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

[ekwipt]

wow just stumbled into this thread, what's the best "older" iMac that could be upgraded for the cheapest cost/performance ration in your opinion?

 

[TechAssistant]

Hello everyone,
I am preparing to install a new GPU in my 2011 iMac today. I just have a few questions with the process.
What is the best way to start? Should I install OpenCore and Windows first so I can flash the GPU after I install it? Also does OpenCore support a Fusion Drive?

 

[Ausdauersportler]

@highvoltage12v, how install this kext? command:
do not work and I do not have permission to change /System/Library/Extensions

Follow the instructions @meggle made a few posts before...my Big Sur post should have the links, too.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Hello everyone,
I am preparing to install a new GPU in my 2011 iMac today. I just have a few questions with the process.
What is the best way to start? Should I install OpenCore and Windows first so I can flash the GPU after I install it? Also does OpenCore support a Fusion Drive?

Read post #1 and follow the instructions there. Flash before using a clip or after the installation using the Linux USB stick, then check on High Sierra, then put OpenCore to an SD card following the provided docs an check brightness and then move on to Mojave or Catalina. Please read the instructions, we put so much effort in it to make it as easy as possible.

 

[Wallace Fung]

Follow the instructions @meggle made a few posts before...my Big Sur post should have the links, too.

Me too. I really want to know which is the best path for iMac 2011 21.5".
What method is the cheapest way without patch and that can boot to OS directly.
Coz my friend's GPU almost dead. It can't stand for a long time.
Screen always shows glitch after 5 minutes then system freezes.
So we can install any patch before replacing NEW GPU.

Before buying a new GPU,I read this thread over a week. Unfortunately I still got the wrong card.
I hope someone can explore a more simple way to use unofficial GPU.

 

[ZenSurfeur]

Me too. I really want to know which is the best path for iMac 2011 21.5".
What method is the cheapest way without patch and that can boot to OS directly.
Coz my friend's GPU almost dead. It can't stand for a long time.
Screen always shows glitch after 5 minutes then system freezes.
So we can install any patch before replacing NEW GPU.

Before buying a new GPU,I read this thread over a week. Unfortunately I still got the wrong card.
I hope someone can explore a more simple way to use unofficial GPU.

what is your card?

 

[passatgt]

wow just stumbled into this thread, what's the best "older" iMac that could be upgraded for the cheapest cost/performance ration in your opinion?

The 27" 2011 is the best one, but a 2010 27" could be good for average home use too. The cheapest gpu option is probably a k610, k2000m or something like that, whatever you can find locally or on ebay If you are lucky, you can pick up these broken iMac models for cheap, like 100-150$. But its getting harder to do, because people are getting familiar with this option to fix them, so they sell quickly

 

[Wania]

Installing kexts on Big Sur was a bit of a hassle, as the usual tools like Hackintool and Kext Utility did not work. I had to mount the root partition, bless it and reload kexts. Basically after disabling root-authentication using csrutil (which was already the case for me) the steps are:

1) mount root volume: sudo mount -o nobrowse -t apfs /dev/diskNsM /Volumes/ROOT (disk id is / from diskutil list with last 'sX' removed)
2) make modifications to kexts
3) run kmutil install --update-all --volume-root /Volumes/ROOT,
4) bless new volume: sudo bless --folder /Volumes/ROOT/System/Library/CoreServices --bootefi --create-snapshot

what I am making wrong?

 

[Ausdauersportler]

what I am making wrong?

Did you read the error message?
Did you check the man page of the mount command?
Have you realised that you can only mount a device on an existing empty directory?

 

[Wania]

I have read the error message. I understand that I don't have such a directory but I don't know why I don't have it? where can I find Volumes / ROOT then?
should i make it myself?

 

[Ausdauersportler]

I have read the error message. I understand that I don't have such a directory but I don't know why I don't have it? where can I find Volumes / ROOT then?
should i make it myself?

I wrote you can only mount onto an existing folder. If there is no, you have to make one in advance...

EDIT:

If you use the patch-kext-iMac.sh instead of the original you would have not to install a single extension by yourself. Please check it out, I made a link in my post pointing to the Big Sur thread.

 

[Lottosmp]

@highvoltage12v, how install this kext? command:
do not work and I do not have permission to change /System/Library/Extensions

It should be 3 separate commands, looks like "sudo mount..." and "sudo killall ..." ended up on the same line. You need to hit enter after each line of course

sudo spctl --master-disable
sudo mount -uw /
sudo killall Finder

Also make sure you don't forget the trailing slash ("/") in sudo mount -uw /.

 

[highvoltage12v]

@highvoltage12v, how install this kext? command:
do not work and I do not have permission to change /System/Library/Extensions

Yes Big Sur is even more a pain to work with. You can install the Kexts through recovery/Terminal using the @Ausdauersportler method, or you can defeat Volume Snapshots Here to have complete range of System Access like before
[automerge]1597248810[/automerge]

It should be 3 separate commands, looks like "sudo mount..." and "sudo killall ..." ended up on the same line. You need to hit enter after each line of course

sudo spctl --master-disable
sudo mount -uw /
sudo killall Finder

Also make sure you don't forget the trailing slash ("/") in sudo mount -uw /.

Hahaha *Laughs in Big Sur* Apple took that away from us.

I mean the commands will works after defeating Volume Snapshots. It will be like Catalina after.

 

[Wania]

If you use the patch-kext-iMac.sh instead of the original you would have not to install a single extension by yourself. Please check it out, I made a link in my post pointing to the Big Sur thread.

ok i installed kexts by patch-kexts.sh --2011, but what do with AppleGVA.framework, if I do not have permission to PrivareFramewroks? Hardware Encoder is not actived

 

[Ausdauersportler]

ok i installed kexts by patch-kexts.sh --2011, but what do with AppleGVA.framework, if I do not have permission to PrivareFramewroks? Hardware Encoder is not actived

There you have to walk the

sudo mkdir /Volumes/root
sudo mount ...

way as before.

I wrote this is not a „klick on coloured buttons“ solution. This is Unix, this is terminal, this needs some know how...

 

[Wania]

yeee i know this and i try hard

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Catalina Loader and OpenCore

Important: Upload of image is encrypted now just to please Google, password is NICK
​

NEWS:

1. Some of you have possibly seen that I stopped publishing new updates of preconfigured versions of OpenCore in the old way providing different config files for NVIDIA and AMD users. All the necessary information needed to update have been included into the OpenCore Legacy Patcher. If you need to use new OpenCore versions with Big Sur please check this software to generate EFI folders according to your needs and depending on the hardware you are using. You can put this EFI folder just onto the CL as the version attached below.

Support matrix:

OC Version	High Sierra, Sierra	Mojave	Catalina	Big Sur
0.5.9	yes	yes	yes	no

(all tests with AMD cards using 2010 and 2011 systems)

Spoiler: Plan - how to prepare, install and use?

Q1: What is the first - important - need to be done in advance prerequisite?
Install the lastest Apple firmware for your iMac. This can be done by doing a fresh High Sierra including all published Apple updates first on an internal disk!

Q2: What now?
Backup your iMacs firmware using @dosdude1 program named romtool (link on first post)!

Q3: How to install the image on an SD/USB?
Installation on an SD card or USB flash drive is simple: Use the disk utility to restore the card/drive from the image you downloaded and unpacked before. The Catalina Loader is now an empty stack. It will need to have an EFI folder you get from the additional packages (old 0.5.9 or recent 0.6.8).

Q3: How to use a specific config file provided here?
Delete the existing config.plist file, make a copy of your target file and rename this to config.plist. Do a PRAM reset on reboot and choose the Catalina Loader either on boot with alt/option or using the system preferences and the start object selection (AMD GOP BIOS users):

Q4: How to use the different versions of OC EFI folders?
First download the additional archive, unzip it and move the folder named EFI directly onto the Catalina Loader image (picture attached). Restart and do a PRAM reset!

Q5: Why separate only an EFI folder and no complete Catalina Loader image?
6 times the space needed and 10 times the time needed for me to maintain and upload such a new image.

Q6: So, do I really need the SD/USB card all the time?
Yes, there is no way around booting OpenCore to get the enhancements wanted. Users of NVIDIA cards or EG modded AMD BIOS may install the EFI folder into the EFI partition if their boot drive. Users of AMD GOP BIOS versions not having a native boot picker should stick with the external SD/USB version. If things to wild changing the config you can always just plug the USB/SD. Otherwise you will need to reopen your iMac to force a boot selection by plugging HD cables. Not a real option, right?

Q7: How can I get Windows 10 UEFI sound back on my iMac Mid 2011 (model 12,x)?
Open the config.plist you currently use and go to the ACPI section and enable the fitting DSDT patch.

Q8: I cannot make the CL the start object! How to solve this?
Just have a single Catalina Loader installed on your iMac and eject and remount the image once. The mount point needs to be /Volumes/Catalina Loader - use mount or diskutil list to check this.

Q9: I cannot select the CL image in Big Sur (not included in selection)?
Boot another older macOS version and select it there. Known (currently unsolved) issue. If you have an EFI Boot screen select the Catalina Loader pressing the CRTL key - this makes it the default boot partitions, too.

Q10: How to decrypt the encrypted Catalina Loader image file attached here in advance?
Just download the image and use this command in terminal hdiutil convert -format ULMO -o CL.dmg Catalina\ Loader.dmg. You will be asked for your password and the encryption password, too. The decrypted file is named CL.dmg

Q11: Why is the image file encrypted at all?
Google marked this file as "dangerous" and so all modern browsers block the download. The only solution is to encrypt the file making int impossible for google robot analysis to look into the file and inspect it. Be patient while decrypting the file using Apple disk utility!

Q12: Brightness level seems to be low! How to fix this?
Please use the most recent version of OC. If this does not help: Attached you will find another version of the AppleBacklightFixup.kext. Replace it in the EFI/OC/Kexts folder. If this does not work you may own a yet unknown display type.

Many thanks to @Nick [D]vB, @highvoltage12v, @jborko, and @Pascal Baillargeau for creating the contents.

Disclaimer: You just made a Hackintosh out of your iMac. There are some risks related to this method. You take all this risks on your own!

Important: Upload of image is encrypted now just to please Google, password is NICK​

 

[Chris Rual David Maitin]

i have a imac mid 2011 and i put a amd w5170m but i dont get 3 green lights only get 2 green lights is there a way to mod the bios on that card or anythng like that i did alot of imacs with k2100m k1100m k1000m and k610m but i would like to use a amd card instead thanks for your guys help learend alot about the upgarading the gpus in the mid 2011 imacs form here or is there a gop bios for the amd w5170m

 

[Ausdauersportler]

i have a imac mid 2011 and i put a amd w5170m but i dont get 3 green lights only get 2 green lights is there a way to mod the bios on that card or anythng like that i did alot of imacs with k2100m k1100m k1000m and k610m but i would like to use a amd card instead thanks for your guys help learend alot about the upgarading the gpus in the mid 2011 imacs form here or is there a gop bios for the amd w5170m

If you want to make things easy pick card from the list above or on page #1. These Polaris based cards are the last generation of MXM cards, there will no be a better card available for these machines.

 

[dubukey]

Hello to all!!!
Good news! My iMac 27 2011 have a new Nvidia Quadro K1100 inside and all works!!!
After flashing the ROM, disassembly, clean and rebuild... easy boot OOB!!!
Dong, no boot screen, but after 10 sec the OS are loaded and i just need to login.
For the brightness controll i use "Brightness Slider" and it's work...

When you physically installed the K1100 on your 27 Imac did you make alterations to your GPU heat sink. I'm trying to install a K1100 but I'm worried that some of the chips might be touching the heat sink and GPU chip is not in contact with the copper heatsink. How did you do it?

 

[Chris Rual David Maitin]

If you want to make things easy pick card from the list above or on page #1. These Polaris based cards are the last generation of MXM cards, there will not be a better card available for these machines.

i have a wx4150 but the wx 4150 dose not work at all in the imac mid 2011 i here it only works in a 2009 imac but dose not show any display i would love to have the wx4150 in my imac 2011 but i hear its some wired chipset thing with the wx4150 thanks

 

[Ausdauersportler]

When you physically installed the K1100 on your 27 Imac did you make alterations to your GPU heat sink. I'm trying to install a K1100 but I'm worried that some of the chips might be touching the heat sink and GPU chip is not in contact with the copper heatsink. How did you do it?

In that case you need to use a 0.5mm copper plate between GPU and heat sink, otherwise you burn your GPU. You may also use tape to isolate big coils or caps from touching the sink.

You get your boot screen if you press alt/option on boot. It is available ...

 

[Chris Rual David Maitin]

When you physically installed the K1100 on your 27 Imac did you make alterations to your GPU heat sink. I'm trying to install a K1100 but I'm worried that some of the chips might be touching the heat sink and GPU chip is not in contact with the copper heatsink. How did you do it?

i didnt have to modify any thing to mine wen i put my k100m in 27 inch imac but what i did notice is the x bracket dose touch a resistor but i used the 2011 21inch x bracket and it worked fine for me

 

[Ausdauersportler]

i have a wx4150 but the wx 4150 dose not work at all in the imac mid 2011 i here it only works in a 2009 imac but dose not show any display i would love to have the wx4150 in my imac 2011 but i hear its some wired chipset thing with the wx4150 thanks

Get a WX4170 or a WX7100 - okay this is the same lottery as with the WX4150 in the iMac 2011. Bit chances are by far higher than waiting for an BIOS of an old card. Search the thread for the experiments with FirePro cards... not very encouraging...

 

[Chris Rual David Maitin]

Get a WX4170 or a WX7100 - okay this is the same lottery as with the WX4150 in the iMac 2011. Bit chances are by far higher than waiting for an BIOS of an old card. Search the thread for the experiments with FirePro cards... not very encouraging...

ok i understand that thanks for your help with this im going to search the thread to see if any one got a firepro to work with the imac 2011 i just dont have the money right now for a wx7100 or the wx4170 and im not that good a solding i now with the wx4170 there is no bios chip on the the wx4170