Resolved Disable a failed AMD GPU on a 2011 MacBook Pro [GRUB solution]

[Xx-Ness-xX]

Hi Everyone! Thanks for all the info, amazing thread. Inspired by @Xx-Ness-xX comment I tried it on my Early 2013 MBP with nvidia-geforce-gt-650m with macOS 10.15.6. I have already successfully installed Grub boot following this instructions https://gist.github.com/blackgate/17ac402e35d2f7e0f1c9708db3dc7a44 and now wanting to get the screen brightness, and wake-sleep functionality back in place. I followed this instructions https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...on.2087527/page-8?post=27525770#post-27525770 by @nsgr but I get an error when Modifying timestamp and creating new kextcache (last step on S mode). The AppleMuxControl.kext (3.13 - Sierra 10.12.1) seems to correctly go into /System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/PlugIns/

I attach 2 pictures with the error. Anyone can guess what I am doing wrong?

I got the same error messages after applying Security Update 2020-001 Catalina update. What works for me is to boot into MacOS like usual and run the commands in terminal that way.
sudo mount -uw / sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions sudo kextcache -v 1 -i /

Also you will need to add this to the nvram for the GRUB to work
nvram boot-args="nv_disable=1"

 

[Xx-Ness-xX]

Everything is working like a charm on my MBP8,2. Thanks for all the instructions here!

What I have noticed is, that after booting the device and press F1 or F2 only one time, the brightness jumps to the maximum value and must be reduced to the desired setting manually. Is there something that be done to prevent that?

That is as good as it's going to get. The auto brightness still works though so you shouldn't have to adjust the brightness manually.

 

[jdran]

Hey, how can I implement this solution if I am not able to login into osx? The screen hungs everytime before entering into the macos environment. I think I must "bake" the machine, but if there could be another solution, I am all ears.

 

[majorMBP]

I just tested this with my MacBook Pro 10,1 (2012 retina) on macOS 10.15.6.
I follow the instructions from this link https://gist.github.com/blackgate/17ac402e35d2f7e0f1c9708db3dc7a44 , but I did not install the AMDGPUWakeHandler.kext because I have a Nvidia graphic card
Then I follow the instruction from this link to install AppleMuxControl.kext (version 3.13) https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...on.2087527/page-8?post=27525770#post-27525770
Now I can control screen brightness, and wake sleep with no issue.

Thanks @nsgr & @brainshutdown for your contributions

thanks all for a great forum
@ Xx-Ness-xX - i have the same MBP and now running Catalina. I disabled the dGPU some time ago following the guide here :

https://dhavaldalal.wordpress.com/2...gh-sierra-10-13-4/comment-page-1/#comment-975

I upgraded last night from Mojave to Catalina without issue.. (unexpected) but I have never had screen brightness control OR wake from sleep.
I also have a MBP 2011 17inch (lovely computer) with the dGPU disabled also (i have 3 MBP with dGPU issue..) with High Sierra and AppleMuxControl.kext (version 3.2) - and this works with screen brightness and wake from sleep.

My question: can i use this AppleMuxControl.kext (version 3.2) with my MBP 2012 Retina OR i need to locate AppleMuxControl.kext (version 3.13)?
Further what is the process to replace the kext and can it be done from with MacOS and if so what script / app / process to use?
Many thanks in advance - these are great computers- sad so many have issue with dGPU
Love your work!
M

 

[Kathsr]

When I do the steps do boot directly from the HD my Macbook behaves extremely slow. Here is what I did :

cd /Volumes
sudo mkdir efi
sudo mount -t msdos /dev/disk0s1 /Volumes/efi
sudo mkdir /Volumes/efi/boot
sudo mkdir /Volumes/efi/EFI/grub
sudo cp -R /Volumes/RESCUE/boot/ /Volumes/efi/boot
sudo cp -R /Volumes/RESCUE/EFI/boot/ /Volumes/efi/EFI/grub
sudo bless --folder=/Volumes/efi --file=/Volumes/efi/EFI/grub/grubx64.efi --setBoot
sudo bless --mount=/Volumes/efi --file=/Volumes/efi/EFI/grub/grubx64.efi --setBoot

If I boot back from the USB drive, it behaves like it should again.

Also, if I have two OSX boot partitions, should I do this to both partitions ?

I fixed my defective gpu in my A1286 Macbook Pro using one of the github links above but when I restart it it runs through all the black and white text screens again and doesn't chime. Any way to fix this? Or is what you did above the fix for that? It does eventually land on the start screen but I'd really like to fix this.

 

[Mohz]

Dear @nsgr I have been trying to input this line “sudo cp -vR /Users/Shared/Kext-Sierra-10.12.1/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleMuxControl.kext /System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/PlugIns/“ in single user mode on mid 2012 MacBook Pro it’s not entry completely for days now am sorry am a novice don’t know what am doing wrong

 

[zhoubolin]

I was able to make the brightness control work in High Sierra 10.13.6 + GRUB.

You must use AppleMuxControl.kext from Sierra 10.12.1.

Sierra 10.12.1 -> AppleMuxControl.kext (version 3.13)

High Sierra 10.13.6 -> AppleMuxControl.kext (version 3.20)


The correct location for AppleMuxControl.kext is:

/System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleMuxControl.kext


I did not test with other Sierra AppleMuxControl.kext (10.12.2, 10.12.3, 10.12.4, 10.12.5 and 10.12.6).

There is a big difference in AppleMuxControl.kext from Sierra 10.12.0 and 10.12.1. In these two AppleMuxControl.kext there is no message: "AGC: booted to IG, policy disabled!!".

IG = Integrated Graphics = Intel GPU

After the discovery of how to make the Intel GPU boot Macbook Pro 2011 by gpu-power-prefs, then Apple changed the AppleMuxControl.kext.

Apple is not content to be a billion dollar company decides to make life difficult for the Macbook Pro 2011 users only to force a new purchase Macbook.


1 - Download Sierra 10.12.1 update from Apple:
https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1897?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US


2 - Double click on macosupd10.12.1.dmg .


3 - After mount .DMG file, extract /System/Library/Extensions (macOSUpd10.12.1.pkg) with Pacifist to another directory. See pictures bellow.

This example -> extract kexts -> directory: /Users/Shared/Kext-Sierra-10.12.1

Pacifist 3.6.1
https://www.charlessoft.com


4 - The Pacifist will ask if you want to keep kext's administrative privileges. Answer YES and enter your user name and password.


5 - To ensure that everything is correct, use the commands below to configure AppleMuxControl.kext with user: root and group: wheel and execution privilege.

sudo chmod -Rv 755 /Users/Shared/Kext-Sierra-10.12.1/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext

sudo chown -Rv root:wheel /Users/Shared/Kext-Sierra-10.12.1/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext

6 - Reboot Macbook Pro 2011.

7 - Boot Recovery Mode (press Command + R keys at boot).

8 - Menu Utilities -> Terminal

csrutil disable

9 - Boot Single User Mode (press Command + S keys at boot).

10 - Verify filesystem

fsck -fy

11 - Mount system partition with Read and Write permissions. Do not forget the final Slash "/".

mount -uw /

12 - Create a backup directory for AppleMuxControl.kext (3.20) - High Sierra 10.13.6.

cd /
sudo mkdir -v Kext-HighSierra

13 - Move AppleMuxControl.kext (3.20) inside /System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/Plugins to Kext-HighSierra directory.

sudo mv -v /System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleMuxControl.kext /Kext-HighSierra

14 - Copy AppleMuxControl.kext (3.13 - Sierra 10.12.1) to /System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/PlugIns/

sudo cp -vR /Users/Shared/Kext-Sierra-10.12.1/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleMuxControl.kext /System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/PlugIns/

15 - Modify timestamp and create new kextcache. Do not forget the final Slash "/" kextcache command.

sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions

sudo kextcache -v 1 -i /

16 - Boot normal with High Sierra 10.13.6 with GRUB.

17 - Verify AppleMuxControl.kext (version 3.13.74) with kextstat command.

kextstat | grep -i Mux
com.apple.driver.AppleMuxControl (3.13.74)

18 - System Preferences -> Display -> see if brightness slider works

19 - Everything works? YES

20 - Boot Recovery Mode

21 - Menu Utilities -> Terminal
Enable SIP partially. AMDGPUWakeHandler.kext is not a digitally signed kext by Apple or an Apple developer.

csrutil enable --without kext
reboot

22 - Boot normal and verify SIP status.
Finder -> Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal

csrutil status
System Integrity Protection status: enabled (Custom Configuration).

Configuration:
Apple Internal: disabled
Kext Signing: disabled
Filesystem Protections: enabled
Debugging Restrictions: enabled
DTrace Restrictions: enabled
NVRAM Protections: enabled
BaseSystem Verification: enabled

Update 1:

With a new Update, the procedure must be repeated.

Update will put a new AppleMuxControl.kext.

thank you so much I was finally be able to get the brightness of my disable GPU high sierra 2011 macbook pro 17in work!!!

 

[kocoman]

does MS windows work with intel WDDM driver? anyone have a VBT file for it that they can share? thanks