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If you have disconnected every other boot device it will boot automatically from the USB - please check the original post, again!
 
If you have disconnected every other boot device it will boot automatically from the USB - please check the original post, again!

thanks for you quick reply. unluckily no, it's not booting from usb even with any other unit disconnected.
I did use a usb stick with a led for checking if it would load but signs of life from the led.
any hint?
 
thanks for you quick reply. unluckily no, it's not booting from usb even with any other unit disconnected.
any hint?

How many diagnostic LEDs are lit on your motherboard? You will need to remove the display again to check. If you do not LED 2 lit up, there is likely a short on your GPU and you'll need to return/replace.
 
How many diagnostic LEDs are lit on your motherboard? You will need to remove the display again to check. If you do not LED 2 lit up, there is likely a short on your GPU and you'll need to return/replace.
2 green leds on the mainboard.. already checked that...
 
Am I missing something? What am I supposed to do while the screen is black? I never disabled SIP, might it be the reason for not booting?
Thanks to everybody in advance for your help
This question cannot be asked if your have read the original post!

There will be no third LED coming up until a working VBIOS has been flashed.
How do you exactly know that it did not boot?
Have you connected your system by a cable with your router?
Have you configured your router to provide a IP via DHCP to this cable connected machines on that particular port?
Have you checked your router for the IP provided?
This setup is meant to be used remotely because you have a black screen!
Have you tried to login remotely via SSH?

If you have connected a keyboard you probably have to press enter a few times because the system sit's and wait for boot. You may use it without a keyboard, too - if I remember correctly.

Could you be a little bit more precise in the description of what you exactly did and what you have really checked so far? You will not see anything on your iMac screen or a connected external display until the card has been flashed.
 
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This question cannot be asked if your have read the original post!

I asked you to read the original post! Please do it! of course I did, did you read my post?

There will be no third LED coming up until a working VBIOS has been flashed. I was talking about a led on the usb stick (did you read my post?)
How do you exactly know that it did not boot? because the led on the usb stick is always off
Have you connected your system by a cable with your router? yes sir
Have you configured your router to provide a IP via DHCP to this cable connected machines on that particular port? yes sir
Have you checked your router for the IP provided? yes sir
This setup is meant to be used remotely because you have a black screen! yes I know, thanks
Have you tried to login remotely via SSH? if there's no ping how can I ssh?

If you have connected a keyboard you probably have to press enter a few times because the system sit's and wait for boot. You may use it without a keyboard, too - if I remember correctly. I tried pressing enter AND pressing nothing

Could you be a little bit more precise in the description of what you exactly did and what you have really checked so far? You will not see anything on your iMac screen or a connected external display until the card has been flashed. I think I was clear enough, if you read my post
 
I am so sorry, I cannot help then. I got all answers needed in your last post, not in the first one. If your Linux stick worked with other machines then there is likely another problem, which I cannot get from your description. You may go back to another Mac and recheck using it without keyboard interaction.
When using it I just check my router via browser for upcoming new systems ...
Did you ever mention which iMac - you did, but it is more easy if you add it to a signature - and which filesysten used to create the Linux USB stick? For me vfat never worked, I used msdos or fat, because this could be booted the the boot rom.

Out of curiosity: How do you ping a system without knowing an IP?
 
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I tried "fat32 + GPT" as per xanderon's post. if "fat" is better I'll give it a try.

I checked the DHCP table of the router (I used a separate router with only the imac and a macbook for ssh) and the imac with the quadro never showed up. so no ping and therefore no ssh, that's what I meant.

thanks for your help
 
It is not the question of better or worse. You must have a bootable device.
Have you really checked this particular stick in the same environment, i.e. without other boot devices?
 
I tried "fat32 + GPT" as per xanderon's post. if "fat" is better I'll give it a try.

I checked the DHCP table of the router (I used a separate router with only the imac and a macbook for ssh) and the imac with the quadro never showed up. so no ping and therefore no ssh, that's what I meant.

thanks for your help
If the USB already boots another computer, I am not sure what reformatting it will do.

Did you try booting without the new graphic card?
Also, try booting with the original card to see that all the other components are still functional?

PS Ausdauersportler is always ready to lend a hand, it serves no one to get snippy with him.
 
If the USB already boots another computer, I am not sure what reformatting it will do.

Did you try booting without the new graphic card?
Also, try booting with the original card to see that all the other components are still functional?

PS Ausdauersportler is always ready to lend a hand, it serves no one to get snippy with him.

I made the final test... I did put the old card in and the imac did boot fine even if half assembled (blind boot with only usb key and lan connected). I could ssh in it in less than a minute. Put back the quadro and the system won't boot. I'm afraid the card is shot, I was not 100% sure it was working, now I'm quite sure it's not.
 
Hi there...as per my forum name I need your help about this topic...
I have a imac 21,5 2011 and a quadro k2100m coming from a dell m4800. I made the bootable usb key with ssh access and tried on a different imac alcways 2011 and it works fine. but the imac with the quadro inside seems not to boot. I have black screen and fans spins correctly and won't go full speed (this make me think everything is assembled correctly) have removed the hard drive and when I boot I keep alt button pressed but the usb key led will never turn on, even on the keyboard num lock won't work. Am I missing something? What am I supposed to do while the screen is black? I never disabled SIP, might it be the reason for not booting?
Thanks to everybody in advance for your help
I got the same issue the only way to solve it is.... flash the card with a usb programmer
 
Just want to say thanks to everyone for the tutorials on getting my Imac 27 inch mid 2011 upgraded with a k2100m video card. Everything is working brightness control/ bootup with Caitlina loader and I was able to flash with Nicks vb Rom. The only issue I have is when the computer goes to sleep it will not come back and I have to restart the imac and it Apple reports a kernal panic.

I tried some of the tutorials on replacing some kexts but as soon as I did that it caused my imac to boot up with a Circle with a line through it.

Am i missing something here?
 
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@Ausdauersportler & @Pascal Baillargeau I'm wondering about flashing my WX7100 using bootcamp Win7 on an external laptop with a USB programmer instead of remote connection to iMac with installed card. The consensus is that it's easier to flash using Linux>Ubuntu, however after having installed Ubuntu on one of my 2012 macbooks, the questionable graphics glitches and my lack of knowledge regarding this OS led me toward flashing using bootcamp Win7 instead. This leads me to my question: Flashing via laptop (2012 Macbook Pro) is safe? I won't fry my battery or Logic board in the process due to power throughput? Also, I will be using the AMD ROMs posted by @Nick [D]vB from @MichaelDT post on page 1 on this thread for flashing on Windows. Confirming these are current and will yield the highest probability of success? I will have my SOIC8 SOP8 Programmer soon and am just in the process of prepping to flash so I want to make sure I have all my ducks in a row. And yes I know the first thing I should be doing is dumping my existing vBIOS in case something goes wrong.
 
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@Ausdauersportler & @Pascal Baillargeau I'm wondering about flashing my WX7100 using bootcamp Win7 on an external laptop instead of remote connection to iMac with installed card. The consensus is that it's easier to flash using Linux>Ubuntu, however after having installed Ubuntu on one of my 2012 macbooks, the questionable graphics glitches and my lack of knowledge regarding this OS led me toward flashing using Win7 instead. This leads me to my question: Flashing via laptop (2012 Macbook Pro) is safe? I won't fry my battery or Logic board in the process due to power throughput? Also, I will be using the AMD ROMs posted by @Nick [D]vB from @MichaelDT post on page 1 on this thread for flashing on Windows. Confirming these are current and will yield the highest probability of success? I will have my SOIC8 SOP8 Programmer soon and am just in the process of prepping to flash so I want to make sure I have all my ducks in a row.
You can install flashrom in Mac OS it's even easier, no need for windows or linux. Then you will flash using terminal in Mac OS.
Link to flashrom mac

Flashing via Laptop is safe. I used My HP Elite X2 1012 G1 (hackintosh), with Mac OS to flash.

The trickiest thing is to get the chip well clipped.
 
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You can install flashrom in Mac OS it's even easier, no need for windows or linux. Then you will flash using terminal in Mac OS.
Link to flashrom mac

Flashing via Laptop is safe. I used My HP 1012 G2 X1 (hackintosh), with Mac OS to flash.
I just spent so long messing with bootcamp on HS because of APFS until finally scaling back to Sierra in order to set up Windows on one of my MBPs. Turns out I had to run a terminal command to identify the installer as an old version just to install using bootcamp. I could have done it from OSX to start! You guys are amazing, and so fast! The community is so lucky to have you. So I'll confirm, I can use the same ROMs on OSX in terminal?
 
Assuming you have Catalina or Mojave installed on your mid 2011 you need to apply the patches @highvoltage12v provided. Go back to Start, do not take 4000 USD, and search the first post on page 1 for sleep - you will find the link and tutorial.
Mostly concerned with just getting the GPU going on HS, then will take on upgrade to Mojave and Catalina (which I'll likely be posting about again) actually probably not because the info is already there. Infinitely grateful for your guidance as usual. 4k USD, NOPE LOL
 
You can install flashrom in Mac OS it's even easier, no need for windows or linux. Then you will flash using terminal in Mac OS.
Link to flashrom mac

Flashing via Laptop is safe. I used My HP Elite X2 1012 G1 (hackintosh), with Mac OS to flash.

The trickiest thing is to get the chip well clipped.
Okay, I'm comfy with terminal and have run the Mac flashrom you linked, but is there a command line guide that you can lead me to for flashing (with the correct vBIOS) on OSX? Or do I just run the flashrom once the programmer is connected? I've got all the ROM and app downloaded in Win7 already and (in theory) have everything I need to dump and flash already in Windows. Don't really care what OS gets used as long as I know wtf to do lol
 
Mostly concerned with just getting the GPU going on HS, then will take on upgrade to Mojave and Catalina (which I'll likely be posting about again) actually probably not because the info is already there. Infinitely grateful for your guidance as usual. 4k USD, NOPE LOL
When I started with all this a few month ago I made exactly the same little mistake. Had a long time spent on reading and planning, flashed, installed, ran tests on High Sierra and moved on directly to Catalina facing this sleep bug. And I asked here without reading the first post, again :cool:

In your case I agree with Pascal: Whenever possible one should get the 15 USD clip programmer and do the flashing in advance. If something goes wrong later you have at least fenced out this wide field of ongoing trouble :)

Mac flashrom using home brew will run on Macs with Catalina and Mojave, I am not quite sure if High Sierra supports this kind of USB drivers, too.
 
Mac flashrom using home brew will run on Macs with Catalina and Mojave, I am not quite sure if High Sierra supports this kind of USB drivers, too.

Hi I confirm that Flashrom (brew method) is running OK with High Sierra : I flashed my K2100M with my High Sierra Macbook Pro 13 inch Early 2011. It was a "no brainer" (except this damned clip).
 
Sadly not, I wanted to flash using Win10. Won't it be possible to also backup flash from there?

@Vego17, Hey man, what happened with your WX7100? Any luck getting it going? Did you at least got it to boot?

Excellent, thank you! Too bad I don't have more fingers lol.

What about you @Emilio306 ?

--

In the other news, I finally finished my first AMD implementation - my WX4170 project. Once again huge thanks to everyone contributing to this forum, especially to @Nick [D]vB (for the rom), @highvoltage12v (for the kext/framework work), @Ausdauersportler (for the support, the idea bouncing and sharing his OC experience), and all others here who have actively worked, tested and spent plenty of hours on building this knowledge.

So, I can report working 27", 2011 model with WX4170 and OC. Full HW Acceleration, Airplay, Boot Menu, brightness control. In essence all that I was missing with the GTX series, apart from the performance (maybe).

2 lessons I learnt with the WX4170 in relation to the setup:
  • Heatsink does not require modification, but, you need to be generous with the K5 on the vrams, as they do not sit well on the heatsink Heatsink turns out requires modification of the VRAM cooling sections. I had to file these sections flat for the VRAM to sit flash with the heatsink and to loose the gap between the GPU and the copper plate. This mod made about 30C difference in the GPU temps, especially under load.
  • I needed to put a piece of electrical tape on the left side of the card (when looking at the GPU), because, I believe some of the components were touching the heatsink which in turn resulted in boot problems initially. Coils were fine.
In the meantime my WX7100 project has regressed again. As @Ausdauersportler already explained, we ended without successful installation on the 2011 model, so I am eagerly waiting for a replacement card (the card was bad).
 
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Hey, first of all thanks a bunch for all your work and the huge effort you all put in this thread/project here!!! Just awesome.

I want to replace my HD 6770 512GB to make my machine ready for catalina. I am still on High Sierra. I thought about taking one of the newer AMD cards to hopefully be ready for the next OS too. My question, has anyone a idea about the performance differences between these 3 cards?
I mean the WX4130 is more than 3 times cheaper than the WX7100 and even 2 times than the WX4170.
I just play some really old games (Max Payne 3 etc.) and do a bit of photo and video editing, thats us.

Would be really nice if you guys could help me out, finding the right decission and don't spent too much money, iam still studying ;-))
 
Thank you to everyone who has submitted their Valley benchmarks this far. We have around 40 submissions and the biggest hurdle that's appeared is that the Radeon cards are underperforming in the Valley benchmark vs. what we should be seeing. The 780M continues to be our top performer in Valley.

Currently, the WX7100 is only slightly edging out the GTX 765M in its Valley score and the WX4170 performing between the K2100M and the 765M.

This could mean a few things - it could mean that the Polaris drivers are not being fully utilized (likely, considering other findings and others using Polaris and Vega based cards in their Macs/hacks) or that the Valley benchmark isn't adequately representing the performance disparity.

For those who would like to see the raw form data, here is the live spreadsheet with the results!
 
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