Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

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

Status
The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
idenis42 said:
Without using the OpenCore bootloader, the backlight does not turn on when the computer is turned on. And the system loads and the backlight turns on. Works.
And I need a bios that can turn on the backlight when turned on, like this Quadro K4100M.
Click to expand...
Nobody has yet found a way to have the backlight turned on without showing some type of boot picker.
Even using the CoreEG2 VBIOSes the backlight is only turned on when keeping the "alt"-key pressed on boot in order to launch the Apple boot picker.
Making that work would require a lot of EFI firmware reverse engineering.
 
internetzel said:
Nice temperature! ODD fan at maximum all the time?
And the used VBIOS was either one of those published by Nick or the original one - especially the memory clocks are much higher than in "my" VBIOS.
Click to expand...
Yes, at the maximum all the time.
Bios your - ROM 1 (second pillar) - firmware name WX7100_imac_GOP_BIOS
 
I flashed a 580 X_GAP.rom video card
with an Openkore bootloader in the Monterrey = Valley 2700 Score system.

I flashed the video card WX7100_iMac_GOP_Vbios.rom
With the Openkore loader in the Monterrey = Valley 1646 Score system.

I'll try to flash 580X_75W.rom and tell you.
 
idenis42 said:
I flashed a 580 X_GAP.rom video card
with an Openkore bootloader in the Monterrey = Valley 2700 Score system.

I flashed the video card WX7100_iMac_GOP_Vbios.rom
With the Openkore loader in the Monterrey = Valley 1646 Score system.

I'll try to flash 580X_75W.rom and tell you.
Click to expand...
Seems I have to check that VBIOS here again - no need for you to check other VBIOSes.
 
internetzel said:
Seems I have to check that VBIOS here again - no need for you to check other VBIOSes.
Click to expand...
If I take the firmware from the Apple AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8 GB BIOS video card, and flash it into the WX7100M video card? Will it work? Won't the graphics card break?
 
idenis42 said:
I flashed a 580 X_GAP.rom video card
with an Openkore bootloader in the Monterrey = Valley 2700 Score system.

I flashed the video card WX7100_iMac_GOP_Vbios.rom
With the Openkore loader in the Monterrey = Valley 1646 Score system.

I'll try to flash 580X_75W.rom and tell you.
Click to expand...
Here the scores with "my" GOP VBIOS:
1634423585265.png
 
idenis42 said:
If I take the firmware from the Apple AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8 GB BIOS video card, and flash it into the WX7100M video card? Will it work? Won't the graphics card break?
Click to expand...
Please do NOT experiment with VBIOSes on your own if you don't know how to get a bricked system running again.
It's very easy to brick your system with only slightliy modified VBIOSes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RandomDSdevel
@idenis42 , benchmark scores don't seem to be reliably reproducible in Monterey (and maybe even Big Sur) - for whatever reason. But in case you only see that in Monterey, it's not worth it yet to look for the reason, as Monterey is still in Beta. The latest system that we can expect to run reliably on our unsupported hardware is Catalina. Big Sur may still have some surprises for us in the future.
By the way, as you see in the benchmark results there's no reason to overclock the VRAM.
 
internetzel said:
@idenis42 , benchmark scores don't seem to be reliably reproducible in Monterey (and maybe even Big Sur) - for whatever reason. But in case you only see that in Monterey, it's not worth it yet to look for the reason, as Monterey is still in Beta. The latest system that we can expect to run reliably on our unsupported hardware is Catalina. Big Sur may still have some surprises for us in the future.
By the way, as you see in the benchmark results there's no reason to overclock the VRAM.
Click to expand...
In the Big Sur and Monterey system, the results are the same. Absolutely identical. I am surprised that OpenCore reduces FPS in the Big Sur and Monterey ~1650 Score system.
Without OpenCore in the Big Sur and Monterey system - the same ~2700 Score.😂
Without the OpenCore bootloader, the hardware codec (4K H.264 and 4K HEVC) works on any system. 👍
 
idenis42 said:
Can you give me the CONFIG.PLIST file from your OpenCore?
Click to expand...
Here the config.plst, for this iMac 2011, with WX7100 and WiFi/Bluetooth upgrade. Made OCLP 0.3.0 release version and certain settings.
Don't forget that an NVRAM reset might be needed for OpenCore to work correctly.

For tuning WhateverGreen you should study their GitHub pages, especially Radeon FAQ (also available in Russian). For determining whether WhateverGreen has something to do with your problem, just disable the corresponding kext in the config.plist .
 

Attachments

  • config.plist.zip
    6.5 KB · Views: 79
  • Like
Reactions: wa9im
I have a mid 2011 27" iMac and I bought what I thought was a GTX 770M 3GB from AliExpress.

I've (I think) successfully installed it in the iMac and now am trying to flash the ROM in the card, but it's giving me some weird errors that I'd greatly appreciate some help with.

Initially when trying to flash it with 770M_BR+OC.ROM (March 7, 2021) I get this -

NVIDIA Firmware Update Utility (Version 5.414.0)
Simplified Version For OEM Only
Checking for matches between display adapter(s) and image(s)...
Adapter: GeForce GTX 770M (10DE,11E0,10DE,1008) H:--:NRM S:00,B:01,D:00,F:00
WARNING: Firmware image PCI Subsystem ID (1028.05AA) does not match adapter PCI Subsystem ID (10DE.1008).
NOTE: Exception caught.
Nothing changed!

When I try to override the protection, I get this -

NVIDIA Firmware Update Utility (Version 5.414.0)
Simplified Version For OEM Only
Checking for matches between display adapter(s) and image(s)...
Adapter: GeForce GTX 770M (10DE,11E0,10DE,1008) H:--:NRM S:00,B:01,D:00,F:00
WARNING: Firmware image PCI Subsystem ID (1028.05AA) does not match adapter PCI Subsystem ID (10DE.1008).
Please press 'y' to confirm override of PCI Subsystem ID's: y
Overriding PCI subsystem ID mismatch
Current - Version:80.06.51.00.34 ID:10DE:11E0:10DE:1008
GK106 Board - 23031e00 (Normal Board)
Replace with - Version: DE.AD.00.BE.EF ID:10DE:11E0:1028:05AA
GeForce GTX 770M by Nick[D]vB (Normal Board)
Update display adapter firmware?
Press 'y' to confirm (any other key to abort): y
Identifying EEPROM...
EEPROM ID (C8,4012) : GD GD25Q20 2.7-3.6V 2048Kx1S, page
Storing updated firmware image...
................................................................
Verifying update...
Update successful.
Firmware image has been updated from version 80.06.51.00.34 to DE.AD.00.BE.EF.

When I compare the firmware flashed onto the card with the ROM file, I get this -

NVIDIA Firmware Update Utility (Version 5.414.0)
Simplified Version For OEM Only
Adapter: GeForce GTX 770M (10DE,11E0,10DE,1008) H:--:NRM S:00,B:01,D:00,F:00
Identifying EEPROM...
EEPROM ID (C8,4012) : GD GD25Q20 2.7-3.6V 2048Kx1S, page
Reading adapter firmware image...
Current - Version: DE.AD.00.BE.EF ID:10DE:11E0:1028:05AA
GeForce GTX 770M by Nick[D]vB (Normal Board)
Compare with - Version: DE.AD.00.BE.EF ID:10DE:11E0:1028:05AA
GeForce GTX 770M by Nick[D]vB (Normal Board)
ERROR: Size difference between file(262144) and adapter firmware (232448)

The TechPowerUp website for this card is here -

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/180751/180751

If I flash that ROM into the card, then compare it, the sizes match, but I don't get anything on the screen. Flashing it with the 770M ROM and I do get something going on, but it's broken up and obviously messed up.

Any suggestions? Do I have a dud card, or is this some weird variation of the GTX 770M that has a smaller ROM payload capacity and when the flash goes on, it's truncated causing corruption?

(Please note that there's a space manually inserted between the : and the D in the version hex codes above to stop this silly thing from automatically putting a silly smiley face in there whether I wanted one or not!)

Thanks in advance!

Mijo
 
Hi guys,

I have latest opencore legacy patcher and running big sur on 12.2 (non metal card) using SwitchresX to enforce millions of colors, everything is working fine accept the when i plug in an additional screen im getting the Tourette's (i suspect it defaults to billions of colors). I cant see anyway to control this in SwitchresX, am I missing something?

your help is much appreciated.
@Ausdauersportler I'd love your input on this buddy

also I found this, has anyone used it?

Psychtoolbox-3 - PsychtoolboxKernelDriver

psychtoolbox.org psychtoolbox.org
 
Last edited:
358 said:
Hi guys,

I have latest opencore legacy patcher and running big sur on 12.2 (non metal card) using SwitchresX to enforce millions of colors, everything is working fine accept the when i plug in an additional screen im getting the Tourette's (i suspect it defaults to billions of colors). I cant see anyway to control this in SwitchresX, am I missing something?

your help is much appreciated.
@Ausdauersportler I'd love your input on this buddy

also I found this, has anyone used it?

Psychtoolbox-3 - PsychtoolboxKernelDriver

psychtoolbox.org psychtoolbox.org
Click to expand...
SwitchResX can only control the color depth of the frame buffer. It is not necessarily the same as the output pixel format. macOS may choose to output a different pixel format.

You could try a custom timing that has a high enough refresh rate to force 8 bpc.

What card are you using? What displays are you connecting? What does the AGDCDiagnose output show (it works best with latest AMD cards)?

Maybe an EDID override can remove 10bpc modes?
 
mijo said:
Identifying EEPROM...
EEPROM ID (C8,4012) : GD GD25Q20 2.7-3.6V 2048Kx1S, page
Storing updated firmware image...
................................................................
Verifying update...
Update successful.
Firmware image has been updated from version 80.06.51.00.34 to DE.AD.00.BE.EF.
Click to expand...
Obviously you already wrote the new vBIOS successfully to the chip.

nvflash_linux reads only non zero bytes. All files we provide are padded with zeros, otherwise you could not use them with a clip or programmer. When reading back a vBIOS with nvflash_linux from a card the result will be smaller than the padded files and you cannot simply compare them.

Use your card, install OCLP to get backlight working and report back.
 
358 said:
Hi guys,

I have latest opencore legacy patcher and running big sur on 12.2 (non metal card) using SwitchresX to enforce millions of colors, everything is working fine accept the when i plug in an additional screen im getting the Tourette's (i suspect it defaults to billions of colors). I cant see anyway to control this in SwitchresX, am I missing something?

your help is much appreciated.
@Ausdauersportler I'd love your input on this buddy
Click to expand...
You are using the old ATI Radeon 6750M, I sold mine finally last week. I cannot remember having such issues with an external display during my QuickSync tests, lately. Try sending the system once to sleep after connecting the external display - normally on wake the drivers rectify some of these weird effects.

One solution is obvious: Replace the card with a cheap K610M/K1100M metal dGPU.
 
I don't know why I can't upload any attachments Photos?
I can only reply to the post text message.
 
jay508 said:
I don't know why I can't upload any attachments Photos?
I can only reply to the post text message.
Click to expand...
Do you not have a "Attach files" button? Click that, a file selection dialog appears that says "Choose Files to Upload", select the png files, click Upload. Then click the Insert button of an image, and click Thumbnail.

If it's not working, try a different browser? If a different browser, then may you need to delete some cookies from the first browser?
 
unclemiltie said:
Very interesting.... I never had an issue with the 6970 (or 6790, I don't remember) in the system. Only since I put the K3100M into it. I might try a new power supply although this isn't bothering me all that much, like I said i just never let it go to sleep!
Click to expand...
I have the same card works great with Monterey and windows 11 no issues. You must be doing something wrong or the card has problems.
 
Ausdauersportler said:
Obviously you already wrote the new vBIOS successfully to the chip.

nvflash_linux reads only non zero bytes. All files we provide are padded with zeros, otherwise you could not use them with a clip or programmer. When reading back a vBIOS with nvflash_linux from a card the result will be smaller than the padded files and you cannot simply compare them.

Use your card, install OCLP to get backlight working and report back.
Click to expand...
Hi.
Thanks for the reply. Very much appreciated!

Not sure how to proceed with your instructions, however.

After I flash the GPU, I get corrupted graphics on the screen, the backlight is already working, and it is in a restart loop, never able to boot into the OS or even initiate a remote log-in. It just keeps restarting. I can see a very messed up Apple logo, I can even hold the option key down and get the list of volumes, but when I select a startup volume, it just tries for a few seconds and then restarts.

If I flash the original GPU BIOS then I don't see the backlight coming on, but it's still going into a restarting loop.

Do I need to somehow install OPLC onto the system without it booting? Like, say, Target Disk Mode or something?

Thanks again!

Mijo
 
mijo said:
Hi.
Thanks for the reply. Very much appreciated!

Not sure how to proceed with your instructions, however.

After I flash the GPU, I get corrupted graphics on the screen, the backlight is already working, and it is in a restart loop, never able to boot into the OS or even initiate a remote log-in. It just keeps restarting. I can see a very messed up Apple logo, I can even hold the option key down and get the list of volumes, but when I select a startup volume, it just tries for a few seconds and then restarts.

If I flash the original GPU BIOS then I don't see the backlight coming on, but it's still going into a restarting loop.

Do I need to somehow install OPLC onto the system without it booting? Like, say, Target Disk Mode or something?

Thanks again!

Mijo
Click to expand...
Download a Linux Ubuntu Live USB and try it. If you cannot get this running your NVIDIA card is simply dead. OCLP will not repair a dead card.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back