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

[Roman78]

.... this means i have to rewrite my manual...

 

[Dilli]

It seems I am unable to get my iMac 27inch mid 2011 going after replacing the graphics to 765M.
I followed most of the instructions available on this thread but no Joy.

1. I got my ch341a programmer delivered today and flashed @Nick [D]vB 's beta 3 kepler rom(modified) to the card 765M and got success without errors.
2. I then applied fresh K5/K4 Pro thermal paste to the required areas and installed the card to the logic board.
3. After tightening all connectors booted the machine.
4. I got the startup chime and the movement sound of the optical drive.
5. The machine booted to black screen with fans full On.
6. I did the Nvram reset using using option/cmd/P/R and got chime twice.
7. Reset the SMC by pulling out the power cord and re inserting.
8. I even get all first 3 LED lights glowing on Start up.
9. I even booted pressing the Option key just in case I can see my drive but I still get only Black screen.

Inspite of all above steps the iMac is still behaving as it it had a bad AMD OEM damaged card.

I have been scratching my head but can't think of any other way to get into my iMac without display working.

I have even ordered a fresh display cable which is in transit just in case for surety.

Now what can possibly be the issue?

 

[Roman78]

Did you applied thermal paste on the DIE? Don't use the K5 for that, that's only for the RAM and Caps.

 

[Dilli]

Yes I did. I got the set for the gpu as well as the coils

 

[Roman78]

Did the card worked before you applied the modified Bios?
What OS is installed?

 

[crizzly]

I am seeing the same issue as you @Dilli except on my late 2009 27" i7 iMac.

765M flashed with beta 3 rom everything hooked up as needed, can hear boot chime but only getting a black screen. This was last week I haven't had time to jump back onto the project but I intent to swap the original Radeon HD 4850 back in and double check screen is working with the original card.

Has anyone confirmed the new beta 3 rom as working on their 765M card?

@Roman78 in my case, I bought the card from a user on this thread and it had beta 2 rom. I flashed it with beta 3 rom before installing it so not sure if it'll work with that. I may try that once I confirm original card is showing an image.

I currently have macOS Mojave installed. What OS is recommended using these kepler cards?

 

[Dilli]

Did the card worked before you applied the modified Bios?
What OS is installed?

The card did not work earlier too and I had the similar situation of bank black screen with fans On. I was told it should work out of the box and that was before beta 3 was released. I could not have been able to apply beta 2 with my display ON. OS Installed is High Sierra.
I just hated to replace the OEM apple and crap card which I baked thrice and finally went kaput. So now I am stuck again with above situation.

 

[coolbits]

I am seeing the same issue as you @Dilli except on my late 2009 27" i7 iMac.

765M flashed with beta 3 rom everything hooked up as needed, can hear boot chime but only getting a black screen. This was last week I haven't had time to jump back onto the project but I intent to swap the original Radeon HD 4850 back in and double check screen is working with the original card.

Has anyone confirmed the new beta 3 rom as working on their 765M card?

@Roman78 in my case, I bought the card from a user on this thread and it had beta 2 rom. I flashed it with beta 3 rom before installing it so not sure if it'll work with that. I may try that once I confirm original card is showing an image.

I currently have macOS Mojave installed. What OS is recommended using these kepler cards?

Works fine here with beta3 on Late 09 27", 765m. Default was also HD4850...

 

[Toni96pp]

I wonder why are people even trying with 980M when WX7100 is faster, has boot screen mod and is supported in versions after 10.13?

Mine was from a broke Alienware, people have their reasons, now im with the 780m and I guess the WX7100 will be my next step

 

[Roman78]

I did not tested the Beta3 on the 765M, I only have the Beta 2 on it... or is it Beta1 hhmmm

But in your case @crizzly the problem would be Mojave. You probably installed Mojave using the DosDude Patcher and selected the GPU-Mod. You have to undo the GPU-Mod in the installer. The 765M is a Metal Card and dont need the GPU-Mod.

For testing i always use native supported OS, like Sierra or El Capitan.

 

[Dilli]

@Roman78 I have High Sierra on my iMac but still not been able to get the display On inspire of flashing beta3 to 765M

 

[Roman78]

The 765M should work with the default Dell Firmware out of the Box. Mine did. Althoug i read there are 2 different Dell Firmware models out there. But the flashing should resolve that problem. Maybe the card was defective already. Were you from? Did you verified the written data?

 

[Dilli]

The 765M should work with the default Dell Firmware out of the Box. Mine did. Althoug i read there are 2 different Dell Firmware models out there. But the flashing should resolve that problem. Maybe the card was defective already. Were you from? Did you verified the written data?

Yes I indeed got the Alienware Dell card from Aliexpress. However, when I received it I had similar issue just blank screen black and fans On. I never got to see the display light up. I followed all steps in this thread and don't think made any errors. Many in here helped me.
Today when I received my programmer I was happy maybe after flashing the iMac will show life again but No.
Best part I don't get the boot screen, or while pressing option key can't select anything just black screen.
LED 1,2 & 3 is ON.
Now my benefit of doubt is to replace my display cable and check when I receive it, If it does not work then maybe the display card is busted.

I did verify the data after flashing. Someone here posted few images on usage of programmer too and I did follow how they had done so.

I have high sierra installed fresh on the iMac SSD after removing it, attached it to my MacBook air through usb/sata adapter and formatted the driver and installed copy of High sierra. I used the ssd back in the iMac

 

[FlorisVN]

So it is not necessary to edit the BootRom any more?

nope not with beta 3 vbios for supported nvidia cards
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Does someone knows if a GTX 770M 3GB taken from a MSI GT 70 laptop will work? Model number on card is MS-1WOB1 Ver 1.1. Looks quit similar to the Dell Alienware card, but it missing some IC's on the top.

View attachment 880520

I still need a 3rd card for my 3rd iMac....

i think that card should work fine, when flashing with nicks vbios beta 3 !
Just try it out, and share your results.. 😉

 

[Dilli]

@FlorisVN My card did not work after flashing Nick's vbios beta 3. My results are posted above.

 

[FlorisVN]

Yes I indeed got the Alienware Dell card from Aliexpress. However, when I received it I had similar issue just blank screen black and fans On. I never got to see the display light up. I followed all steps in this thread and don't think made any errors. Many in here helped me.
Today when I received my programmer I was happy maybe after flashing the iMac will show life again but No.
Best part I don't get the boot screen, or while pressing option key can't select anything just black screen.
LED 1,2 & 3 is ON.
Now my benefit of doubt is to replace my display cable and check when I receive it, If it does not work then maybe the display card is busted.

I did verify the data after flashing. Someone here posted few images on usage of programmer too and I did follow how they had done so.

I have high sierra installed fresh on the iMac SSD after removing it, attached it to my MacBook air through usb/sata adapter and formatted the driver and installed copy of High sierra. I used the ssd back in the iMac

also tried external monitor/remote login ?
And reseatting the mxm card could sometimes also help..

flashing with nicks vbios is also a good idea.. 👍
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I am seeing the same issue as you @Dilli except on my late 2009 27" i7 iMac.

765M flashed with beta 3 rom everything hooked up as needed, can hear boot chime but only getting a black screen. This was last week I haven't had time to jump back onto the project but I intent to swap the original Radeon HD 4850 back in and double check screen is working with the original card.

Has anyone confirmed the new beta 3 rom as working on their 765M card?

@Roman78 in my case, I bought the card from a user on this thread and it had beta 2 rom. I flashed it with beta 3 rom before installing it so not sure if it'll work with that. I may try that once I confirm original card is showing an image.

I currently have macOS Mojave installed. What OS is recommended using these kepler cards?

beta 3 works fine for GTX765M/770M/780M cards.

bootscreen mod from nick still has a little delay, hold option key while booting and bootscreen is visible within a few seconds..

also tried external monitor and or remote logging into to your iMac ?
Reseatting the mxm card could also help sometimes..

 

[Dilli]

I am not getting any success to remote login. I checked and reset the card and flashed the card with programmer without any errors prior to attaching it to logic board but no luck

 

[FlorisVN]

Hi I installed an GTX 980m into my iMac 2011.
it’s pulled out of an Alienware laptop and should work.
im faceing the issue now that it boots into Mac OS and the internal display doesn’t work. The GPU is detected and works when I Connect through remote display it shows 980m in System information.
the internal display stays Black.
how do I get the internal display working?

Just go for a supported nvidia or amd card.
For the supported models there is also an efi bootscreen vbios mod available thx to Nick ! 👍

 

[Roman78]

nope not with beta 3 vbios for supported nvidia cards

So i have to rewrite my Blog entry i just finished this weekend... whhahahaaa.. But nice Work. I give it a try.

@Dilli did you test an external Monitor? If the display cable is broken you should be able to use an external screen.

 

[Dilli]

Can I use my MacBook air display as external display using thunderbolt cable to check

 

[FlorisVN]

Can I use my MacBook air display as external display using thunderbolt cable to check

nope not with a custom gpu atm.
As far as I know target display mode wont work.
Test external display with seperate monitor, or use you air for remote screen sharing MacOS..

 

[Dilli]

I cannot get remote access using my MBA though I had sharing on in the iMac high sierra ssd

 

[FlorisVN]

I cannot get remote access using my MBA though I had sharing on in the iMac high sierra ssd

hook up your iMac's HDD to your macbook Air, boot it up enable screen sharing.
put the hdd back inside the imac, and you are good to go..

 

[jborko]

I am starting to believe that I do not have luck with these cards from eBay. Second card delivered different from the description.

Can someone please confirm if this is indeed WX7100 or some useless variation? @LegoNickD (I read you had similar problems)

 

[LegoNickD]

I am starting to believe that I do not have luck with these cards from eBay. Second card delivered different from the description.

Can someone please confirm if this is indeed WX7100 or some useless variation? @LegoNickD (I read you had similar problems)

Can confirm, useless variation. I think that's a ws7100 if I remember right, nothing will show on the iMac screen at all with that card although my backlight wasn't working right when I tested it so ymmv. Even if it does work the performance and thermals will be significantly worse.