, I dont think removing is neccecary !
Just use the CH341A eeprom clipper and you will be fine..

 

[wlagarde]

I listed the other one here for any interested: http://ebay.us/egEIq5?cmpnId=5338273189. This one includes a DyingLight module.

I listed the last one I have for any interested: https://www.ebay.com/itm/133227101766?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

[Nick [D]vB]

Screen loading speed and so on....

If you install windows in UEFI mode you get instant boot (bootscreen shows without pressing any keys) by selecting the drive using the bootcamp control panel (don't install windows using bootcamp assistant). You must disable the intel HD graphics in device manager or windows will crash trying to load the driver. You will also need a DSDT patch to fix the HD audio, I posted that link about 20 pages back but if it's too complicated I will try and make a registry patch you can use instead. I've been away this last week but I will get back to iMac testing soon.

 

[Ooze]

😄
sooooo, how long till one of us gets drunk enough to put a Quadro RTX 3000, ect. Into one of these guys?

 

[Terrapater]

Did you ever write up the German guide?

 

[spwnrpe]

Hi everyone,
I'm about to change my 6750 card in my Imac 21,5 mid 2011 with a GTX 765M 2GB(Alienware).
I have receved my 765 (on the photo)....now to my question...
Does anybody know if the chip i marked red on the attacht photo is the vbios-chip?
There is a empty place marked in green also. I've seen two chip on other 765 cards...???
On these card the bios-chip sits in the empty slot.
My plan is to flash the vbiosView attachment 874403.

I've been reading up on the gpu upgrade of 2011 iMac's, I have a 21,5" that I've upgraded to a 2600s, 16GB ram and an ssd... upgrading the gpu would be a nice touch so that I can run the latest/metal requiring MacOS.

Can a 21,5" iMac use MXM-B cards as well as MXM-A?

From what I've read I need to buy something to program/flash the vbios (@Nick [D]vB mod / CH341a programmer and clip) on whatever card I would purchase, perhaps flash via a Raspberry Pi... and mod the x-clamp on the card to make it fit the cooler?

What card is recommended for an 21,5" iMac? GTX 765M / GTX 770M / GTX 780M / 2000M / K1100M ?

 

[solarix1578]

I've been reading up on the gpu upgrade of 2011 iMac's, I have a 21,5" that I've upgraded to a 2600s, 16GB ram and an ssd... upgrading the gpu would be a nice touch so that I can run the latest/metal requiring MacOS.

Can a 21,5" iMac use MXM-B cards as well as MXM-A?

From what I've read I need to buy something to program/flash the vbios (@Nick [D]vB mod / CH341a programmer and clip) on whatever card I would purchase, perhaps flash via a Raspberry Pi... and mod the x-clamp on the card to make it fit the cooler?

What card is recommended for an 21,5" iMac? GTX 765M / GTX 770M / GTX 780M / 2000M / K1100M ?

Hi friend, I bought a Dell/Alienware Nvidia GTX765m to resurrect my old IMac mid 2011 27”.


I have not yet assembled and in this regard, I wanted to know whether to cover the original Apple X-clamp? I cover directly with insulating tape? Or I place on card a Kapton tape? Any advice is welcome, thanks 😊

 

[highvoltage12v]

I've been reading up on the gpu upgrade of 2011 iMac's, I have a 21,5" that I've upgraded to a 2600s, 16GB ram and an ssd... upgrading the gpu would be a nice touch so that I can run the latest/metal requiring MacOS.

Can a 21,5" iMac use MXM-B cards as well as MXM-A?

From what I've read I need to buy something to program/flash the vbios (@Nick [D]vB mod / CH341a programmer and clip) on whatever card I would purchase, perhaps flash via a Raspberry Pi... and mod the x-clamp on the card to make it fit the cooler?

What card is recommended for an 21,5" iMac? GTX 765M / GTX 770M / GTX 780M / 2000M / K1100M ?

After installing a 770m and @Nick [D]vB Modded ROM I still see random reboots with my 2600S 21.5" iMac. I would still wait for a k2000m EFI ROM to release or just buy a k2000m and wait for the ROM to release.

 

[Terrapater]

Hi guys,
would need your help please. I get weird dumps out of ROMTool, totally different than the one pictured in this thread - see pictures. The machine is a 21,5 iMac late 2009, on my 2010 27" iMac it is working like it should do. ROMTool takes around 5 minutes to dump the rom on the 21,5, while on the 27 it comes after a few seconds. Any idea what this could be?

 

[jmilan0302]

Hi guys,
would need your help please. I get weird dumps out of ROMTool, totally different than the one pictured in this thread - see pictures. The machine is a 21,5 iMac late 2009, on my 2010 27" iMac it is working like it should do. ROMTool takes around 5 minutes to dump the rom on the 21,5, while on the 27 it comes after a few seconds. Any idea what this could be?

The 2009 has an NVIDIA chipset so it could be that.
[automerge]1572809744[/automerge]

I'm currently in the market for a used iMac and have a spare MXM 3.0B card from a PC laptop. Would this upgrade work for either a 2010 or 2012 iMac 27"? The MXM card is a bit unusual - it's an AMD FirePro M6100, aka Radeon 8950M. Has anyone tried this upgrade with a FirePro?

Someone told me the FirePro M6100 is a much better deal than the GTX 765M. I wonder if this card could work with the A1312 iMac? It's quite a bit cheaper and also faster. @Nick [D]vB would probably know. Does this card even work with macOS? Seems like it should. If it does, could a VBIOS/BootROM mod be made for it?

 

[Sricca]

Need help ... I have a second iMac with an original graphics card as well as my 2011 iMac with GTX780m. I want to have Windows 10 work on the iMac with the GTX780. I have created an external drive with Windows 10 that is working on my iMac with original card. When trying to boot the iMac with the GTX780 all I get is a black screen. Is there a way to get iMac to boot windows 10 with GTX780m?

 

[StereoNewt]

Need help ... I have a second iMac with an original graphics card as well as my 2011 iMac with GTX780m. I want to have Windows 10 work on the iMac with the GTX780. I have created an external drive with Windows 10 that is working on my iMac with original card. When trying to boot the iMac with the GTX780 all I get is a black screen. Is there a way to get iMac to boot windows 10 with GTX780m?

you have to flash it with a vbios for that card, it can still boot into macOS just that there's going to be no boot screen

i found the post that can help you out with that https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2011-imac-graphics-card-upgrade.1596614/page-109#post-27694785

 

[Nick [D]vB]

I still see random reboots with my 2600S 21.5" iMac.

The clocks might be too aggressive for your particular card, maybe you just lost the silicon lottery. I guess you tried increasing the fan speed, to take thermals out of the picture. The attached 770M vBIOS has lower clocks so see if that fixes it.

I get weird dumps out of ROMTool, totally different than the one pictured in this thread - see pictures. The machine is a 21,5 iMac late 2009...

I'm affraid that iMac is not supported, for a few different reasons. BTW - If anyone sees invalid checksum or CRC errors in the UEFITool messages then the bootrom dump is corrupt and flashing it will probably brick the iMac!

FirePro M6100... could a VBIOS/BootROM mod be made for it?

That was actually one of the first cards I tested, it's the "M380" in those screenshots I posted months ago. I got the bootscreen working but the card has detection problems and needs a NVRAM reset on every boot. It also needs a heat-sink mod and back-light mod, so probably more trouble than it's worth.

 

[rere64]

I've been reading up on the gpu upgrade of 2011 iMac's, I have a 21,5" that I've upgraded to a 2600s, 16GB ram and an ssd... upgrading the gpu would be a nice touch so that I can run the latest/metal requiring MacOS.

Can a 21,5" iMac use MXM-B cards as well as MXM-A?

From what I've read I need to buy something to program/flash the vbios (@Nick [D]vB mod / CH341a programmer and clip) on whatever card I would purchase, perhaps flash via a Raspberry Pi... and mod the x-clamp on the card to make it fit the cooler?

What card is recommended for an 21,5" iMac? GTX 765M / GTX 770M / GTX 780M / 2000M / K1100M ?

You can use MXM-A and MXM-B, B-cards are a bit longer but fits. There are difference in power consumption between the cards so more power =more heat i suppose. I think you have to moddify a bit when it comes
to cooling the memory on the cards. You will find all the information in this thread if you reed some pages...and there are some good information on youtube.

 

[Terrapater]

The clocks might be too aggressive for your particular card, maybe you just lost the silicon lottery. I guess you tried increasing the fan speed, to take thermals out of the picture. The attached 770M vBIOS has lower clocks so see if that fixes it.

I'm affraid that iMac is not supported, for a few different reasons. BTW - If anyone sees invalid checksum or CRC errors in the UEFITool messages then the bootrom dump is corrupt and flashing it will probably brick the iMac!

That was actually one of the first cards I tested, it's the "M380" in those screenshots I posted months ago. I got the bootscreen working but the card has detection problems and needs a NVRAM reset on every boot. It also needs a heat-sink mod and back-light mod, so probably more trouble than it's worth.

Hi Nick,
thank you for that. Does this mean I cannot get the right Rom even if I take it directly from the EEPROM via a test clamp and flash rom via RPi?

 

[highvoltage12v]

The clocks might be too aggressive for your particular card, maybe you just lost the silicon lottery. I guess you tried increasing the fan speed, to take thermals out of the picture. The attached 770M vBIOS has lower clocks so see if that fixes it.

Thank you for this! I was trying to create my own modded ROM with Keplar tool again but resulted in multiple boot failures. I will try this ROM in a bit.
Yes every Mac I have modded I keep my Fans On an higher RPM optical drive fan usually is 2300RPM.

EDIT: Card has been flashed everything is smooth in Mojave no reboots yet. No de.ad.00.be.ef yet

Just had a panic in Mojave will try Catalina on a separate SSD next