Flashing R9 280X for boot screens/PCI System Information

[silegnav]

Hey everyone, looking for a little advice here. I recently acquired a Power Color R9 280X for my Mac Pro 1,1 on ebay. I popped it in and was surprised and excited to see that the boot screens came up and system profiler reported the correct model and specs for the card (see attached screenshot). First thoughts, it was already flashed or one of those cards that work out of the box?? Unfortunately as I was casually using the system (youtube, internet browsing, Ableton Live) I experienced several kernel panics, the OS would freeze with all the internal fans blowing at max velocity followed by a restart. I have a secondary internal drive with Win 7 Pro (64-bit) which I booted into via bootcamp and also experienced a couple of BSODs. Now that I managed to get the AMD Radeon drivers installed, Windows appears to be running stable, however I've experienced a few more kernel panics on the Mac OS side.

Should I still make the effort to flash this card, or is it possibly faulty? I'm wondering again if it's necessary since Mac OS is seeing the card correctly? I'm also not experiencing any visual artifacts or other issues while working in either OS except when it randomly takes a dump. Thanks in advance.

Mac Pro 1,1
OS X 10.9.5
10 GB RAM
250 GB Samsung 840 PRO SSD

 

[h9826790]

Hey everyone, looking for a little advice here. I recently acquired a Power Color R9 280X for my Mac Pro 1,1 on ebay. I popped it in and was surprised and excited to see that the boot screens came up and system profiler reported the correct model and specs for the card (see attached screenshot). First thoughts, it was already flashed or one of those cards that work out of the box?? Unfortunately as I was casually using the system (youtube, internet browsing, Ableton Live) I experienced several kernel panics, the OS would freeze with all the internal fans blowing at max velocity followed by a restart. I have a secondary internal drive with Win 7 Pro (64-bit) which I booted into via bootcamp and also experienced a couple of BSODs. Now that I managed to get the AMD Radeon drivers installed, Windows appears to be running stable, however I've experienced a few more kernel panics on the Mac OS side.

Should I still make the effort to flash this card, or is it possibly faulty? I'm wondering again if it's necessary since Mac OS is seeing the card correctly? I'm also not experiencing any visual artifacts or other issues while working in either OS except when it randomly takes a dump. Thanks in advance.

Mac Pro 1,1
OS X 10.9.5
10 GB RAM
250 GB Samsung 840 PRO SSD

Possible badly flashed card.

Is there any ROM switch onboard? If yes, try to boot from the other ROM.

 

[silegnav]

Possible badly flashed card.

Is there any ROM switch onboard? If yes, try to boot from the other ROM.

Thanks Will do!

 

[danallen]

Open 7950mac.efi in the "bundle" folder that you downloaded using a Hex Editor. Search for a text string which contains either 7970 or 7950. Then replace it with whatever name you want your card to appear on System Profiler. Redo the whole process of creating a Mac rom for your card and reflash. I have a Gigagyte R9 280X V.2 and was able to get it done this way. There may be another procedure to accomplish the same goal though.

The Gigabyte card has been working wonderful for me. My 5,1 is able to run 4 monitors simultaneously (3 22" LCDs and 1 82" TV @ 1920x1080). The temp never got above 70 C.

Hi,

I am running an unflashed Gigabyte r9 280x....I understand the flashing procedure in principle, but I have a couple questions I am hoping you can help me with.

1. How can you tell that yours is v2?

2. Am I correct guessing your run a cMP?

3. Can you use the cMP to flash the r9 280x, by using the stock graphics card that came with the system when it was new?

4. Is there a utility that runs on macos for working with the graphics card?

Any information you can provide will be appreciated immensely. Thank you.

p.s. I just noticed your post is 7 years old, so I guess you might not see this. Oh, and you are suspended. wow

 

[danallen]

Running unflashed Gigabyte r9 280x with 3G. Would like to flash it to get the boot screen.

Will any of the bioses listed at techpowerup work? Here are the ones I found there.

What is the reason for all the different versions of the bios?

Is a Windows machine needed for the flashing? I have the stock graphics card that came with the machine when it was new.

If Windows is needed, can I use a Windows VM on my cMP, booted with the original Radeon 5770 graphics card that came stock with the machine?

Any information you can provide will be appreciated immensely.

Thank you

 

[Borowski]

Safest way, recommended for all beginners and the first try, use a dump of installed rom from your card and build a rom on your own using netkas-script.

You need a machine running native Windows or DOS for rom-dumping/-flashing, also possible w/ cMP, but not under macOS/OSX, since no newer flashing tools for Mac exist. VMs won't work because of missing hardware-access.

I can't examine all bios-versions uploaded at techpowerup, in most cases they differ in memory- and gpu-timings, power-limits, fan-curves,....and perhaps some not documented settings, only the vendor can tell.

 

[weckart]

What is the reason for all the different versions of the bios?

Some of those cards use Elpida memory, other Hynix etc. There are subtle differences in the cards. You would need to run Techpowerup's utility under Windows to both dump your card's BIOS for flashing and to analyse its components so that you can use the newest available BIOS update for your exact card if you want.

 

[Petri Krohn]

Is a Windows machine needed for the flashing?

No. You can flash the card in your Mac Pro without Windows. All you need is a Linux installation DVD and a USB drive. See my instructions: "How to Atiflash on a Mac Pro without Windows or boot screen."

Guide to Flash XFX Double D HD 7950 Black Edition Card for Mac Pro

How to Atiflash on a Mac Pro without Windows or boot screen Things you need: Mac Pro with PC graphics card installed Live Linux installation DVD USB dongle with Atiflash for Linux There is a version of Atiflash available for Linux (now renamed amdvbflash). The flash tool will not see the PCIe...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[danallen]

Some of those cards use Elpida memory, other Hynix etc. There are subtle differences in the cards. You would need to run Techpowerup's utility under Windows to both dump your card's BIOS for flashing and to analyse its components so that you can use the newest available BIOS update for your exact card if you want.

@weckart , Thank you for taking time to respond. Your answer makes complete sense. I was wondering how I ever would figure out all the specs of the card I have beyond the general specs for r9 280x from Gigabyte. I know there are multiple versions of that card and I had no idea how to determine which one I have, much less find out exactly what components this card has as they relate to getting the right bios. I appreciate your answer a lot. Thank you.

I hate to ask a followup question, and understand I have no right to expect an answer to anything I ask here.

In my narrow world, I am unaware of any reason for updating the GPU's bios except for the need to enable the macOS boot screen, which is needed to activate to the startup utility that provides a way to select a boot partition from among the boot partitions available to the system.

FOLLOWUP QUESTION
What is it about the newer bios that it enables the macOS boot screen? To pick the right bios for my card, do I need to be looking for info about the bios that says it will enable a Mac boot screen? As I understand it, it is not as if these cars and their world has macs at the top of their lists of support objectives.

MIGHT HAVE FOUND ANSWER TO FOLLOWUP QUESTION
I think I might have been leaving out a step from the overall flashing process. The step I am talking about is "Create your Mac EFI rom using Netkas' tool or whatever tool you want to use for editing." When I looked into that step, graciously provided by @Petri Krohn, and remembered vaguely other material I have read, a light bulb of sorts came on in my head, indicating the mac boot screen becomes enabled by adding the EFI part to the bios for the card. Does that mean I can use the bios I have already on my graphics card, and add the EFI to it with Netkas's tool (after backing up my bios)? No need to look for a different bios?

As always, any information you can provide will be appreciated immensely.

 

[danallen]

No. You can flash the card in your Mac Pro without Windows. All you need is a Linux installation DVD and a USB drive. See my instructions: "How to Atiflash on a Mac Pro without Windows or boot screen."

Guide to Flash XFX Double D HD 7950 Black Edition Card for Mac Pro

How to Atiflash on a Mac Pro without Windows or boot screen Things you need: Mac Pro with PC graphics card installed Live Linux installation DVD USB dongle with Atiflash for Linux There is a version of Atiflash available for Linux (now renamed amdvbflash). The flash tool will not see the PCIe...

forums.macrumors.com

@Petri Krohn, The reason I need to flash is already running in my cMP. Is there any need to find an updateded bios from Techpowerup or anywhere else? If I am reading your guide right, it seems like I can just backup the bios now running on the card, use Netkas's tool to add the EFI to it, then flash the modified bios onto the card using the process in your guide. Is that correct?

 

[danallen]

Safest way, recommended for all beginners and the first try, use a dump of installed rom from your card and build a rom on your own using netkas-script.

You need a machine running native Windows or DOS for rom-dumping/-flashing, also possible w/ cMP, but not under macOS/OSX, since no newer flashing tools for Mac exist. VMs won't work because of missing hardware-access.

I can't examine all bios-versions uploaded at techpowerup, in most cases they differ in memory- and gpu-timings, power-limits, fan-curves,....and perhaps some not documented settings, only the vendor can tell.

@Borowski, Even though you responded first, I just found your answer after responding to others. If I understand this right, I can make my mac boot to the bootscreen and the Startup Disk utility, using the rom that is on my graphics card already, using netkas's script (saving a copy of what I have first), no need to look for a different bios on Techpowerup?

If that is the case, it looks like there might be a decent workaround the Windows machine (important, if true, since I do not have a Windows machine), using a live linux bootable DVD, per @Petri Krohn 's guide.

Guide to Flash XFX Double D HD 7950 Black Edition Card for Mac Pro

How to Atiflash on a Mac Pro without Windows or boot screen Things you need: Mac Pro with PC graphics card installed Live Linux installation DVD USB dongle with Atiflash for Linux There is a version of Atiflash available for Linux (now renamed amdvbflash). The flash tool will not see the PCIe...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[weckart]

Does that mean I can use the bios I have already on my graphics card, and add the EFI to it with Netkas's tool (after backing up my bios)? No need to look for a different bios?

As always, any information you can provide will be appreciated immensely.

It is a matter of narrowing down the available BIOS versions particular to your exact card, taking account of its hardware and seeing what benefits the newer BIOSes have. They may offer nothing in the way of additional functionality but may be more stable or allow the card to run a little cooler.

One other benefit you may find while patching your BIOS with the EFI using Netkas' tool is that some BIOSes cannot be patched for one reason or another. Without going into too much detail, they fail the patching checks. If that happens, you might have the luxury of trying an earlier or later revision of the BIOS for your card and one of those might just be of the right length to allow itself to be patched.

In short, you do not need to get the newest version of the BIOS if your card works perfectly well for you already but it is nice to have the choice and, as said, it might come in handy when patching.

 

[jwilliams1967]

Hi all
I am new to this forum and need your expertise.
I have a Sapphire radeon R9 280X vapour X and have tried several times to flash an efi bios.
I have ready every page of this forum and also read Nektas guides to flashing using his script. I can flash the card but still I am not getting boot screens.
I have attached my rom .If somebody could please help I would be forever grateful.
I know you get pestered all the time for this but I have tried myself many times
Forever grateful

 

[Borowski]

Problem: Your bios has still a second image for GOP-function, which is unknown for the netkas-script.

 

[jwilliams1967]

Try this, done by copy/paste in hexedit. Change extension from .zip to .rom before flashing.

Problem: Your bios has still a second image for GOP-function, which is unknown for the netkas-script.

thankyou so much for your quick response. will try now and report back

 

[jwilliams1967]

I have tried flashing the rom kindly modified by Borowski (big shout out ) but i get no displays at all from any ports?

 

[Borowski]

Try PRAM-reset, avoid usage of adapters and unsupported/hacked operating systems.

How did you re-flash the card?

 

[jwilliams1967]

Ok that may be the clue. Im using patched Sur on a mac pro 5.1 . I flashed the card in dos using ATIflash 2.93. A pram reset did not help .Maybe its because im using patched Sur ? Interestingly I flashed a rom that closely matched my card from netkas forum and it works however i do not get any output from HDMI or One of the two DVI ports which I would expect due to ports not matching . I basically need a rom that will enable HDMI and both DVI ports as wee as Display port. This is why i have been attempting to make my own.

 

[Borowski]

I don't have much experience w/ running macOS on unsupported machines, but you should better leave the rom as is and use OC, which is able to show bootscreens with GOP-equipped cards.

For testing purpose: You can install an untouched, supported OS (Mojave or earlier) e.g. on a second ssd/hdd. I'm sure my modifications will work w/ this card in your machine.

 

[jwilliams1967]

I don't have much experience w/ running macOS on unsupported machines, but you should better leave the rom as is and use OC, which is able to show bootscreens with GOP-equipped cards.

For testing purpose: You can install an untouched, supported OS (Mojave or earlier) e.g. on a second ssd/hdd. I'm sure my modifications will work w/ this card in your machine.

many thanks again . I will install high sierra on another drive and then test the rom you posted. Currently the rom i am using does provide bootscreens but no HDMI or the second DVI and as I use three screens this is an issue.

 

[Borowski]

Some ports won't work after flashing, because no matching frambuffer personality exists for your port-assembly: 2x DVI, DP, HDMI.
This can't be fixed on your card, only way would be modify the framebuffer; you'd better run the factory-rom and get bootscreen w/ Opencore.

Or buy another card w/ matching ports: 2xDP, DVI, HDMI could match the "Futomaki"- or "Hamachi"-framebuffer.

 

[jwilliams1967]

Hi Borowski
thank you for all you help.
I tried to install Opencore but needed to update firmware .I will post here, in as much info as I can so as to help others. (important note: this is information that I have found on the internet so is not my hard work. I will post links where I can)
DO NOT TRY TO INSTALL OPENCORE ON ANY MODIFIED INSTALLERS SUCH AS PATCHED SUR ETC.
Firstly obtain a Copy of Mojave installer. ( this proved easier said than done) easiest way is to go to

GitHub - corpnewt/gibMacOS: Py2/py3 script that can download macOS components direct from Apple

Py2/py3 script that can download macOS components direct from Apple - corpnewt/gibMacOS

github.com

select code and then download zip, extract zip and then copy
gibMacOS.command from the extracted zip to the terminal. this will give you options to download any version of OSX. select Mojave.
wait a while, it may take some time.
Once downloaded create a bootable usb , (use the following link on how to do this)

Create a bootable installer for macOS – Apple Support (UK)

You can use a USB flash drive or other secondary volume as a startup disk from which to install the Mac operating system. These steps are primarily for system administrators and other experienced users who are familiar with entering commands in Terminal.

support.apple.com

Once created boot you Mac Pro to the bootable usb.
Select install Mojave and select disk .
You will be told a firmware update is required . Follow the instructions. At this point the installer will only update the firmware required for Opencore. You will not be installing Mojave so should still be able to boot to the current OS installed after the update. ( Additional step may be required. If you have a patched version installed it may be a good idea to install Mojave as this is the latest natively supported OS for Mac Pro 5.1. Back up files 1st. Actually always a good idea to backup all data before any update).
If you install Opencore successfully you will be able to install any OS in the same way as a supported Mac such as Big Sur. (Another note. Software update may offer you Monterey. Monterey will not install on non genuine hard drives only mac drives so, if like me you have upgraded you drive then Monterey install will fail. There are guides on how to get around available on the web this but its beyond the scope of this article)

go to this site ,read several times and follow the instructions carefully.

Quick guide to installing OpenCore on a Classic Mac Pro (cMP) - The House of Moth

A detailed guide on how to install OpenCore on your Classic Mac Pro. Plain and simple!

thehouseofmoth.com

Once all this is done you will have bootscreens without the need to flash graphics cards, Main advantage is all outputs will work on your card if it is a non reference card i.e 2 DVI ,1 HDMI and one DP.
hope this helps
special thanks go to the good guys in this forum.
All contributors at Github
Netkas as always
The Guys at the house of moth
Without them I would not of had a clue.

 

[frozenuk]

I have a 2006 Mac Pro running Yosemite (thanks Pike!) and now on to "fit and finish" nits to make it work.

I got an MSI R9 280X Gaming 3GB video card, and it worked great out-of-the-box, but I wanted to get boot screens and get it recognized in the PCI section of System Information. I chose this card because it's not too expensive, and clearly others have had good compatibility experiences in Mac Pros with Mavericks and Yosemite.

So, I read the AMD EFI firmware thread on netkas for a general understanding, grabbed Rominator's 7970 EBC firmware, and used them to make my own MSI EBC Mac ROM.

Works. Dive in. The water's fine. Boot screens and all.

Next step: figuring out how to change the "AMD Radeon HD 7970" text string in System Information.

I know this is an old post but I too have the MSI R9 280X - the OC twin FROZR 3gb version.

I got it to replace my existing card that died.... and its EXACTLY the same.

Problem is i flashed that YEARS ago, i found what i thought was a copy of the ROM i had since I know the card worked on CATALINA with boot screens...flashed to this card (brand new) but didnt work and gave me some scrambled screen??

The new card works out the box but NO boot screens.

back to basics to build a new ROM im struggling to get the bundle script to fully work on CATALINA where ONE line of the results code gives me

EFICOMPRESS.macosx: Bad CPU in executable
dd: 7970mac.efi.comp: no such file or directory

I think this is possibly down to JAVA or PYTHON being too new???

Im using my Device ID as 6798 and trying a ROM of 7970.rom (changed to EFI) as I see thats the copy of my card? still same error.

Im stumped now as to the cause and cant get the ROM back off my old card that died...and worked?

Cant anyone point me in the right direct?

Cheers

 

[jwilliams1967]

I know this is an old post but I too have the MSI R9 280X - the OC twin FROZR 3gb version.

I got it to replace my existing card that died.... and its EXACTLY the same.

Problem is i flashed that YEARS ago, i found what i thought was a copy of the ROM i had since I know the card worked on CATALINA with boot screens...flashed to this card (brand new) but didnt work and gave me some scrambled screen??

The new card works out the box but NO boot screens.

back to basics to build a new ROM im struggling to get the bundle script to fully work on CATALINA where ONE line of the results code gives me

EFICOMPRESS.macosx: Bad CPU in executable
dd: 7970mac.efi.comp: no such file or directory

I think this is possibly down to JAVA or PYTHON being too new???

Im using my Device ID as 6798 and trying a ROM of 7970.rom (changed to EFI) as I see thats the copy of my card? still same error.

Im stumped now as to the cause and cant get the ROM back off my old card that died...and worked?

Cant anyone point me in the right direct?

Cheers

Hi Frozen Uk,
You will always have issues with no reference cards and it is really hit and miss regarding outputs. Have you read my post?. After months of build roms and flashing them and not getting all the ports to work I decided to use Opencore. This allowed me to have boot screens and I can also upgrade

 

[jwilliams1967]

Sorry Frozen UK, I had a powercut halfway through replying to you. If you send me your original Rom I will happily create one for you. I cannot guarantee that you will have all outputs, for example, I have a Sapphire Radeon r9 280X vapour X ( the same card as HD7970 just rebranded) and could only get one display port and one DVI port to output a signal (no HDMI or second DVI). This is why I left the card with a stock rom and used Opencore which gives me the bootscreens and also lets me get regular updates using the native mac updater ( even offering me Monterey on a mac pro 5.1). would really recommend opencore . My guide shows you how to do it and it is not too difficult. Up to you my friend. I will help where i can.

P.S if your card has 1 DVI, 1 HDMI and 2 display ports then it is a reference card. Try the attached rom and let me know how you get on.