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

[swimllamaswim]

This sounds really good! I think the best way to flash the rom(without an MXM adapter or a PC notebook that has an mxm slot) with a raspberry pi + a soic clip: http://tomvanveen.eu/flashing-bios-chip-raspberry-pi/

How did you pulled off the vbios btw?

Found some terminal command that rips it and puts it on the desktop. Built into macOS. It was while I was working at an Apple repair shop, and we had one come through, so I just yoinked it and have been trying to learn where to even start with modifying it when I get the chance.

As far as I know running tools like gpu-z and or others can easy save the vbios running on bootcamp windows.
[doublepost=1563703511][/doublepost]

looks like a MSI card to me.
I dont think MSI cards will work.

You can how ever try to flash an compatible Dell/Alienware vbios to it...
Note subvendor inside the GPU-Z screenshot, it shows MSI
[doublepost=1563703720][/doublepost]

in theory, yes we can try to mod this vbios of this GTX660m, and make it work with our compatible Dell/Alienware kepler nvidia cards.
I think we need a brilliant guy like Rominator, netkas or someone else, to make this work for us

For safekeeping, I have put the imac rom in my post here.
Just in case the mega link will die in the future from @swimllamaswim posted here above..

Oh thank you! I honestly forgot I could upload them directly here.

I also forgot to mention, I have a couple of Dell Precisions with MXM slots that are taken apart. Should make for easy swapping of MXM cards for flashing/pulling VBIOS. My 6970m finally is going out again after I hit it with a heat gun a few months ago, but I have a K1100m from one of those precisions to throw in my 27" for now, just need to modify the x bracket.

 

[jmilan0302]

Honestly haven't finished catching up on the thread but I pulled the vbios off a Late 2012 iMac 27" with a 660m a while back specifically for this purpose. Dunno how to upload it on techpowerup, but I put it on Mega: https://mega.nz/#!Lgw2XYwZ!xz50etMrtKvR6lR4ee5-0c8gYVDaxZctKygk5UWhioI

Anything ever gonna come of this? Dell GTX 660M cards are $75 on Ebay.
EDIT: Noticed the iMacs with the 660M had 512MB of VRAM while all the cards on Ebay are 2GB. Also the 675MX had 1GB while the cards you can find on Ebay are all 4GB.

 

[vnishid]

Does target display mode work on your machines?

I've posted here some time ago about an iMac I found in the street that had a faulty GPU, and I tried swapping the original Radeon 6970M for a GeForce 765M and a 780M and neither of them worked.

Then I found a 21" 2009 iMac (also left on the curb) and put its Radeon 4670 on it and I'm figuring out what the changes were. So far I have no boot screen, no chime, OS updates don't work through the AppStore, but it does have auto brightness.

Also Netflix and Stan are a no go.

 

[jmilan0302]

Does target display mode work on your machines?

I've posted here some time ago about an iMac I found in the street that had a faulty GPU, and I tried swapping the original Radeon 6970M for a GeForce 765M and a 780M and neither of them worked.

Then I found a 21" 2009 iMac (also left on the curb) and put its Radeon 4670 on it and I'm figuring out what the changes were. So far I have no boot screen, no chime, OS updates don't work through the AppStore, but it does have auto brightness.

Also Netflix and Stan are a no go.

The 2nd display out doesn't even work on the 2011 27" machines, ofc Target Display Mode doesn't work.

Also who leaves an imac that new out on the curb!?!?!?

 

[vnishid]

The 2nd display out doesn't even work on the 2011 27" machines, ofc Target Display Mode doesn't work.

Also who leaves an imac that new out on the curb!?!?!?

It's listed in their support page, so I think the GPU replacement may have disabled the feature. ( https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT204592 )

And leaving electronics like that on the curb is rather common in Australia. We have 4-year warranty on iMacs and MacBooks by law, so if it breaks after that period people just throw it away...

 

[dondrapersf]

After some trouble shooting i have finally got it to work

1) 2011 imac 27 inch mid 2011 with high sierra OS and GTX 860n graphics card pulled from Dell Alienware.

Didnt flash any bios or anything. plug in the card and play

couple of things:

1) Led 3 and Led 4 dont light up
2) Power button needs to be pressed twice to start the mac
3) Boot screen is gone
4) Brightness control is gone. use the app
5) Fan's run at full speed so have to use the app to control the full throttle
6) External display does not work

Everything else is good to go.

 

[liquidtwitch]

And leaving electronics like that on the curb is rather common in Australia. We have 4-year warranty on iMacs and MacBooks by law, so if it breaks after that period people just throw it away...

Mate, I love me some curb-side collection wares.

 

[FlorisVN]

After some trouble shooting i have finally got it to work

1) 2011 imac 27 inch mid 2011 with high sierra OS and GTX 860n graphics card pulled from Dell Alienware.

Didnt flash any bios or anything. plug in the card and play

couple of things:

1) Led 3 and Led 4 dont light up
2) Power button needs to be pressed twice to start the mac
3) Boot screen is gone
4) Brightness control is gone. use the app
5) Fan's run at full speed so have to use the app to control the full throttle
6) External display does not work

Everything else is good to go.

I think a temp. sensor is not connected or broken, this may cause the problem that your imac fans are running full speed all the time.
This should not happen with a GPU swap.
Also I think 1 external display should work, but not 2 with a compatible GTX860m.
Also strange that you have to push the powr button twice, if you ask me..

 

[thebossarturo]

So... I was attempting the upgrade on my 27" mid 2011 iMac, but, before doing it I baked my current not working video card to check if could use it to install mojave.

Before trying this procedure my machine wouldn't even boot on recovery mode, It would just show the apple logo and after I would get a white screen.

But now, after baking the card and putting it back in something weird happened.

When I turn it on with the display mounted I get nothing, only a short fan spin and thats it.

But, if I take apart the display and turn the iMac on I can hear the chime and the computer starts

Does anyone have any idea what could be the problem?

I really hope I didn't kill the logic board

 

[KamburKelimat]

Hello everyone,
could you help me for upgrading my 27" mid 2011 imac?
I bought a 680m MXM 3.0 graphics card. my problem is;
I replaced 680m correctly , after i pluged Imac and first diognasis led on the motherboard turn green,
after i pushed the power button it gone and nothing happens. In my opinion motherboards shutoff the power.
what is your idea or suggestions. Is the graphic card not working?

 

[passatgt]

So... I was attempting the upgrade on my 27" mid 2011 iMac, but, before doing it I baked my current not working video card to check if could use it to install mojave.

Before trying this procedure my machine wouldn't even boot on recovery mode, It would just show the apple logo and after I would get a white screen.

But now, after baking the card and putting it back in something weird happened.

When I turn it on with the display mounted I get nothing, only a short fan spin and thats it.

But, if I take apart the display and turn the iMac on I can hear the chime and the computer starts

Does anyone have any idea what could be the problem?

I really hope I didn't kill the logic board

Did you put back the ram? If you did, try to move around a single stick in the slots and see if that helps.
Also use an external monitor for testing, much easier than removing/installing the screen each time. One of the external display port should work.

 

[passatgt]

Hello everyone,
could you help me for upgrading my 27" mid 2011 imac?
I bought a 680m MXM 3.0 graphics card. my problem is;
I replaced 680m correctly , after i pluged Imac and first diognasis led on the motherboard turn green,
after i pushed the power button it gone and nothing happens. In my opinion motherboards shutoff the power.
what is your idea or suggestions. Is the graphic card not working?

Still works with the old GPU? You can try removing the battery and see if that helps. Here is a technician guide for the 2010 model: http://tim.id.au/laptops/apple/imac/imac_27_mid10.pdf - on page 32, you can find the probe points, you can measure this with a multimeter and see if it corresponds with the values described. It looks a bit different in the 2011 model, but i think the layout is the same.

 

[FlorisVN]

Hello everyone,
could you help me for upgrading my 27" mid 2011 imac?
I bought a 680m MXM 3.0 graphics card. my problem is;
I replaced 680m correctly , after i pluged Imac and first diognasis led on the motherboard turn green,
after i pushed the power button it gone and nothing happens. In my opinion motherboards shutoff the power.
what is your idea or suggestions. Is the graphic card not working?

You are using a Dell/Alienware card I presume ?
Most other brands don’t work..

If so, tru maybe reseatting the gpu in the mxm slot, and also ram perhaps..

 

[dhd80]

Hello guys, unfortunately I can’t find any topics to upgrade a GPU within iMac Mid-2010 27”. Could anyone share his experience with this iMac Modell and different GPUs? I’m hoping to upgrade my Mac with an GTX 680m, 750m or 980m (maybe from alienware?!). I know is it possible to use GPUs from the 2011 Modell, but this would only be a slight upgrade in performance. I’m glad for any information. Thanks

 

[NodeOfJS]

Hi, everyone. I have a 2011 27inch iMac, if I need 1 more external Monitor on Mac OS after I upgraded GPU, which one Nvidia GPU is best for me?
[doublepost=1563998380][/doublepost]

6) External display does not work

After some trouble shooting i have finally got it to work

1) 2011 imac 27 inch mid 2011 with high sierra OS and GTX 860n graphics card pulled from Dell Alienware.

Didnt flash any bios or anything. plug in the card and play

couple of things:

1) Led 3 and Led 4 dont light up
2) Power button needs to be pressed twice to start the mac
3) Boot screen is gone
4) Brightness control is gone. use the app
5) Fan's run at full speed so have to use the app to control the full throttle
6) External display does not work

Everything else is good to go.

Hi, I have a displayLink dock which is support to output to monitor by usb 2.0 or 3.0(I have thunderbolt to usb 3.0 interface), you can try this guy which may help you to have the external display, but I did not upgraded GPU, so I am not 100% ensure it works for you.

 

[passatgt]

Hello guys, unfortunately I can’t find any topics to upgrade a GPU within iMac Mid-2010 27”. Could anyone share his experience with this iMac Modell and different GPUs? I’m hoping to upgrade my Mac with an GTX 680m, 750m or 980m (maybe from alienware?!). I know is it possible to use GPUs from the 2011 Modell, but this would only be a slight upgrade in performance. I’m glad for any information. Thanks

The 2010 upgrade is the same as the 2011. So all cards mentioned here works with 2010 iMacs too.
[doublepost=1564000710][/doublepost]

Hi, everyone. I have a 2011 27inch iMac, if I need 1 more external Monitor on Mac OS after I upgraded GPU, which one Nvidia GPU is best for me?

Since the upgraded GPU will think that the main display is an external monitor, only one of the displayport will work. So i don't think its possible to have two external displays sadly.

 

[NodeOfJS]

The 2010 upgrade is the same as the 2011. So all cards mentioned here works with 2010 iMacs too.
[doublepost=1564000710][/doublepost]

Since the upgraded GPU will think that the main display is an external monitor, only one of the displayport will work. So i don't think its possible to have two external displays sadly.

HI，I found there is a mxm to pcie convert system made by a private group, so I am gonna try to order one, but I should wait monthly. Moreover, the maker said, some laptops main monitor won't work, it just can let u connect the external monitor, but who knows what happen to my iMac, I will try.

 

[passatgt]

HI，I found there is a mxm to pcie convert system made by a private group, so I am gonna try to order one, but I should wait monthly. Moreover, the maker said, some laptops main monitor won't work, it just can let u connect the external monitor, but who knows what happen to my iMac, I will try.

For a 2011 iMac i think an external GPU would make more sense. I don't know if it works with a replaced MXM gpu though... Because if it does, we could just put a cheap k1100m in the 27" and use a powerful external GPU. The rest of the hw is pretty fine, especially if you upgrade to i7 and 16gm or 32gb ram + raid-0 ssd config.

 

[marmalito]

Ok, what am I missing here? I have a 2011, 27". My stock GPU has been baked 3 times now, so I bought a k2000m to replace it. I don't expect the radeon will last much long.

While using the radeon, I installed Catalina with the dosdude patcher, did the post install, didn't change any of the default options.

I also installed the latest CUDA drivers from Nvidia before inserting the k2000m.

Chime, disk noises, but No video. 1st and 2nd diagnostic LEDs light up. Have tried safe mode, holding Option, recovery, etc. Nothing.

What else could be preventing the nvidia card from working?

At some point while troubleshooting my flaky radeon, I vaguely recall deleting a few AMD kexts, but that was before upgrading to Catalina.

Also, don't believe it makes a difference, but Filevault is enabled on a fusion drive.

Help, this sucks!

 

[Roman78]

Does some know something about the 24" 2006 Model? Does it have a MXM-Card and will a PC work?

 

[NodeOfJS]

For a 2011 iMac i think an external GPU would make more sense. I don't know if it works with a replaced MXM gpu though... Because if it does, we could just put a cheap k1100m in the 27" and use a powerful external GPU. The rest of the hw is pretty fine, especially if you upgrade to i7 and 16gm or 32gb ram + raid-0 ssd config.

Of course, this kind of external system is very powerful and we can also use Mac EFI pcie x16 graphics card, but you can not install k1000m etc because we have plugged pcie x16 gpu to the mxm with full speed (32Gbps), which is much more fast than the pcie mini solution and thunderbolt 1 ogpu. I plan to remove the dvd and let those cable out through the dvd entrance, and I am sure AMD Vega 56/64 are compatible, I saw few people install it on old Mac Pro.

Now, all I can do is go to homedepot to buy wood and paint. I want to make a biggerwooden case for GPU.

 

[Mr-Mur]

This one, right?

http://www.sourninja.com/dualwield/compatible.html

Also found these:
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...yWpGm&id=599010631937&ns=1&abbucket=17#detail

http://tieba.baidu.com/home/main?un=无畏级反潜舰&ie=utf-8&id=a95be697a0e7958fe7baa7e58f8de6bd9ce888b08c3b&fr=pb&ie=utf-8

Great unpacking post: http://tieba.baidu.com/p/6158113217

 

[FlorisVN]

Hello guys, unfortunately I can’t find any topics to upgrade a GPU within iMac Mid-2010 27”. Could anyone share his experience with this iMac Modell and different GPUs? I’m hoping to upgrade my Mac with an GTX 680m, 750m or 980m (maybe from alienware?!). I know is it possible to use GPUs from the 2011 Modell, but this would only be a slight upgrade in performance. I’m glad for any information. Thanks

2009,2010 models basicually the same as 2011 imac's about upgrading the MXM video card.
As far as I can remember, the MXM heatsink is a little bit different, but still has to be modded in order to fit compatible nvidia gpu's.
I think also same compatible nvidia GPU's models are compatible..

I would say, stick with a known working Dell/Alienware GTX765 or 780m or perhaps a 770m.
Don't got with a 980m I would say, since as far as I can remember, nobody has confirmed it worked here with our iMac's.
Stick with compatible kepler Nvidiai cards.
[doublepost=1564040705][/doublepost]

Of course, this kind of external system is very powerful and we can also use Mac EFI pcie x16 graphics card, but you can not install k1000m etc because we have plugged pcie x16 gpu to the mxm with full speed (32Gbps), which is much more fast than the pcie mini solution and thunderbolt 1 ogpu. I plan to remove the dvd and let those cable out through the dvd entrance, and I am sure AMD Vega 56/64 are compatible, I saw few people install it on old Mac Pro.

Now, all I can do is go to homedepot to buy wood and paint. I want to make a biggerwooden case for GPU.

ha lol nice,
anyone here can try this with his iMac, and put in a Flashed GTX680 from his MacPro for example.. ?
[doublepost=1564040838][/doublepost]

Hi, everyone. I have a 2011 27inch iMac, if I need 1 more external Monitor on Mac OS after I upgraded GPU, which one Nvidia GPU is best for me?
[doublepost=1563998380][/doublepost]


Hi, I have a displayLink dock which is support to output to monitor by usb 2.0 or 3.0(I have thunderbolt to usb 3.0 interface), you can try this guy which may help you to have the external display, but I did not upgraded GPU, so I am not 100% ensure it works for you.

Just stick with the known working nvidia cards. (see first post of this topic)
As far as I can remember, these cards have 1 external monitor output working just fine.
I would say just upgrade to a GTX765m or GTX780m.

 

[jmilan0302]

Does some know something about the 24" 2006 Model? Does it have a MXM-Card and will a PC work?

Yes, those use MXM, but an older type. There are still cards for it, I think someone did get a 7600GT in one.

 

[NodeOfJS]

This one, right?

http://www.sourninja.com/dualwield/compatible.html

Also found these:
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...yWpGm&id=599010631937&ns=1&abbucket=17#detail

http://tieba.baidu.com/home/main?un=无畏级反潜舰&ie=utf-8&id=a95be697a0e7958fe7baa7e58f8de6bd9ce888b08c3b&fr=pb&ie=utf-8

Great unpacking post: http://tieba.baidu.com/p/6158113217

Hi there fellow iMac'ers!

I also joined this GPU-upgrade-club and finally swapped stock 6770 to GTX 780M at my iMac 2011 mid-2011 27''.
But still no boot screen and lost brightness controll
iMac also got a newer i7-2600 against i5-2400s.
I published full report at my personal web-site (in Russian) so feel free to launch Google Translate.

Thank you!
View attachment 773718 View attachment 773719 View attachment 773720

Hi, could you use external monitor ?