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

[internetzel]

No, thank you! I don't know what you did, but using your version I have a successfully boot it! It also does native screen brightness control and sleep. Fantastic. What's odd is that I ordered from Aliexpress the WX4130 (2GB version), but when flashing it shows the 4GB. So I assumed it was 4GB, the WX4150, which also shown on the last VBIOS of yours. However, when started on the 21.5, macOS shows that it is only 2GB. What is happening here?

I will try tomorrow on the 27". Many thanks. Attached the benchmark.

If the chip on the card is really this model with W4032BABG it has the capacity of 4 Gbit, 4 of them have 16 Gbit = 2 Gbyte (assuming 8bit are still one byte).

So @internetzel should add WX4130 using the Elpida VRAM information

Obviously forgot to check this - the resulting WX4150 Elpida VBIOS was identical to the already existing WX4130 VBIOS.
So I removed the new VBIOSes.
@AirpodsNow, you don't need to flash the WX4130 VBIOS. The text string shown during the update is nothing more than an arbitrary text string - I've seen that string contain false information even in original VBIOSes, and I didn't bother adjusting it while creating those different VBIOSes.

 

[freestart]

I have successful installed Monterey 12.1 on my iMac 10,1 later 2009 with cpu intel dual core, Graphic Card K3000M with vbios of nikey22 and Opencore Legacy Patcher 0.3.3. I have not native boot screen but with Opencore the iMac boot with internal screen during loading. I am very happy for this. I only hope that nikey22 soon he will can fix native boot screen, thanks!

 

[abbotsford1980]

Made a new bios using a new M5100 bios that has the single Hynix (AFR Type) ram config (DVS0) (Attached) - With this combo the ram shows correctly as below - So... I'm all done I think

Important things I've learned
1. Always backup the original rom before you flash
2. Use ATOMTableResize to combined rom - don't try to do this manually ... its a real time killer
3. Even without the EFI boot loader I prefer AMD as I don't need to patch the drivers back in

My collection is now....

2009, i7-870, K2100m (My original love)
2009, i5-750, M5100 (Testing)
2012, 3770, GTX680m (Work)
2012, 3770, GTX680m (Personal)
2007, t8300, 2400xt (Because I'm a hoarder )

I think its time to add a 2010 and 2011 to fill the gap

Reports:
Works with Hynix AFR memory (This post)

I've been playing around with overclocking my M5100 with AFR type memory

• The base GPU clock is now 825 (up from 725) & the boost clock is 900 (up from 775)
• The memory clock is now 1250 (up from the base of 1125)

I've done with by bios edits updates in windows - rock solid for 3 days now

Metal bench is up from 29 to 34
Geekbench is up from 11239 to 13004

I have found that the metal bench will use the boost clock of 900 however Geekbench and Unigine tend to use the base clock of 825. Any time video or audio apps are open the base clock of 825 also seems to apply to all benchmarks, If I'm running metal bench with the music app 825 applies and a score of 30 is given, If I close the music app the clock goes up immediately to 900 and the score of 34 applies. Max temps are low 50's with minimal fan - will look at raising base clock to 875 & boost to 925 after another week to ensure I have not overheating issues at the current settings

I did this config using a hex editor and the ATOMTableResize tool

I also upgraded from an i5 to i7

VRAM also attached - as always use at your own risk

 

[AirpodsNow]

Obviously forgot to check this - the resulting WX4150 Elpida VBIOS was identical to the already existing WX4130 VBIOS.
So I removed the new VBIOSes.
@AirpodsNow, you don't need to flash the WX4130 VBIOS. The text string shown during the update is nothing more than an arbitrary text string - I've seen that string contain false information even in original VBIOSes, and I didn't bother adjusting it while creating those different VBIOSes.

Thanks for clarifying this. I can't believe the VBIOS was just there for me to use, but got thrown off by a '4GB place holder text'.... SIGH. Thanks for checking again. I flashed the GPU again with the WX4130 normal GOP for the mid 2011 21.5, and it all still works. Sorry for all the trouble.

 

[TigerA]

I've been playing around with overclocking my M5100 with AFR type memory

• The base GPU clock is now 825 (up from 725) & the boost clock is 900 (up from 775)
• The memory clock is now 1250 (up from the base of 1125)

I've done with by bios edits updates in windows - rock solid for 3 days now

Metal bench is up from 29 to 34
Geekbench is up from 11239 to 13004

I have found that the metal bench will use the boost clock of 900 however Geekbench and Unigine tend to use the base clock of 825. Any time video or audio apps are open the base clock of 825 also seems to apply to all benchmarks, If I'm running metal bench with the music app 825 applies and a score of 30 is given, If I close the music app the clock goes up immediately to 900 and the score of 34 applies. Max temps are low 50's with minimal fan - will look at raising base clock to 875 & boost to 925 after another week to ensure I have not overheating issues at the current settings

I did this config using a hex editor and the ATOMTableResize tool

I also upgraded from an i5 to i7

VRAM also attached - as always use at your own risk
View attachment 1934515

Thanks, mate. Much appreciated. I've just flashed your vBIOS to a i7 iMac12,2 with a M5100-hynix_BFR card and achieved the same 34 MRays/Second average from the previous 29.
During the test, the M5100 GPU reached 51C whilst the GPU heatsink was at 40C, a 11C difference with a 1.2mm thick shim, which is not really flat. The GPU temperature has dropped to around 40C now when not in test mode, along with the GPU heatsink temperature at around 35C now. The ambient temperature is 22C.

Update: 4K video (2160p60) is smoother even though still can see frames when panning fast in full screen, temp GPU=42C, heatsink=34C, ambient=19C.

Also noticed the GPU type changes from FirePro M5100 2GB to AMD Radeon HD 7xxx 2 GB for the subsequent boot up after the 1st vBIOS flash boot up, which occurs to all 4x rom / vBIOS.

 

[cyxoe]

Solved in mainline, aka running development version from the sources adds now the
- Adding Legacy GCN Power Gate Patches
to the OC config. Just checked it myself choosing a different model (in my case iMac11,3) and setting GCN and building OpenCore.

We will see this officially with the next public release!

Does the new "Legacy GCN Power Gate Patches" add the same entries to the OC config as it was noted in your original post 16552 (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2011-imac-graphics-card-upgrade.1596614/post-30485318), or did you tweaked it even more? Thank you !

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Does the new "Legacy GCN Power Gate Patches" add the same entries to the OC config as it was noted in your original post 16552 (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2011-imac-graphics-card-upgrade.1596614/post-30485318), or did you tweaked it even more? Thank you !

It is exactly the same thing.

 

[curioussurfer]

Please, read the first post and try to understand what a GOP vBIOS does and what it not does!

No, you cannot use alt/option on boot, it is no EFI vBIOS!
Yes, you can install OpenCore to the internal disk and this will light up the internal screen without any key pressed on boot!
No, High Sierra will still not work on the internal LCD, unless patched.
No, even with OC there will be no third LED. It is still no EFI vBIOS!

Finally got hold of a wx4150 sold as new from China.
Installed the card as per instructions in Post 1 with copper shim, used a 2 pipe heatsink unmodified.
Flashed the bios with the GOP bios provided using the grml usb stick with a monitor connected to display port.
The Polaris card works nicely at 36 C, just noticed the power consumption went up by 10 watts compared to the previously used k3100m.
Happy days

 

[TigerA]

Installed a W6170M to an iMac12,2. The card is not recognised by the vBIOS_flash program:
./amdvbflash -i
AMDVBFLASH version 4.71, Copyright (c) 2020 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.

R600 spi - read rom controller status timeout
...........
adapter seg bn dn dID asic flash romsize test bios p/n
0 0000 01 00 6600 Oland R600 SPI 10000 fail -

tried the card only without the heatsink: the iMac would not stay on for long: suspect the missing heatsink sensor caused the auto-shutdown. Reinstalled the card and with the 4 clamping screws remained very loose: the result is the same. Also measured the silver coloured components (resistors) and the case (which is going to touch the heatsink once in place) is not conductive.

update: tried on another iMac12,2 and got the same result. This is a very unfortunate event: the card is DOA (Dead on Arrival)😓

Question: If a working W6170M card will display anything either on internal LCD or external monitor without flashing the vBIOS?
The reason for asking is that I need to determine if the card is really dead?

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Question: If a working W6170M card will display anything either on internal LCD or external monitor without flashing the vBIOS?
The reason for asking is that I need to determine if the card is really dead?

Have you tried a double PRAM reset after changing the card? Last summer during the vBIOS development I had some similar problems once in a while, especially when the card crashed the iMac12,2 during a sleep/wake cycle, again!

I cannot tell you that the card will work or show a screen after macOS boot, literally everything depends on the vBIOS flashed.

 

[TigerA]

Have you tried a double PRAM reset after changing the card?

Thanks. Perhaps not, might have done a single RPAM reset, can't recall. Will try it again later 😓😓😓

update: Big Thanks to you🙏👍🤝 After double / triple PRAM reset, the card is recognised now! flashed the vBIOS. I am putting back the internal LCD now....

update2: After another double PRAM reset, the macOS booted up and showed OCLP picker on the internal LCD. The only issue now is the MetalBench score is very low: 16, and GPU is identified as "AMD Radeon HD Emerald XT Prototype" in MetalBench app, and "AMD Radeon R9 M280X 2GB" from "About this Mac". The GPU temperature only reached to 40C during the Metal test though. I initially thought this W6170M should be much faster than the M5100.

update3: The sleep function does not work neither: crashed at waking up, on a iMac12,2.

Well, a lesson costed around 12x cups of coffee 😅

Question: Why the MetalBench score is so low?

update4: The card is now totally bricked after flashing the W5170-GOP.rom to this W6170M card. The grml VBIOS_flash app does not even see the card anymore. I don't have a CH341a clip programmer so this card will become a collector item now 😅 (Initially I thought I've got an extra graphics card and wondering what to do with it. Well, not anymore 😂)

 

[JohnPascololo]

A little off topic maybe but maybe worth noting on the first page for the future as the ultimate goal is to run newer OSes on these machines: Is it safe to update these models to Mac OS 12.1 assuming OC is patched to the latest (0.3.3) version? I read that support for Sandy Bridge was dropped with the minor update. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

A little off topic maybe but maybe worth noting on the first page for the future as the ultimate goal is to run newer OSes on these machines: Is it safe to update these models to Mac OS 12.1 assuming OC is patched to the latest (0.3.3) version? I read that support for Sandy Bridge was dropped with the minor update. Thanks for clarifying.

This is slightly of topic. Please check the OCLP docs and change logs of OCLP versions on Github and the Monterey thread to keep track of the support situation.

 

[Fran Frin]

View attachment 1934400
View attachment 1934448

I have successful installed Monterey 12.1 on my iMac 10,1 later 2009 with cpu intel dual core, Graphic Card K3000M with vbios of nikey22 and Opencore Legacy Patcher 0.3.3. I have not native boot screen but with Opencore the iMac boot with internal screen during loading. I am very happy for this. I only hope that nikey22 soon he will can fix native boot screen, thanks!

Work wifi and Bluetooth?

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Thanks. Perhaps not, might have done a single RPAM reset, can't recall. Will try it again later 😓😓😓

update: Big Thanks to you🙏👍🤝 After double / triple PRAM reset, the card is recognised now! flashed the vBIOS. I am putting back the internal LCD now....

update2: After another double PRAM reset, the macOS booted up and showed OCLP picker on the internal LCD. The only issue now is the MetalBench score is very low: 16, and GPU is identified as "AMD Radeon HD Emerald XT Prototype" in MetalBench app, and "AMD Radeon R9 M280X 2GB" from "About this Mac". The GPU temperature only reached to 40C during the Metal test though. I initially thought this W6170M should be much faster than the M5100.

update3: The sleep function does not work neither: crashed at waking up, on a iMac12,2.

Still experimental …

Well, a lesson costed around 12x cups of coffee 😅

Question: Why the MetalBench score is so low?

update4: The card is now totally bricked after flashing the W5170-GOP.rom to this W6170M card. The grml VBIOS_flash app does not even see the card anymore. I don't have a CH341a clip programmer so this card will become a collector item now 😅 (Initially I thought I've got an extra graphics card and wondering what to do with it. Well, not anymore 😂)

Whoa! This is the most easy way to brick a card (other than developing vBIOS and flashing experimental versions). The W5170M is HD7000, the W6170M is HD8000, completely different architecture, no chance to get something useful from such an experiment.
As always the original vBIOS would be of great help and some pictures just to identify the VRAM used on the card.

 

[TigerA]

As always the original vBIOS would be of great help and some pictures just to identify the VRAM used on the card.

I did backup the original rom as attached, along with a photo.

 

[tckoo1411]

Thanks for the VBIOS - I've updated my VBIOS post with files for both WX4150 and W4170 that contain the Elpida VRAM configuration from your VBIOS file.

Edit: Turned out that the new VBIOSes were identical to the WX4130 VBIOSes, so I reverted the files in the post.

Thanks, Internet for the vBios. I flashed the WX4170 bios one on my WX4170 and it works great. Sleep works, stable. In your post you mentioned the WX4170 vbios doesn't support boot camp. Can you enable the boot camp support? I would like to get boot camp working. Thanks.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Thanks, Internet for the vBios. I flashed the WX4170 bios one on my WX4170 and it works great. Sleep works, stable. In your post you mentioned the WX4170 vbios doesn't support boot camp. Can you enable the boot camp support? I would like to get boot camp working. Thanks.

GOP vBIOS needs OpenCore to show boot picker, OC only support UEFI Windows - so where ist the point to enable boot camp legacy Windows installations?

BTW: UEFI Windows installations use the same BootCamp drivers to achieve optimal integration and functionality.

 

[internetzel]

Thanks, Internet for the vBios. I flashed the WX4170 bios one on my WX4170 and it works great. Sleep works, stable. In your post you mentioned the WX4170 vbios doesn't support boot camp. Can you enable the boot camp support? I would like to get boot camp working. Thanks.

GOP vBIOS needs OpenCore to show boot picker, OC only support UEFI Windows - so where ist the point to enable boot camp legacy Windows installations?

BTW: UEFI Windows installations use the same BootCamp drivers to achieve optimal integration and functionality.

Yes, you really need a very good reason for me to create VBIOSes that support Boot Camp. Apple's Boot Camp uses legacy BIOS booting, but our unsupported Macs in fact get better Windows driver support by using OpenCore and doing an UEFI installation of Windows.

 

[Cappej]

Hi you all.

I've got 2 2009 iMac, 27 and 21 inches, both with video card corrupted (ATI 4850) and I'm tring to replace them with newer. I'm aiming at the KxxxxM Kepler Nvidia Family, because it seems more simple to find on ebay.
But... I've to flash it... All video card are, obviously, PC parts and I found a DELL PC with k1000m to flash and move it on Mac.
I'love this thread and I've to read many post but... my fist stop is ROMs... where I can find them? is there a "repository" where I can choose my version?
Thanks a lot
Marco

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Hi you all.

I've got 2 2009 iMac, 27 and 21 inches, both with video card corrupted (ATI 4850) and I'm tring to replace them with newer. I'm aiming at the KxxxxM Kepler Nvidia Family, because it seems more simple to find on ebay.
But... I've to flash it... All video card are, obviously, PC parts and I found a DELL PC with k1000m to flash and move it on Mac.
I'love this thread and I've to read many post but... my fist stop is ROMs... where I can find them? is there a "repository" where I can choose my version?
Thanks a lot
Marco

Our repository is the first post of this thread.

Unfortunately your system is not fully supported and will not get an EFI Boot picker. Nevertheless you should flash the cards, but you can do this after installing the card. Check the FAQ on the first post.

Happy reading!

 

[cyxoe]

It is exactly the same thing.

I have very weird situation.
I can not copy OpenCore onto EFI partition if I edit config.plist and add the necessary AMD patches there.
It looks like "the problem" are the lines with <data>AQAAAA==</data> because it's not in a "data" format as per PlistEditPro.
I would appreciate if you share the beta version of OCLP that correctly handles the AMD patches while building, or elaborate a bit how correctly edit the config.plist in this particular case.

Thank you.

The error is following:
####################
- Copying OpenCore onto EFI partition
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "OpenCore-Patcher.command", line 92, in <module>
File "OpenCore-Patcher.command", line 20, in __init__
File "OpenCore-Patcher.command", line 86, in main_menu
File "utilities.py", line 506, in start
File "install.py", line 99, in copy_efi
File "install.py", line 176, in install_opencore
File "shutil.py", line 557, in copytree
File "shutil.py", line 513, in _copytree
shutil.Error: [('/private/var/folders/g2/9_bfwvws42717lk5l9xtw58c0000gn/T/_MEIsIVoEI/Build-Folder/OpenCore-Build/EFI/OC/config.plist', '/Volumes/UNTITLED 2/EFI/OC/config.plist', "[Errno 22] Invalid argument: '/Volumes/UNTITLED 2/EFI/OC/config.plist'")]
[21599] Failed to execute script 'OpenCore-Patcher' due to unhandled exception!
logout

 

[Ausdauersportler]

I have very weird situation.
I can not copy OpenCore onto EFI partition if I edit config.plist and add the necessary AMD patches there.
It looks like "the problem" are the lines with <data>AQAAAA==</data> because it's not in a "data" format as per PlistEditPro.
I would appreciate if you share the beta version of OCLP that correctly handles the AMD patches while building, or elaborate a bit how correctly edit the config.plist in this particular case.

Thank you.

The error is following:
####################
- Copying OpenCore onto EFI partition
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "OpenCore-Patcher.command", line 92, in <module>
File "OpenCore-Patcher.command", line 20, in __init__
File "OpenCore-Patcher.command", line 86, in main_menu
File "utilities.py", line 506, in start
File "install.py", line 99, in copy_efi
File "install.py", line 176, in install_opencore
File "shutil.py", line 557, in copytree
File "shutil.py", line 513, in _copytree
shutil.Error: [('/private/var/folders/g2/9_bfwvws42717lk5l9xtw58c0000gn/T/_MEIsIVoEI/Build-Folder/OpenCore-Build/EFI/OC/config.plist', '/Volumes/UNTITLED 2/EFI/OC/config.plist', "[Errno 22] Invalid argument: '/Volumes/UNTITLED 2/EFI/OC/config.plist'")]
[21599] Failed to execute script 'OpenCore-Patcher' due to unhandled exception!
logout

Please use textedit or vi (terminal) and copy and paste from my posts.
About OCLP: Enter the Github landing page and read about: Running from the source….

Trust me: copy and paste will be faster.

Xcode, ProperTree and other use this automatic conversion of data entries.

P.S.: The fastest solution is just adding the boot-args (check my posts, again)!

 

[cyxoe]

Please use textedit or vi (terminal) and copy and paste from my posts.
About OCLP: Enter the Github landing page and read about: Running from the source….

Trust me: copy and paste will be faster.

Xcode, ProperTree and other use this automatic conversion of data entries.

P.S.: The fastest solution is just adding the boot-args (check my posts, again)!

I do not know why textedit was failing me because I used it in a first place with no success before trying all these "editors".
In the end, nano in terminal solved the editing issue.
Thank you once again for support.

 

[AirpodsNow]

Thanks for clarifying this. I can't believe the VBIOS was just there for me to use, but got thrown off by a '4GB place holder text'.... SIGH. Thanks for checking again. I flashed the GPU again with the WX4130 normal GOP for the mid 2011 21.5, and it all still works. Sorry for all the trouble.

Both iMacs 21.5 & 27 are working now. I think there are some issues with Monterey (unexpectedly quitting of apps/WindowServer), but I guess that is the macOS stuff. Also somehow Chrome was slow, where I had to disable Chrome's settings "hardware acceleration".

However I do see purple lines appearing when the Apple logo is trying to fill up its progress bar (see attached picture). It only shows up on the top 1/3 of the screen and only for a few seconds, then it starts the user screen. Is this 'normal' or is there something I should do about it? I haven't seen any other 'unusual' behaviour.