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

[howardc64]

Do you mean MTLCompilerService after the update? This is definitely related to RAM, I switched 2 slots to 8gb, now it has 24gb. I watched activity monitor immediately after the reboot, MTLCompilerService appeared 7/8 times probably for about 30 seconds each time sometimes overlapping so at one point it was running 3 times. Each instant rapidly increased in RAM consumption then ended just over 13GB. Was over in less than 5 minutes.

No, not much MTLCompilerService task this time for some reason. But a bunch of different services doing initial setup. I guess Sequoia probably has much more services than older macOS. I guess also spotlight indexing. Anyway, both 12,2 are 8GB RAM and have no RAM usage problems with typical usage. In 5-10 post setup login, its all quiet.

 

[Xurxo]

Hello everybody from Spain.
I have an iMac mid 2011 21,5" (12.1) and i bought a FirePro W5170M from Aliexpress. I installed it properly (imo), it starts up and makes the characteristic Mac chime but there's no display; the screen doesn't even light up, it stays off.
Additional info.
-Also new SSD. It's empty.
-I have to use an USB Windows keyboard.
-I did the PRAM reset. It restarts but the screen stays off anyway.
I'm afraid it could be the data cable socket cause it's very fragile. It looks ok to me so I hope it is not.

I will go back into the HDD and the original GPU to clear up doubts.

Thanks for all this info and sorry for my English.

 

[piwikiwi]

Hello everybody from Spain.
I have an iMac mid 2011 21,5" (12.1) and i bought a FirePro W5170M from Aliexpress. I installed it properly (imo), it starts up and makes the characteristic Mac chime but there's no display; the screen doesn't even light up, it stays off.
Additional info.
-Also new SSD. It's empty.
-I have to use an USB Windows keyboard.
-I did the PRAM reset. It restarts but the screen stays off anyway.
I'm afraid it could be the data cable socket cause it's very fragile. It looks ok to me so I hope it is not.

I will go back into the HDD and the original GPU to clear up doubts.

Thanks for all this info and sorry for my English.

Hi Xurxo,

I think you bought the same GPU that I have.
But you have a different iMac, there are some problems listed on the sellers website:

Hope this helps.

👋

 

[Pacific1972]

Hello everybody from Spain.
I have an iMac mid 2011 21,5" (12.1) and i bought a FirePro W5170M from Aliexpress. I installed it properly (imo), it starts up and makes the characteristic Mac chime but there's no display; the screen doesn't even light up, it stays off.
Additional info.
-Also new SSD. It's empty.
-I have to use an USB Windows keyboard.
-I did the PRAM reset. It restarts but the screen stays off anyway.
I'm afraid it could be the data cable socket cause it's very fragile. It looks ok to me so I hope it is not.

I will go back into the HDD and the original GPU to clear up doubts.

Thanks for all this info and sorry for my English.

I also have had negative Experiences with ordered / modified video cards (from AliExpress)
in the past, but the W5170 with A1312 (2011) don't harmonized very well. I understand that
remanufactured goods often come from AliExpress, but as the price shows, mostly no "A-class"
like new and unfortunately often junk !

As a non-American, I can say that, apart from shipping damage, I haven't had any single
failure (!) with graphics cards from US refurbishment centers in the past five years 👍

Often I also don't understand the local prices for A1312 and A1311, where complete iMacs
(with all included parts) are often cheaper as the single spare parts itself - if you want to
buy an 1TB SSD, it's cheaper to buy a complete old iMac with it than a new SSD - crazy !
Early iMacs from 2009-2011 are in 🇩🇪 completely underrated...

 

[Noot]

Hi Xurxo,

I think you bought the same GPU that I have.
But you have a different iMac, there are some problems listed on the sellers website:

View attachment 2500680
Hope this helps.

👋

In addition, it is also clearly mentioned on the first page of this topic, that this card does not work for the 2011 model and should be avoided:

 

[Xurxo]

I tried several PRAM resets but the screen does nothing, not even turn on. I know I should not buy this GPU, but I thought an iMac from 2011 will be a 11.X but nothing in Apple makes sense at all
Well, I also have an i7 2600 (No S) from an old PC but i don't think it will fit on this 12.1 iMac due to the TDP diff.
Am I right?
Thank u all for ur help.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

About the W5170M in iMac12,x systems:

Those China cards have the GOP BIOS created by some guys and posted on MacRumors installed.

1. You need OpenCore installed through OCLP to enable the screen before OS booting.
2. Due to the GOP BIOS flashed in China there will be no EFI boot screen functionality aka no standard boot picker through pressing alt/option on boot. So the screen will remain black.
3. sleep/wake is broken entirely for an unknown reason

If there is anyone out there using such a W5170M card in the iMac12,2 or iMac12,1 please try to enhance the OpenCore config.plist and add into the DeviceProperties section just above the entry with `<key>agdpmod</key>:

<key>class-code</key>
<data>AAADAA==</data>
<key>compatible</key>
<string>pci103c,810a", "pci1002,6820", "pciclass,030000", "GFX0</string>

(got this setting from this post)

Try to enable sleep/wake and please report back. No guarantee, no warranty, you may need the OCLP rescue CD/DVD to get the iMac working. You know the drill, I hope.

Thanks in advance!

 

[kraulean]

Hello , users. I instal k4100m card and its work. But i drops news bios to card and its not working now, just black screen. Im backup my original bios and its work again. Instal bios from ssh
Tomorow i wants instal bios from nvflash on windows 10 , maybe its solve my problem

 

[Moett]

Hi everybody. What should be the sequence? I'm changing the processor (i7 2600 )and the graphics card (wx4130). macOS HS is currently installed on an SSD + separate HDD. I want to make a Fusion drive. Replace the processor > FD > HS>install OCLP > macOS 12 Monterey>WX4130? Or is it possible to install the processor and the graphics card together at once?

 

[Ace9921]

I've run into a rather weird problem with my 2011 27" iMac after upgrading its GPU. I've performed a number of upgrades and mods to it:
-Core i7 2600K with a firmware mod to overclock it to 4.3GHz
-32GB of RAM with a firmware mod to run the RAM at DDR3-1600
-Radeon RX 5500 XT
-1TB SSD + 4TB hard drive
-Blu-Ray drive
-Numerous other firmware mods (64-bit PCIe addressing support, EnableGOP, disable iGPU, black boot picker, modern boot chime)

After installing the RX 5500 XT, I can no longer control the backlight. Backlight controls show in macOS (running Monterey through OCLP), except they never apply; the screen is stuck at full brightness no matter what, even after putting the iMac to sleep.

Now here's where things get really weird, and I do not understand what's the deal here: because the original LCD has a failing backlight, I wound up replacing the LCD. This particular iMac, however, is one of those really hard to find ones that has a backlight inverter board which links to the logic board via the 8-pin BLC_ACDC connector and no VSync connection to the LCD itself. The replacement LCD isn't this, and I wound up replacing both the inverter for the more common 4-pin VSync type and the LCD for the more common LM270WQ1(SD)(E3). This LCD is stuck at full brightness no matter which backlight inverter board I use. Where it gets weird is that when I put back the original, faulty LCD, an LM270WQ1(SD)(E5), backlight controls work! I don't even need to put the iMac to sleep first; backlight controls work as soon as I'm on the macOS Monterey login screen.

What's so different between these LCDs that the (SD)(E3) version is stuck at full brightness with the RX 5500 XT, yet the (SD)(E5) is perfectly fine? Unless I don't know where to look (which is entirely possible), sourcing the (SD)(E5) version of the LM270WQ1 is proving to be incredibly difficult, which makes a direct swap for another (SD)(E5) LCD practically impossible due to the lack of availability and very high price for whatever stock I do find.

If anyone has an RX 5500 XT in their 2011 27" iMac with working backlight controls, can you please chime in with what LCD model is in your computer? I want to find a solution to this problem so I can use the replacement (SD)(E3) LCD and not have to either tear apart the faulty (SD)(E5) LCD to attempt a backlight repair or source a replacement.

 

[coolguysjc]

iMac 2009 to 2011 MXM3 graphics card upgrade
(Lastest update 09/22/2024 - this is the official documentation page - you found it finally!)

Hello guys! let's see if anyone can help me.. I own an iMac Late 2009 27" with i5 CPU and I upgraded my failing ATI GPU with a Nvidia Quadro K2100m and I have macOS Ventura with OCLP running perfectly on it, but the only issue is that Macs Fan Control (or any other software) won't show the GPU temperature, only the GPU heatsink temperature... I'm trying to keep it under 50C and it stays, mostly, but I can't know for sure if my installation is ok, because I didn't use that copper plate, to bridge the space between the card and the heatsink (I couldn't see any space between the card and the heatsink and the plate I bought, which was 1mm thick, was too thick and with it the rest of the card wouldn't touch the heatsink at all!). I was wondering if the fact that the GPU is not giving the temperature information is something I did wrong, or if there is anything I can do to get these readings, to see if my card is overheating or not. I don't know if I can trust just the GPU heatsink sensor (my heatsink only has 2 pipes).
any help would be greatly appreciated!
attached is the print showing the temps and fan RPMs I usually get after using the iMac for a while, just watching youtube or doing some internet browsing (I don't intend to use this iMac for much more than that) and I guess is worth mentioning I'm from Brazil and the weather can get pretty hot sometimes.

 

[Pacific1972]

Hello guys! let's see if anyone can help me.. I own an iMac Late 2009 27" with i5 CPU and I upgraded my failing ATI GPU with a Nvidia Quadro K2100m and I have macOS Ventura with OCLP running perfectly on it, but the only issue is that Macs Fan Control (or any other software) won't show the GPU temperature, only the GPU heatsink temperature... I'm trying to keep it under 50C and it stays, mostly, but I can't know for sure if my installation is ok, because I didn't use that copper plate, to bridge the space between the card and the heatsink (I couldn't see any space between the card and the heatsink and the plate I bought, which was 1mm thick, was too thick and with it the rest of the card wouldn't touch the heatsink at all!). I was wondering if the fact that the GPU is not giving the temperature information is something I did wrong, or if there is anything I can do to get these readings, to see if my card is overheating or not. I don't know if I can trust just the GPU heatsink sensor (my heatsink only has 2 pipes).
any help would be greatly appreciated!
attached is the print showing the temps and fan RPMs I usually get after using the iMac for a while, just watching youtube or doing some internet browsing (I don't intend to use this iMac for much more than that) and I guess is worth mentioning I'm from Brazil and the weather can get pretty hot sometimes.

View attachment 2501757

Hello, I've got a 2011 A1312 and run MacsFan Control with

CPU - 2100 rpm (static)
ODD - 2250 rpm (static)
HDD - 2250 rpm (static)

There are some readable 1st page issues for Quadro K2100 + A1312 2009
- hope you read this, if you also use High Sierra.

Otherwise you have AppleGraphicsControl.KEXT & AppleBacklightFixUp.KEXT
inside OCLP for further Mac OS - optional got OC Loader package, if using native
32Bit macOS High Sierra, too !

But 50.8°C is also at your destination up too high, in addiction I believe your GPU is about
10°C hotter ! Based on MacsFan Control "Automatic Mode" (I never use this) try to use
constant rpms to the controllers, about 2500 - 2750rpm to ODD & HDD, if you live in brazil !

Often the cheap & medium priced thermal greases (for example 5,5 W/m-K) are quite not
good enough, also the Video card have max. usage of 55watts, but you often need a thermal
paste of 12,5W/m-K or more. Perhaps it's possible to modify your configuration to get a good
heat transfer between GPU and GPU Cooler copper...

"Your 2-pipe heatsink is okay for the GPU"!
...also I know that A1312 (from 2009/2010) is different to A1312 (2011) !

Of course you can use OCLP + further Mac OS, but mainly I run my machine under High Sierra...

(Picture only for temperatures) !

 

[coolguysjc]

Hello, I've got a 2011 A1312 and run MacsFan Control with

CPU - 2100 rpm (static)
ODD - 2250 rpm (static)
HDD - 2250 rpm (static)

There are some readable 1st page issues for Quadro K2100 + A1312 2009
- hope you read this, if you also use High Sierra.

Otherwise you have AppleGraphicsControl.KEXT & AppleBacklightFixUp.KEXT
inside OCLP for further Mac OS - optional got OC Loader package, if using native
32Bit macOS High Sierra, too !

But 50.8°C is also at your destination up too high, in addiction I believe your GPU is about
10°C hotter ! Based on MacsFan Control "Automatic Mode" (I never use this) try to use
constant rpms to the controllers, about 2500 - 2750rpm to ODD & HDD, if you live in brazil !

Often the cheap & medium priced thermal greases (for example 5,5 W/m-K) are quite not
good enough, also the Video card have max. usage of 55watts, but you often need a thermal
paste of 12,5W/m-K or more. Perhaps it's possible to modify your configuration to get a good
heat transfer between GPU and GPU Cooler copper...

"Your 2-pipe heatsink is okay for the GPU"!
...also I know that A1312 (from 2009/2010) is different to A1312 (2011) !

Thanks for your reply. I used an Arctic MX-4 (8.5w/mk) because I read it was good enough for this purpose and didn't conduct electricity, but what I was really wondering was if I could get the temperature stats for the Nvidia GPU card, to see if it is that much hotter than the GPU heatsink, as you said, considering that the CPU heatsink temperature and the CPU itself don't differ that much. I considered setting constant RPMs on Macs Fan Control, but I also didn't want to strain the fans too much and avoid too much noise.. but I will try it, thanks. I own another all-in-one PC and it has a third gen i5 CPU with onboard graphics, it operates at 50 - 60ºC regularly since I bought it, so I was wondering if these all-in-ones (like the iMacs) aren't prepared to run at slightly higher temperatures, considering their motherboards and the stuff connected to it are all crammed inside a much smaller space than a desktop PC.
I look for the issues with Quadro K2100 you talked about on the first page, but didn't find anything about the temperature stats, so maybe it's not a common issue and it's happening to me for some reason.

 

[howardc64]

Hello guys! let's see if anyone can help me.. I own an iMac Late 2009 27" with i5 CPU and I upgraded my failing ATI GPU with a Nvidia Quadro K2100m and I have macOS Ventura with OCLP running perfectly on it, but the only issue is that Macs Fan Control (or any other software) won't show the GPU temperature, only the GPU heatsink temperature... I'm trying to keep it under 50C and it stays, mostly, but I can't know for sure if my installation is ok, because I didn't use that copper plate, to bridge the space between the card and the heatsink (I couldn't see any space between the card and the heatsink and the plate I bought, which was 1mm thick, was too thick and with it the rest of the card wouldn't touch the heatsink at all!). I was wondering if the fact that the GPU is not giving the temperature information is something I did wrong, or if there is anything I can do to get these readings, to see if my card is overheating or not. I don't know if I can trust just the GPU heatsink sensor (my heatsink only has 2 pipes).
any help would be greatly appreciated!
attached is the print showing the temps and fan RPMs I usually get after using the iMac for a while, just watching youtube or doing some internet browsing (I don't intend to use this iMac for much more than that) and I guess is worth mentioning I'm from Brazil and the weather can get pretty hot sometimes.

View attachment 2501757

Hello, I've got a 2011 A1312 and run MacsFan Control with

CPU - 2100 rpm (static)
ODD - 2250 rpm (static)
HDD - 2250 rpm (static)

There are some readable 1st page issues for Quadro K2100 + A1312 2009
- hope you read this, if you also use High Sierra.

Otherwise you have AppleGraphicsControl.KEXT & AppleBacklightFixUp.KEXT
inside OCLP for further Mac OS - optional got OC Loader package, if using native
32Bit macOS High Sierra, too !

But 50.8°C is also at your destination up too high, in addiction I believe your GPU is about
10°C hotter ! Based on MacsFan Control "Automatic Mode" (I never use this) try to use
constant rpms to the controllers, about 2500 - 2750rpm to ODD & HDD, if you live in brazil !

Often the cheap & medium priced thermal greases (for example 5,5 W/m-K) are quite not
good enough, also the Video card have max. usage of 55watts, but you often need a thermal
paste of 12,5W/m-K or more. Perhaps it's possible to modify your configuration to get a good
heat transfer between GPU and GPU Cooler copper...

"Your 2-pipe heatsink is okay for the GPU"!
...also I know that A1312 (from 2009/2010) is different to A1312 (2011) !

Perhaps a consistent reference benchmark such as 10min run of Valley (GPU stressful) would be helpful to correlate. I have 12,1 w/K610m and see 42C (44C if run longer) on GPU heatsink (with MX4 thermal paste) and ODD fan speed at ~2K RPM (I usually ramp GPU/ODD fan from 45C to 65C) with this benchmark (post #21665)

As post notes, no shim was used as die+heatsink had good contact (read below). K610m is same 28nm process as K2100 but 50% of die size and lower clock rate so K2100 will run hotter for sure. ( techpowerup.com K610m K2100m ) BTW, my 12,1+K610M is 40C with ODD fan at min speed (1400 RPM) streaming 720p youtube video full 1080P screen for ~10min. Your K2100m will be hotter but I don't know how much without a K2100m installed. Again, a clear comparitive benchmark would be helpful to know if cooling poorly.

From prior A1311/12 GPU installation experience, poor die to heatsink contact result IF a taller component is touching the heatsink before the die. This causes a tiny gap between die and heatsink and lost thermal transfer efficiency. I usually rock all 4 edges of the MXM card against the heat sink to confirm there is movement on all 4 edges thus GPU (or GPU+shim) is the highest point resulting in perfect contact.

 

[Moett]

I have some trouble
transparent window

I can't figure out if it's the graphics card or macos.
bench Valley - ok

 

[Threap]

Hello, all. Long time lurker, first time poster.

Firstly - I'm sorry, this probably looks like I'm asking to be spoon-fed answers. Really not the case - I've read as much as I can of this thread, and know how many thousands of people have asked variants on this same question! Trouble is, there's just TOO much to take in, and some of it's conflicting.

Anyway.

I have a prized mid-2011 (12,2) 27" iMac running High Sierra. I'm comfortable delving inside the iMac; I've already upgraded the HDD to SSD with a temp sensor dongle, the CPU to i7-2600, and am now ready to upgrade the GPU.

Based on the Guide, I've purchased a Dell-branded WX4150 MXM card from eBay, and some 0.2mm copper heatsink shims & thermal grease/TIM.
I have downloaded OCLP and various GOP ROMs for the 4150, and begun to install OCLP - but wow, it asks so many questions and offers so many options.

If I might lean on your collective patience and goodwill...
What do I need to do next?

• Reflash the card with the GOP ROM?
• Install OCLP first, and if so, with what options?
• or just install the new MXM card and everything will magically work?

Do I need to make hardware mods? I chose the WX4150 because what I'd read implied not, but then I see people above here mentioning hardware jumpers...?

I have an external MiniDP monitor if it's needed during the process, but obviously, I want to have the iMac's internal display working when all is done. Brightness would be nice but not necessarily a deal-breaker.

My end goal is to a) have faster graphics performance, but b) be able to install something newer than High Sierra. Ventura or even Sonoma would be great. I'm not bothered about keeping access to Bootcamp.

Any help would be amazing, although I know I've done nothing to earn it. All I can offer is gratitude, and for anyone in the Portland Oregon region, a beer!

 

[coolguysjc]

Perhaps a consistent reference benchmark such as 10min run of Valley (GPU stressful) would be helpful to correlate. I have 12,1 w/K610m and see 42C (44C if run longer) on GPU heatsink (with MX4 thermal paste) and ODD fan speed at ~2K RPM (I usually ramp GPU/ODD fan from 45C to 65C) with this benchmark (post #21665)

As post notes, no shim was used as die+heatsink had good contact (read below). K610m is same 28nm process as K2100 but 50% of die size and lower clock rate so K2100 will run hotter for sure. ( techpowerup.com K610m K2100m ) BTW, my 12,1+K610M is 40C with ODD fan at min speed (1400 RPM) streaming 720p youtube video full 1080P screen for ~10min. Your K2100m will be hotter but I don't know how much without a K2100m installed. Again, a clear comparitive benchmark would be helpful to know if cooling poorly.

From prior A1311/12 GPU installation experience, poor die to heatsink contact result IF a taller component is touching the heatsink before the die. This causes a tiny gap between die and heatsink and lost thermal transfer efficiency. I usually rock all 4 edges of the MXM card against the heat sink to confirm there is movement on all 4 edges thus GPU (or GPU+shim) is the highest point resulting in perfect contact.

well, if you're getting 40C with your K610M with a lower clock rate, then I guess me getting 50C with my K2100m with a higher clock rate is not that bad.. I did set my fans to the values our friend @Pacific1972 suggested and now it's sitting at 44C, so maybe the thermal transfer is working fine. since I'm not at all in the mood of going through all that trouble of opening up my iMac again unless it's necessary, then I think I'm gonna leave it as it is.. also, the fans aren't as noisy as I thought they would be at those speeds, so that's a plus! but thank you my friend, for your input!

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Hello, all. Long time lurker, first time poster.

Firstly - I'm sorry, this probably looks like I'm asking to be spoon-fed answers. Really not the case - I've read as much as I can of this thread, and know how many thousands of people have asked variants on this same question! Trouble is, there's just TOO much to take in, and some of it's conflicting.

Anyway.

I have a prized mid-2011 (12,2) 27" iMac running High Sierra. I'm comfortable delving inside the iMac; I've already upgraded the HDD to SSD with a temp sensor dongle, the CPU to i7-2600, and am now ready to upgrade the GPU.

Based on the Guide, I've purchased a Dell-branded WX4150 MXM card from eBay, and some 0.2mm copper heatsink shims & thermal grease/TIM.
I have downloaded OCLP and various GOP ROMs for the 4150, and begun to install OCLP - but wow, it asks so many questions and offers so many options.

If I might lean on your collective patience and goodwill...
What do I need to do next?

• Reflash the card with the GOP ROM?
• Install OCLP first, and if so, with what options?
• or just install the new MXM card and everything will magically work?

Do I need to make hardware mods? I chose the WX4150 because what I'd read implied not, but then I see people above here mentioning hardware jumpers...?

I have an external MiniDP monitor if it's needed during the process, but obviously, I want to have the iMac's internal display working when all is done. Brightness would be nice but not necessarily a deal-breaker.

My end goal is to a) have faster graphics performance, but b) be able to install something newer than High Sierra. Ventura or even Sonoma would be great. I'm not bothered about keeping access to Bootcamp.

Any help would be amazing, although I know I've done nothing to earn it. All I can offer is gratitude, and for anyone in the Portland Oregon region, a beer!

It would be a little tricky if you only have 1 Mac computer (i.e the iMac 2011).
So assumed, I would suggest the steps as following. This is a one-time-done approach, and quite risky, just to cut corner. Check well each step in your paper-plan before proceeding. If you have other devices like USB enclosure, spare SSD, another Mac, etc., there are different ways to do it as well.
This is not the only solution for your case. You might try another flow as well.

1. Install new MacOS (Monterey, Ventura, Sonoma...) with stock GPU, using OCLP.
2. Running all updates, root-patch to ensure everything works.
3. Now running OCLP again, this time MANUALLY select AMD polaris configuration, overwrite the EFI folder of the INTERNAL SSD. DO NOT reboot. After overwriting the EFI, turn off the iMac.
4. Install the new AMD Polaris card. unplug the internal SSD and internal LCD panel.
5. Assuming that the card you purchase has its original VBIOS, you now have to flash the modded VBIOS using GRML method.
6. Now turn off the iMac and plug the internal SSD back in. Attach the internal LCD panel.
7. Assuming that you do everything right, you now can boot the iMac with new Mac OS and new GPU
8. Do OCLP root-patch with the new GPU.

 

[Moett]

I have some trouble
transparent window

I can't figure out if it's the graphics card or macos.
bench Valley - ok


View attachment 2502295

Monterey saved me ))) I made a bootable USB stick from Ventura with oclp. It wasn't even necessary to install root patches. They uploaded there.

Monterey - works fine!

 

[Xurxo]

This guy was able to run an AMD W5170M on a iMac Mid 2011 (12.1) by just updating EFI and root through OCPL.
If u can read this, speak out!

 

[Ausdauersportler]

This guy was able to run an AMD W5170M on a iMac Mid 2011 (12.1) by just updating EFI and root through OCPL.
If u can read this, speak out!
View attachment 2502576

Hi!

This is not really new information. We tried this years ago and we know it will work with all the problems described - guess where - on the very first post #1 of this thread.

The card will run, but on power on it will boot into a black screen with high chances unless you reset the PRAM on boot EVERYTIME and the system cannot sleep, it will CRASH on wake.

It is tiresome to tell the very same story again and again just because people cannot or will not read the post #1 where I tried to document all this to the best of my abilities.

-

In case you get this card installed try the OpenCore additions I described a few posts before:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2011-imac-graphics-card-upgrade.1596614/post-33854433

This hack may (or may not) prevent the wake crash and black screen boot.

I have no intention to start a long discussion in the public or here and I cannot spoon feed you through the complete installation.

If you install this card and can do the OpenCore test please let me know the results. I would publish the results on the infamous post #1!

I am not interested on commenting on Aliexpress offers or helping Chinese sellers which their crappy products.
I got too many bad cards from there. It is not worth the experience.

Buy from the ebay U.S. - usually same or lower price and much better quality. Once in a while you find new spares there. Another user shared the same experience.

Thanks in advance

P.S.:
GCN1 cards like the M5100/W5170M may be affected by this Apple surprise. Not 100% sure if I would still purchase such a card, it is basically the oldest AMD metal card model you can get.

Offering such a card to be used in iMac12.x comes close to fraud without publishing all the known limitations. Chinese sellers normally are really great copying my posts here - I found screen shots more than a dozen times. But I never found any info about problems. Are you all blind on at least on one of your eyes?

 

[Dadrewster569]

Has anyone found any solutions for controlling brightness in windows with an upgraded AMD card? I have an iMac 11,1 that I've upgraded to a WX4150 flashed with the EG vBIOS and it works perfectly in macOS (typing this message from there right now!) but when I boot into windows I'm stuck at max brightness.

From what I've looked at in this thread it seems to be a common issue and I don't really see any solutions other than a registry edit for users that have an nVidia card.

Is there any such alternative for us AMD users? Or really is there any way to just not run the display at full brightness in Windows? Even if theres not something that enables the brightness slider to give us fine grain control is there any way to set it to a permanent lower brightness in Windows?

Even apps that control things with DDC/CI don't work and from what I've read it seems like its an issue with the vBIOS implementation, I'm assuming I can go back to the original vBIOS that shipped with the card to regain controls but is there any way to maintain full support in macOS and also get brightness control in Windows?

Would flashing the EG2 or GOP vBIOS and enabling the corresponding EnableGOP options in OCLP do anything here?

 

[internetzel]

Has anyone found any solutions for controlling brightness in windows with an upgraded AMD card? I have an iMac 11,1 that I've upgraded to a WX4150 flashed with the EG vBIOS and it works perfectly in macOS (typing this message from there right now!) but when I boot into windows I'm stuck at max brightness.

From what I've looked at in this thread it seems to be a common issue and I don't really see any solutions other than a registry edit for users that have an nVidia card.

Is there any such alternative for us AMD users? Or really is there any way to just not run the display at full brightness in Windows? Even if theres not something that enables the brightness slider to give us fine grain control is there any way to set it to a permanent lower brightness in Windows?

Even apps that control things with DDC/CI don't work and from what I've read it seems like its an issue with the vBIOS implementation, I'm assuming I can go back to the original vBIOS that shipped with the card to regain controls but is there any way to maintain full support in macOS and also get brightness control in Windows?

Would flashing the EG2 or GOP vBIOS and enabling the corresponding EnableGOP options in OCLP do anything here?

Nothing you can do about that - it's a problem only happening with our late 2009 iMacs.
I think it's either something hard coded into AMD drivers or something in the ACPI tables - in the latter case a comparison between the ACPI tables of a 2010 iMac 11,3 and a late 2009 iMac 11,1 might reveal the problem which then could probably be patched using OpenCore.

The original VBIOS will not enable any backlight at all, it probably would not even activate any screen at all.

 

[kraulean]

I finally managed to flash my Dell K4100M graphics card on iMac 2011 27!

I found a Windows 7 installation package on a forum that already had all the necessary tools. I connected via remote desktop and successfully flashed it using NVFlash.

Before that, I had to travel to another city to get a new heatsink with three heat pipes and modify it. The mounting bracket from the original GPU fit without any modifications.

I’ve updated to Monterey and plan to install Windows 10 with fixed audio.

The only concerning thing is that when the iMac goes to sleep, it beeps three times when trying to wake up. I have to shut it down completely and turn it back on.

 

[Radmcg]

Can someone point me to the post about AMD GPU screw incompatibility. I have a 2010 27" iMac 11,3 I'm upgrading. I have a Dell WX 4150 I am installing. Some where I Have seen a post about screw size incompatibility. Can someone let me know where that is? I'm obviously searching wrong.