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

[rmd79]

@nikey22 - just tested your latest upload of the K3000M VBIOS (K3000M_V4.zip).

VRAM seems to be detected correctly now, but while brightness control works natively in macOS, the brightness slider in Win10 seems to have disappeared. I've tried uninstalling the display drivers with DDU and then letting windows reinstall them and did 5 PRAM resets just in case, but no luck.

With the display driver uninstalled and using the default Win10 driver (after DDU has done its thing but before Windows has reinstalled the nvidia driver through windows update) there's a brightness slider again but it doesn't do anything.

Apologies if this is a known bug (or if it's just my system), and thanks heaps for your work.

 

[nikey22]

@rmd79
I've noticed this as well. But I'm using windows 7 to test it now.
There are 2 entries in the regedit that may help, again I'm not sure how they translate to windows 10, I'll have to investigate further. For Windows 7, I used BootCamp5.0.5033 for general system drivers. But this is what I did so far:

Hunt around the "Video" entries, you will probably have several of them, look for the one that you recognize your video card in, and begin editing it:



add these in:
EnableBrightnessControl REG_DWORD 1
RMBrightnessControlFlags REG_DWORD to 1024

This allows:


I suggest using the native win10 drivers first and adding these entries in the registry and rebooting.
Next you could try installing the nvidia display drivers: 377.11-quadro-grid-desktop-notebook-win8-win7-64bit-international-whql display drivers which worked well for me.

 

[Umarx]

Been testing the WX4130 on HS, overall it is smooth.
Sleep and audio is working
Boot is smooth
External display working
Temps mostly stayed around 33-48º, though some rise noticed in 4k video playback. But in general, the external body hot spot has moved from GPU to PSU side and much less in comparison to stock card under these pressures.
Can these tests be improved further?

 

[m0bil]

@nikey22 - just tested your latest upload of the K3000M VBIOS (K3000M_V4.zip).

VRAM seems to be detected correctly now, but while brightness control works natively in macOS, the brightness slider in Win10 seems to have disappeared. I've tried uninstalling the display drivers with DDU and then letting windows reinstall them and did 5 PRAM resets just in case, but no luck.

With the display driver uninstalled and using the default Win10 driver (after DDU has done its thing but before Windows has reinstalled the nvidia driver through windows update) there's a brightness slider again but it doesn't do anything.

Apologies if this is a known bug (or if it's just my system), and thanks heaps for your work.

You can try not to let windows update install it's own drivers (disconnect from internet before DDU cleanup, either by turning wifi off or removing ethernet cable), but instead install latest Nvidia drivers available for your card after DDU reboot (should be version 392.63 for Quadro cards).

Reason for this is that I've experienced some times, that upgrading Nvidia drivers led to a non working brightness control in Windows 10, even with regedit entries like @nikey22 posted above. I suspect this happened to me with some failed installs I did trying to modify .inf files and unsigned drivers, but maybe it's worth trying...

 

[hazeleyez1968]

I'm a long-time follower of this forum and I've been accumulating everything needed to upgrade my two iMacs (tentative specs in signature). I've really enjoyed reading about all of your exploits am looking forward to working creating my own and adding them here!!

 

[Ausdauersportler]

You can try not to let windows update install it's own drivers (disconnect from internet before DDU cleanup, either by turning wifi off or removing ethernet cable), but instead install latest Nvidia drivers available for your card after DDU reboot (should be version 392.63 for Quadro cards).

Reason for this is that I've experienced some times, that upgrading Nvidia drivers led to a non working brightness control in Windows 10, even with regedit entries like @nikey22 posted above. I suspect this happened to me with some failed installs I did trying to modify .inf files and unsigned drivers, but maybe it's worth trying...

We had this posted way back here - it would be really helpful if one of the Windows experts would like to create an maintain a single post which we could link in to the first post...
Where hides the guy entertaining us for weeks with his M4000M and Windows only system?

 

[bluecrowHH]

As simple as it is described. With WX4130 secondary screen turns the main screen on after pressing ON. If you are using a single OS on your iMAC it will launch after some time with black screen. Catalina Loader is just used there to get a boot screen



Did you set Catalina Loader as the boot drive in settings >> start-up disk ? doing so will launch OC at startup which will show automatically the boot screen. No need to press option key.

I dont understand how to install the internal one so it is bootable without adding an external. I have to change kext yes? But in post one is just a link to an explanation for a black screen.

So I just get myself a catalina Loader stick ready for my high sierra? I thought i have to change the kext?

Another question: Installing Win10 is possible under High Sierra? The link from ausdauersportler says it has to be El Capitan?!

 

[NOTNlCE]

Been testing the WX4130 on HS, overall it is smooth.
Sleep and audio is working
Boot is smooth
External display working
Temps mostly stayed around 33-48º, though some rise noticed in 4k video playback. But in general, the external body hot spot has moved from GPU to PSU side and much less in comparison to stock card under these pressures.
Can these tests be improved further?

This is about on par with what to expect. Valley results are not fantastic because it's marked for OpenGL. Your larger benefits are native HEVC decode and other built in decoders. You can disregard the Geekbench score - it will not change with a GPU swap and is on par with what to expect.

In regards to the hot spot, I believe it has to do with what revision of PSU you have in your iMac. Personally, I blew up a PSU in one of mine (an earlier revision PSU) and replaced it with a spare from eBay (later revision) and now have that same "hot spot." I suspect it has something to do with the 12V rail taking less circuitry in the newer models, but putting out more heat in the very top VRM. Best way to dissipate the heat is to use fan control to bump the CPU fan a bit, though I have not had any issues at all with the machine's heat output, even without doing that.

 

[RobertL39]

You need a second computer on the local network to control the Linux USB flash tool remotely. You need it because in 90% of the cases you get no internal or external display with a new card not flashed.

SORRY, but I'm VERY confused. I've read on this thread that when running HS the Mac should boot and the new GPU card should show up under "about this Mac". Then flashing the card (USB stick) gives you a boot screen. But this says "90% of the time no display unless the card is flashed." The videos I've watched boot up into HS immediately after the insertion of the card and reassembly. Flashing is then done later. And your "black screen hardware page" from Aug. 2020 says:
"new GPU not flashed: If you do not get a chime and a second LED it is likely dead.
new Nvidia GPU flashed: If you do not get a chime and a third LED it is likely dead"
which isn't clear whether the GPU is being flashed by the boot ROM after it is installed OR by USB stick (before installation or after installation)?
I installed a Dell K2100M and got only 1 LED to light, no gong, no boot, no nothing. Tried lots of checks, looking for bad reassembly, left screen off, nothing. Put my stock Radeon back in and everything works fine. I returned the card as DOA.
Can you provide some guidance?
I AM trying but, believe it or not, after 13,761 posts over 551 pages it gets more than a little confusing. Since the process has been refined over the years, a summation thread would be just lovely. When you get the time, you know...

 

[Ausdauersportler]

SORRY, but I'm VERY confused. I've read on this thread that when running HS the Mac should boot and the new GPU card should show up under "about this Mac". Then flashing the card (USB stick) gives you a boot screen. But this says "90% of the time no display unless the card is flashed." The videos I've watched boot up into HS immediately after the insertion of the card and reassembly. Flashing is then done later. And your "black screen hardware page" from Aug. 2020 says:
"new GPU not flashed: If you do not get a chime and a second LED it is likely dead.
new Nvidia GPU flashed: If you do not get a chime and a third LED it is likely dead"
which isn't clear whether the GPU is being flashed by the boot ROM after it is installed OR by USB stick (before installation or after installation)?
I installed a Dell K2100M and got only 1 LED to light, no gong, no boot, no nothing. Tried lots of checks, looking for bad reassembly, left screen off, nothing. Put my stock Radeon back in and everything works fine. I returned the card as DOA.
Can you provide some guidance?
I AM trying but, believe it or not, after 13,761 posts over 551 pages it gets more than a little confusing. Since the process has been refined over the years, a summation thread would be just lovely. When you get the time, you know...

Have you ever tried to read the first post of this thread?

 

[RobertL39]

Yes! I have read the first post of this thread at least 10 times, probably more. I have spent hours reading many of your posts. I think that if you read the examples I gave it should be fairly obvious that the information is inconsistent. Inconsistent information leads to confusion, uncertainty, and posts you obviously find "uninformed" or "stupid" or "ignorant" or "lazy" or...???
Most of us are as nowhere nearly as well-versed in Hackintosh as you clearly are but somehow you seem to think we can search through 13,763 posts and find the perfect answer to any question. The difference is that you may know which answer is perfect and correct but the rest of us mere mortals can't tell so, SURPRISE, we get confused.
While your information is fantastic and very helpful, it's not always perfectly clear and it can conflict with other information on this thread and from other sources. Sorry to say it, but the disdain with which you treat so many people on this forum is just plain nasty and inappropriate. We're just trying. Some try harder and better than others. No, we don't know as much as you do. But at least we're polite about it. Lighten up, please.

 

[ChrisCaro]

I'm a long-time follower of this forum and I've been accumulating everything needed to upgrade my two iMacs (tentative specs in signature). I've really enjoyed reading about all of your exploits am looking forward to working creating my own and adding them here!!

This is how it should be done, thanks for reading and building confidence before diving in to something and discovering you aren't prepared!

Yes! I have read the first post of this thread at least 10 times, probably more. I have spent hours reading many of your posts. I think that if you read the examples I gave it should be fairly obvious that the information is inconsistent. Inconsistent information leads to confusion, uncertainty, and posts you obviously find "uninformed" or "stupid" or "ignorant" or "lazy" or...???
Most of us are as nowhere nearly as well-versed in Hackintosh as you clearly are but somehow you seem to think we can search through 13,763 posts and find the perfect answer to any question. The difference is that you may know which answer is perfect and correct but the rest of us mere mortals can't tell so, SURPRISE, we get confused.
While your information is fantastic and very helpful, it's not always perfectly clear and it can conflict with other information on this thread and from other sources. Sorry to say it, but the disdain with which you treat so many people on this forum is just plain nasty and inappropriate. We're just trying. Some try harder and better than others. No, we don't know as much as you do. But at least we're polite about it. Lighten up, please.

Careful man, if you discover you have problems that have been discussed multiple times and ask for a novel solution come with thick skin! Do not ostracize your lifeline(ausdauersportler) to solutions

 

[RobertL39]

This is how it should be done, thanks for reading and building confidence before diving in to something and discovering you aren't prepared!

Careful man, if you discover you have problems that have been discussed multiple times and ask for a novel solution come with thick skin! Do not ostracize your lifeline(ausdauersportler) to solutions

I'm hip. But I'm not asking for a "novel solution". I'm asking for clarification from conflicting information. I'm not at all clear how that entitles me to be demeaned. And this is NOT my first post on this thread. I've 'interacted' with The Man several times on this thread. That said, IMO he's been inappropriately nasty too many times to too many people and needs an attitude adjustment. I hope he can find one.

 

[RobertL39]

This is how it should be done, thanks for reading and building confidence before diving in to something and discovering you aren't prepared!

Careful man, if you discover you have problems that have been discussed multiple times and ask for a novel solution come with thick skin! Do not ostracize your lifeline(ausdauersportler) to solutions

Or another way to look at it: If you're gonna' be a teacher and get new students all the time, in spite of the fact that the newbies have already read and studied the relevant texts (Page 1 in this case), you'd better be ready for some repeat questions and plan to meet them with aplomb rather than derision.

 

[rmd79]

add these in:
EnableBrightnessControl REG_DWORD 1
RMBrightnessControlFlags REG_DWORD to 1024
...

I suggest using the native win10 drivers first and adding these entries in the registry and rebooting.
Next you could try installing the nvidia display drivers: 377.11-quadro-grid-desktop-notebook-win8-win7-64bit-international-whql display drivers which worked well for me.

@nikey22

Thanks for the suggestions. I've tried both (with the windows nvidia driver and the 377.11 version (except I downloaded the Win10 package).

Tried with and without the registry entries you suggested (with both the Windows NV driver and the one in the 377.11 package with the same results). Adding "EnableBrightnessControl" causes the display backlight to turn off during windows boot, at the point I believe it's initializing the display driver. The RMBrightnessControlFlags setting didn't seem to make any difference. After adding "EnableBrightnessControl" and rebooting, I can see a brightness slider in remote desktop, but it's greyed out and can't be changed.

Also, just as a note, I seem to have a lot of junk registry entries for older ROMs in the registry. I found that to locate the current registry entry, you can launch GPU-Z, then go to Advanced tab, then it'll show you the "Registry Path" for the GPU, which was quite useful in locating the correct one.

You can try not to let windows update install it's own drivers (disconnect from internet before DDU cleanup, either by turning wifi off or removing ethernet cable), but instead install latest Nvidia drivers available for your card after DDU reboot (should be version 392.63 for Quadro cards).

Reason for this is that I've experienced some times, that upgrading Nvidia drivers led to a non working brightness control in Windows 10, even with regedit entries like @nikey22 posted above. I suspect this happened to me with some failed installs I did trying to modify .inf files and unsigned drivers, but maybe it's worth trying...

@m0bil

Tried this as you suggested, downloaded the 392.63 version for win10, booted into safe mode, killed the router, removed the display driver with DDU, rebooted, installed 392.63 driver. The behaviour of this driver is the same for me as 377.11 and the Windows NV driver.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[chssvl1]

Hi all. I've been following this thread on and off for months, dithering about whether to do this upgrade or not, but as support for High Sierra seems to have come to an end and my 2011 21.5" iMac still works better than the crap brand new Lenovo laptop that the office provided me, I've decided to take the plunge.

I think I will go for the k2100M card, which seems to be more easily supported and maintain the original performance and then hope to use Dosdude's patch to install Catalina afterwards. However, I've read many comments about problems with the BIOS chip not supporting the BIOS upgrades and others about problems depending on the brand of the RAM. However, I'm still uncertain about which actual card to go for.

I've had a look at Aliexpress (no cards on my local eBay) and some like this seem to obviously not work (as per the title in the listing). However, this one has Samsung memory chips and the listing even seems to suggest that it works with an iMac. There are a few more listings, (for example this, this and this) but in some cases I can't even read the brand of the memory chips.

Given that these cards seem to be compatible with or come from specific Dell or HP laptops, is there any rule as to which origin would work with an iMac?

Thanks in advance and looking forward to starting this project!

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Or another way to look at it: If you're gonna' be a teacher and get new students all the time, in spite of the fact that the newbies have already read and studied the relevant texts (Page 1 in this case), you'd better be ready for some repeat questions and plan to meet them with aplomb rather than derision.

You made a lot of claims about contradicting information compared to other sources (ask the people behind such sources to clarify it), confusing information about the state before and after flashing (# of LED to show a green light, how should one make this more precise?). Your card acts like a dead one but you could have tried to flash it before installation using a CH341A clip programmer - which I always recommend. Using a clip programmer needs hands and does not succeed in any case, another obstacle.

This is clearly not an easy task. To get it done (climbing the Mount Everest) you can follow the Huber Brothers approach and learn climbing starting in your youth or the U.S. important business men approach paying just 100.000 USD to get 10 poor Sherpas to carry you onto the top (and back to tell the story of a Hero).

But you are really special: You are not willing to spend the time into studying nor you are willing to pay a pre flashed card (which are available, now), you come in and try to talk me into another spoon feeding session. I will not carry you onto this hill. You will have to walk alone, sorry.

Some month ago I decided to stay away from answering such questions. Now you know, why!

 

[The_Croupier]

I installed a Dell K2100M and got only 1 LED to light, no gong, no boot, no nothing. Tried lots of checks, looking for bad reassembly, left screen off, nothing. Put my stock Radeon back in and everything works fine. I returned the card as DOA.
Can you provide some guidance?

If you are 100% sure you installed the card correctly and put the iMac back together correctly, checked the ram modules are ok and swapped them to to be sure and are only getting led1, no boot no led2, and the fact that swapping in your old card and the Mac boots fine.
Then I'd be pretty confident that your K2100M is broken.

 

[passatgt]

If you are 100% sure you installed the card correctly and put the iMac back together correctly, checked the ram modules are ok and swapped them to to be sure and are only getting led1, no boot no led2, and the fact that swapping in your old card and the Mac boots fine.
Then I'd be pretty confident that your K2100M is broken.

* or just not compatible. I have a k2000 which works fine in hp notebook, but dead in an imac

 

[The_Croupier]

I've had a look at Aliexpress (no cards on my local eBay) and some like this seem to obviously not work (as per the title in the listing). However, this one has Samsung memory chips and the listing even seems to suggest that it works with an iMac. There are a few more listings, (for example this, this and this) but in some cases I can't even read the brand of the memory chips.

Buying cards is a lottery unless you buy one that has been flashed and tested to work on a identical iMac to yours. Do not assume that what you see in the picture is what you will get. If unsure ask specific questions about the card, look at the reviews, quite often you will see positive feedback from people that have installed the card in a Mac.
Ask if you can return it if you cant get it to work.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

* or just not compatible. I have a k2000 which works fine in hp notebook, but dead in an imac

The HP cards need to be flashed in advance because they have no vBIOS loaded onto the card! The HP laptop contains and manages the vBIOS on the internal laptop firmware for security reasons (unlike Dell laptops, where the Dell vBIOS is stored onto the card in any case).

This is the reason why you can have the impression to have a non working (HP) card and why should flash it using a clip programmer. Unfortunately this will not work with cards having WSON type BIOS chips (not usable with a clip). And it is the reason why you can have a (Dell) card installed into your iMac offering a screen from the very beginning.

This has been cited many times and it is part of the FAQ (Q2). So there is a difference between having a non booting system and a system booting but not recognising a GPU installed.

 

[The_Croupier]

* or just not compatible. I have a k2000 which works fine in hp notebook, but dead in an imac

True, and yes that is the ultimate test, try it in its originally designated platform.
Unfortunately not many people have this option.

This has been cited many times and it is part of the FAQ (Q2). So there is a difference between having a non booting system and and a system booting but not recognising a GPU installed.

I learn something new everytime I read this forum, time to re-educate myself starting with post #1 😉

 

[passatgt]

The HP cards need to be flashed in advance because they have no vBIOS loaded onto the card! The HP laptop contains and manages the vBIOS on the internal laptop firmware for security reasons (unlike Dell laptops, where the Dell vBIOS is stored onto the card in any case).

This is the reason why you can have the impression to have a non working (HP) card and why should flash it using a clip programmer. Unfortunately this will not work with cards having WSON type BIOS chips (not usable with a clip). And it is the reason why you can have a (Dell) card installed into your iMac offering a screen from the very beginning.

This has been cited many times and it is part of the FAQ (Q2). So there is a difference between having a non booting system and and a system booting but not recognising a GPU installed.

Sure, i got that, it is flashed already with a raspberry pi, but my iMac just won't recognize the card at all, no POST. It works fine(even with the flashed bios) in a hp notebook. Not an issue i have currently, just wanted to mention that this can happen too.

Edit: just dig this card up and my mistake, this is a k1100m i'm talking about, with SK hynix memory.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Sure, i got that, it is flashed already with a raspberry pi, but my iMac just won't recognize the card at all, no POST. It works fine(even with the flashed bios) in a hp notebook. Not an issue i have currently, just wanted to mention that this can happen too.

Edit: just dig this card up and my mistake, this is a k1100m i'm talking about, with SK hynix memory.

It becomes more complicated than I thought

Now you know why I never answer on these "Found this cheap Dell/HP card on Ali, will it work?" posts.
One cannot honestly answer this!

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

It becomes more complicated than I thought

Now you know why I never answer on these "Found this cheap Dell/HP card on Ali, will it work?" posts.
One cannot honestly answer this!

But it's fun and gives us a triumphant feeling to hunt for cheap cards and turn them to a working nice piece of hardware.
As all risks have been awared and counted for, let's the fun begin!