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

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The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
@jovonov
You brought up so many issues, it is difficult to answer:
1:
If you could install the K1100M in the first place running MacOS (without backlight and no boot image) and Windows I do not understand why you could not simply run the Linux flash image directly from the iMac?
2:
Clip programmer: Probably you need some hands to do manual labor, but I would have given up after 20 minutes and try to change the clip.
3:
Network and linux flash assuming you have no working internal LCD at your iMac: You need to connect the iMac with a network cable directly to your router and you must have set up the router to allow DHCP connections there. All this is no rocket science in 2020 any more.
 
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nikey22 said:
no the WX4150/30's won't work, but the WX7100 should work fine with the AMD Beta_4 drivers.
The WX7100 is a RX580 and these have been tested with the base radeon_framebuffer personality. There are some 2019 iMacs that use 580X GPUs.

According to Nick [D], brightness control will work on them even without opencore, but you will not have a bootpicker. These are difficult to source unfortunately, and they are not cheap.
Click to expand...
oke, thx.
so my option is.
get a 780M and have, well every thing.

- boot menu.
- back light controll.
- target mode.

or get the wx7100 and for now get Backlight control but no Bootscreen.

i know, its maybe to soon to ask. but are we going to see that bootscreen. eventually on this card ?. or is that poking in the dark. so to speak.
 
Ok, so I got into GRML linux and now tried to update my bios using nvflash_linux. Reported the expected pcie dev mismatch. However, I do get a GPU mismatch and the nvflash errors out. My command line was per the README on the usb drive. I've got a Dell k1100m card and so tried to use the Quadro K1100.rom image.

My video card report from system report as "NVIDIA NVS K1 USM". Device ID 0x0fe6 and revision 0x00a2.
Memory size on the card is 2gb.

Suggestions? Suggest an app I can use to get more info on my card in case its something weird?
 
nathan991 said:
How would someone go about getting brightness to work with OpenCore?
Click to expand...
This was something like a pre announced software feature: You will have to wait until the developers release it and than you may reverse-engineer or just use it. In the former case reading the public OpenCore documentation may be useful. I am doing this...
 
Ausdauersportler said:
Obviously you did not flash, i. e. write Nick’s vBIOS to the card! Try again following the complete documentation.
Click to expand...
Yes I am aware it did not flash. The nvflash software gave the error GPU mismatch and refuse to flash. I have tried again, carefully following the README but still get the same result. Below is the log. I did give nvflash the -6 flag to ignore the pci dev mismatch.

NVIDIA Firmware Update Utility (Version 5.414.0)
Simplified Version For OEM Only
Checking for matches between display adapter(s) and image(s)...

Adapter: NVS K1 USM (10DE,0FE6,1028,15CC) H:--:NRM S:00,B:01,D:00,F:00

WARNING: None of the firmware image compatible PCI Device ID's
match the PCI Device ID of the adapter.
Adapter PCI Device ID: 0FE6
Firmware image PCI Device ID: 0FF6

NOTE: Exception caught.
Nothing changed!


ERROR: GPU mismatch
 
make a backup of your rom frist with nvflash, then try:

nvflash -j -6 K1100.rom
or
nvflash -f -6 K1100.rom

bypassing the protections?
 
Chris2020 said:
Yes I am aware it did not flash. The nvflash software gave the error GPU mismatch and refuse to flash. I have tried again, carefully following the README but still get the same result. Below is the log. I did give nvflash the -6 flag to ignore the pci dev mismatch.

NVIDIA Firmware Update Utility (Version 5.414.0)
Simplified Version For OEM Only
Checking for matches between display adapter(s) and image(s)...

Adapter: NVS K1 USM (10DE,0FE6,1028,15CC) H:--:NRM S:00,B:01,D:00,F:00

WARNING: None of the firmware image compatible PCI Device ID's
match the PCI Device ID of the adapter.
Adapter PCI Device ID: 0FE6
Firmware image PCI Device ID: 0FF6

NOTE: Exception caught.
Nothing changed!


ERROR: GPU mismatch
Click to expand...

Does your card shows up as K1100m in macOS system infos?
 
Chris2020 said:
Yes I am aware it did not flash. The nvflash software gave the error GPU mismatch and refuse to flash. I have tried again, carefully following the README but still get the same result. Below is the log. I did give nvflash the -6 flag to ignore the pci dev mismatch.

NVIDIA Firmware Update Utility (Version 5.414.0)
Simplified Version For OEM Only
Checking for matches between display adapter(s) and image(s)...

Adapter: NVS K1 USM (10DE,0FE6,1028,15CC) H:--:NRM S:00,B:01,D:00,F:00

WARNING: None of the firmware image compatible PCI Device ID's
match the PCI Device ID of the adapter.
Adapter PCI Device ID: 0FE6
Firmware image PCI Device ID: 0FF6

NOTE: Exception caught.
Nothing changed!


ERROR: GPU mismatch
Click to expand...

Why don’t you give us the exact command you are typing in to try flashing, that may help so we can see any problems.
 
After months of planing I've finally installed a GTX 780M in my iMac 2010 21.5", upgraded the i3 550 CPU to a i7 860s and installed a SSD; everything is running just fine in Catalina, I had to install and tweak Macs Fan Control because the fans were working at 100% all times (maybe because I didn't install a SSD temperature sensor? 🤔).

I had to snap the disk mount tab at the right stand hinge in order for the GPU to fit, also cut a little bit of the ODD plastic wall and removed the GPU plastic wall.

I want to thank this community for the support, specially @dosdude1 for his awesome OS X patcher, @Nick [D]vB for the amazing work with the VBIOS's, @xanderon for its live grml USB and @highvoltage12v for its research. I've been reading this thread since i've bought this iMac two years ago and cannot believe this is finally happening!

I will be sharing my experiences with y'all in the future! :)
 
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jowaju said:
Why don’t you give us the exact command you are typing in to try flashing, that may help so we can see any problems.
Click to expand...

Basically I am following the steps using the Grml linux usb stick.

After saving rom image from board, unprotect then flash:

./nvflash_linux —protectoff
./nvflash_linux -6 Quadro_Beta1.2/K1100.rom
[automerge]1583686830[/automerge]
fabienpascal said:
Does your card shows up as K1100m in macOS system infos?
Click to expand...
Looking at system info it says NVS K1 USM 2047MB

Since that is not saying K1100m, I asked if anyone had a tool to look deeper into the board to see for sure what it is. Anyone got a better app for that?
 
@Chris2020
how do you know you have a Dell K1100M card? Are you sure? It looks like someone put a GRID K1 firmware on it somehow and then sold it. You will have to probably use a SOIC-8 clip and hardware firmware reader to burn the correct ROM onto it. Upload a picture of the card so we can see it to verify.
[automerge]1583704174[/automerge]
@ssaman
Interesting choice of video card.
The general consensus here is that the 21.5" iMacs work well with the MXM-A type cards and provide a more realistic power balance.The MXM-B cards draw more power from the PSU and cause odd kernel panics. Although I'm not sure about the 2010 iMacs. Furthemore the i7 860 draws 82W, whereas the original i3 550 drew 73W (not a big difference here). Keep us informed if you get kps especially during long-term/strenuous use.
 
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The card was purchased off eBay as a ”Dell Precision M4800 M4700 2GB nVidia Quadro K1100m video graphics card 51Y08”

Just have a photo of the back.

44CB1370-81B3-43FD-B4CE-E2A891DB39AF.jpeg
 
nikey22 said:
@Chris2020
how do you know you have a Dell K1100M card? Are you sure? It looks like someone put a GRID K1 firmware on it somehow and then sold it. You will have to probably use a SOIC-8 clip and hardware firmware reader to burn the correct ROM onto it. Upload a picture of the card so we can see it to verify.
[automerge]1583704174[/automerge]
@ssaman
Interesting choice of video card.
The general consensus here is that the 21.5" iMacs work well with the MXM-A type cards and provide a more realistic power balance.The MXM-B cards draw more power from the PSU and cause odd kernel panics. Although I'm not sure about the 2010 iMacs. Furthemore the i7 860 draws 82W, whereas the original i3 550 drew 73W (not a big difference here). Keep us informed if you get kps especially during long-term/strenuous use.
Click to expand...
My iMac would especially panic after sitting idle from doing heavy tasks. I have a hunch it could be a mosfet issue, either CPU or GPU. Kind of like what happens on the 2013-15 base model a1398 MBP's. Still looking into this issue as I have a 765m and on some days the iMac is perfectly fine, and others it will panic 4 times a day. It's interesting to me that opening iTunes and then just letting it sit for 30 seconds after will always make it panic. It also likes to panic when creating a user account after a fresh install. It's just one of those weird issues I have never came to a definite cause for. Although I can say 100% the same iMac with a k2100m performs wonderful at 80% performance of what the 765m is. This is link to TCRS's video Here which explains what electron degradation is and why this 'could' be happening with my iMac. I also don't know the History of my 2600S other than it came from a HP business Machine, could have ran constantly for 7 years.
 
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highvoltage12v said:
My iMac would especially panic after sitting idle from doing heavy tasks. I have a hunch it could be a mosfet issue, either CPU or GPU. Kind of like what happens on the 2013-15 base model a1398 MBP's. Still looking into this issue as I have a 765m and on some days the iMac is perfectly fine, and others it will panic 4 times a day. It's interesting to me that opening iTunes and then just letting it sit for 30 seconds after will always make it panic. It also likes to panic when creating a user account after a fresh install. It's just one of those weird issues I have never came to a definite cause for. Although I can say 100% the same iMac with a k2100m performs wonderful at 80% performance of what the 765m is. This is link to TCRS's video Here which explains what electron degradation is and why this 'could' be happening with my iMac. I also don't know the History of my 2600S other than it came from a HP business Machine, could have ran constantly for 7 years.
Click to expand...

do you also ran an apple ASD or hardware test, to check the system‘s logic board further for possible problems..?
 
well i don't know if those asd hardware test are reliable...
i've just did a try on mine (asd 3S140 for imac 27 2010), and guess what? it passed all the test.
and i did it on the imac with (faulty?) k1100m i have to force vesa mode with clover (nv_disable=1), otherwise it will not boot
 
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@highvoltage12v i had the same on my dads iMac 2009 with a 770m installed. panic everywhere and every time. so many in a day. he told me that in the morning when the iMac was cold it was panic 1-2 in a row and then was stable the whole day.

at the end I swaped his 770m to a 2100 and its stable as fck. no panic at all. now I took his 770m and inserted it in my 2011 iMac and its also rock solid. so I think its GPU related but also I think its the heatsink that you need to readjust, check k5pro everywhere and reinstall the heatsink very carefully. no bending or contact should ever happen. after that I think the random panics will disappear. that was my observation. worth a try.
 
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Succes I want to thank Michael and nick that made this possible my Imac is working again with a Dell K1100M.
I used windows to flash the cards nvflash64 k1100m.rom -f -6 to flash them.
You had to disable the video card in the device manager before I could flash the rom ...
I had to flash multiple card after the flash I shutdown the computer replaced the card an booted to windows again. if you are flashing more then 1 videocard like me don't forget to enable the card in de device manager and then disable it again. I bought a second hand Dell precision 4800 laptop workstation to flash the cards it works like a dream.
 
Candykane75 said:
Succes I want to thank Michael and nick that made this possible my Imac is working again with a Dell K1100M.
I used windows to flash the cards nvflash64 k1100m.rom -f -6 to flash them.
You had to disable the video card in the device manager before I could flash the rom ...
I had to flash multiple card after the flash I shutdown the computer replaced the card an booted to windows again. if you are flashing more then 1 videocard like me don't forget to enable the card in de device manager and then disable it again. I bought a second hand Dell precision 4800 laptop workstation to flash the cards it works like a dream.
Click to expand...

This is similar to what I plan to do. I bought a used HP 8200 Elite USDT with an MXM-A slot (had an i7 2600s inside and was $50). Bought a dell k2100 and hoping to flash on this HP machine before I put inside my iMac.
 
Installed K2100M and flashed, worked with boot screen in High Sierra.

Then installed DosDudes Catalina from USB on a separate container (without patches), and post installed the patches - % legacy video patch.

I now got video in both High Sierra and Catalina. But the boot screen, that worked pre Catalina install, is now gone. What did I do wrong?
 
On my system I never see the boot screen except I press and hold the option key. The card has a delay before the LCD or external monitor comes up.
 
I assume most sites like Aliexpress/Banggood etc, aren't shipping due to Carona virus? I ordered a WX7100 and Ali canceld the order due to the virus
 
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