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

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O

OS 9 Classic

macrumors newbie
Feb 5, 2015
16
0
After all the reading on this Forum :D If i have my infomation correct. I could,

Buy a...
Alienware/Dell GTX 765m
I can install it, with modifications to the Heatsink. Requires No Bios flashing or Kext Hacking??? Correct.
 
jml12286

jml12286

macrumors regular
May 15, 2014
125
163
Denver
OS 9 Classic said:
After all the reading on this Forum :D If i have my infomation correct. I could,

Buy a...
Alienware/Dell GTX 765m
I can install it, with modifications to the Heatsink. Requires No Bios flashing or Kext Hacking??? Correct.
Click to expand...

I just ordered this one. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/273143029829
We shall see how it goes! Only kind of worried about getting into recovery mode, but I guess it should work somehow, maybe even with external monitor worst case....
 
J

JessieComputes

macrumors newbie
Sep 11, 2016
27
8
The lack of a boot screen is likely to cause problems with recovery and upgrades down the track. If you have a perfectly good working iMac then I would leave it as it is. Even if it has a graphics problem, I would wait to see what the MacVideoCard people come up with. In my case, I had an iMac with a broken display panel, so then bought very cheaply an iMac with a broken graphics card. After re-assembly I ended up with one perfectly working ordinary iMac, and a second iMac with no internal display and a 765m graphics card driving an external monitor.
If you can, before changing the graphics card, I would recommend disabling SIP and setting the nvram boot-args variable to -no_compat_check. That will make upgrading to Mojave a lot easier.
 
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highvoltage12v

highvoltage12v

macrumors 6502a
Mar 27, 2014
926
931
JessieComputes said:
The lack of a boot screen is likely to cause problems with recovery and upgrades down the track. If you have a perfectly good working iMac then I would leave it as it is. Even if it has a graphics problem, I would wait to see what the MacVideoCard people come up with. In my case, I had an iMac with a broken display panel, so then bought very cheaply an iMac with a broken graphics card. After re-assembly I ended up with one perfectly working ordinary iMac, and a second iMac with no internal display and a 765m graphics card driving an external monitor.
If you can, before changing the graphics card, I would recommend disabling SIP and setting the nvram boot-args variable to -no_compat_check. That will make upgrading to Mojave a lot easier.
Click to expand...
I'm trying to figure this out right now, I created a Mac OS Sierra ISO using this link https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/bootable-dvd-for-sierra-installer.1999385/ I'm waiting for dual layer DVD's to come in the mail. But the iMac was able to boot the 10.7 Lion DVD by holding the C key but had no video after 30 min. If the Sierra installer does boot ill be able to use 'Startup Disk' to redirect the iMac to Boot a USB ssd if i ever break my internal install. I was also thinking of trying to get a SATA cable and have it come out of the rear vent of the iMac.
 
jml12286

jml12286

macrumors regular
May 15, 2014
125
163
Denver
JessieComputes said:
The lack of a boot screen is likely to cause problems with recovery and upgrades down the track. If you have a perfectly good working iMac then I would leave it as it is. Even if it has a graphics problem, I would wait to see what the MacVideoCard people come up with. In my case, I had an iMac with a broken display panel, so then bought very cheaply an iMac with a broken graphics card. After re-assembly I ended up with one perfectly working ordinary iMac, and a second iMac with no internal display and a 765m graphics card driving an external monitor.
If you can, before changing the graphics card, I would recommend disabling SIP and setting the nvram boot-args variable to -no_compat_check. That will make upgrading to Mojave a lot easier.
Click to expand...
In my case I got a free 27” that keeps rebooting. Not having a boot screen seems like a small problem for me. Can always target disk mode if need be.
 
highvoltage12v

highvoltage12v

macrumors 6502a
Mar 27, 2014
926
931
jml12286 said:
In my case I got a free 27” that keeps rebooting. Not having a boot screen seems like a small problem for me. Can always target disk mode if need be.
Click to expand...
Target disk mode isn't working on FireWire or thunderbolt for me. Even with a display port device plugged in.
 
highvoltage12v

highvoltage12v

macrumors 6502a
Mar 27, 2014
926
931
OS 9 Classic said:
I wonder if they’re actually brand new? That’s the reason why it was a dud. Untested...
Click to expand...
It had signs of paste on vRam and the coil labeled R42, the DIE had scratches on it, I doubt it was new. If you go a few pages back it only showed signs of life once. It said Unknown Nvidia card 256mb in system profiler. Took 2 weeks for the seller to refund me. I ended up buying a used 780m which is what i'm using now.
 

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O

OS 9 Classic

macrumors newbie
Feb 5, 2015
16
0
I’m going to order a used 780m myself and see what the results are, About the heatsink would it be possible to use a Stock 780m Heatsink? or are we all stuck using the original Heatsink inside the iMac.
 
shasen1235

shasen1235

macrumors newbie
Mar 18, 2018
15
7
I finally get 880M to work on my 2011 iMac

Here's a quick question, has anyone tried target display mode after swapping the gpu?

I don't have a mini DP to DP cable, I tried mini DP to HDMI adapter>>HDMI>>PC

It didn't work, wonder if it's the GPU or the cable's problem.
 
jml12286

jml12286

macrumors regular
May 15, 2014
125
163
Denver
shasen1235 said:
I finally get 880M to work on my 2011 iMac

Here's a quick question, has anyone tried target display mode after swapping the gpu?

I don't have a mini DP to DP cable, I tried mini DP to HDMI adapter>>HDMI>>PC

It didn't work, wonder if it's the GPU or the cable's problem.
Click to expand...
I have tried it with no success. Thunderbolt cable connected to my 2013 Retina MacBook pro. Tried 3 different keyboards just to make sure
[doublepost=1530371621][/doublepost]Now that I know these cards can work, I really want to try out a GTX 1060m one day, if I can find one cheap enough....
 
highvoltage12v

highvoltage12v

macrumors 6502a
Mar 27, 2014
926
931
I can confirm target display mode does not work. I tried it with my 2012 Mac Mini with a thunderbolt cable. I have used this exact setup before before swapping cards and it worked.
 
shasen1235

shasen1235

macrumors newbie
Mar 18, 2018
15
7
jml12286 said:
I have tried it with no success. Thunderbolt cable connected to my 2013 Retina MacBook pro. Tried 3 different keyboards just to make sure
[doublepost=1530371621][/doublepost]Now that I know these cards can work, I really want to try out a GTX 1060m one day, if I can find one cheap enough....
Click to expand...
highvoltage12v said:
I can confirm target display mode does not work. I tried it with my 2012 Mac Mini with a thunderbolt cable. I have used this exact setup before before swapping cards and it worked.
Click to expand...
Well then, guess I need to give up on this.

Another question, do anyone know how to use startup key combination with a 3rd party keyboard?

Was trying to dual boot Linux on this machine but found that I can't access to drive option mode by holding alt(option)

In fact, all of the combination I tried didn't work(command+R, Shift...etc), it just always boot up normally.
 
underhgk

underhgk

macrumors newbie
Jun 21, 2018
2
2
jml12286 said:
I have tried it with no success. Thunderbolt cable connected to my 2013 Retina MacBook pro. Tried 3 different keyboards just to make sure
[doublepost=1530371621][/doublepost]Now that I know these cards can work, I really want to try out a GTX 1060m one day, if I can find one cheap enough....
Click to expand...
This is what I am going to be trying in the next month or two. Either the 1060 or 1070. There are eDP default configured 1070s on eBay right now, but like most newer MXM cards they are ridiculously pricey. I just bought a second 27" iMac (for $129!) so I have a doner to work on. I wouldn't mind sending a 27" 2010 iMac to MacVideoCards with a pascal MXM if he can get a working vBios going for the 10XX series MXM cards.
 
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redheeler

redheeler

macrumors G3
Oct 17, 2014
8,661
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Colorado, USA
jml12286

jml12286

macrumors regular
May 15, 2014
125
163
Denver
redheeler said:
Did you confirm this card supports Metal? If so, it might be the cheapest option to extend the 2011 iMac's lifespan for years to come, running MacOS Mojave and future third-party apps that require Metal.

Also, does this card require the separate drivers from Nvidia, or do the MacOS built-in drivers support it?
Click to expand...
Im in the process of trying to figure out how to get the Mojave beta on it. But this generation card is the same as what is in the late 2013 iMacs, so should be fine.
 
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redheeler

redheeler

macrumors G3
Oct 17, 2014
8,661
9,334
Colorado, USA
jml12286 said:
Im in the process of trying to figure out how to get the Mojave beta on it.
Click to expand...
It's easy to do, simply a matter of installing using a supported Mac and modifying PlatformSupport.plist with your board / model ID. Or if you don't have a supported Mac, use @dosdude1's tool (http://dosdude1.com/mojave/).

I was able to get it to work, with the exception of Core Image on the AMD GPU.
 
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jml12286

jml12286

macrumors regular
May 15, 2014
125
163
Denver
redheeler said:
It's easy to do, simply a matter of installing using a supported Mac and modifying PlatformSupport.plist with your board / model ID. Or if you don't have a supported Mac, use @dosdude1's tool (http://dosdude1.com/mojave/).

I was able to get it to work, with the exception of Core Image on the AMD GPU.
Click to expand...
I finally found a downloader for the install. My stupid 2013 MacBook Pro wouldn't download another full install file. The Install Mojave app was only 20Mb that then would download an on the fly install package, but never produce a real install app.
* going to install on a USB drive first, then select it as the startup disk and see if it works ok, before breaking something on the main drive and having to take it all apart....


Screen Shot 2018-07-01 at 10.27.31 AM.png
 
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jml12286

jml12286

macrumors regular
May 15, 2014
125
163
Denver
Got Mojave running, but the wifi card disappeared and I think I checked the box to use legacy gpu drivers so it was choppy... Ill wait till things get more ironed out, and its not still in Beta.
 
nissart

nissart

macrumors newbie
Jul 18, 2018
3
1
jml12286 said:
I just ordered this one. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/273143029829
We shall see how it goes! Only kind of worried about getting into recovery mode, but I guess it should work somehow, maybe even with external monitor worst case....
Click to expand...
Hi guys,

My iMac 27" 2011 just died because of GPU, and after google search I find this topic and especially this post from jml12286. So I decided to order the same card, GTX 765M, hope it will work :)
I just have one question: My Mac is running Mac OS Sierra 10.12, do I need to install some Nvidia drivers before changing the graphic card ?
 
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