First of all, I'd like to thank everyone contributing to this thread, and especially MikeyN, nsgr and AppleMacFinder. You guys rock! I was able to give my mbp 15 early 2011 second life following your instructions. Now running on the latest High Sierra with security udpates installed and no sleep/wake or shutdown problems. I had issues with sleep/wake and turning off the machine while running on the batteries, but redoing the SMC reset and setting nvram variables again made all of it go away. It is fully functioning working machine now! Except, I no longer use Thunderbolt port.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
MBP 1,1-10,2 Force 2011 MacBook Pro 8,2 with failed AMD GPU to ALWAYS use Intel integrated GPU (EFI variable fix)
- Thread starter AppleMacFinder
- WikiPost WikiPost
- Start date
-
- Tags
- a1286 amd black screen blue and black screen discrete graphics dmg dmg files gfxcardstatus glitching gpu failure gpu panic gpu switch graphic card hardware fault hardware issue logic board failure macbook pro "15 2011 macbook pro (15-inch early 2011) macbook pro 2011 radeongate restart loop white screen
- Sort by reaction score
- Status
MAJOR UPDATE NEWS
It now works almost perfectly. Many thanks for all the help - but this site -
properly !Sounds good! But what about the earlier mentioned issues like not working brightness keys and sleep?
A big thank you to AppleMacFinder and other contributors. My Late 2011 MBP was dead. This brought back it to Life. Happy.
Hey guys,
I would like to thank you all for this topic.
My mob was dead 5 months ago... I was thinking of throwing away, then I found this amazing topic.
I did some inputs from first page (nvram input, nvram boot-args and cs rutile.... then, I did this quote.
My only doubt is: every time I restart the computer, aways came a blacks screen with a lot of texts.... its normal? Or Im missing something?
(sorry my English, I'm Brazilian)
This is because of the boot args=“-v”, which stands for “verbose”.
You can remove the “-v”, so reboot is ‘cleaner’.
Macbook Pro Early 2011 - AMD GPU Radeon HD 6750M - Mobile.
AMD GPU Radeon HD 6750 = 3 ports (1 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort and 1 x DVI).
AMD GPU Radeon HD 6770 = 3 or 4 ports.
I tested some AMD6000Controller.kext settings and maybe it will help somebody who has black screen problem for Sleep.
/System/Library/Extensions/AMD6000Controller.kext/Contents/Info.plist
CFG_FB_LIMIT = Config FrameBuffer Limit
CFG_FB_LIMIT=0 - may mean Automatic Mode. Original value Info.plist file. Power off AMD GPU after load AMDRadeonX3000.kext by LoginHook.
CFG_FB_LIMIT=1 - do not power off AMD GPU after load AMDRadeonX3000.kext by LoginHook.
CFG_FB_LIMIT=2 - do not power off AMD GPU after load AMDRadeonX3000.kext by LoginHook.
CFG_FB_LIMIT=3 - Yes, power off AMD GPU after load AMDRadeonX3000.kext by LoginHook.
AMD6000Controller and AMDRadeonX3000.kext are connected to AppleMuxControl.kext.
Inside AppleMuxControl.kext (Info.plist) - > IOKitPersonalities -> AppleMuxControl -> Config2:
NumberFramebuffers0 = 1 (Intel GPU)
NumberFramebuffers1 = 3 (AMD GPU)
From what I read on the Internet, the number using CFG_FB_LIMIT is related to the number of ports (HDMI, DVI, etc) of the AMD GPU.
1 - gpu-power-prefs to Intel GPU.
2 - Disable SIP - boot in Recovery Mode - press Command + R keys at boot.
3 - Boot in Single User Mode - press Command + S keys at boot.
4 - Verify filesystem
5 - Mount filesystem with Read and Write permissions. Do not forget final Slash "/" .
6 - Use nano editor:
IOKitPersonalities -> Controller -> aty_config -> CFG_FB_LIMIT
Original:
CFG_FB_LIMIT=0
Modify:
CFG_FB_LIMIT=3
<key>CFG_FB_LIMIT</key><integer>0</integer>
To:
<key>CFG_FB_LIMIT</key><integer>3</integer>
7 - Press CTRL + X keys to exit.
Press the Y key to confirm that you want to change the Info.plist file.
Press ENTER to change the Info.plist file and exit nano editor.
8 - Use touch command and change timestamp /System/Library/Extensions .
9 - Rebuild PrelinkedKernel file with kextcache command. Use ls command to list your MacOS system partition. In my example is /Volumes/MacOS
10 - Reboot Macbook Pro 2011 and boot normal.
11 - Finder -> Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal
See if CFG_FB_LIMIT=3 .
12 - Everything is OK? Enable SIP again but remember that you have modified a KEXT. So now you have to partially enable SIP to allow modified KEXTS.
Boot Recovery Mode - press Command + R at boot
Menu Utilities -> Terminal:
References:
Enabling parts of System Integrity Protection while disabling specific parts?
https://forums.developer.apple.com/thread/17452
GUIDE TO FIXING BROKEN SLEEP IN HIGH SIERRA 10.13.2 FOR AMD RX 560, RX 570, RX 580
https://hackintosher.com/guides/gui...high-sierra-10-13-2-amd-rx-560-rx-570-rx-580/
https://www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/7lwg5b/infoplist_clover_patch/
https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/330353-macos-10132-update-is-out/?page=4
XFX Radeon HD 6750 DirectX 11 HD-675X-ZDFR 1GB 128-Bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.1 Video Card
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150684
AMD GPU Radeon HD 6750 = 3 ports (1 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort and 1 x DVI).
AMD GPU Radeon HD 6770 = 3 or 4 ports.
I tested some AMD6000Controller.kext settings and maybe it will help somebody who has black screen problem for Sleep.
/System/Library/Extensions/AMD6000Controller.kext/Contents/Info.plist
CFG_FB_LIMIT = Config FrameBuffer Limit
CFG_FB_LIMIT=0 - may mean Automatic Mode. Original value Info.plist file. Power off AMD GPU after load AMDRadeonX3000.kext by LoginHook.
CFG_FB_LIMIT=1 - do not power off AMD GPU after load AMDRadeonX3000.kext by LoginHook.
CFG_FB_LIMIT=2 - do not power off AMD GPU after load AMDRadeonX3000.kext by LoginHook.
CFG_FB_LIMIT=3 - Yes, power off AMD GPU after load AMDRadeonX3000.kext by LoginHook.
AMD6000Controller and AMDRadeonX3000.kext are connected to AppleMuxControl.kext.
Inside AppleMuxControl.kext (Info.plist) - > IOKitPersonalities -> AppleMuxControl -> Config2:
NumberFramebuffers0 = 1 (Intel GPU)
NumberFramebuffers1 = 3 (AMD GPU)
From what I read on the Internet, the number using CFG_FB_LIMIT is related to the number of ports (HDMI, DVI, etc) of the AMD GPU.
1 - gpu-power-prefs to Intel GPU.
2 - Disable SIP - boot in Recovery Mode - press Command + R keys at boot.
Code:
csrutil disable
reboot3 - Boot in Single User Mode - press Command + S keys at boot.
4 - Verify filesystem
Code:
fsck -fy5 - Mount filesystem with Read and Write permissions. Do not forget final Slash "/" .
Code:
mount -uw /6 - Use nano editor:
Code:
nano /System/Library/Extensions/AMD6000Controller.kext/Contents/Info.plistIOKitPersonalities -> Controller -> aty_config -> CFG_FB_LIMIT
Original:
CFG_FB_LIMIT=0
Modify:
CFG_FB_LIMIT=3
<key>CFG_FB_LIMIT</key><integer>0</integer>
To:
<key>CFG_FB_LIMIT</key><integer>3</integer>
7 - Press CTRL + X keys to exit.
Press the Y key to confirm that you want to change the Info.plist file.
Press ENTER to change the Info.plist file and exit nano editor.
8 - Use touch command and change timestamp /System/Library/Extensions .
Code:
touch /System/Library/Extensions9 - Rebuild PrelinkedKernel file with kextcache command. Use ls command to list your MacOS system partition. In my example is /Volumes/MacOS
Code:
ls /Volumes/
MacOS
kextcache -v 1 -u /Volumes/MacOS10 - Reboot Macbook Pro 2011 and boot normal.
11 - Finder -> Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal
See if CFG_FB_LIMIT=3 .
Code:
ioreg -lw0 | grep -i CFG_FB_LIMIT
| | | | | "CFG_FB_LIMIT" = 3
| | | | | "aty_config" = {"CFG_NO_HDCP"=No,"CFG_INTERNAL_1080P"=Yes,"CFG_CAIL_CAPS"=0,"CFG_NO_PP"=No,"CFG_CAA"=0,"CFG_INT_SSPC"=25,"DALUseUrgencyWaterMarkOffset"=0,"CFG_USE_STUTTER"=No,"CFG_GEN_FLAGS"=0,"CFG_GRPH_CONTROL_DIS"=40964,"CFG_SURFACE_INFO_DIS"=1703936,"CFG_USE_FBC"=No,"CFG_FB_LIMIT"=3,"DALReadDelayStutterOff"=4}12 - Everything is OK? Enable SIP again but remember that you have modified a KEXT. So now you have to partially enable SIP to allow modified KEXTS.
Boot Recovery Mode - press Command + R at boot
Menu Utilities -> Terminal:
Code:
csrutil enable --without kext
rebootReferences:
Enabling parts of System Integrity Protection while disabling specific parts?
https://forums.developer.apple.com/thread/17452
GUIDE TO FIXING BROKEN SLEEP IN HIGH SIERRA 10.13.2 FOR AMD RX 560, RX 570, RX 580
https://hackintosher.com/guides/gui...high-sierra-10-13-2-amd-rx-560-rx-570-rx-580/
https://www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/7lwg5b/infoplist_clover_patch/
https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/330353-macos-10132-update-is-out/?page=4
XFX Radeon HD 6750 DirectX 11 HD-675X-ZDFR 1GB 128-Bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.1 Video Card
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150684
Last edited:
@nsgr Amazing work!! This is the first time I see a real potential solution to the sleep/wake problems in El Capitan. I was under the impression that one could NOT modify and execute Kexts without them being signed, so I guess I was mistaken. Thank you so much for finding and posting this gem @nsgr !! CFG_FB_LIMIT=3 Here I go!
I can’t seem to load my usb drive, I have the Mac OS installer cd inserted and already downloaded the thing into my usb fingerdrive but it’s not letting me load the iso file in it.
I’m not seeing the EFI thingy.
[doublepost=1552258589][/doublepost]How do I get to the EFI part? I already downloaded the file to my USB flash drive, but my MBP is not detecting the USB, therefore no EFI.
[doublepost=1552258779][/doublepost]I’m getting this after clicking on the Mac OS installer icon.
[doublepost=1552258589][/doublepost]How do I get to the EFI part? I already downloaded the file to my USB flash drive, but my MBP is not detecting the USB, therefore no EFI.
[doublepost=1552258779][/doublepost]I’m getting this after clicking on the Mac OS installer icon.
Attachments
Last edited:
How and where do you get the MAC OS Installer into a USB Flash Drive? I have the original CD's it came with my MBP, but how do I get it into my 32GB flash drive?
I have a MacBook Pro 15 inch (Early 2011 MacBookPro8,2), with a AMD Radeon HD6490M.
With lower OSX versions I maybe had every week the problem getting a wake from sleep, but with 10.13.6 this was at least every day.
So I'm very interested in CFG_FB_LIMIT setting, although I have a different GPU AMD Radeon HD6490M.
CFG_FB_LIMIT showed 0
Latest 10.13.6, so without the Single User Mode.
Sip already disabled.
Luckily I have on the second HD a extra 10.13.3 installation.
My HD is called MacBook.
I had to change the path to full path and add "sudo" in front of the code:
sudo nano /Volumes/MacBook/System/Library/Extensions/AMD6000Controller.kext/Contents/Info.plist
CFG_FB_LIMIT was "0" and I changed it to "3".
sudo touch /Volumes/MacBook/System/Library/Extensions
sudo kextcache -v 1 -u /Volumes/MacOS
After reboot, checked in Terminal: "ioreg -lw0 | grep -i CFG_FB_LIMIT", shows "3", so everything seems successful.
Maybe too early, but for four days now, no single issue with waking the laptop!
Last edited:
Don't use a cd but an usb-drive. Here are better instructions to make one.
First download the latest version of "Install Disk Creator":
https://macdaddy.io/install-disk-creator/
Then download MacOS Downloader.zip: http://dosdude1.com/apps/macOS Downloader.zip
Open the app and save the macOS to a big enough volume (more than 5 GB free)
This creates the MacOS installation app you need later.
Have a usb-drive of 8G or more ready (will be formatted).
Open "Install Disk Creator", select the usb-drive, select the installation app created by MacOS Downloader app.
Creating the bootable drive will take 10-20 minutes, wait until the ready message appears.
Now you should be able to select the usb-drive while holding the option-key when restarting.
I made this account just to thank you for your amazing work. My MacBook Pro had been dead for 6 months, and now it has come back to life thanks to you. I am very grateful.
That is quite the interesting find.
I wonder if there would be a way to have this info-plist changed and load with full SIP enabled?
But how to do that?
Some trustworthy soul upload those kexts somewhere, signed with a valid certificate?
Change another NVRAM variable?
Supply this enforcement via a bootloader?
Change at regular boot?
Change at load?
Change at runtime?
I think Apple would not allow an independent developer to create a certificate (Apple Developer account) for an AMD / Nvidia kext. Maybe a "miracle" will happen (Tim Cook woke up in a good mood).
nvram="agc=0" worked fine for kextload AMDRadeonX3000.kext on boot (Sierra first release). So Apple changed AppleMuxControl.kext with "AGC: booted to IG, policy disabled !!".
If I'm not mistaken, Apple changed that in the first Sierra update. IG=Integrated Graphics/Intel GPU.
In addition to having an AMD GPU with problems, then comes Apple and makes the situation worse.
It is a "coincidence" that Apple has purposely changed the AppleMuxControl.kext after I disclosed this information - Page 9 - #203
The AMDRadeonX4000.kext has in the binary file "-amd_no_dgpu_accel" to be inserted into the nvram boot-args="-amd_no_dgpu_accel". But Apple does not want to put this option to AMDRadeonX3000.kext.
The person able to make a "bypass" in the SIP, then soon as this person release this information openly, then Apple will do an update to fix this and we will have the problem again.
I ran "AGDCDiagnose -a" and saw that it had "gmux -> GPUPowerDown: on".
So "nvram boot-args="agc=3" means that the "GPUPowerDown = Off". It is a rule that does not allow power off the AMD GPU.
That's why a user reported this agc=3 when they replaced the AMD GPU in an Apple technical assistance. The Apple technician wanted to do a "stress" on the AMD GPU and to keep the AMD GPU always ON with the agc=3.
https://forums.developer.apple.com/thread/23504
The possible sequence would be - GPUPowerDown rule inside IOAcceleratorFamily2.kext:
kextload AMDRadeonX3000.kext -> AppleMuxControl.kext -> IOAcceleratorFamily2.kext:
1 - if nvram boot-args="agc=0 or 9, 10, etc." then PowerOff (rule) GPU AMD allowed.
2 - if nvram boot-args="agc=1 or 2, 3, 4,. .. 8 "then PowerOff (rule) AMD GPU is not allowed.
Code:
ioreg -lw0 | grep -i AGCInfo
| | | | "AGCInfo" = {"fBusyCount"=0,"poweredOffByAGC"=Yes,"fSubmissionsSinceLastCheck"=0,"fLastSubmissionPID"=0}AGCInfo is inside /System/Library/Extensions/IOAcceleratorFamily2.kext/Contents/MacOS/IOAcceleratorFamily2
I noticed that when the AMDRadeonX3000.kext is not loaded, then in IstatMenu it gets "GPU VCore = 0.91 Volts / GPU Core = 0A (maybe Ampere)". GPU Core = AMD GPU.
After kextload AMDRadeonX3000.kext -> "GPU VCore = 0 Volts / GPU Core = 0A".
I think it would be good to test something in the sense of undervolting AMD GPU (AMD6000Controller.kext) and not loading AMDRadeonX3000.kext .
Only load AMD6000Controller.kext, AMDLegacyFrameBuffer.kext, AMDLegacySupport.kext, AMDFrameBuffer.kext and AMDSupport.kext.
Caution: The VGTab app has no open source code. Do not use this VGTab directly on your Mac OS. If you want to test, then install Mac OS on a virtual machine (Virtualbox, VMware) and test.
There is the VGTab app for GPU AMD Vega. It changes the AMD9000Controler.kext and does undervolt, overclock, etc.
The test would see what the VGTab app changes on the AMD9000Controller.kext (Info.Plist) when doing an undervolt or underclock.
Then see if the PP or CFG options within Info.Plist are compatible with the Radeon HD 6XXX of Macbook Pro 2011.
Underclocking the Nvidia GPU is much simpler in Mac OS. AMD makes it even harder for Mac OS.
On Windows you have Catalyst and MSI Afterburner and on Linux the Catalyst. The Catalyst Control Center is made by AMD itself. AMD "forgot" to make a version for Mac OS.
On Linux it's easy to turn off the AMD GPU of Macbook Pro 2011.
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2322898
VGTab app 1
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...a-in-macos-without-flashing-the-vbios.268965/
VGTab app 2
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...vega-power-and-fan-control-properties.267519/
https://www.amd.com/en/support/kb/release-notes/rn-rad-lin-15-9
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Hybrid_graphics
https://gist.github.com/viniciusban/6917701
Radeon DPM
https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=search&q=Radeon+DPM
Hello. Just made this account to say thank you to the contributors (AppleMacFinder and MikeyN in particular) to this thread and i guess to recap for myself. i was gifted a 2011 15" mbp with a broken amd gpu and i'm sooooooooo happy. managed to get high sierra installed and followed most of the instructions in the first post (arch linux) and right now, the system is stable and running fairly well on the integrated gpu. i also moved all AMD kexts out and into a separate folder as instructed.
i read a few pages back i should probably have only moved the one x300 kext and not all amd kexts, huh? Would this solve my sleep issues or just the brightness adjustment?
remaining issues:
closing lid does not sleep. hot corner turns off display, so that's nice. i have not yet tried the suggestions in post 1425, 1066, and 1243.
brightness cannot be controlled by keyboard buttons.
temperatures spike and dip a lot. i suppose i should do the repaste. but is this because i havent disabled the resistor 8911?
i assume mojave is not recommended at this time, and Sierra is the best case, since it'll have brightness and sleep fixed?
Have a great weekend, everyone!
i read a few pages back i should probably have only moved the one x300 kext and not all amd kexts, huh? Would this solve my sleep issues or just the brightness adjustment?
remaining issues:
closing lid does not sleep. hot corner turns off display, so that's nice. i have not yet tried the suggestions in post 1425, 1066, and 1243.
brightness cannot be controlled by keyboard buttons.
temperatures spike and dip a lot. i suppose i should do the repaste. but is this because i havent disabled the resistor 8911?
i assume mojave is not recommended at this time, and Sierra is the best case, since it'll have brightness and sleep fixed?
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Neither.
Having all AMD kexts loaded at boot, except X3000 which has to be loaded later, allows for better thermal management and battery life.
"Repaste" means thermal grease? Then you can try that, but you probably do not have to. First make sure that the AMD kexts are in the recommended locations and loaded in the proper way (ie X3000 delayed). Thermal compound replacement means a lot of unscrewing components without screwing them up and can only lower the temp for very few degrees. Proper AMD kext management drops more °Cs on unaltered hardware. Of course, a combination might achieve even more. But keep in mind that Apple doesn't use "optimal" thermal compound, just "good enough". And good enough is really that: "good enough". As the MBP was probably repaired once or twice already it means the thermal compound isn't even that old to begin with.
Be careful with that resistor option. That might be nice but is an incomplete solution. It depends on the nvram-variable being present. Clearing nvram then means trouble. You'd need either a way to re-enable the variable without internal screen (eg ssh) or the full wiring solution (neatly sold in a package by dosdude1 http://dosdude1.com/resources.html, search this forum for experience with that)
The easiest way to avoid sleep trouble is to avoid lid-close-sleep. That works for me for a while but then it doesn't. What does seem to work: wait for software induced sleep to be fully active (eg key-combo or AppleMenu, fans off but sleep light indicator pulsing). Also: try to avoid sleep with Thunderbolt peripherals attached. Watching for both, sleep and more important waking up again is very reliable.
Mojave isn't really worth it on this unsupported machine.
This fix sends to temporarily work for me but after a few minutes my MBP restarts itself. Any ideas why this may be?
Wait I think so far, the only thing i've done is remove all the AMD kexts out of the boot cycle. I'll go ahead and put them all back, except that one x3000 kext, but how do i make it load later? which thread is that one in this forum? is that in post 875, 1425, 1066, or 1243? thank you for the reminder on the thermal paste, but i think this machine has never been repaired due to the faulty dgpu yet. i'll have to clarify with my coworker.
Thank you for the resistor option warning. i dont really want to go down that route.
My machine doesnt really sleep. i set up a hot corner for it to turn off the display but the light indicator doesnt 'breath' like i believe it is supposed to when in sleep mode. it also still gets really hot/warmed up when it's supposed to be asleep, but i think it's only the display that's turned off. i have tried once, where i used sleep mode from the applemenu, and the lcd backlight of course, refused to turn back on on. i could see the os and everything in the lcd, but the backlight just didnt wake back up along with the rest of the machine. right, i dont have any thunderbolt ports so that's not a bother right now.
i've seen the dying light mod. pretty cool. but a bit beyond my abilities with a soldering iron. thats a darn good price for a mod that helps this community though.
i'll pass on mojave if so then.
Message #875, after the text:
But the system doesn't know how to power-management the failed AMD-chip. For that you have to either manually load the kext after boot by:
sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext
Automate this with the following LoginHook:
[...]
So follow the intructions exactly.
Doh! my reading comprehension isnt the best, i see. thank you. will work on it.
Last edited:
Hey @nsgr!!!
Really great post! can you tell if it's really working and you don't have any more black screens when you wake up?