Thanks for this important reminder.
Other than looking at a picture of the card, is there another way to make sure that the Bios chip is on board before ordering?
Thanks again.
Gaston
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iM 4,1-14,4 2011 iMac Graphics Card Upgrade
- Thread starter MichaelDT
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Thanks for this important reminder.
Other than looking at a picture of the card, is there another way to make sure that the Bios chip is on board before ordering?
Thanks again.
Gaston
I am afraid there is no other solution. A lot of resellers are not aware of the difference and I got both versions when ordering two cards advertised with pictures having the BIOS chip. Ask for original pictures in advance.
just for the record, so everyone else has a chance to know about it. The Quadro K610M while it may boot into MacOS, it will not display the boot-picker screen even with the appropriate vbios mods in place.
This is likely because of one or two reasons:
1. The Quadro K610M is a "Kepler 2.0" GK208 card and not the GK1XX variety.
2. The machine that this was attempted on was a 2009/2010 iMac.
This is likely because of one or two reasons:
1. The Quadro K610M is a "Kepler 2.0" GK208 card and not the GK1XX variety.
2. The machine that this was attempted on was a 2009/2010 iMac.
How does those differ from the 2011 model?
Asking bacause I presently have all 3 models and succesfully flashed a K2100m on the 2010 with Nicks vbios and used in the 2009..
Oh nooo. Was not aware and have an GTX 680m arriving in mail shortly.
Pictures show an 8-leg empty U1 solder pad. Except from no moddet vbios being available, does this mean theres no hope for this board?
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Glad to hear the 2009/2010 iMacs work with the K2100M. So its likely that these machines may have some issues working with the GK208 GPUs.
Your purchased board is likely an MSI board? They chose to use a different packaging type for the BIOS chip. These are 8-WSON. The Clevo brand uses the SOIC-8.
You have some options:
1. Software flash only
2. Desolder the chip and use adapter to program via CH341a
3. Replace the chip with an equivalent SOIC-8
Probably should of asked this question here first.
Maybe I did to much at once or did things in the wrong order but I’m stuck.
My main goal was to install Catalina on my mid 2011 21.5 iMac.I researched steps and compatible GPU’s and ordered the parts. Install went fine.
Installed a i7 2600s cpu and a Nvidia Quadro K2000M
Computer boots and runs great missing the dimming and boot screen like expected.
The problem I’m having is when running the Catalina patch tool I need to boot from the install disk and I get nothing but black. Shutdown computer, power on and hold down the option key, and nothing but black.
I looked into updating the gpu information to gain the boot screen manually but that just confused me more. Any info or guidance is appreciated. Thanks
forums.macrumors.com
Maybe I did to much at once or did things in the wrong order but I’m stuck.
My main goal was to install Catalina on my mid 2011 21.5 iMac.I researched steps and compatible GPU’s and ordered the parts. Install went fine.
Installed a i7 2600s cpu and a Nvidia Quadro K2000M
Computer boots and runs great missing the dimming and boot screen like expected.
The problem I’m having is when running the Catalina patch tool I need to boot from the install disk and I get nothing but black. Shutdown computer, power on and hold down the option key, and nothing but black.
I looked into updating the gpu information to gain the boot screen manually but that just confused me more. Any info or guidance is appreciated. Thanks
No boot options or recovery screen after gpu upgrade
Maybe I did to much at once or did things in the wrong order but I’m stuck. My main goal was to install Catalina on my mid 2011 21.5 iMac.I researched steps and compatible GPU’s and ordered the parts. Install went fine. Installed a i7 2600s cpu and a Nvidia Quadro K2000M Computer boots and...
forums.macrumors.com
I have been trying to figure this out all day and have run into the following problems. The usb boot drives requires you to remote into the iMac with another windows computer (I don't have a windows computer)?
The windows partition that you add to your HD, it still requires your to load the boot screen to select the different boot drive on your hd. It also won't install properly on my HD or a external drive.
The windows partition that you add to your HD, it still requires your to load the boot screen to select the different boot drive on your hd. It also won't install properly on my HD or a external drive.
You can use the Linux usb and then ssh into it from another Mac.
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The other thing you could try since you have a working display, if you don’t have another computer, is to burn yourself a Linux dvd or cd. I used grml-small. Then put the linux USB files on a usb stick. Plug in a usb keyboard and the usb stick. Then boot the Mac off the linux dvd. Once Linux boots you can then mount the usb stick, cd to the directory on the usb stick, and run nvflash etc.
This doesn’t require remote login etc, but you need the working screen. And a usb keyboard since the linux cd probably won’t talk to the Mac keyboard automatically. i had this all working on my Mac.
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The other thing you could try since you have a working display, if you don’t have another computer, is to burn yourself a Linux dvd or cd. I used grml-small. Then put the linux USB files on a usb stick. Plug in a usb keyboard and the usb stick. Then boot the Mac off the linux dvd. Once Linux boots you can then mount the usb stick, cd to the directory on the usb stick, and run nvflash etc.
This doesn’t require remote login etc, but you need the working screen. And a usb keyboard since the linux cd probably won’t talk to the Mac keyboard automatically. i had this all working on my Mac.
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It is hard to find a good tutorial to do a dyinglight mod on an iMac. I only saw one for a MacBook and some pictures... Can you guys post one?
You are correct with MSI and 8-WSON.
Those are very good news, I would be attempted to try first 2 solutions.
NB "Replace with SOIC-8"; you mean on appropriate SOIC-8 UI solder pads?
That would mean also soldering on appropriate resistors, right? Dont think I dare that experiment.
Because there is no vbios to flash right now, and in the attempt to develop a working one the board might (will probably) become unbootable.
In that case one would have to reflash by cable.
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Sorry to interrupt but I have been looking over the last 10 posts trying to install OpenCore Loader and i can't find a way to install it (or maybe I'm overthinking the process)
Search for the BalenaEtcher an use this tool to copy the image to your SD card.
www.balena.io
Configure OC and boot the card, than into MacOS...
And: The first post of this thread is the how to....
balenaEtcher - Flash OS images to SD cards & USB drives
A cross-platform tool to flash OS images onto SD cards and USB drives safely and easily. Free and open source for makers around the world.
www.balena.io
Configure OC and boot the card, than into MacOS...
And: The first post of this thread is the how to....
1 grab an usb or a sd card
2 open disk utility and restore the dmg into it
3 at boot press alt button and choose the restored usb/sd
4 profit
What helped me:
1) Make hidden folders visible by pressing keys "." + "command" + "Shift"
2) Go to folder <...>/EFI/OC/..
3) Rename "config.plist" to "config.plist.BAK", and extract "nvidia.plist" (or something like that from ZIP if Nvidia, otherwise AMD dending on your GPU), -- rename to "config.plist"
4) Open OpenCore Configurater. Open new "config.plist"
NB From here I can not help as I don't know how to do with your exact hardware. Read in forum AND follow guides in the thread. You might start by trying the default settings. And read som OpenCore docs.
5) When all done, save and exit OC Configurator
6) In Apple System menu, choose start disk "OpenCore Loader" (Or what ever your OC startdisk is named)
10) Reboot. Your system should now boot OC, configure and then boot system.
You are basically installing it by 1) extracting these files to correct place 2) configure Open Core with configurator and SAVING from Open Core and 3) booting from the disk where you extracted the files.
This is by far more easy if you just fire up the OpenCore Configurator delivered on the Catalina Loader. Then you only need to open the current config, which is a little bit a hidden secret...watch the picture. By default the Nvidia config is active. Make your changes according to your machine and MacOS version. If you need to activate the AMD config you may use the terminal app and just change directory to EFI/OC. There you can do the copy to backup, unzip and the condig with the tool. You can have several XML files there, but only the one named "config.plist" will be read on boot.
The other method is to make hidden files visible in Finder. Fire up your terminal app and enter this line
Code:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE;killall FinderNow you can use finder to find the config.plist in EFI/OC
If you are done with watching all the hidden files all the time change it back with
Code:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE;killall FinderP.S.: I did not know the key short cut
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Hi all,
I have a problem that hopefully is fixed with a quick answer.
I am trying to boot to the linux ssh USB stick for flashing my k2100m, but the issue is that my mac never seems to boot using anything but my main ssd.
I have tested the USB stick in my MBP and it works fine. I can ssh remotely. Works great.
But when doing the exact same thing using my iMac, it won't boot.
I have tested to disconnect all SSDs and only use the USB. Doesn't work.
But the wierd thing is when I have tested to press and hold Option key for Boot selection (blackscreen of course), my iMac never boots from there. Not even when I only have my main SSD connected and all I do is to press and hold Option key, wait a little while, and then press enter (to boot from the blindly selected only SSD). I have tried over and over.
The exact same thing on my MBP is working fine.
So, is it not possible to use the boot select when it is black? I thought it was just the screen that was off but that you could navigate and use it blindly? Or am I missing some stupid thing here?
Thanks for all your support!
I have a problem that hopefully is fixed with a quick answer.
I am trying to boot to the linux ssh USB stick for flashing my k2100m, but the issue is that my mac never seems to boot using anything but my main ssd.
I have tested the USB stick in my MBP and it works fine. I can ssh remotely. Works great.
But when doing the exact same thing using my iMac, it won't boot.
I have tested to disconnect all SSDs and only use the USB. Doesn't work.
But the wierd thing is when I have tested to press and hold Option key for Boot selection (blackscreen of course), my iMac never boots from there. Not even when I only have my main SSD connected and all I do is to press and hold Option key, wait a little while, and then press enter (to boot from the blindly selected only SSD). I have tried over and over.
The exact same thing on my MBP is working fine.
So, is it not possible to use the boot select when it is black? I thought it was just the screen that was off but that you could navigate and use it blindly? Or am I missing some stupid thing here?
Thanks for all your support!
In regards to OC... Great job @Nick [D]vB and @highvoltage12v and @Ausdauersportler for helping with the tests.
I personally have yet to explore its full potential, especially because I am still waiting for the cards to arrive (WX7100 and WX4150), but I was able to successfully restore the image to a USB and boot with it on both my iMacs (one with 780m and another with the original 6770m card). I understand 780m is still not supported for brightness so I had no expectations there (Catalina was stuck at boot with the original config plist on the apple logo), and on the other (experience there is that with the original 6770m with the default config.plist it messes up with the brightness/light sensor and the brightness controls). Anyway, as far as booting and accessing the boot screen all is well.
However, one thing is not completely clear to me... The original intention of the CatalinaLoader (the basic loader used for this purpose) as one can read in the readme file, is to use the loader to fool the installer that the iMac model/hardware is supported one, so it can install Catalina natively (I guess the plist is changed so I could not expect that to happen - please confirm if this is true?!)
If it is not, then I was struggling to find a way to progress with the native Catalina installation, even if the installer was booted from the OC Catalina loader. So the ultimate question I am arriving at is: Should I just continue to use dosdude's installer or rely on the OC Catalina loader for the Catalina install, knowing that I will eventually need to utilise OC for boots and brightness control?
Thanks again for the awesome work, and really looking forward to test the brightness control natively with the WX7100 (assuming I will have luck with it this time)...
I personally have yet to explore its full potential, especially because I am still waiting for the cards to arrive (WX7100 and WX4150), but I was able to successfully restore the image to a USB and boot with it on both my iMacs (one with 780m and another with the original 6770m card). I understand 780m is still not supported for brightness so I had no expectations there (Catalina was stuck at boot with the original config plist on the apple logo), and on the other (experience there is that with the original 6770m with the default config.plist it messes up with the brightness/light sensor and the brightness controls). Anyway, as far as booting and accessing the boot screen all is well.
However, one thing is not completely clear to me... The original intention of the CatalinaLoader (the basic loader used for this purpose) as one can read in the readme file, is to use the loader to fool the installer that the iMac model/hardware is supported one, so it can install Catalina natively (I guess the plist is changed so I could not expect that to happen - please confirm if this is true?!)
If it is not, then I was struggling to find a way to progress with the native Catalina installation, even if the installer was booted from the OC Catalina loader. So the ultimate question I am arriving at is: Should I just continue to use dosdude's installer or rely on the OC Catalina loader for the Catalina install, knowing that I will eventually need to utilise OC for boots and brightness control?
Thanks again for the awesome work, and really looking forward to test the brightness control natively with the WX7100 (assuming I will have luck with it this time)...
So a few hours later after tweaking the settings, I discovered in the Patch Tab under Kernel, the 2 patches were disabled so by turning them on I got backlight control now.
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Hello guys!
This is my first post so at the beginning I would like to say THANK YOU for everyone involved in this project, you are doing a great job!
OK so... I have an iMac 27 2010 with flashed k1100m + installed High Sierra. All works perfectly fine but to fully happiness I wanted to have backlit control, so... I prepared SD card with OC and booted the iMac, unfortunately, all I get is a black screen with the blue bar (see pic.) I think the problem is OC (config.plist?) I have used post no.4963 as a reference + enabled Lilu.kext but freshly unpacked NVIDIA config.plist gives the same result.
If anyone experienced a similar issue and found a solution I would appreciate for advice.
This is my first post so at the beginning I would like to say THANK YOU for everyone involved in this project, you are doing a great job!
OK so... I have an iMac 27 2010 with flashed k1100m + installed High Sierra. All works perfectly fine but to fully happiness I wanted to have backlit control, so... I prepared SD card with OC and booted the iMac, unfortunately, all I get is a black screen with the blue bar (see pic.) I think the problem is OC (config.plist?) I have used post no.4963 as a reference + enabled Lilu.kext but freshly unpacked NVIDIA config.plist gives the same result.
If anyone experienced a similar issue and found a solution I would appreciate for advice.
