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

[Ausdauersportler]

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 ;-))

You gave the answer yourself. For financial reasons go with the WX4130, unfortunately it is currently not clear if this card will post in your mid 2011.

The "Rundherumsorglospaket" is currently the K2100M (or K1100M) - these are known to work like magic...

 

[jborko]

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!

Great stuff @NOTNlCE - AMD cards need some more work it seems to get them to perform at the expected level. Despite being newer and by specification more powerful, they are clearly underperforming.

 

[NOTNlCE]

Great stuff @NOTNlCE - AMD cards need some more work it seems to get them to perform at the expected level. Despite being newer and by specification more powerful, they are clearly underperforming.

I think I am going to invest the $100 in a WX4130 for my spare 2010 27" to try and assist. I know on my X99 tower, I am using the iMacPro1,1 SMBIOS with several Radeon boosters to get performance up to where it should be. Perhaps a similar spoof of the SMBIOS like @highvoltage12v was doing with OpenCore and a combination of other fixes may help. I know when the RadeonBoost kext came out, @Ausdauersportler and I tried it with his WX4170 and didn't see any performance improvements.

 

[Pascal Baillargeau]

I think I am going to invest the $100 in a WX4130 for my spare 2010 27" to try and assist. I know on my X99 tower, I am using the iMacPro1,1 SMBIOS with several Radeon boosters to get performance up to where it should be. Perhaps a similar spoof of the SMBIOS like @highvoltage12v was doing with OpenCore and a combination of other fixes may help. I know when the RadeonBoost kext came out, @Ausdauersportler and I tried it with his WX4170 and didn't see any performance improvements.

I tried RadeonBoost too on WX7100 (injecting Product ID and Device ID into RX580 section) with no benefits.

 

[jborko]

I just run another valley test... This time I was monitoring the core and the memory clock as well as the temps based on Nick's terminal command. While core clock peaks from time to time over 1000MHz and the Memory Clock to 1500Mhz, it seems that they are quickly throttled down to Core 500 and Memory to 300. Theoretically they should be able to achieve Core 1000 and Memory 1750, so this seems to be far off from the specification. I am wondering if it is the grey market versions that are causing this or rather driver/vbios/psu/compatibility combination.

Edit: oh, and the temps never went higher than 70, which in other terms means that there is still performance capacity in the card.

 

[BadBiscuit]

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).

I really want to order the WX7100 too. I have a newly acquired mid-2011, but it certainly seems unclear which to order based on recent results, complicated by the expense and only source being China. Does your last remark, mean that the 109-C95847-00C_02 card that failed to work was confirmed defective by the seller? Are you getting another of the same to try, or are you switching to the 109-C769A1-00B-xx version? It would seem 100% successful out of a sample of one (@Pascal Baillargeau), correct?

Everyones efforts toward this is much appreciate. I will continue to watch for future updates and willing to dive in to provide more results if there is a path that seems to be best.

 

[Emilio306]

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



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
• 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).

Still waiting on my heatsink but will be flashing as soon as it arrives and will let you know!

 

[internetzel]

I just run another valley test... This time I was monitoring the core and the memory clock as well as the temps based on Nick's terminal command. While core clock peaks from time to time over 1000MHz and the Memory Clock to 1500Mhz, it seems that they are quickly throttled down to Core 500 and Memory to 300. Theoretically they should be able to achieve Core 1000 and Memory 1750, so this seems to be far off from the specification. I am wondering if it is the grey market versions that are causing this or rather driver/vbios/psu/compatibility combination.

Edit: oh, and the temps never went higher than 70, which in other terms means that there is still performance capacity in the card.

Nick's BIOS is for the WX4150 (Baffin PRO), not for the WX4170 (Baffin XT). By luck it worked on the WX4170, he stated. So I guess the clocks applied are those of the WX4150 and maybe also the number of shaders is limited to what the WX4150 has, 896 in the Baffin PRO vs. the 1024 in the Baffin XT.

Edit: you might want to use GPU-Z in Windows to find out the number of actually enabled shaders.

 

[Xelosse]

Hello There,

Is this ok for an iMac upgrade with 3 pipes heatsink ?
I bought a computer 200 € HS graphics card


Thanks

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[1216717]

Guys, I’m from Italy, I hope my English will be clear:

I have an iMac 21.5” mid-2011 and I’d like to buy an NVIDIA Quadro K2100M but what I saw is that every GPU found on online markets are “HP ZBook” not Dell-Alienware specific. Do you think there is something different?

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Guys, I’m from Italy, I hope my English will be clear:

I have an iMac 21.5” mid-2011 and I’d like to buy an NVIDIA Quadro K2100M but what I saw is that every GPU found on online markets are “HP ZBook” not Dell-Alienware specific. Do you think there is something different?

After all it does not make any difference. Just get prepared to flash it, the best method is still the CH341A clip programmer.
[automerge]1589308264[/automerge]

I just run another valley test... This time I was monitoring the core and the memory clock as well as the temps based on Nick's terminal command. While core clock peaks from time to time over 1000MHz and the Memory Clock to 1500Mhz, it seems that they are quickly throttled down to Core 500 and Memory to 300. Theoretically they should be able to achieve Core 1000 and Memory 1750, so this seems to be far off from the specification. I am wondering if it is the grey market versions that are causing this or rather driver/vbios/psu/compatibility combination.

Edit: oh, and the temps never went higher than 70, which in other terms means that there is still performance capacity in the card.

Hi !
To analyse the case I just ran the Valley benchmark, again (1920x1080, medium, windowed):

Using the WX4150_GOP on Catalina:
Before sleep: core approx 5-600MHz, Memory 1500MHz steady, 27.7 FPS, Score 1160
After sleep : core approx 2-300MHz, Memory 1500MHz steady, 14.3 FPS, Score  699
Using the Beta4 560X_GOP on Mojave:
Before sleep: core approx 7-800MHz, Memory 1500MHz steady, 36.2 FPS, Score 1515

 

[Pascal Baillargeau]

I have a question.
I reverted to stock Catalina AppleGVA.framework instead of the old version promoted in iMac with WX7100. I have lost in geekbench, for instance, quite a lot in terms of benchmark result, but i am now able to play Sony Swordsmith HDR UHD 4K Demo, with perfect fluidity, it was impossible before. And there is no change concerning hardware enc/dec H264/hevc. Sleep/wake works too.
Does someone can confirm this?

 

[internetzel]

After all it does not make any difference. Just get prepared to flash it, the best method is still the CH341A clip programmer.
[automerge]1589308264[/automerge]

Hi !
To analyse the case I just ran the Valley benchmark, again (1920x1080, medium, windowed):

Using the WX4150_GOP on Catalina:
Before sleep: core approx 5-600MHz, Memory 1500MHz steady, 27.7 FPS, Score 1160
After sleep : core approx 2-300MHz, Memory 1500MHz steady, 14.3 FPS, Score  699
Using the Beta4 560X_GOP on Mojave:
Before sleep: core approx 7-800MHz, Memory 1500MHz steady, 36.2 FPS, Score 1515

The WX4130 was clocked at 1053 MHz core and 1500 MHz memory permanently during the whole half hour (at least) of running the Valley benchmark.
High Sierra was much more aggressive at clocking down the memory than Mojave. However at some point after sleeping and waking several times the memory clock seemed to get stuck at 300 MHz, in both OSes, until after the next reboot.

 

[derickz]

Hey guys, I need some help.

I tried two ways to flash the K2100m, N15P-Q3-A1. I tried ch341a, the programmer can not find the chip.

chip id is Winbond 25X20CLNIG-1439.

I tried the Linux way, the NVIDIA Firmware Update Utility (Version 5.414.0) can't find it either, but looks like the Video card works fine.

Thanks for helping,

Derick

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

root@grml /lib/live/mount/medium/flash # ./nvflash_linux --save ~/original.rom

NVIDIA Firmware Update Utility (Version 5.414.0)
Simplified Version For OEM Only
Adapter: GK1xx (10DE,11DC,0000,0000) H:--:NRM S:00,B:01,D:00,F:00

Identifying EEPROM...
EEPROM ID (20,00FF) : Unknown

ERROR: Supported EEPROM not found
2 root@grml /lib/live/mount/medium/flash # ./nvflash_linux -a

NVIDIA Firmware Update Utility (Version 5.414.0)
Simplified Version For OEM Only
NVIDIA display adapters present in system:
<0> GK1xx (10DE,11DC,0000,0000) H:--:NRM S:00,B:01,D:00,F:00
root@grml /lib/live/mount/medium/flash #
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation Device 11dc (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Flags: fast devsel
Memory at a0000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
Memory at 80000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
Memory at 90000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=32M]
I/O ports at 2000 [disabled]
Expansion ROM at a1000000 [disabled] [size=512K]
Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 3
Capabilities: [68] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
Capabilities: [78] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
Capabilities: [b4] Vendor Specific Information: Len=14 <?>
Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel
Capabilities: [128] Power Budgeting <?>
Capabilities: [600] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=024 <?>
Capabilities: [900] #19
Kernel modules: nouveau

 

[mattchr]

Yes - looks like you have stock VBIOS on your card. The reasoning here is because the display output port mapping is embedded in the VBIOS itself, rather than in software via kernel extension. Conversely, AMD cards are the opposite. They use a "Framebuffer" that can be patched in software to output signals that we want. The NVIDIA VBIOS that work require there to be an embedded DisplayPort signal in the port mapping in order to communicate with the iMac display. Most have a standard DisplayPort signal by default, which is why your external display works fine. If you flash Nick's VBIOS onto your 765M when you get a chance your internal display will come to life.

EDIT: Sorry if I am rambling - I tend to want to understand *why* something does not work and how to fix it rather than just blindly following direction.

Really appreciate the explanation @NOTNlCE 👍

Finally managed to get it working with my 765M! Found my easiest route with the available parts was using a spare hard drive, install Windows 10 and flashing with the nvidia vbios tool and Nick's vbios. Makes sense now it's been patched and looking at hardware/display stuff between Win10 and MacOS.

Booting with the internal display now works if I hold the option key, then selecting the MacOS startup disk. When booting straight to Windows it always works. I'm aware MacOS would still have more restrictions with checking GPU so I'm wondering if there's a way to either:

- delay bootup somehow with nvram boot-args, so the gpu has time to fully boot, like some timed delay
- forcing the startup disk choice, instead of holding down the option key every boot.

 

[JohnShaw55]

1st thanks for being here guys.
Just fitted a 780m into my old mid 2011 27". The OS on the HDD has High Sierra on it.

Sorry for being a bit thick but Need your advice?

GPU was replaced a couple of years ago by Stormfront in Exeter under the free Apple GPU replacement.

The card coming out after getting the vertical lines again is a AMD 1544 - can't find any specs anywhere for it?
Is this the card that can be baked?

Seemed to replace the new graphics card easily. the two metal bits on the top of the card rest against the heat sinc but put some tape on those. the x shaped bracket was different and slightly large on the old card and sit very tight to some connections on the 780 but it has black plastic on the bottom so figured that shouldn't short anything.

I did have a problem on the back of the screen with the vertical synch plug but that was happily sorted here. this post.

Don't think the screen is the problem, and don't think it matters the new GPU not being 100% flat on to the cooling plate - .5 mil gaps filled with MX2 thermal paste?

The problem is the Screen is staying black after boot chime and the third diagnostic light on the logic board isn't coming on?

old card

 

[Ausdauersportler]

1st thanks for being here guys.
Just fitted a 780m into my old mid 2011 27". The OS on the HDD has High Sierra on it.

Sorry for being a bit thick but Need your advice?

GPU was replaced a couple of years ago by Stormfront in Exeter under the free Apple GPU replacement.

The card coming out after getting the vertical lines again is a AMD 1544 - can't find any specs anywhere for it?
Is this the card that can be baked?

Seemed to replace the new graphics card easily. the two metal bits on the top of the card rest against the heat sinc but put some tape on those. the x shaped bracket was different and slightly large on the old card and sit very tight to some connections on the 780 but it has black plastic on the bottom so figured that shouldn't short anything.

I did have a problem on the back of the screen with the vertical synch plug but that was happily sorted here. this post.

Don't think the screen is the problem, and don't think it matters the new GPU not being 100% flat on to the cooling plate - .5 mil gaps filled with MX2 thermal paste?

The problem is the Screen is staying black after boot chime and the third diagnostic light on the logic board isn't coming on?

old card

Did you flash the card in advance?
I doubt your “non dremel” installation will work, I installed two 780m so far and had to grind the heat sink.
Did I mention the pictures attached at the first post of this thread

 

[nathansz]

Really appreciate the explanation @NOTNlCE 👍

Finally managed to get it working with my 765M! Found my easiest route with the available parts was using a spare hard drive, install Windows 10 and flashing with the nvidia vbios tool and Nick's vbios. Makes sense now it's been patched and looking at hardware/display stuff between Win10 and MacOS.

Booting with the internal display now works if I hold the option key, then selecting the MacOS startup disk. When booting straight to Windows it always works. I'm aware MacOS would still have more restrictions with checking GPU so I'm wondering if there's a way to either:

- delay bootup somehow with nvram boot-args, so the gpu has time to fully boot, like some timed delay
- forcing the startup disk choice, instead of holding down the option key every boot.

you could install reFind and have it default start to macos after a delay time of n number of seconds

 

[snam11]

1st thanks for being here guys.
Just fitted a 780m into my old mid 2011 27". The OS on the HDD has High Sierra on it.

Sorry for being a bit thick but Need your advice?

GPU was replaced a couple of years ago by Stormfront in Exeter under the free Apple GPU replacement.

The card coming out after getting the vertical lines again is a AMD 1544 - can't find any specs anywhere for it?
Is this the card that can be baked?

Seemed to replace the new graphics card easily. the two metal bits on the top of the card rest against the heat sinc but put some tape on those. the x shaped bracket was different and slightly large on the old card and sit very tight to some connections on the 780 but it has black plastic on the bottom so figured that shouldn't short anything.

I did have a problem on the back of the screen with the vertical synch plug but that was happily sorted here. this post.

Don't think the screen is the problem, and don't think it matters the new GPU not being 100% flat on to the cooling plate - .5 mil gaps filled with MX2 thermal paste?

The problem is the Screen is staying black after boot chime and the third diagnostic light on the logic board isn't coming on?

old card
View attachment 914652View attachment 914654

1 original amd card: you can have try with the bake, but the card will last between 1month up to a year or two, depending on luck and gpu usage.
2 780m: you need to flash the right bios in the gtx card (check 1st page), and the most easy way is to make the usb linux drive and flash the gpu using another machine

 

[NOTNlCE]

1st thanks for being here guys.
Just fitted a 780m into my old mid 2011 27". The OS on the HDD has High Sierra on it.

The problem is the Screen is staying black after boot chime and the third diagnostic light on the logic board isn't coming on?

old card

As others have said, this is expected behavior without flashing your VBIOS. That card is a Radeon 6970M. The 1544 on the die refers to the core clock of the GPU, 1,544MHz.

There are many options for flashing your GPU - see post #1 for the list, descriptions, and guides. Once the correct VBIOS is flashed, your diagnostic LEDs will be fine, you will get a display, and should be good.

As a test, you may want to try and hook up an external monitor to one of your displayport outputs and see if you get a signal, just so you are not flying completely blind. If no, I've found the Linux USB and SSH to be very effective for flying blind.

Best of luck!

 

[JohnShaw55]

thank you all... no idea how to flash - well not without a raincoat - so orf to try a quick bake off... and if anyone wants to do it for me for a few bob - UK please while corona is slowing airmail.

On the other hand, should the cpu cooler be live? Just touched the frame and got a bloody kick! notlol???

 

[sosa13]

Copied from this page and post:

You need somehow another working computer to get it done. If you read the first page carefully in advance you would have made a plan before putting the card inside. Now using a CH341A is a little bit tricky - you have to get the card back outside.

Q: Flash VBIOS? How do I do that?
A: VBIOS can be flashed in one of two ways: Either directly with a CH341a clip programmer or with the "NVFLASH" software in Windows or Linux. THIS POST helps describe the flashing process. Others have found THIS POST useful. User @xanderoncreated a pre-made USB that can flash the iMac with Linux over SSH. Many have found this the easiest method. Additionally, user @jowaju created a simple Installer package that can be run on macOS Sierra (10.12) and higher that creates a 15GB Windows 7 Bootcamp partition with all the needed tools.

Thanks, yeah I realized I had a brain fart and didn’t do all the steps before putting the card in smh. Thinking about getting the CH341a and flashing the vbios and giving it a try.

 

[dstd123]

As others have said, this is expected behavior without flashing your VBIOS. That card is a Radeon 6970M. The 1544 on the die refers to the core clock of the GPU, 1,544MHz.

There are many options for flashing your GPU - see post #1 for the list, descriptions, and guides. Once the correct VBIOS is flashed, your diagnostic LEDs will be fine, you will get a display, and should be good.

As a test, you may want to try and hook up an external monitor to one of your displayport outputs and see if you get a signal, just so you are not flying completely blind. If no, I've found the Linux USB and SSH to be very effective for flying blind.

Best of luck!

Correction the 1544 means year 2015/ 44 week.
In other words production date.

 

[JohnShaw55]

Correction the 1544 means year 2015/ 44 week.
In other words production date.

Ahh thanks... not useful in its
self but I love learning stuff.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

thank you all... no idea how to flash - well not without a raincoat - so orf to try a quick bake off... and if anyone wants to do it for me for a few bob - UK please while corona is slowing airmail.

On the other hand, should the cpu cooler be live? Just touched the frame and got a bloody kick! notlol???

If you already managed to install a card you should be able to copy some files on a USB memory stick and do the flashing following the guide linked on the famous first post on this thread. It is not sooo complicated.

I had to grind the heat sink to install the 780M card parallel on both axis. The GPU should have flat contact to the copper part of the heat sink only separated by some paste.