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

[johnrak]

I also flashed my 765M with the 765M_BR+OC.ROM that was shared by @Santa's Little Helper and everything is working fine. I finally have brightness control on Big Sur using @Ausdauersportler preconfigured Open Core.

 

[spacebiscuit]

19F101 is Catalina 10.15.5 so you should first update your Catalina installation. See macOS 10.15 Catalina on Unsupported Macs for how to do this.

Thanks, how do I ensure that I install 15.5.6 only and not 15.5.7 which the guide says to not install? I have followed the guide and have created the boot able USB but there is no indication of the version which will install.

 

[internetzel]

Thanks, how do I ensure that I install 15.5.6 only and not 15.5.7 which the guide says to not install? I have followed the guide and have created the boot able USB but there is no indication of the version which will install.

You should post that question on that other thread. 10.15.7 works without problems for me - those who installed beta versions of the latest security updates on top of 10.15.7 experienced problems. You've got to study better that other thread and after that post your questions there.

 

[FløH]

The GPU die temperature sensor problem!
​

You all know that none of the modifies BIOS versions for the Metal GPUs listed in the table on page #1 is able to provide the internal GPU temperature back correctly to by used by the iMacs internal Apple SMC software to control the (ODD) fan according to the GPU internal temperature.

To address this issue we recommended strongly to use a free software called Macs Fan Control.

A different solution has been described several times now and last week and was in the mood to reopen my iMacs again and did this simple mod.

I (carefully) separated the ODD temp sensor using my finger nails and placed it on the back side off the GPU sink (side by side with the sink temperature sensor). Then I used a simple and cheap two component epoxy alike glue and fixed the little sensor. During the first experimental phase I used just a 3M or Tesa strip to hold the sensor in place.

Spoiler: There may be a more simplistic approach:

Just cut off the two cables in the near the sensor and exchange the cable ends with the plugs connecting the same colors simply together (grey to grey and black to black). So you can easily connect the original heat sink sensor to the ODD connector in the logic board and vice versa.

Doing this you have a working fan control again even when doing system upgrades or during the start phase. As you may have noticed the Macs Fan Control used before is a user land application and it is only working after primary login to your account.

I attached some pictures showing the Macs Fan Control in automatic (i.e. SMC) mode under full Valley load (WX4170) and the hardware mod.

Notes:
Please use Macs Fan Control (or a similar software) in any case as a fall back if the replaced internal sensor fails of the glue does not hold it properly. It is a nice tool to monitor what is going on internally. HW Monitor using the FakeSMC extensions gives you graphs and

The SCM comes in at nearly 55 C of the ODD sensor. This is late compared to my former settings starting at 40 C. There are some websites writing about normal GPU temps, so everything below 70 is perfect, everything below 80 tolerable. But keep in your mind that endless gaming is burning Rom your CPU ....

Having a powerful GPU (780M, K4100M, WX4170 etc) will burn 70-75W and cause this amount of heat.

Is it necessary to actually do this in this way? Since most of us are running an SSD, wouldn't it be possible to use to the HDD temp sensor (which is currently unused/semi-shorted with a resistor) and attach/reroute it to the GPU heatsink? Would that positively affect the temperatures, or would it be insufficient? Anyone wanting to try this out?

 

[bluecrowHH]

Hey Guys, i flashed my supposed wx4130 with 5602GB.ROM but I get the blakscreen. Is it possibly that those sellers mix things up and sell the wrong items? It was one of aliexpress. Next step is to try it out in my other IMac. I will check the gpu chip and install some electrical tape underneath the X mounting frame. Any further hints?
Thank you and best wishes!

 

[spacebiscuit]

Hey Guys, i flashed my supposed wx4130 with 5602GB.ROM but I get the blakscreen. Is it possibly that those sellers mix things up and sell the wrong items? It was one of aliexpress. Next step is to try it out in my other IMac. I will check the gpu chip and install some electrical tape underneath the X mounting frame. Any further hints?
Thank you and best wishes!

...after flashing my card I had to reset the PRAM to get my display to work. Then I had to install the patches which are linked from page 1 under the section about black screen.

 

[globetribe]

Hey Guys, i flashed my supposed wx4130 with 5602GB.ROM but I get the blakscreen. Is it possibly that those sellers mix things up and sell the wrong items? It was one of aliexpress. Next step is to try it out in my other IMac. I will check the gpu chip and install some electrical tape underneath the X mounting frame. Any further hints?
Thank you and best wishes!

Did you plugged an external display through miniport ? I guess it's the only way to get the screen works first until you reboot with Catalina Loader. All describded in first post.

 

[The_Croupier]

Just some GPU temp thoughts (brain fart)
After doing some reading I have now realised that GPU PECI temp readings in Macs Fan Control has no direct correlation to my 770m cards actual real diode temp.

Apparently the GPU PECI reading is taken from the intel integrated graphics temp or more closely the CPU temp.

Conducting some observations of a stock apple AMD 6970m which reads the diode temp as standard indicates a a 5-6 deg c + difference between the diode and the heat sink, I conducted the test over about 1hr and the variance stayed in the 5-6 deg range. (this include gaming and other tasks)

This leads me to surmise that I can expect the 770m card to also exhibit the same temp differential, so based on my Mojave screenshot Im expecting that my 770m diode is actually around 47-48 deg c.

Has anyone else noticed this behaviour?

What do you think of my hypothesis?

Interesting to note the difference in temp between the Mojave i7 and the HS i5.
By no means is this nything scientific and most likely not very accurate but for the time being I am gong to believe that my GPU diode temp is at least 5-6 deg hotter than my heatsink temp.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Is it necessary to actually do this in this way? Since most of us are running an SSD, wouldn't it be possible to use to the HDD temp sensor (which is currently unused/semi-shorted with a resistor) and attach/reroute it to the GPU heatsink? Would that positively affect the temperatures, or would it be insufficient? Anyone wanting to try this out?

The 2011 has no temp sensor.

Only the ODD sensor is used to control the ODD fan - which is exactly the one below the GPU heat sink. Using an HDD sensor would control the smaller HDD fan in the middle. All in all you should rethink this.

 

[dannyp881]

good evening, I bought and installed nvidia quadro k610m but unfortunately it does not work. I can't tell if it's the video card or some other component. The Mac after 30 seconds starts the fans at maximum. I really don't know what to do. Help. I state that all the cables are perfectly connected and the diagnostic LEDs 501 and 502 are on while the 503 and 504 are not. obviously I could not even flesh the video card. thank you and sorry for my english.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

good evening, I bought and installed nvidia quadro k610m but unfortunately it does not work. I can't tell if it's the video card or some other component. The Mac after 30 seconds starts the fans at maximum. I really don't know what to do. Help. I state that all the cables are perfectly connected and the diagnostic LEDs 501 and 502 are on while the 503 and 504 are not. obviously I could not even flesh the video card. thank you and sorry for my english.

View attachment 1745115

Go back to the first post and read the docs about the Linux flash utility. You do not need the internal LCD working right now, you need a second Mac to prepare the flash utility and remotely use the flash program.

 

[dannyp881]

Torna al primo post e leggi i documenti sull'utilità flash di Linux. Non è necessario che l'LCD interno funzioni in questo momento, è necessario un secondo Mac per preparare l'utilità flash e utilizzare in remoto il programma flash.

purtroppo ho anche provato ad eseguire il flashing della rom ma mi dice che il comando nvfash_linux non lo fa

 

[Ausdauersportler]

purtroppo ho anche provato ad eseguire il flashing della rom ma mi dice che il comando nvfash_linux non lo fa

You need to flash, without a new BIOS no internal LCD. It is that easy with these cards.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Our of curiosity I put an WX4150 into an Late 2009 core2dup iMac 10,1. The Linux flash utility works as designed, the GPU is available, but the internal display is not recognised, so I have a black screen. I do not believe to found finally a black screen issue (patched AGC) with AMD cards Who knows...

But I assume that the system expects graphics on an LVDS connector while driver and vBIOS operates on DP (as designed for the later models).

Is there any chance to use OpenCore to redirect those outputs?
Do we have some experts reading here willing to create a fitting SSDT patch?

This is beyond my current capabilities....

I got this from the little iMac:

Spoiler: DisplayType

iMac:~ install$ system_profiler SPDisplaysDataType
Graphics/Displays:
Radeon Polaris:
Chipset Model: Radeon Polaris
Type: GPU
Bus: PCIe
PCIe Lane Width: x8
VRAM (Dynamic, Max): 4096 MB
Vendor: AMD (0x1002)
Device ID: 0x67e8
Revision ID: 0x0000
Metal: Supported
iMac:~ install$ shutdown -h now

Spoiler: WhateverGreen/Lilu

(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) starting controller 0xFFFFFF802E96C098
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) GetProperty discovered property merge request for aty_properties
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) GetProperty discovered property merge request for aty_config
(Lilu) WhateverGreen con: @ (DBG) 0 is type 00000002 (LVDS) flags 00000100 feat 0109 pri 0000 txmit 11 enc 02 hotplug 04 sense 04
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) translateAtomConnectorInfoV1 got sense id 04
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) translateAtomConnectorInfoV1 checking 2120 object id
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) autocorrectConnector use -raddvi to enable dvi autocorrection
(Lilu) WhateverGreen con: @ (DBG) 0 is type 00000400 (DP ) flags 00000304 feat 0100 pri 0000 txmit 21 enc 03 hotplug 03 sense 03
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) translateAtomConnectorInfoV1 got sense id 03
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) translateAtomConnectorInfoV1 checking 2220 object id
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) autocorrectConnector use -raddvi to enable dvi autocorrection
(Lilu) WhateverGreen con: @ (DBG) 0 is type 00000400 (DP ) flags 00000304 feat 0100 pri 0000 txmit 20 enc 01 hotplug 01 sense 01
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) translateAtomConnectorInfoV1 got sense id 01
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) translateAtomConnectorInfoV1 checking 221E object id
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) autocorrectConnector use -raddvi to enable dvi autocorrection
(Lilu) WhateverGreen con: @ (DBG) 0 is type 00000400 (DP ) flags 00000304 feat 0100 pri 0000 txmit 10 enc 00 hotplug 02 sense 02
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) translateAtomConnectorInfoV1 got sense id 02
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) translateAtomConnectorInfoV1 checking 211E object id
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) autocorrectConnector use -raddvi to enable dvi autocorrection
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) setting fb limit to 4
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) getConnectorInfo leaving unchaged priority
Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) getConnectorsInfo resulting 4 connectors follow
(Lilu) WhateverGreen con: @ (DBG) 0 is type 00000002 (LVDS) flags 00000100 feat 0109 pri 0000 txmit 11 enc 02 hotplug 04 sense 04
(Lilu) WhateverGreen con: @ (DBG) 1 is type 00000400 (DP ) flags 00000304 feat 0100 pri 0000 txmit 21 enc 03 hotplug 03 sense 03
(Lilu) WhateverGreen con: @ (DBG) 2 is type 00000400 (DP ) flags 00000304 feat 0100 pri 0000 txmit 20 enc 01 hotplug 01 sense 01
(Lilu) WhateverGreen con: @ (DBG) 3 is type 00000400 (DP ) flags 00000304 feat 0100 pri 0000 txmit 10 enc 00 hotplug 02 sense 02
Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) SetProperty caught model 15 (Radeon Polaris)
(Lilu) WhateverGreen rad: @ (DBG) SetProperty ignored setting model to Radeon Polaris

 

[MrZupp]

Hi, if I want to upgrade from my k1100m to a k3000m, after I flash it, do I have to reapply patches/drivers to my Big Sur/Windows 10 installation?

 

[iMac-iPad]

@Ausdauersportler,
Just wondering if you gave a go to:
In OCLP DeviceProperties:

 

[BadBiscuit]

heh . . . still in the anti-stat wrap <s>

Prioritised home-infrastructure upgrades top the list . . . awaiting work table(s), and time.

First is opening/cleaning the [working] 27" ACD, then the [non-working] iMac . . .

. . . both were absolutely free; but, still, I'm gana be right-miffed if the card dn't work 8-/

Regards, splifingate

@ChrisCaro (and any other inquiring minds):

I was also hoping for confirmation of that WX7100, to remove some of our risk in ordering out of that batch. I suspect @splifingate 's return period has past, so hopefully not "right-miffed". That seller only had four left, so I decided to take the leap. As stated it arrived sealed and appears to be new. The build date on its static bag is "03/14/2017", with a "D P/N" (Dell?) of 308VY.

I should have it installed and (hopefully) working in my newest 27" 2011 machine ("SCOOBERT") soon. Cosmetically the card looks identically to the WX7100 I got from China a few months back, which has been rocking another 2011 iMac without issue. Shall report back with results by this weekend at the latest. I've already flashed it, and mounted it to a 3-pipe sink using K5 PRO (vram) and GELID GC3 paste (cpu). Just waiting on a BCM943602CDP card due to arrive tomorrow, so I can install both at once.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

What do you think of my hypothesis?

Interesting to note the difference in temp between the Mojave i7 and the HS i5.
By no means is this nything scientific and most likely not very accurate but for the time being I am gong to believe that my GPU diode temp is at least 5-6 deg hotter than my heatsink temp.

The difference between temps of diode and sink depend mainly on the quality of the installation. We had and have again and again people ignoring all available installation advices and some have not contact of GPU and sink at all (mostly WX41X0 and K610M and guys with Nvidia MXM B cards refusing to grind the sink).

If you have an air gap between GPU and copper sink the ability to transport heat drops by the factor of 10000.

 

[globetribe]

The difference between temps of diode and sink depend mainly on the quality of the installation. We had and have again and again people ignoring all available installation advices and some have not contact of GPU and sink at all (mostly WX41X0 and K610M and guys with Nvidia MXM B cards refusing to grind the sink).

If you have an air gap between GPU and copper sink the ability to transport heat drops by the factor of 10000.

If I may ask another question, what about difference with GPU PECI ?

On my iMac, Heatsink and WX4130 temp difference is usually 2C° except when doing GPU Bench where it can go as high as 4/5C°. However the GPU PECI can go much higher. Let say 70C° when GPU / Heatsink around 55C°.

 

[The_Croupier]

If I may ask another question, what about difference with GPU PECI ?

On my iMac, Heatsink and WX4130 temp difference is usually 2C° except when doing GPU Bench where it can go as high as 4/5C°. However the GPU PECI can go much higher. Let say 70C° when GPU / Heatsink around 55C°.

GPU PECI is the integrated cpu graphics you should see that the temp will more closely resemble your cpu temps.
See my post 11 back from this one.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

If I may ask another question, what about difference with GPU PECI ?

On my iMac, Heatsink and WX4130 temp difference is usually 2C° except when doing GPU Bench where it can go as high as 4/5C°. However the GPU PECI can go much higher. Let say 70C° when GPU / Heatsink around 55C°.

Nothing!!!

Which part do you reach and cool with the ODD fan? Unless the heat sink itself and the heat dissipator over the ODD becomes hot there is literally no gain in controlling the fan.

Short bursts of GPU and CPU usage burn some watts into heat but do not heat the sink....

 

[globetribe]

@Ausdauersportler @The_Croupier thanks for the Heads-Up guys. I see.

I have read here and there about setting up macFan properly. I used the following:
ODD Fan is controlled by GPU Heatsink probe with min 32°c max 65°c
HDD by OWC cable with temp sensor with 38°c max 65°c
CPU by CPU Heatsink with 30°c max 80°c

Do you think it's adequate ?

 

[Teysel]

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...

Hi everyone,
Thanks to all the developers for such a great job with all the information. It has been very useful to finally successfully install BS on a 2009 iMac.

I'd like to point out that once I got BS installed and using the EFI folder generated by the micropatcher iMac edition, I got a high pitch noise.

My iMac has a K1100 which works just great, so on the config list it adds the backlightfixup.kext and also creates a device ID for it.

Well if this helps anyone, in order to get rid of that noise I disabled the next and delete the entries for the backlight device manually on the config.plist.

After that the noise is gone.

*Also the telematrap.kext for this processor is not needed, actually it slows the iMac down.

If anyone has any questions, I'll be happy to help.

Keep up the good work!

 

[StephN999]

@Ausdauersportler @The_Croupier thanks for the Heads-Up guys. I see.

I have read here and there about setting up macFan properly. I used the following:
ODD Fan is controlled by GPU Heatsink probe with min 32°c max 65°c
HDD by OWC cable with temp sensor with 38°c max 65°c
CPU by CPU Heatsink with 30°c max 80°c

Do you think it's adequate ?

Bonjour,

Personally I have 42° for all at the minimum, maximum 70°, except CPU 90°, based on the 1st Core.

 

[xanderon]

my personal settings
ODD - GPU heatsink - min 55 - max 65 (mod sensor, moved to GPU heatsink)
HDD - GPU heatsink - min 55 - max 63
CPU - CPU heatsink - min 45 - max 55 (gives more air to the power supply / power heatsink)