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iM 4,1-14,4 2011 iMac Graphics Card Upgrade
- Thread starter MichaelDT
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On that note I did readjust GPU screws to not be as tight. I think the card was bent a little to much. Mind blow.
My iMac 2010 has 3 internal SSD - one for HS, one for Catalina, and one for BS. With OCLP 0.1.6 (just AMD + minimal patching), it can boot into either one with no issue. HS doesn't really work well as I encounter many file errors and disappearing apps when in HS. However, the files are completely accessible from Catalina or BS. I check with Disk Utility from Recovery Volume and from BS, and it didn't find big errors. The latest OCLP 0.2.2 doesn't improve on that and exhibit crashing & auto-restarting on deep sleep. That's why I stay with the completely stable 0.1.6.
Interesting. What are the planned features for the new AMD BIOS ?
I encounter the same issue. At the moment, I just disable SecureBootModel within OCLP.
I may consider reformat the HS volume for Monterey Installation so as to avoid the BS Pre-boot volume snapshot corruption. Currently, I can testify that OCLP works extremely well with Catalina with full support of all hardware functions, at least in my iMac 2010 if not more others.
You need to get the LCD out and take a picture of the backside. There is a printed piece of paper from LG showing the correct model of your display. Something like Q1 SD A3 …
Yeah, I have found the correct boards, but the sellers just don't know the answers to my questions. Without CEC there's no way to change brightness from macOS, and I'd like to know if an ugly OSD will pop up every time I turn the iMac on
With the driver comes a small control board with lets you use an ugly OSD to control the brightness - this is the way with external displays
My son is using such a display with his Mac mini M1 and is quite satisfied with the display quality and overall usability.
If you do not have two left hands you may be able to building the control board on the back side where the USB ports where..
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This may be an ignorant question but I can't seem to find a solid answer. The Nvidia cards vary so much, even with the model numbers. You may see someone list an Nvidia Quadro k1000m for sale on eBay and receive an Nvidia Quadro 1000m. Is there a way to look at these cards and tell the difference? I did read about the differences between both models and the K1000m cards seem to be best.
I wouldn't be too upset if it had an OSD every boot, but with CEC I can adjust brightness with MonitorControl in a stock looking way. Would it be possible to still use the old backlight controller in the iMac without the screen directly connected? Last resort I do have a dyinglight laying around somewhere from around a year and a half ago when wx7100 compatibility was brand new, I just would rather not use it since the software is a bit janky and it causes a bit of flicker. There are 2 styles of driver boards so I guess I'll have to try and reach out to sellers on aliexpress and see if they know since the ebay sellers don't.With the driver comes a small control board with lets you use an ugly OSD to control the brightness - this is the way with external displays
My son is using such a display with his Mac mini M1 and is quite satisfied with the display quality and overall usability.
If you do not have two left hands you may be able to building the control board on the back side where the USB ports where..
Apparently it can also be referred to as DDC/CI too.
Each GPU has an identification string printed on it.
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I didn't know you could do this.... do you have a list of compatible models that will fit on the Mid 2011 27" or is it hit and miss?
So you have never seen the three screws there???
This is a hit and miss. I had last summer several Mid 2011 systems and such a K4100M causing a boot chime loop in one iMac and running (perfectly) in another (on the first view) identical system. Later this card died. I have posted pictures of it. I cannot explain if it is the iMac or the GPU.
As I wrote, I am done with 10 year old (and possibly half dead) overpriced NVIDIA cards. Chances we will see Kepler support vanishing from upcoming macOS versions are high.
I have added the warnings on purpose to the first post….
Totally hit and miss, and it can also go the other way around.
For instance I have recently installed a K3100m working fine with the lcd connected, disconnect the lcd and boot chime loop.
I'm just thankful it's not the other way around 🙄
In regards to bracket, the removal of the bracket is so you can easily swap cards in and out while testing, it is temporary and no a front screwed 2009 bracket will not fit a 2011 Logic Board.unclemiltie said:
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I think you misunderstood... I'm wondering about changing the bracket so that I don't have to take the logic board out should I want to change the GPU. Mine, a Mid 2011, has the screws going in from the "back" and I did know that the 2010 models had the bracket the other way but always thought I was stuck with the one on mine and the logic board had to come out.
So I'm asking about the mechanical mounting hardware and from what models can I salvage the "front screw" bracket to put onto my 2011 iMacs so that it's easier to deal with the GPU should I have to do it.
3 posts up I explain it won't work, only the 2009 model has front facing screws and the 2009 bracket will not fit a 2011 board unless you want to drill holes through it.
You misunderstood:
I was never writing one can mount this frame back with front facing screws. I was just telling him to get the metal frame out if he is expecting more than a single GPU exchange within the same model. I did this with my 2011 test system after getting tired to pull the board again and again.
At the very end he would have to pull the board again and fix the screws from the back side.
There are tools to get the two screws out which fixes the GPU on this frame ( from back side, too). But even this is an horrible act.
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As a matter of interest .. what card would you use for a mid 2011 27"
I used a K3100M that came pre-flashed from ebay. Aside from him flashing the wrong image (but it still got me a boot screen) it worked quite well. I do have an issue with going to sleep and not coming back and a POST issue sometimes but others have suggested that this might be an issue with my logic board or the GPU. My solution is to never allow the system to go to sleep and it works quite well.
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Wait, what other (non NVIDIA) options are listed on the first post? Take your pick!
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