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

[randallvfx]

Hello folks, Not sure if im posting correctly for some support on my GPU upgrade...here goes....

I have a mid 2011 27" and the stock video died after baking many times. In classic rookie form I bent and broke a few pins off the logic board side of the LCD connectors, so I needed a new logic board as well. I found a refurbished 780M and logic board, install went without issue.

The plan was to use the xanderon usb stick method to flash the 780M. So I prepped the USB drive and upon USB boot I get a red/black checkered screen where there isnt text. I assumed that maybe the 780M wasnt flashed right, so I went through the flash steps. Upon boot back into OSX the boot screen was the same checkers, but now white and blue which some red thin lines. About 70% of the time it would hang about 3/4 through the boot process and either reboot or go black. The other 30% of the time the graphics would fix itself about 3/4 way through boot and the make it to the login screen and then to the desktop. After one successful boot I could boot many times until it failed again, sometimes with red squares. The temp of the GPU stayed under 55C as I was thinking that was part of the issue. Now it doesnt ever make it thru the boot process at all.

Im thinking that it could possibly be the LCD screen as I believe (please tell me if this is true) the USB flash drive boots into onboard GPU and does not use the video card so that cannot be the culprit. I am now thinking its the LCD screen, or the onboard graphics of the logic board that I replaced.

Any thoughts or tips appreciated. I attached a few pics. The oval burnouts on the screen are just reflections. Apologies if Im not posting correctly.

 

[kitroughtrash]

Installed Big Sur on a mid 2011 21” with Nvidia K1100 using OCLP. Everything works flawlessly, the work done to achieve such simplicity is impressive, well done.
One question though: what functionality am I missing by not having iGPU? Is it only during H.264 video encoding or playback and other things as well?

 

[The_Croupier]

Hello folks, Not sure if im posting correctly for some support on my GPU upgrade...here goes....

I have a mid 2011 27" and the stock video died after baking many times. In classic rookie form I bent and broke a few pins off the logic board side of the LCD connectors, so I needed a new logic board as well. I found a refurbished 780M and logic board, install went without issue.

The plan was to use the xanderon usb stick method to flash the 780M. So I prepped the USB drive and upon USB boot I get a red/black checkered screen where there isnt text. I assumed that maybe the 780M wasnt flashed right, so I went through the flash steps. Upon boot back into OSX the boot screen was the same checkers, but now white and blue which some red thin lines. About 70% of the time it would hang about 3/4 through the boot process and either reboot or go black. The other 30% of the time the graphics would fix itself about 3/4 way through boot and the make it to the login screen and then to the desktop. After one successful boot I could boot many times until it failed again, sometimes with red squares. The temp of the GPU stayed under 55C as I was thinking that was part of the issue. Now it doesnt ever make it thru the boot process at all.

Im thinking that it could possibly be the LCD screen as I believe (please tell me if this is true) the USB flash drive boots into onboard GPU and does not use the video card so that cannot be the culprit. I am now thinking its the LCD screen, or the onboard graphics of the logic board that I replaced.

Any thoughts or tips appreciated. I attached a few pics. The oval burnouts on the screen are just reflections. Apologies if Im not posting correctly.

Your GTX 780m is dying. This is classic symptoms of a failing GPU.

I baked my 770m and its still going ok, also used the best thermal paste I could get.

Post in thread '2011 iMac Graphics Card Upgrade' https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2011-imac-graphics-card-upgrade.1596614/post-29664603

 

[Machist]

iMac mid 2011 21.5-inch
NVIDIA QUADRO K1100m 2GB

Big Sur installed (OCLP) and no crashes/problems yet.
Catalina crash sometimes 10 times day or sometimes it works days without crashes.

 

[kitroughtrash]

iMac mid 2011 21.5-inch
NVIDIA QUADRO K1100m 2GB

Big Sur installed (OCLP) and no crashes/problems yet.
Catalina crash sometimes 10 times day or sometimes it works days without crashes.

Exactly my case. Did you upgrade or fresh install and migrate data?

 

[Machist]

Exactly my case. Did you upgrade or fresh install and migrate data?

Yes, fresh install and I use Migration assistant to restore all user data.

 

[herrdude]

Yes, fresh install and I use Migration assistant to restore all user data.

Did you use one of the micro patchers or OCLP?

 

[PaDa23]

Hello. I have an iMac 2011 27" with i7 3,4. The GPU was a HD 6970M with 2GB. So its the cooler with 3 copper pipes.

The GPU is totally dead ☠️. (Only 2 LEDs show up on Mainboard).

Edit: Sorry, now I can see everything on #1 Post.
So can you recommend me at this time the best GPU for price/value?
I prefer a simple install.

Edit 2: I've ordered a FirePro M6100 for 40 USD.

 

[jay508]

我测试过Quadro_K510M_80.28.52.00.03-Nvidia vbios原版，windows7 windows10 macOS10.13.6可以显示使用，但是没有闪屏和两个调整。

 

[FlorisVN]

I have tested the Quadro_K510M_80.28.52.00.03-Nvidia vbios original version, windows7 windows10 macOS10.13.6 can be displayed and used, but there is no splash screen and two adjustments.

please read first wiki post, atm there is no vbios available for the K510m.

 

[randallvfx]

Your GTX 780m is dying. This is classic symptoms of a failing GPU.

I baked my 770m and its still going ok, also used the best thermal paste I could get.

Post in thread '2011 iMac Graphics Card Upgrade' https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2011-imac-graphics-card-upgrade.1596614/post-29664603

but the video card isnt being used on a single user boot screen, correct? thanks for the tip on the repost..cheers.

 

[macgenius710]

Hello friends, I need help whoever, I have a 2009 27 "imac that I update with an Nvidia K3100M GPU, I recognize natively, all good, to flash the Vbios again my imac screen turned black and no longer turns on, just it works with external monitor, what happened I need help

 

[randallvfx]

Bummer my 770 install didn't last long.
I guess this is the pitfalls of the secondhand gpu lottery 😭

Oh well, card still works as long as i don't try anything gpu intensive.

GPU PECI temp shoots up so quick as soon as I launch a game.
View attachment 1739962
View attachment 1739964

Bummer my 770 install didn't last long.
I guess this is the pitfalls of the secondhand gpu lottery 😭

Oh well, card still works as long as i don't try anything gpu intensive.

GPU PECI temp shoots up so quick as soon as I launch a game.
View attachment 1739962
View attachment 1739964

Hi there, I have something similar going on with my 780M...any tips appreciated...


I have a mid 2011 27" and the stock video died after baking many times. In classic rookie form I bent and broke a few pins off the logic board side of the LCD connectors, so I needed a new logic board as well. I found a refurbished 780M and logic board, install went without issue.

The plan was to use the xanderon usb stick method to flash the 780M. So I prepped the USB drive and upon USB boot I get a red/black checkered screen where there isnt text. I assumed that maybe the 780M wasnt flashed right, so I went through the flash steps. Upon boot back into OSX the boot screen was the same checkers, but now white and blue which some red thin lines. About 70% of the time it would hang about 3/4 through the boot process and either reboot or go black. The other 30% of the time the graphics would fix itself about 3/4 way through boot and the make it to the login screen and then to the desktop. After one successful boot I could boot many times until it failed again, sometimes with red squares. The temp of the GPU stayed under 55C as I was thinking that was part of the issue. Now it doesnt ever make it thru the boot process at all.

Im thinking that it could possibly be the LCD screen as I believe (please tell me if this is true) the USB flash drive boots into onboard GPU and does not use the video card so that cannot be the culprit. I am now thinking its the LCD screen, or the onboard graphics of the logic board that I replaced.

Any thoughts or tips appreciated. I attached a few pics. The oval burnouts on the screen are just reflections. Apologies if Im not posting correctly.

 

[herrdude]

Hi there, I have something similar going on with my 780M...any tips appreciated...


I have a mid 2011 27" and the stock video died after baking many times. In classic rookie form I bent and broke a few pins off the logic board side of the LCD connectors, so I needed a new logic board as well. I found a refurbished 780M and logic board, install went without issue.

The plan was to use the xanderon usb stick method to flash the 780M. So I prepped the USB drive and upon USB boot I get a red/black checkered screen where there isnt text. I assumed that maybe the 780M wasnt flashed right, so I went through the flash steps. Upon boot back into OSX the boot screen was the same checkers, but now white and blue which some red thin lines. About 70% of the time it would hang about 3/4 through the boot process and either reboot or go black. The other 30% of the time the graphics would fix itself about 3/4 way through boot and the make it to the login screen and then to the desktop. After one successful boot I could boot many times until it failed again, sometimes with red squares. The temp of the GPU stayed under 55C as I was thinking that was part of the issue. Now it doesnt ever make it thru the boot process at all.

Im thinking that it could possibly be the LCD screen as I believe (please tell me if this is true) the USB flash drive boots into onboard GPU and does not use the video card so that cannot be the culprit. I am now thinking its the LCD screen, or the onboard graphics of the logic board that I replaced.

Any thoughts or tips appreciated. I attached a few pics. The oval burnouts on the screen are just reflections. Apologies if Im not posting correctly.

Why are you posting this two times?

 

[nikey22]

Nvidia Quadro K3100M Elpida VRAM



Hello everyone,

As more and more people are purchasing cards, there are some "variants of concern" popping up, including cards that have Elpida vram which are not working correctly with the previous roms (K3100M_V3.rom). The following code is common to most cards, but is sometimes missing entries:

switch (memVendor)
{
case 0: return _T("Autodetect"); break;
case 1: return _T("Samsung"); break;
case 2: return _T("Elpida"); break;
case 3: return _T("Hynix"); break;
case 4: return _T("Micron"); break;
default: return _T(""); break; // Unknown
}

Specifically the Eplida entries, I've corrected it for the K3100M_V4.rom version, it should work to initialize that ram type now.
P.S.: if you have a Hynix or Samsung card, choosing to run this .rom should work as well as it contains the proper mem_vendors.

Enjoy

 

[The_Croupier]

Any thoughts or tips appreciated. I attached a few pics. The oval burnouts on the screen are just reflections. Apologies if Im not posting correctly.

Test it with the internal display disconnected and use display port out connected to a external display. (Use the port closest to the usb ports)

If you see graphical artefacts like those on the internal display on the external screen then you can be sure your 780m is failing.

 

[randallvfx]

Why are you posting this two times?

The last responded recommended I reply directly to a similar post. I guess I did it wrong. Apologies.

 

[randallvfx]

Test it with the internal display disconnected and use display port out connected to a external display. (Use the port closest to the usb ports)

If you see graphical artefacts like those on the internal display on the external screen then you can be sure your 780m is failing.

will do. Many thanks.

 

[Machist]

Did you use one of the micro patchers or OCLP?

I use OCLP

 

[randallvfx]

will do. Many thanks.

@The_Croupier - I plugged the iMac into a monitor, and have the same artifacts results. Two things I noticed- I did have 3 diagnostic LEDs out of 4. Also, the external monitor boots to black unless I do a PRAM reset, and then I get the checkered login...not sure if that matters. Thanks.

 

[herrdude]

@The_Croupier - I plugged the iMac into a monitor, and have the same artifacts results. Two things I noticed- I did have 3 diagnostic LEDs out of 4. Also, the external monitor boots to black unless I do a PRAM reset, and then I get the checkered login...not sure if that matters. Thanks.

Sadly, that points to your card being defective.

 

[Umarx]

latest seen on AliExp was Nov last year :-(
Also in case i walk through such an opportunity, would it work on 2011 iMac ?

The buyer of November last year one mentioned it worked in imac. I myself bought one WX4130 from AE and it worked out of the box in my 27" 2011, 3 pipe HS imac. Yes the are rare now and i am also looking for more machines.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Hello friends, I need help whoever, I have a 2009 27 "imac that I update with an Nvidia K3100M GPU, I recognize natively, all good, to flash the Vbios again my imac screen turned black and no longer turns on, just it works with external monitor, what happened I need help

This is number one issue mentioned on the first post just below the Nvidia GPU table....

 

[traser]

I followed these steps for installing the RX480 card :


1- Disable SIP (cmd+R , terminal : csrutil disable and reboot)
2 - I created the OLCP on a USB drive and Catalina Loader on an SD card to copy the EFI folder from the USB drive to the Catalina loader SD card.
3 - plug USB key containing the High Sierra installer
4 - plug Catalina Loader SD card
5 - Select "Catalina Loader" as startup disk
6 - swap old GPU card, by the RX480 (already flashed)
7 - Reconnect the internal screen
8 - Start the iMac and select the High Sierra installer
9 - Do a clean install of High Sierra
=> All works very well

But I have a problem with the SIP, it is still enabled and I can not disable it : why ?
I did step 1 again, but when I restart the iMac and check the SIP via the terminal (csrutil status it's enabled!)

 

[Airknight]

Little bit off-topic, but did someting quite different today; don't know wether this is done before.

Bought a 2011 i5 2,7 really cheap, with a defective screen. Initially i hoped th videocard was gone but no.
Tried replacing the backlight board, but no luck either. At first the left side of the screen was rather dark, and eventually all of the screen goes dark. (could see the image with a flashlight tough)

Had a new 2009 screen lying around, with a small scratch on the screen, but offcourse none of the cables will fit to a 2011 iMac. so I opened up the topside of the panels and inside the flatbed connectors are the same, so I switched the circuitboards & cables and yes it worked! i only had overseen de bluetooth connector at the left side, so now I still have to switch a part of the frame. (just unscrew).