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8800GT 1gb Mac Efi?

K

kier___

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 5, 2015
10
0
United Kingdom
Hi there

I've just bought my 2006 mac pro, and wanting to upgrade the graphics card. I've also just bought a 8800GT 1gb PC card but have since realised this wont work in the mac right? Is there a rom I can flash to this 8800gt 1gb to make it have the Mac EFI? I know the 512mb version is easily flashable but I can't seem to find a rom for the 1gb version anywhere.

Any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks
Kieran
 
I'm not positive but my guess is that if your card is G92 based, you can flash it with the EFI32 firmware. You will just end up with a card that has 512MB VRAM available.
 
pastrychef said:
I'm not positive but my guess is that if your card is G92 based, you can flash it with the EFI32 firmware. You will just end up with a card that has 512MB VRAM available.
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oh really, that would be great if that works as I only bought the 1024mb version as it was cheaper than the 512mb one, plus its the Sparkle passive model so super quiet.
 
You can either look at it and find part number or access via nvflash.

On most 88gt they are to the left of GPU die, under fan. Usually a part number starting with 25Vxxxx where the xxxx will tell size.
 
MacVidCards said:
You can either look at it and find part number or access via nvflash.

On most 88gt they are to the left of GPU die, under fan. Usually a part number starting with 25Vxxxx where the xxxx will tell size.
Click to expand...

I've yet to recieve the card yet, should arrive tomorrow. In the meantime, I checked the eBay auction and the only type of model number I can see from the photos is this one (attached photo). On which cards can I flash the 32efi on?
 

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Sparkle was more of a European brand, didn't see too many in US.

But vast majority of ones I saw had 64K chips. Only EVGA brand with Blue/white/black coolers (sometimes orange) used 128K chips reliably.

I wouldn't count on a 128K chip, but you might get lucky.
 
MacVidCards said:
Sparkle was more of a European brand, didn't see too many in US.

But vast majority of ones I saw had 64K chips. Only EVGA brand with Blue/white/black coolers (sometimes orange) used 128K chips reliably.

I wouldn't count on a 128K chip, but you might get lucky.
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okay, I have reccieveed the card today. I cannot find anything you mention, can't see chip size etc but that might be because I can't understand this label. This is the other label on the card - I assume this is where it says the rom chip size but I dont understand it. (attached)
 

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You'll find the ROM size by looking into the data sheet of the SPI flash on the card. You'll find the exact name of the SPI flash either by searching for it on the card (it's not on the photo) or by using nvflash.
 
You'll just have to fire up nvflash and do e.g. a bios dump, it'll show the name of the spi flash.

I don't think sending your ancient 8800 to California for flashing isn't cost effective, you'll pay multiples of what the card is worth.
 
Fl0r!an said:
You'll just have to fire up nvflash and do e.g. a bios dump, it'll show the name of the spi flash.

I don't think sending your ancient 8800 to California for flashing isn't cost effective, you'll pay multiples of what the card is worth.
Click to expand...

okay ill try that on my pc later. and yeah, I checked on his website and it would cost me £90 including postage to get it flashed which is 4x what I paid for the card orignally. I don't know what my choices are, either get it flashed to EFI32 using a 512mb rom so it will work on standard lion on my MP 1,1. Or to use SFOTT to run yosemite or el capitan on my MP 1,1 and then just use webdrivers. Which one would be better? I think running yosemite with SFOTT would be better but I don't really know.
 
MacVidCards said:
You don't need web drivers.

If you remove the heatsink the eeprom chip will likely be to the left of GPU die, read what I typed before.
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I don't really want to take apart the card just yet. So you're saying the card will work fine on yosemite or el capitan on the MP 1,1 just it wont show bootscreens right?
 
The other issue is that there isn't a "Mac 8800GT 1GB rom".

I have at least 4 versions. When a card comes out it is "reference" version, so everyone makes same one with same rom for awhile. (8800GT with black fan used in Macs, GTX285, GTX680, etc)

So that is why there can be a single "Here is the rom"

As time goes by the race to the bottom starts. Everyone re-engineers the card to make it faster/cheaper/better/cheaper/quieter/cheaper. So they all use different components and thus different roms.

This is why one GTX770 won't work with rom from another while most GTX680s will despite all made form same basic chip.

So, even if you have the right chip, which I doubt, I would have to write you a rom. No big deal, but if wrong chip is on there, no need to bother.
 
MacVidCards said:
The other issue is that there isn't a "Mac 8800GT 1GB rom".

I have at least 4 versions. When a card comes out it is "reference" version, so everyone makes same one with same rom for awhile. (8800GT with black fan used in Macs, GTX285, GTX680, etc)

So that is why there can be a single "Here is the rom"

As time goes by the race to the bottom starts. Everyone re-engineers the card to make it faster/cheaper/better/cheaper/quieter/cheaper. So they all use different components and thus different roms.

This is why one GTX770 won't work with rom from another while most GTX680s will despite all made form same basic chip.

So, even if you have the right chip, which I doubt, I would have to write you a rom. No big deal, but if wrong chip is on there, no need to bother.
Click to expand...
Ah okay I understand now, I'll check the chip soon. How much would you charge to write me a rom if I do have the correct chip? Thanks
 
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