Resolved ATI Radeon HD 6870 Help Required.

[Washac]

I have installed an ATI Radeon HD 6870 in my Mac Pro and installed kext file that came from Cindoris package and yes i did only install the kext file and nothing else.

Everything I have run has worked OK no problems at all, now I have run into a game that has issues.

A report of my machine was sent of to the games company who replied with that my machine shows a non official driver for my card and basically says until I fix this issue they cannot help me.

Any help would be good.

 

[GP-SE]

what game? also what version of OSX?
is the 6870 flashed with EFI?

 

[Washac]

what game? also what version of OSX?
is the 6870 flashed with EFI?

The game is XCOM Enemy Unknown Elite for Mac
Mountain Lion 10.8.3
No flashing

 

[666sheep]

Flash the card and remove ATY_init.

 

[Washac]

Flash the card and remove ATY_init.

I have removed the ATY_init.kext

I used this - sudo kextunload /System/Library/Extensions/NAME_OF_THE_KEXT_FILE.kext

Do not know how to flash it, and a bit nervous about messing things up, any guidance would be good.

 

[MacUser2525]

I have removed the ATY_init.kext

I used this - sudo kextunload /System/Library/Extensions/NAME_OF_THE_KEXT_FILE.kext

Do not know how to flash it, and a bit nervous about messing things up, any guidance would be good.

There should be more than enough of the information needed on the site link below. Who knows perhaps you will get lucky like I was and there will be a pre-made ROM already there for your card for you to flash it with.

http://forum.netkas.org/index.php

Edit: Oh and you left out.

sudo rm -rf  /System/Library/Extensions/NAME_OF_THE_KEXT_FILE.kext

To actually remove the .kext not just unload like you did, your way left it there for it to reload on next boot.

 

[xcodeSyn]

Do not know how to flash it, and a bit nervous about messing things up, any guidance would be good.

This is the specific link explaining everything about flashing the 6870. You need to register to see and download the necessary EFI portion of ROM attached to the first post.

 

[Washac]

There should be more than enough of the information needed on the site link below. Who knows perhaps you will get lucky like I was and there will be a pre-made ROM already there for your card for you to flash it with.

http://forum.netkas.org/index.php

Edit: Oh and you left out.

sudo rm -rf  /System/Library/Extensions/NAME_OF_THE_KEXT_FILE.kext

To actually remove the .kext not just unload like you did, your way left it there for it to reload on next boot.

Thanks for the link, been there before I just get lost, and do not know how to flash, I just seem to find blocks of coding stuff

I need it work under 10.6.8 - 10.8.3 and Bootcamp.

Read on Nektas that somebody flashed their ATI Radeon HD 6870 now it does not work right under 10.6.8

I'm confused.

 

[GP-SE]

post your original ROM from the card, do you have bootcamp installed?
if you have bootcamp\Windows then download "GPU-Z" and use that to extract the original bios.
Post it here and I'll convert it to EFI for you, then you can flash the card.

 

[ClassObject]

Probably should just use a card designed to work with a mac if you are unable or unwilling to learn how to flash the 6870.

 

[Washac]

post your original ROM from the card, do you have bootcamp installed?
if you have bootcamp\Windows then download "GPU-Z" and use that to extract the original bios.
Post it here and I'll convert it to EFI for you, then you can flash the card.

Hey this sounds good, I do use Bootcamp so I will give this a go later today, thank you for this really appreciated

Edit: OK, first part done, had to change the . rom to .txt so I could attach it.

 

[tomvos]

Did you really remove the kext like MacUser2525 recommended? And then rebooted your system to 10.8.3?

Otherwise there might be a chance that you load some old driver like edddeduck estimated in the XCOM thread. Which would result in the problems, you described there.

 

[GP-SE]

I made the ROM, check your PM.

Make sure the ati card is the only card installed, in the bottom slot (slot 1)
Also use the White DVI Port (beside the hdmi and mini display ports, don't use the DVI port that is alone on the top)

You can flash in OSX using Zeus 2.3 or in Windows using ATI_winflash

Zeus 2.3: http://groths.org/zeus/test/6870flasher.zip
ATI Winflash: http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2232/ati-winflash-2-3-0/

I would try Zeus in OSX first because it's easier.

In Zeus under the ATI section at the bottom just select the ROM I made, then for OS select Snow Leopard and hit flash.

For ATI Winflash here are instructions:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1353325/tutorial-atiwinflash-how-to-flash-the-bios-of-your-ati-cards

basically in Windows open a DOS prompt with admin rights (right click on CMD prompt -> Run as Admin

when the dos prompt opens, change directory to wherever AT_winflash is:
"cd\users\*user name*\desktop\ati_winflash_2.3.0" as an example

then run:
atiwinflash -f -p 0 6870EFI.ROM

it should flash, then shutdown and restart in OSX.

Also the .kext file you messed with, you didn't have to, it should work natively in OSX without messing with any .kext
When I had a flashed 6870 in Mountion Lion I had no issues, never had to touch at .kext, it worked out of the box.

I would put the .kext back and add\remove any .kext files you messed with when trying to make the card work. Then run the 10.8.3 combo update after to repair any .kext files.

I had steam, dvd player, all my games working without touching any .kext files.

 

[Washac]

I made the ROM, check your PM.

Make sure the ati card is the only card installed, in the bottom slot (slot 1)
Also use the White DVI Port (beside the hdmi and mini display ports, don't use the DVI port that is alone on the top)

You can flash in OSX using Zeus 2.3 or in Windows using ATI_winflash

Zeus 2.3: http://groths.org/zeus/test/6870flasher.zip
ATI Winflash: http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2232/ati-winflash-2-3-0/

I would try Zeus in OSX first because it's easier.

In Zeus under the ATI section at the bottom just select the ROM I made, then for OS select Snow Leopard and hit flash.

For ATI Winflash here are instructions:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1353325/tutorial-atiwinflash-how-to-flash-the-bios-of-your-ati-cards

basically in Windows open a DOS prompt with admin rights (right click on CMD prompt -> Run as Admin

when the dos prompt opens, change directory to wherever AT_winflash is:
"cd\users\*user name*\desktop\ati_winflash_2.3.0" as an example

then run:
atiwinflash -f -p 0 6870EFI.ROM

it should flash, then shutdown and restart in OSX.

Also the .kext file you messed with, you didn't have to, it should work natively in OSX without messing with any .kext
When I had a flashed 6870 in Mountion Lion I had no issues, never had to touch at .kext, it worked out of the box.

I would put the .kext back and add\remove any .kext files you messed with when trying to make the card work. Then run the 10.8.3 combo update after to repair any .kext files.

I had steam, dvd player, all my games working without touching any .kext files.

Many many thanks for doing the file and the above instructions very clear indeed

I have a couple things, the first one being the obvious.

Using the DVI means I need to buy a DVI to Mini Display Port adapter, not looked yet but I assume this does exist.

The card I have did/does work out of the box, I only added the .kext under recommendation in case some programs did not work, I have under your recommendation removed the kext, it was the only one I had installed or messed with.

----------

Did you really remove the kext like MacUser2525 recommended? And then rebooted your system to 10.8.3?

Otherwise there might be a chance that you load some old driver like edddeduck estimated in the XCOM thread. Which would result in the problems, you described there.

Yes I removed that kext file as recommemded by Macuser2525, not booted back into 10.8.3 since doing so yest, will try soon.

 

[GP-SE]

you can try using the Mini Display Port, I'm just not sure if you'll get boot screens, I know for sure the DVI port beside the Mini Display Port will show boot screens.

I just e-mailed you the ROM, let me know if it works!

 

[Washac]

you can try using the Mini Display Port, I'm just not sure if you'll get boot screens, I know for sure the DVI port beside the Mini Display Port will show boot screens.

I just e-mailed you the ROM, let me know if it works!

All done and all OK, sent you an e-mail

The game still freezes but not quite so much but I think that is down to playing with the game settings rather than my machine.