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

[giulio84fi]

Leave the external display connected. If you get a picture on the internal LCD power it down and finish the card installation on the sink as shown and documented on the first post. Time to get used to reading docs...

.......
I hope this helps

There is one thing about Windows that is less known to many: The partition (volume) for Windows must be as near as the beginning of the physical disk, or else Windows will reject the installation. I fell into this situation once on my iMac 2010. It took me a lot of time searching the internet for the cause and solution.

Thanks again for all your help! i finished all the installations: Monterey + Windows 10 (iMac 27" Mid 2011 - i7-2600 3,4Ghz - 32GB RAM - SSD - Radeon WX7100 8GB VRAM)

I tried Metalbeanch, Geekbeanch and Unigine Valley. With Metalbeanch (with glass) the rendering is not good, seems a "pointillism picture"... and with the unigine valley the rendering is a little bit jerky.. With the last OCLP, the hardware acceleration should be enabled.. or not?

But these are the performance results:

• MetalBeanch GLASS: 170 Rays / second average
• Unigine Valley: Score 1678 - 40 FPS (this seems low respect the DB)
• Geekbeanch under Monterey:
  • CPU Muticore: 2952
  • Compute Metal: 21125
  • Compute OpenCL: 18077
• Geekbeanch Windows 10 with original Driver:
  • CPU Multicore: 2956
  • Compute Vulkan: 37159
  • Compute OpenCL: 38670

The very last question...
for the fan control at what temperature (ODD mod & GPU) i should set the ODD fan?
ODD fan speed is often at 80%/90% (here 100%), with no use



from Windows.. but are similar in Monterey

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Thanks again for all your help! i finished all the installations: Monterey + Windows 10 (iMac 27" Mid 2011 - i7-2600 3,4Ghz - 32GB RAM - SSD - Radeon WX7100 8GB VRAM)

The very last question...
for the fan control at what temperature (ODD mod & GPU) i should set the ODD fan?
ODD fan speed is often at 80%/90% (here 100%), with no use

The ODD fan blows new air to cool the heatsink of the GPU. And your WX7100 is quite hot.

 

[nols]

I have a 2009 i7 27' iMac Mojave and use it with Nvidia 780 GTX (nickey Bios) since he postet it here the first time

Yesterday it bootet with the circle with line logo and i have to use the Mojave patcher again. Now it is up, but my external monitor has no signal.

I think i patched the graphic patch...can I remove it manually to use my external monitor again?

 

[Cloud9]

I went back to stock to try to trouble shoot some stuff for an install. (working on pascal install)
I can't boot into recovery, open core recovery, internet recovery, safe mode, regular high sierra, or the install usb key I made.

On internet recovery it gives me a weird graphical glitch at the last moment.
On os loads (stock or open core), it usually quits right after the os loads gpu drivers I think, when the screen turns off and back on again.
In safe mode it will quit 1 second after selecting my account icon.

I can boot windows into safe mode on a separate drive. I can't boot regular windows which quits mid way.

Apple long form hardware test is only showing the 4sns/1/400000000 th00-9.00 Which I think is hdd temp.

I would resintall mac os high sierra but I can't seem to make that happen.

Troubleshooting post seem to imply my stock gpu might be poorly installed or bad... Hoping this is what it is.

Ideas?

 

[Ausdauersportler]

I went back to stock to try to trouble shoot some stuff for an install. (working on pascal install)
I can't boot into recovery, open core recovery, internet recovery, safe mode, regular high sierra, or the install usb key I made.

On internet recovery it gives me a weird graphical glitch at the last moment.
On os loads (stock or open core), it usually quits right after the os loads gpu drivers I think, when the screen turns off and back on again.
In safe mode it will quit 1 second after selecting my account icon.

I can boot windows into safe mode on a separate drive. I can't boot regular windows which quits mid way.

Apple long form hardware test is only showing the 4sns/1/400000000 th00-9.00 Which I think is hdd temp.

I would resintall mac os high sierra but I can't seem to make that happen.

Troubleshooting post seem to imply my stock gpu might be poorly installed or bad... Hoping this is what it is.

Ideas?

Can you avoid in future double posting on several thready. Most of us are following both (more) threads, double posting is not really according to the rules here and honestly, how would you feel if you get notifications for the very same event multiple times although you have not really asked for it?

Finally this is off topic, here.

 

[Cloud9]

Can you avoid in future double posting on several thready. Most of us are following both (more) threads, double posting is not really according to the rules here and honestly, how would you feel if you get notifications for the very same event multiple times although you have not really asked for it?

Finally this is off topic, here.

I apologize. I’m used to posting questions related to a topic in the thread about the topic. This thread is about installing a gpu and my problem is one where people looking here would have the most experience with my issue because it happened as part of the process. To my logic it does seem related and there did not seem a more related to post to put this without creating a new thread.

I swear I would put it elsewhere if it was obvious to do so.

Is it just better to make a new thread? I figure since the experience is here I would more likely get help here and keep relevant issues in a relevant thread.

I’m just trying to understand so I can use this site correctly and get my gpu working. I mean no harm.

In regards to notifications, I get them all day for things that don’t matter. I don’t notice it because I’d go insane in this modern world if I tried to keep up with it. But I’m also autistic. I didn’t realize the notifications were a problem for some people. I don’t understand all social cues. I apologize if I create a problem because of this.

I do see posts in here that are unrelated without anyone calling out.

Is it just the troubleshooting questions that are the problem?

If there was bold text at the TOP of the first post saying, absolutely no trouble shooting questions related to install with instructions on what to do with questions, then I would have avoided posting questions.

I apologize. This is frustrating. Water collects where it’s bound to go. I feel like this is a design and information issue, because lots of people post here. I don’t feel stupid for doing it, I feel like it’s what’s obvious and it wouldn’t happen if there was an obvious method of diverting these questions where they should go.

I’m also open to deleting this post and any other posts that you want me to if that’s helps.

 

[RBSX1]

Seeing that Black Apple's Pascal gtx1080 big sur 11.6.3 monterey 12.2 WEB driver can be driven properly, is it perhaps possible on the iMac as well?

Web Drivers are included in OCLP 0.4.6n. Looking forward to seeing the possibility of upgrading my iMac to Maxwell and Pascal

 

[Ausdauersportler]

I apologize. This is frustrating. Water collects where it’s bound to go. I feel like this is a design and information issue, because lots of people post here. I don’t feel stupid for doing it, I feel like it’s what’s obvious and it wouldn’t happen if there was an obvious method of diverting these questions where they should go.

I’m also open to deleting this post and any other posts that you want me to if that’s helps.

No need to apologize, it was about double posting and since you tried to install a Maxwell/Pascal IMHO card it is off topic here. Just because we mess around with iMacs too it cannot become the general "how to repair my iMac thread".

This thread is about replacing the GPU to run most recent versions of macOS. We should have split up threads long, long time ago. One or more about different hardware, others about GPU replacement and vBIOS modifications. At least we got the macOS story off the board with OCLP....

 

[Mrmani]

What is OpenCore? | OpenCore Legacy Patcher

dortania.github.io

Please read the docs at this link for more info about OpenCore Legacy Patcher.

Okay so I had various problem my lcd inverter used to go off due to the backlight led cable going to the strip.now that is fixed .so I have created a pendrive bigSur OCLP. When I go to reboot to select the pendrive it just goes quickly to my boot hdd.If I hold the option key and reboot I get chime and then blank display ewwwwww.so what step am I missing. Cause I have another iMac same one with the old hd6990 card it boot to the oclp mode which show my pendrive has been create well.
Thanks

 

[Ulysses_UK]

So when you say loaded by the card do you mean that after replacing the eeprom it still wont flash? even though the eeprom is detected by ati flash etc. ?
I'll follow up and let you know how the install goes when i get to it hopefully this week.
the front and back pictures are on my first post here:

2011 iMac Graphics Card Upgrade

Hi, having issues with a "Dell" AMD FirePro M4000 1GB. I include pictures for ID. I've tried to flash this in both an imac 27" 2011, headless with the bootable linux image on this thread and on my Xserve 3.1 in windows 10. The error i receive is Error: 0FL01. After another restart and another...

forums.macrumors.com

So found some time to install the mx4000 card on my imac 12.2, It is working. But only after a pram reset everytime.

The issue i am encountering is that after i shutdown. I can only boot to blank screen *until i do a PRAM reset or two*. Then its back as it should be...

I enabled screen sharing, even and even from a cold boot, it "works" and i can connect to it.
This is what it looks like. No gpu mentioned in the system information, wrong resolution on the display. (no output to the display at all)
Attached a screen shot so you can see what i mean.


It's odd. Have i missed something with OCLP?

 

[Ausdauersportler]

So found some time to install the mx4000 card on my imac 12.2, It is working. But only after a pram reset everytime.

The issue i am encountering is that after i shutdown. I can only boot to blank screen *until i do a PRAM reset or two*. Then its back as it should be...

I enabled screen sharing, even and even from a cold boot, it "works" and i can connect to it.
This is what it looks like. No gpu mentioned in the system information, wrong resolution on the display. (no output to the display at all)
Attached a screen shot so you can see what i mean.


It's odd. Have i missed something with OCLP?

Monterey -> Monterey thread
OCLP -> OCLP GitHub
How to install a GPU -> first post of this thread

If you do not start to read the docs your journey through this ocean will become a worse nightmare than the real Ulysses experienced way back...

 

[Ulysses_UK]

Monterey -> Monterey thread
OCLP -> OCLP GitHub
How to install a GPU -> first post of this thread

If you do not start to read the docs your journey through this ocean will become a worse nightmare than the real Ulysses experienced way back...

Yikes, that is not exactly courteous or helpful.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Yikes, that is not exactly courteous or helpful.

How the ... can this scale?

Thousands of people did this GPU exchange and only a few know the details and so these few decided early on to put all the facts into some docs.

Is it courteous or helpful to ask questions which are clearly documented in the first place?

 

[Ulysses_UK]

How the ... can this scale?

Thousands of people did this GPU exchange and only a few know the details and so these few decided early on to put all the facts into some docs.

Is it courteous or helpful to ask questions which are clearly documented in the first place?

Why assume the worst?
I've read the gpu install guide and the OCLP guide before i posted. I didnt see anything that directly relates to this issue.

If you think reading the Monterey forum in its entirety would help. I think i will retreat. As its probably longer than the complete works of homer...

 

[dfranetic]

So found some time to install the mx4000 card on my imac 12.2, It is working. But only after a pram reset everytime.

The issue i am encountering is that after i shutdown. I can only boot to blank screen *until i do a PRAM reset or two*. Then its back as it should be...

I enabled screen sharing, even and even from a cold boot, it "works" and i can connect to it.
This is what it looks like. No gpu mentioned in the system information, wrong resolution on the display. (no output to the display at all)
Attached a screen shot so you can see what i mean.


It's odd. Have i missed something with OCLP?

If I remember correctly, you have added a flash IC to an EEPROM-less AMD M4000 card and did not test it in an iMac until today (?!). Maybe you're experiencing the same problems as @Krutav experienced with his M4000?

PS: I have an EEPROM-less M4000 in my collection. I'm planning to make it work, but it may take a while (to begin that attempt). (Besides the missing EEPROM, there are also some resistors missing compared to the 'EEPROM equipped' M4000. Those could be responsible for the GPU to properly read the VBIOS from the flash IC.)

 

[davidg5678]

Okay so I had various problem my lcd inverter used to go off due to the backlight led cable going to the strip.now that is fixed .so I have created a pendrive bigSur OCLP. When I go to reboot to select the pendrive it just goes quickly to my boot hdd.If I hold the option key and reboot I get chime and then blank display ewwwwww.so what step am I missing. Cause I have another iMac same one with the old hd6990 card it boot to the oclp mode which show my pendrive has been create well.
Thanks

Unplug all of your other drives so that the only available option is for the computer to boot from your installer USB drive. If that works, then wipe your HDD somehow and plug it in at the same time as the USB. This will force the iMac to boot from the USB first (which you can use to install Monterey to the empty drive.) Once that happens, install OCLP directly to the HDD and get rid of the USB.

Alternatively, look into burning a bootable OCLP CD as described in this thread's docs.

 

[Ulysses_UK]

If I remember correctly, you have added a flash IC to an EEPROM-less AMD M4000 card and did not test it in an iMac until today (?!). Maybe you're experiencing the same problems as @Krutav experienced with his M4000?

PS: I have an EEPROM-less M4000 in my collection. I'm planning to make it work, but it may take a while (to begin that attempt). (Besides the missing EEPROM, there are also some resistors missing compared to the 'EEPROM equipped' M4000. Those could be responsible for the GPU to properly read the VBIOS from the flash IC.)

Yes, thats right, and I did read Krutavs posts as well. Though my bios chip seems to work.

I am experiencing a different issue. Using latest version of OCLP, and only making the changes as per this guide for the mx4000. It works. Tested with Valley benchmark.
It just always needs a pram reset on first boot or if i logon remotely and do a normal reset that works too i have discovered.

It could possibly be my card. EDIT, here is a screenshot of it working perfectly after a pram boot.

 

[dfranetic]

Yes, thats right, and I did read Krutavs posts as well. Though my bios chip seems to work.

I am experiencing a different issue. Using latest version of OCLP, and only making the changes as per this guide for the mx4000. It works. Tested with Valley benchmark.

OK, that's nice to know.

It just always needs a pram reset on first boot or if i logon remotely and do a normal reset that works too i have discovered.

It could possibly be my card. EDIT, here is a screenshot of it working perfectly after a pram boot.

NVRAM corruption in iMac12,x machines is a known issue with AMD GCN1-3 cards. Is sleep broken, too? (And I completely agree with @Ausdauersportler: Read the docs...)

 

[Ulysses_UK]

OK, that's nice to know.

NVRAM corruption in iMac12,x machines is a known issue with AMD GCN1-3 cards. Is sleep broken, too? (And I completely agree with @Ausdauersportler: Read the docs...)

Well I agree read the docs. RTFM. Then read them again. Try a good few times to solve the problem on your own.
Reinstall oclp and Moterery four times with varying options, then, maybe post?

Sleep works. After the PRAM zap and the GPU is correctly detected.
Open to suggestions at this point.

New version of OCLP out, will go try that.

 

[dfranetic]

Well I agree read the docs. RTFM. Then read them again. Try a good few times to solve the problem on your own.
Reinstall oclp and Moterery four times with varying options, then, maybe post?

Sleep works. After the PRAM zap and the GPU is correctly detected.
Open to suggestions at this point.

New version of OCLP out, will go try that.

To be precise: PRAM corruption / broken sleep (either or both) is (at this time) an unresolved issue with AMD GCN1-3 cards in iMac12,x. Probably related to the current (experimental) VBIOS for these cards. The FM has a corresponding warning. Do let us know in case you are able to resolve this via a clever combination of OC settings.

A side note: @Ausdauersportler and me had two separate experiences of a 'nicely behaved' GCN1-3 card in an iMac12,2. But that 'nice behaviour' went away after a while... we don't know why, nor can we explain it. (Usually, those GCN1-3 cards in iMac12,2 will not bless you with a 'nicely behaved introduction', they will start their 'default behaviour' right away.)

 

[pocoyo2]

Hi, firstly I would to thank all of you (creators and members) for your work and passion. Secondly I ask for your help about problems that I have after upgrading my video card.
I followed the steps on this thread for installing and flash the new card. Prior flashing the card, the iMac booted but no display. Only 2 leds active. After flashing bios K3000M_V4.rom (by nik) third led lit (after reboot) but always no video on internal display. So I mounted hdd with High Sierra installed into my macbook via USB and patched the system with the nVidia Black Screen Patch. After that screen booted up but ONLY with camera DISCONNECTED. If I leave it connected on poweron fans spins for a second and then shuts-off. Only led 1 lit. With camera disconnected the mac works well but NO bluetooth. Wifi works well instead.
Any idea about those problems? What can I do?

Thank you very much!

 

[dfranetic]

Hi, firstly I would to thank all of you (creators and members) for your work and passion. Secondly I ask for your help about problems that I have after upgrading my video card.
I followed the steps on this thread for installing and flash the new card. Prior flashing the card, the iMac booted but no display. Only 2 leds active. After flashing bios K3000M_V4.rom (by nik) third led lit (after reboot) but always no video on internal display. So I mounted hdd with High Sierra installed into my macbook via USB and patched the system with the nVidia Black Screen Patch. After that screen booted up but ONLY with camera DISCONNECTED. If I leave it connected on poweron fans spins for a second and then shuts-off. Only led 1 lit. With camera disconnected the mac works well but NO bluetooth. Wifi works well instead.
Any idea about those problems? What can I do?

Thank you very much!

Read post 1 (NVIDIA -> Known issues)...

 

[pocoyo2]

Read post 1 (NVIDIA -> Known issues)...

So there is nothing I can do? Is requesting a refund and pick another board the only option I have? I really need camera for video calls…

 

[Ausdauersportler]

So there is nothing I can do? Is requesting a refund and pick another board the only option I have? I really need camera for video calls…

Hi!

I will not copy and paste the known issues tab from the NVIDIA section, but you might read it again and find your problem the possible solution proposed lately be another smart user there yourself.

You are already really came really close to the solution, yourself! This cannot be that complicated… it is more a workaround than a solution, nevertheless it may work.

 

[pocoyo2]

Hi!

I will not copy and paste the known issues tab from the NVIDIA section, but you might read it again and find your problem the possible solution proposed lately be another smart user there yourself.

You are already really came really close to the solution, yourself! This cannot be that complicated… it is more a workaround than a solution, nevertheless it may work.

Thank you very much! It’s all I needed to know. I will find the solution myself. I will post the update (finger crossed)