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

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The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
rolandopr said:
Im trying to get a AMD W5170M to show on display but screen is blank, connecting a mini DP on an external monitor works but when installing Sonoma with OCLP it goes blank after first restart.
Click to expand...
You may need an efi boot screen mod…

github.com

GitHub - Ausdauersportler/IMAC-EFI-BOOT-SCREEN: How to create an EFI boot screen vBIOS for Apple Late 2009 to Mid 2011 iMac systems using AMD MXM graphics cards

How to create an EFI boot screen vBIOS for Apple Late 2009 to Mid 2011 iMac systems using AMD MXM graphics cards - Ausdauersportler/IMAC-EFI-BOOT-SCREEN
github.com github.com
 
Good afternoon guys.
Sorry but I need to ask for your help, this goes beyond my knowledge.

I have an iMac12,2 in which I replaced HDD with SSD, added ram, changed GPU with an Nvidia K3100M, replaced MacOS with Linux and added rEFInd for bootloading.

*-display
description: VGA compatible controller
product: GK104GLM [Quadro K3100M]
vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
Click to expand...


Screenshot From 2025-08-25 15-44-28.png


And actually is working pretty well, I use it daily since march.

I wanted to update the GPU to Nvidia 1080 Mobile ( https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/geforce-gtx-1080-mobile.c2870 ) and so i bought it.

Replacing the K3100M with 1080 Mobile led to black internal screen.
The OS is working and connecting the Display Port to my TV it shows the working OS.
I was able to play games and run LLMs using CUDA with the last nvidia driver version available.

Still, the internal monitor is not working.
Of the 4 internal led indicators, the third (referred to communication between monitor and GPU) is not working.

I didn't flash any vBIOS up to now.
And i don't find any.

The GPU is Pascal series.

I'm quite skilled, let me know how to proceed i hope i can follow your instructions.

Many thanks in advance

PS: the rEFInd boot does not appear when attached to Display Port, it shows up just after the OS starts booting.
 
Last edited:
Fmanghi said:
Good afternoon guys.
Sorry but I need to ask for your help, this goes beyond my knowledge.

I have an iMac12,2 in which I replaced HDD with SSD, added ram, changed GPU with an Nvidia K3100M, replaced MacOS with Linux and added rEFInd for bootloading.




View attachment 2541060

And actually is working pretty well, I use it daily since march.

I wanted to update the GPU to Nvidia 1080 Mobile ( https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/geforce-gtx-1080-mobile.c2870 ) and so i bought it.

Replacing the K3100M with 1080 Mobile led to black internal screen.
The OS is working and connecting the Display Port to my TV it shows the working OS.
I was able to play games and run LLMs using CUDA with the last nvidia driver version available.

Still, the internal monitor is not working.
Of the 4 internal led indicators, the third (referred to communication between monitor and GPU) is not working.

I didn't flash any vBIOS up to now.
And i don't find any.

The GPU is Pascal series.

I'm quite skilled, let me know how to proceed i hope i can follow your instructions.

Many thanks in advance

PS: the rEFInd boot does not appear when attached to Display Port, it shows up just after the OS starts booting.
Click to expand...
From my understanding the third led wont light up unless you have a stock card or at least one that’s flashed with the right efi bios, so don’t worry about that… there is the efi boot screen mod electronics which send a signal to turn the screen on during boot which may solve the issue…
 
Fmanghi said:
Good afternoon guys.
Sorry but I need to ask for your help, this goes beyond my knowledge.

I have an iMac12,2 in which I replaced HDD with SSD, added ram, changed GPU with an Nvidia K3100M, replaced MacOS with Linux and added rEFInd for bootloading.




View attachment 2541060

And actually is working pretty well, I use it daily since march.

I wanted to update the GPU to Nvidia 1080 Mobile ( https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/geforce-gtx-1080-mobile.c2870 ) and so i bought it.

Replacing the K3100M with 1080 Mobile led to black internal screen.
The OS is working and connecting the Display Port to my TV it shows the working OS.
I was able to play games and run LLMs using CUDA with the last nvidia driver version available.

Still, the internal monitor is not working.
Of the 4 internal led indicators, the third (referred to communication between monitor and GPU) is not working.

I didn't flash any vBIOS up to now.
And i don't find any.

The GPU is Pascal series.

I'm quite skilled, let me know how to proceed i hope i can follow your instructions.

Many thanks in advance

PS: the rEFInd boot does not appear when attached to Display Port, it shows up just after the OS starts booting.
Click to expand...
Wrong thread! Check docs on post #1 and try, again!

Bildschirmfoto 2025-08-26 um 18.31.14.png
 
drew0986 said:
From my understanding the third led wont light up unless you have a stock card or at least one that’s flashed with the right efi bios, so don’t worry about that… there is the efi boot screen mod electronics which send a signal to turn the screen on during boot which may solve the issue…
Click to expand...
Thanks. Do you have a link to this kind o resource?
I've heard also about keeping ALT down during boot to initialize EFI boot and this may work with bootup. Does it sound to you?
 
Ausdauersportler said:
Wrong thread! Check docs on post #1 and try, again!

View attachment 2541101
Click to expand...
I would add:

On the other hand these GPU are perfectly able to run Windows and likely some Linux distribution with full driver support. So if your focus is Windows only take a look at this great and growing offspring thread.

You will find special vBIOS versions searching this not so long thread, but rapidly growing thread!
Click to expand...

With "this not so long thread", which thread are they referring to? The one cited before of the same thread #1 this has been written?
 
Hello everyone,

I regularly look for ways to improve my Mac A1312 12,2 27-inch, which has a modified 3-pipe heatsink for the K3100M. I still have the original one. I’ve already installed an SSD and a NVIDIA K3100M, but under Linux the NVIDIA 470 drivers are no longer supported, and Wayland doesn’t work except with the Nouveau drivers, which don’t provide hardware acceleration :’(.

I want to stay on Linux, not macOS. Which graphics card would you recommend? Do I still need to find a GPU with a flashed VBIOS?

Thank you in advance for your help! I’m a bit lost after searching so much ^^




 
Just a heads up for everyone, the RX5500 GPU 215-0932220 MXM 5500XT is on sale for 195$ on AliExpress…. This is as of aug 28 2025…

Just fyi, I don’t have a direct link for anyone, nor am I looking for any type of commission or anything… this is just a post to try and be helpful for anyone looking for an RX5500 mxm card….
 
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Hi! I have for few years an iMac12,2 with a wx7100 inside. I have take it out the video card for testing on a Precision 7720. After reflashing with the same vbios like before, I put it back on iMac. But it doesn't boot anymore. The boot initial sound stay in loop. Anybody had an experience like this?
 
StefanAM said:
Hi! I have for few years an iMac12,2 with a wx7100 inside. I have take it out the video card for testing on a Precision 7720. After reflashing with the same vbios like before, I put it back on iMac. But it doesn't boot anymore. The boot initial sound stay in loop. Anybody had an experience like this?
Click to expand...
Hmmm, have you tried wiping the PRAM before re-flashing / re-installing?
 
I have an iMac 11.2 (2010, 21.5") currently running with an i3 540 CPU and the original HD GPU. I want to upgrade the GPU to an AMD 5170 and the CPU to an i7 870s. (Unfortunately, I bought the i7 870 before I found this article).


The steps I think I should follow are:


  1. Disconnect the temperature sensor IC from the SMBus on the W5170M by removing (desoldering) the two jumpers circled in red on the bottom layer of the card.
    1757125728654.png
  2. Install the replacement GPU/CPU into the iMac.
  3. Reflash the vBIOS for the W5170M (using Windows or Linux).

I’ve never done this before, so I’d appreciate it if anyone with experience could confirm whether these steps are in the correct order, and whether I might be missing any steps.
Thank you very much!
 
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iMac11,3 model graphics card model Dell Green PCB W5170M using vbios version W5170M-EnableGop.rom In Monterey 12.7.6 system and Windows 10 system use from time to time randomly black screen does not have any display, in the playback of the video screen is black screen does not have any display but the sound is playing normally, sometimes startup also randomly black screen does not have any display, sometimes startup also black screen does not have any display. Sometimes the screen goes black randomly during startup.
 
jay508 said:
iMac11,3 model graphics card model Dell Green PCB W5170M using vbios version W5170M-EnableGop.rom In Monterey 12.7.6 system and Windows 10 system use from time to time randomly black screen does not have any display, in the playback of the video screen is black screen does not have any display but the sound is playing normally, sometimes startup also randomly black screen does not have any display, sometimes startup also black screen does not have any display. Sometimes the screen goes black randomly during startup.
Click to expand...
There’s a guide on how to mod the VGA card (W5170M) to avoid this error on iMacs. Did you follow that guide?

github.com

W5170M modifications

How to create an EFI boot screen vBIOS for Apple Late 2009 to Mid 2011 iMac systems using AMD MXM graphics cards - Ausdauersportler/IMAC-EFI-BOOT-SCREEN
github.com github.com
 
hoanghop said:
There’s a guide on how to mod the VGA card (W5170M) to avoid this error on iMacs. Did you follow that guide?

github.com

W5170M modifications

How to create an EFI boot screen vBIOS for Apple Late 2009 to Mid 2011 iMac systems using AMD MXM graphics cards - Ausdauersportler/IMAC-EFI-BOOT-SCREEN
github.com github.com
Click to expand...

Both iMac11,2 and iMac9,1 need to remove two jumpers to avoid SMBUS collisions.

Looking at the instructions it is only the iMac 11,2 9,1 model that needs to be changed, do I need to change it even if I'm an iMac 11,3 model?
 
Ausdauersportler said:
Wrong thread! Check docs on post #1 and try, again!

View attachment 2541101
Click to expand...
iMac11,3 model graphics card model Dell Green PCB W5170M using vbios version W5170M-EnableGop.rom In Monterey 12.7.6 system and Windows 10 system use from time to time randomly black screen does not have any display, in the playback of the video screen is black screen does not have any display but the sound is playing normally, sometimes startup also randomly black screen does not have any display, sometimes startup also black screen does not have any display. Sometimes the screen goes black randomly during startup.


Both iMac11,2 and iMac9,1 need to remove two jumpers to avoid SMBUS collisions.

Looking at the instructions it is only the iMac 11,2 9,1 model that needs to be changed, do I need to change it even if I'm an iMac 11,3 model?
 
iMac11,3 (27 inches, mid 2010) model CPU I5 760 graphics card upgraded to model Dell W5170M green PCB using vbios version W5170M-EnableGop.rom on Monterey 12.7.6 system and Windows 10 system when using from time to time randomly black screen with no display, when playing video Screen black screen no display but sound is normal, sometimes also random black screen no display at startup, sometimes also black screen no display at startup, sometimes screen random black screen at startup.



Please ask iMac11,3 also need to modify with iMac11,2 and iMac9,1 both need to remove two jumpers to avoid SMBUS conflict.

2.png
 
Hey all, I have mostly worked out the kinks with my upgraded 2011 iMac and the 2010 Standalone monitor and kind of wanted to show off the mostly finished result, this only happened thanks to all the compiled research and files contributed by the community, couldn't have done it without everyone who passed on their knowledge, tricks, and black magic.

iMac bwabyyyy.jpg


I started this project back in May after the iMac faced a catastrophic fall during a move, 4 months later can confidently say she is done and running faster than I imagined! The iMac and monitor have diff backgrounds not only to differentiate the monitor from the actual working iMac but also cause the 2010 screen has minor color difference from the 2011.

Using the Ventura wallpaper on the iMac cause the missy likes the Ventura wallpaper, Monterey is her 2nd fav so to the standalone 2010 screen it goes. Added bonus got an Elgato TB2 Dock! Now just needs a matching mouse and the whole thing is done done.

Debating installing Sequoia as that was the original goal but I am pretty pleased with Sonoma as of now, opinions on this would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers! 🍻
 
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