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

[ducks007]

Hello,
a big thanks to all, with this great community I've successfully back to life a 2011 iMac 27 with dead GPU.
Previous owner have try to replace old GPU with a K610m with no luck (I've find missing capacitors on the board) so I've buy a K4100m from HP computer and flash it with success with linux on usb method : just a think, I've not be able to do a backup of the HP bios with this method, perhaps is not possible? I've cross fingers and flash it good.
I will post some benchmark with this nice GPU.
Thanks again

 

[lemoncandy]

Dear all, need all your help and i am a newbie in here. got a 10 imac 27" and replace the gpu to k1100 and trying to use the usb method to flash my gpu...yet i try 4 different usb still not recognize it. I disconnected all the drive and waiting the stick to respond yet nothing happened? i put my usb to my macbook and hit option and did show the drive. Anyone have the same issue as me? and what brand of usb stick should i use and any detail thing i need to keep an eye on, appreciated for all your insight! please help

 

[Jiggly Billy]

Please check the first post for macOS installation instructions (Catalina) and the use of OpenCore for you iMac 2011 and the K1100M.

I did. Nothing is stated about OpenCore being a requirement for the K1100m giving a picture at all. OpenCore does not affect the PRAM. I've read through a LOT of this thread and throwing out "rEaD tHe FaQ" isn't helpful when it lacks the information being asked. I did not ask about a boot screen, I get ZERO picture unless I do a PRAM reset.

 

[Vaoske]

Dear all, need all your help and i am a newbie in here. got a 10 imac 27" and replace the gpu to k1100 and trying to use the usb method to flash my gpu...yet i try 4 different usb still not recognize it. I disconnected all the drive and waiting the stick to respond yet nothing happened? i put my usb to my macbook and hit option and did show the drive. Anyone have the same issue as me? and what brand of usb stick should i use and any detail thing i need to keep an eye on, appreciated for all your insight! please help

Flash Bios with CH341a and flashrom. Example how to use

Flashrom also works under macOS with homebrew

Greets from The Netherlands
Vaoske

 

[Ausdauersportler]

I did. Nothing is stated about OpenCore being a requirement for the K1100m giving a picture at all. OpenCore does not affect the PRAM. I've read through a LOT of this thread and throwing out "rEaD tHe FaQ" isn't helpful when it lacks the information being asked. I did not ask about a boot screen, I get ZERO picture unless I do a PRAM reset.

Ignoring the docs and complaining about missing functionality or problems comes hand in hand.

You need opencore to get brightness control and you need some more patches to get Catalina running without panics on reboot. Had for a longer time no K1100M myself but I can guarantee that a (working) card and a error free complete installation will not cause your problems. So I ask a last time to read and follow the docs or describe you situation in more details. And yes, there is a problem described as "black screen" issue.... on post #1.

Before you have not checked this all out yourself I can only repeat: RTFM

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Flash Bios with CH341a and flashrom. Example how to use

Flashrom also works under macOS with homebrew

Greets from The Netherlands
Vaoske

Check our this one Could be found on the FAQ on the first post.

Thanks to dig this out, again. The most easy method to use the CH341A...

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Dear all, need all your help and i am a newbie in here. got a 10 imac 27" and replace the gpu to k1100 and trying to use the usb method to flash my gpu...yet i try 4 different usb still not recognize it. I disconnected all the drive and waiting the stick to respond yet nothing happened? i put my usb to my macbook and hit option and did show the drive. Anyone have the same issue as me? and what brand of usb stick should i use and any detail thing i need to keep an eye on, appreciated for all your insight! please help

You may used the wrong partition type, check again the post @xanderon made about the Linux flash utility.

Edit: Have you booted the USB utility from the MacBook?

 

[Jiggly Billy]

Ignoring the docs and complaining about missing functionality or problems comes hand in hand.

You need opencore to get brightness control and you need some more patches to get Catalina running without panics on reboot. Had for a longer time no K1100M myself but I can guarantee that a (working) card and a error free complete installation will not cause your problems. So I ask a last time to read and follow the docs or describe you situation in more details. And yes, there is a problem described as "black screen" issue.... on post #1.

Before you have not checked this all out yourself I can only repeat: RTFM

Ok buddy. I did “RTFM”. My issue isn’t listed. I don’t give a damn about brightness control, never once asked about it, and I’m not getting panics on reboot. I’m getting random and sudden reboots that once the OS boots has no idea that it just happened (panics give a “your computer rebooted because of a problem”, this does not). I do not need more patches per dosdude1s method for Catalina.

So instead of telling me to “RTFM”, how about you “RTFQ”, Q being question.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Ok buddy. I did “RTFM”. My issue isn’t listed. I don’t give a damn about brightness control, never once asked about it, and I’m not getting panics on reboot. I’m getting random and sudden reboots that once the OS boots has no idea that it just happened (panics give a “your computer rebooted because of a problem”, this does not). I do not need more patches per dosdude1s method for Catalina.

So instead of telling me to “RTFM”, how about you “RTFQ”, Q being question.

You are a pain.... I am not your buddy and I never will be and I give a damn on your Q.

Before you do not have a complete installation of all patches you cannot expect working system. That simple is it.
Unless you cannot or will not achieve a complete Catalina installation my advice is going back to High Sierra and check if you experience the same problems (fun fact: this could by found on the first post, too. Have you really read it?). Unfortunately you can have a black screen there, too.

Then you can check the hardware problems section on the first post (have you seen this before?) and try to solve your hardware problem on your very own. Possibly you find out you have some installation problems or simply a bad card or dead memory or another broken component.

Before anybody can help you have to have a common and well known software status, i.e. High Sierra. If you cannot agree on this you have a more serious problem with different hardware, another problem which cannot be patched away.

 

[Jiggly Billy]

You are a pain.... I am not your buddy and I never will be and I give a damn on your Q.

Before you do not have a complete installation of all patches you cannot expect working system. That simple is it.
Unless you cannot or will not achieve a complete Catalina installation my advice is going back to High Sierra and check if you experience the same problems (fun fact: this could by found on the first post, too. Have you really read it?). Unfortunately you can have a black screen there, too.

Then you can check the hardware problems section on the first post (have you seen this before?) and try to solve your hardware problem on your very own. Possibly you find out you have some installation problems or simply a bad card or dead memory or another broken component.

Before anybody can help you have to have a common and well known software status, i.e. High Sierra. If you cannot agree on this you have a more serious problem with different hardware, another problem which cannot be patched away.

First off, change your tone. I asked a question for an issue that is NOT DOCUMENTED IN THE FIRST POST. The first post is not a magical one-stop-shop for any issues that arise when swapping graphics cards. If you don't have an answer, and you know it isn't in the first step, do not reply. Simple as that.

This is not an OS issue. Bootable drives from HS-Cata all do this, and even Windows 10! This is a hardware issue, and if your ready my question, you will know that I have to do a PRAM reset, which is not a software level reset! But you would know that if you actually read the question.

Ah yes, the hardware section! Full of ABSOLUTELY NO ANSWERS TO ANYONES QUESTION! Again, if you don't know, don't be a prick and say "Read the 1st post". It's not helpful, and if anything condescending. The first post only contains the basics, not much else. This isn't my first hardware mod rodeo, won't be my last.

You are not helpful. The vast majority of your posts in this thread are telling people to just read the first post. I'll wait and see if anyone else has had this issue, if they've fixed it, or if I can fix it. But you aren't helpful. To anyone.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

First off, change your tone. I asked a question for an issue that is NOT DOCUMENTED IN THE FIRST POST. The first post is not a magical one-stop-shop for any issues that arise when swapping graphics cards. If you don't have an answer, and you know it isn't in the first step, do not reply. Simple as that.

This is not an OS issue. Bootable drives from HS-Cata all do this, and even Windows 10! This is a hardware issue, and if your ready my question, you will know that I have to do a PRAM reset, which is not a software level reset! But you would know that if you actually read the question.

Ah yes, the hardware section! Full of ABSOLUTELY NO ANSWERS TO ANYONES QUESTION! Again, if you don't know, don't be a prick and say "Read the 1st post". It's not helpful, and if anything condescending. The first post only contains the basics, not much else. This isn't my first hardware mod rodeo, won't be my last.

You are not helpful. The vast majority of your posts in this thread are telling people to just read the first post. I'll wait and see if anyone else has had this issue, if they've fixed it, or if I can fix it. But you aren't helpful. To anyone.

Fine, after all you knew before, that this problem persists even with different OS versions but you decided to write only a part of the story.

Exactly for this reason we document no hardware issues on the first post. This is a nearly a 100% software project and can only succeed if the hardware is error free. Have you ever asked yourself why the technicians guides are 200 pages and more? Read it yourself. It is your iMac and most likely you caused the issue - even by ignoring the basic error checking.

Posting personal hardware problems is just wasting other users time. I see you have a U problem - U for understanding. You may open a service call with Oracle or Dell or Apple: First question is about current software in use? Next is "send hardware in" or "come to the service point" or "we send a support member" depending on your service contract.

You really believe one can magically come around this and do a full remote analysis from a simple "it does not work" or "I have to reset the PRAM" message?

The U problem is possibly bigger than I thought...

 

[Pascal Baillargeau]

Any ideas why on my 21.5 2011 iMac (with Nick's BIOS on a K1100M) it needs to have the PRAM reset every single time I boot up in order to show a picture? I also get random reboots, and very forced & sudden reboots when trying to install anything from the App Store.

Using dosdudes Catalina method as well.

It can really be anything. Memory, SSD, graphic card, bad heat dissipation etc, etc... You need to try to isolate the problem swapping components. It's not possible to guess, you have to make some experiments .

 

[Jiggly Billy]

Fine, after all you knew before, that this problem persists even with different OS versions but you decided to write only a part of the story.

Exactly for this reason we document no hardware issues on the first post. This is a nearly a 100% software project and can only succeed if the hardware is error free. Have you ever asked yourself why the technicians guides are 200 pages and more? Read it yourself. It is your iMac and most likely you caused the issue - even by ignoring the basic error checking.

Posting personal hardware problems is just wasting other users time. I see you have a U problem - U for understanding. You may open a service call with Oracle or Dell or Apple: First question is about current software in use? Next is "send hardware in" or "come to the service point" or "we send a support member" depending on your service contract.

You really believe one can magically come around this and do a full remote analysis from a simple "it does not work" or "I have to reset the PRAM" message?

The U problem is possibly bigger than I thought...

I asked a simple version of my problem to see if anyone else had the issue I'm describing. Further detail would have been gone into if someone did and they said what happened to theirs. Checking all monitors, checking all error logs, checking every single rabbit hole has lead me to a dead end. Hence my post being "Here is what my computer is doing under these exact conditions, anyone else had this happen?" Instead I'm met with you being incredibly condescending and toxic. You are incredibly unhelpful, and only continue to reply to my posts to belittle me and make yourself feel better. I have a way deeper understanding of how computers work, more specifically how Apple computers work, as I've repaired dozens before with and without official service tools and documentation. We have left anything official behind with my iMac having an SSD and aftermarket video card, HENCE COMING TO THIS THREAD!

Ran perfectly in HS with the 16GB RAM, SSD, and stock GPU. Using the stock GPU in Catalina is impossible for reasons stated in dosdude1's methods. GPU can't be overheating as once I'm on reboot #3 or so, it'll run perfectly fine for hours and hours on end.

Again, I asked a simple question about my specific problem to see if anyone else who follows this thread has had that happened. No one asked you to come in and try and puff your chest to feel like a big strong keyboard warrior.

 

[Jiggly Billy]

It can really be anything. Memory, SSD, graphic card, bad heat dissipation etc, etc... You need to try to isolate the problem swapping components. It's not possible to guess, you have to make some experiments .

Memory is good, SSD is good, Graphics card *should* be good as once it stops rebooting suddenly, it'll run for hours upon hours without a hiccup (as long as I don't try to install anything from the App Store). I maxed out both the CPU and GPU many times to test the heat theory, not it

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Hi all, wanting some help with a late-2009 27" iMac 10,1 (C2D), running 10.13 High Sierra

After picking the iMac up for $125AUD locally with no issues I've found the HD 4670 to understandably lacklustre,

Cheers

Stop right there and you have already got yourself a bright and beautiful 27" 2k monitor with functioning speakers.
An extremely good deal for just $125AUD.
It accept only DisplayPort to Minidisplayport cable, or mDP to mDP cable though.
Plug-in a cheap USB PC keyboard and get yourself brightness control. (Scroll Lock + Pause key on the top round).
You don't need anything else to get it work in Target Display Mode.
Adding anything else to it will be a waste.

 

[Bangradio]

I am creating a guide that will be linked to the first page to help people fix 2010/09 iMacs which have been patched with the "Legacy Video Card Patch" from the Dosdude1 installer.

1. 1. Using another Mac: download Kext Utility from here http://cvad-mac.narod.ru/index/0-4 download Hackintool from here http://headsoft.com.au/download/mac/Hackintool.zip download and unzip my files from here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gefiM7iDledurrHvYnvAtp4YGiWG-SbF/ and copy them with Hackintool and kext utility to a flash drive.​
2. Move my files to the desktop, Open Hackintool, move to the Tools tab and click on the GateKeeper icon, enter your password and Finder should restart, this unlocks the System Partition.View attachment 885780​
3. Navigate to /System/Library/Frameworks/ select the OpenGL.framework and drag it into a blank area within the Frameworks Folder. Finder will request to replace the existing file, select "Replace". DO NOT REBOOT View attachment 885781​
4. Navigate to /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/ select the GPUSupport.framework and drag it into a blank area within the PrivateFrameworks Folder. Finder will request to replace the existing file, select "Replace". DO NOT REBOOTView attachment 885783​
5. To fix permissions on both replaced frameworks, we need to open terminal and enter the following:

   sudo chmod -R 755 /System/Library/Frameworks/OpenGL.framework &&
   sudo chown -R 0:0 /System/Library/Frameworks/OpenGL.framework &&
   sudo chmod -R 755 /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/GPUSupport.framework &&
   sudo chown -R 0:0 /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/GPUSupport.framework

   DO NOT REBOOT.
   View attachment 885784​
6. Move Kext utility into the "UNDOING DOSDUDE1 Video patches" folder and drag all 5 kexts onto the kext utility icon, Kext utility will install the kexts, replacing the Legacy kexts. Then give a timeout warning, this is normal. You can now reboot your iMac. View attachment 885785View attachment 885789

Due to the file upload limit on Macrumors, I had to post the ZIP file to Google Drive.

UNDOING DOSDUDE1 Video patches .zip

drive.google.com

I did this, idk what I did wrong but all I'm seeing now after reboot is a white screen with the time on the right side lol... I'm running a late 2010 imac with quadro k4100... What can I do from here, at this point I'd gladly pay someone to walk me through the process. You can DM me.

 

[intel_inside_or_not]

Stop right there and you have already got yourself a bright and beautiful 27" 2k monitor with functioning speakers.
An extremely good deal for just $125AUD.
It accept only DisplayPort to Minidisplayport cable, or mDP to mDP cable though.
Plug-in a cheap USB PC keyboard and get yourself brightness control. (Scroll Lock + Pause key on the top round).
You don't need anything else to get it work in Target Display Mode.
Adding anything else to it will be a waste.

Yep I know and I already use it as my main monitor, it's fantastic. I was asking about potential upgrades to use it as a standalone device for LAN parties and the sort.

 

[spacebiscuit]

I'm looking at a K2100M for my mid-2011 27" iMac. The card is from a Dell, is there anything I need to look out for?. I have searched and read as much as I can within reason. Thanks in advance.

 

[motorm3]

Never

Never thought it may address even instability problems. But who knows...

I've upgraded my imac mid 2011 27 to nvidia quadro k3100m and its all good but if I now put the old amd 6970m gpu back in the imac it doesn't work can someone please help because the card was 100%working when I took it out.

 

[motorm3]

2nd LED comes only up if the BIOS chip is containing a valid and usable BIOS. HP cards usually do not have one...

I've upgraded my imac to nvidia quadro k3100m and it works but if I put the old amd 6970m back in i get black screen please help the old card was 100 % working before with no problems.

 

[KennyW]

I've upgraded my imac to nvidia quadro k3100m and it works but if I put the old amd 6970m back in i get black screen please help the old card was 100 % working before with no problems.

Sometimes you may need to do a SMC reset by disconnecting the power cable, and also do a PRAM reset to clear some oddities, unless your old GPU is really damaged during extraction ...

 

[KennyW]

I'm looking at a K2100M for my mid-2011 27" iMac. The card is from a Dell, is there anything I need to look out for?. I have searched and read as much as I can within reason. Thanks in advance.

Then do another careful read of first post, and follow the Short Plan.
Choose the correct vBIOS as according to the DDRAM on the card.
Wish you good luck and success.

 

[motorm3]

Then do another careful read of first post, and follow the Short Plan.
Choose the correct vBIOS as according to the DDRAM on the card.
Wish you good luck and success.

When I was doing the upgrade the old card was working no problems so took it out and put new metal card in but if I put the old card back in now I get black screen put metal card back in everything works again this is running big sur. When I put the old card in fans spin on maximum but i get Just black screen i don't understand why old card won't work if it was good before the upgrade the new nvidia quadro k3100m works no problems.

 

[motorm3]

When I was doing the upgrade the old card was working no problems so took it out and put new metal card in but if I put the old card back in now I get black screen put metal card back in everything works again this is running big sur. When I put the old card in fans spin on maximum but i get Just black screen i don't understand why old card won't work if it was good before the upgrade the new nvidia quadro k3100m works no problems.

And with the amd 6970m I get 3 green leads on motherboard with screen.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

I asked a simple version of my problem to see if anyone else had the issue I'm describing. Further detail would have been gone into if someone did and they said what happened to theirs. Checking all monitors, checking all error logs, checking every single rabbit hole has lead me to a dead end. Hence my post being "Here is what my computer is doing under these exact conditions, anyone else had this happen?" Instead I'm met with you being incredibly condescending and toxic. You are incredibly unhelpful, and only continue to reply to my posts to belittle me and make yourself feel better. I have a way deeper understanding of how computers work, more specifically how Apple computers work, as I've repaired dozens before with and without official service tools and documentation. We have left anything official behind with my iMac having an SSD and aftermarket video card, HENCE COMING TO THIS THREAD!

Ran perfectly in HS with the 16GB RAM, SSD, and stock GPU. Using the stock GPU in Catalina is impossible for reasons stated in dosdude1's methods. GPU can't be overheating as once I'm on reboot #3 or so, it'll run perfectly fine for hours and hours on end.

Again, I asked a simple question about my specific problem to see if anyone else who follows this thread has had that happened. No one asked you to come in and try and puff your chest to feel like a big strong keyboard warrior.

Just to summarise your recent postings:

1. You refused to post a complete description of your system and software and checks you did yourself from the beginning. (A method which is used in medicine to have two really independent diagnosis, unfortunately it forces the second party into digging from the beginning, directing me into the (possibly wrong) do the Catalina software installation according to plan direction. Most 2011 users fail to do this having crashes after sleep and believe me, after the 4th or 5th such a crash you can start with PRAM resets to get your system booting, again. A thread has not thousands of active users, so the few have to do, what you did not want, they have to press the search button?!?)
2. You refuse to create a Catalina installation according to docs. You never tested other software tools. Okay stick with High Sierra.
3. Your components are error free and fine just because you declare it by posting but you still have this serious hardware problem.
4. You have no hardware analysis tools to prove the error free functionality of your components.
5. You may have an intermittent hardware problem. One which comes up with slowly dying hardware.
6. The SMC may got confused and then the system shows all kind of "broken" behaviour. But I am sure you did the SMC reset after each sudden death of your machine.

What is left: Pull components one by one and replace and check again.

You do not like even this „solution“. I can understand, but finding broken components without replacement and checks is not possible unless you have the tools to dig deeper into hardware.

My best guesses: gpu, memory, memory, memory, battery?, slowly dying compentent, SATA data cable broken, logic board got a hit while you installed the GPU....

You may open a new "2009-2011 iMac (common) Hardware Problems" thread and do a much better job? Yes, you can! I will send over all the links to ASD and technician guides and you can make a nice first post yourself and start to answer questions coming in like a riddle....