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Frequently Asked Questions About NVIDIA PC (non-EFI) Graphics Cards
- Thread starter Asgorath
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Lets say, for example, you have OS X 10.11.4 installed on two drives.
1. You upgrade to 10.11.5 in the first drive.
2. Reboot in to drive two (10.11.4).
3. When you launch the Nvidia web drivers associated with 10.11.5 (so you can install it on to the first drive), you will be presented with a message that this version of the web drivers is not compatible with this version of OS X.
1. You upgrade to 10.11.5 in the first drive.
2. Reboot in to drive two (10.11.4).
3. When you launch the Nvidia web drivers associated with 10.11.5 (so you can install it on to the first drive), you will be presented with a message that this version of the web drivers is not compatible with this version of OS X.
How would you do this step? Personally, I wouldn't know how to update the drivers on an OS that wasn't the one I booted from.
I thought someone mentioned the "hardware check" was removed; or is that something altogether different?
I could be totally wrong here, but once you install the update to the system on the main drive, before you restart, couldn't you go into startup disk to select the second drive and reboot from there? The question is then once you boot into that system, could you run the web driver installer on the primary drive?
I don't know if there's any hardware check on the installer, but it checks your version of OS X. It only lets you install versions of their driver on versions of OS X they are associated with.
For example, if you are running OS X 10.11.4, it will only allow you to install the web driver meant for 10.11.4. Try installing the drivers meant for 10.11.5 and it will throw that message at you.
I have a Mac Pro 3,1 and just swapped my NVIDIA 8800GT Mac Pro edition (EFI) with a PC based NVIDIA GTX950 so I can enjoy 3440x1440 resolution. It works a treat. Naturally, I don't get the boot screens. To that end, I was wondering whether I can put the NVIDIA 8800GT back into Mac Pro into the 2nd slot and run it in parallel to my GTX950? The reason being, I can then get full boot screen access off that card, plus handle any OSX updates where I need to install / update the NVIDIA web driver. Thoughts?
I would keep the 8800GT on the shelf & only put it in if you actually require it. Otherwise you are just adding noise & heat with no benefit 99% of the time.
How much *C would that differ when installing both cars? I have GTX-670 in slot#1 and an ATI 2600HD MAC EFI in slot#3. I can't do without the boot/maintenance screens!
EDIT:
2 workflow monitors att to the GTX
1 dedicated monitor att to the ATI for maintenance/backup apps.
Care to share your insight wit me? TIA
Cheers
I have no idea. I had a GTX570 & ATI 2600HD for the boot screen & took out the 2600HD so it was quieter. On the very occasional time I needed to see the boot screen I put the ATI 2600HD back in then took it out again afterwards.
I don't know why you can't do without the boot/maintenance screens as if it's a regular thing. I rarely boot my Mac Pro just let it sleep & even when I do boot it I only once in a blue moon need to access the boot options menu.
I now have a flashed GTX680 with a boot screen so don't need the ATI 2600HD.
if your only using 1 card then having a second one will draw more power and generate heat, the temp will be about the same but the fans may speed up. (+extra nose from extra fans in gpu)
I have my GT120 in a box and only stick it in when needed. (not often)
Iv been looking at gtx 680/770 and found this one https://www.gumtree.com/p/video-cards-sound-cards/gtx-770-2gb-/1171847808 do you think it will be ok or draw to much power ?
looks like it has two 8 pin plugs so is that to much ?
I have my GT120 in a box and only stick it in when needed. (not often)
Iv been looking at gtx 680/770 and found this one https://www.gumtree.com/p/video-cards-sound-cards/gtx-770-2gb-/1171847808 do you think it will be ok or draw to much power ?
looks like it has two 8 pin plugs so is that to much ?
Two 8-pin plugs is a definite 'No No'. With one 8-pin plug you can use an 6-pin adaptor as it's unlikely that the card will ever draw the fun power but two 8-pin plugs implies that the card is very power hungry.
Why not go for this GTX680? It's an EVGA reference design & under £100 & you can flash it yourself for a boot screen http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EVGA-GeFo...364922?hash=item3d1d2b09fa:g:Q4wAAOSwve5XOOYZ
Wow lots of threads to read on this stuff. I am hoping someone can confirm i have it straight:
I have a Mac Pro 1,1. I am going to upgrade it to quad-core 5355s ["SLAEG"] and flash it to "Mac Pro 2,1". I have a PC GTX 670.
My questions are, for anyone so inclined to indulge me, are:
1 - the hardware (Pro 1,1 + 670) should work under El Cap and maybe Sierra going forward (with the necessary boot file modifications)?
2 -- the 670 is safely and easily flashable to mac/EFI format? Or not worth the risk/bother - just live without boot screen?
I have a Mac Pro 1,1. I am going to upgrade it to quad-core 5355s ["SLAEG"] and flash it to "Mac Pro 2,1". I have a PC GTX 670.
My questions are, for anyone so inclined to indulge me, are:
1 - the hardware (Pro 1,1 + 670) should work under El Cap and maybe Sierra going forward (with the necessary boot file modifications)?
2 -- the 670 is safely and easily flashable to mac/EFI format? Or not worth the risk/bother - just live without boot screen?
I don't think there's a 670 EFI, but it doesn't really matter even if there is. The Nvidia EFI for newer cards is 64-bit only so you won't get boot screens on a 1,1 or 2,1 anyway. I think for Nvidia you have to go all the way back to the 8800GT for one that will work with a 1,1/2,1 but that's a really old card and I wouldn't recommend it.
you dont need to flash the gtx 670 just stick it in.
keep your old card if you can in case you ever need to troubleshoot. i use a GTX 660 at the mo with no problems, no boot screen but you dont need it and with an SSD you dont have to wait long to boot (even when i was booting from a WD black it was still fairly fast)
you will need to get mac pro friendly power cables for it if you dont have them
keep your old card if you can in case you ever need to troubleshoot. i use a GTX 660 at the mo with no problems, no boot screen but you dont need it and with an SSD you dont have to wait long to boot (even when i was booting from a WD black it was still fairly fast)
you will need to get mac pro friendly power cables for it if you dont have them
Hello how was your fan speed gtx960 10.11.5 (In bay1?)
I have a mac pro 4.1 to 5.1 6core and need a better card than gt120 what to buy like 950 or 960 bud not noise
Sorry to be a rather dim old timer! I have a MacPro 4.1 on OSX 10.10.5 , fitted with both a GTX 570 2.5GB (EFI modded) and a standard PC GT 640.
Everything works fine EXCEPT I cannot get the system to recognise the 570 for OpenCL support. I read about the issues in the FAQ but to me it is still not clear if I need the mod to the system OpenCL file. If I do - can anybody link me to the required byte changes for Yosemite?
If I don't need the mod, can anybody suggest why the 570 is not being accepted?
CUDA is working fine on the 570 and OpenCL support is on the GT 640.
I've tried both the Yosemite and the Web Nvidia drivers.
Perplexed!
Everything works fine EXCEPT I cannot get the system to recognise the 570 for OpenCL support. I read about the issues in the FAQ but to me it is still not clear if I need the mod to the system OpenCL file. If I do - can anybody link me to the required byte changes for Yosemite?
If I don't need the mod, can anybody suggest why the 570 is not being accepted?
CUDA is working fine on the 570 and OpenCL support is on the GT 640.
I've tried both the Yosemite and the Web Nvidia drivers.
Perplexed!
So question for the experts in this thread. I picked up a reference GTX 980 at a firesale price for my 2009 Mac Pro, but obviously lost the boot screen as a result. Otherwise though once the nVidia Web Drivers were installed, the system has been running fine, and gaming performance in the few Blizzard and Valve games I play has been great/what I'd expect.
I went and installed the stock GT 120 back in so that I could have the Bootscreen, figuring that once I install Windows for Bootcamp gaming, I could simply disable the GT 120 in Device Manager and use solely the GTX 980 in Windows.
Before I could get that far though, I realized that after installing the GT 120, game performance in OS X is absolutely horrible now, with the typical frame rates having dropped from typically 80 - 100 fps to now 15 - 20 in most games. For reference, I have the GT 120 installed on a separate display from the GTX 980, and the low fps is on the monitor that the 980 is connected to.
I took the GT 120 out, and gaming performance went back to how it had been prior. So I wanted to come here to find out what might be causing the drop in fps?
I went and installed the stock GT 120 back in so that I could have the Bootscreen, figuring that once I install Windows for Bootcamp gaming, I could simply disable the GT 120 in Device Manager and use solely the GTX 980 in Windows.
Before I could get that far though, I realized that after installing the GT 120, game performance in OS X is absolutely horrible now, with the typical frame rates having dropped from typically 80 - 100 fps to now 15 - 20 in most games. For reference, I have the GT 120 installed on a separate display from the GTX 980, and the low fps is on the monitor that the 980 is connected to.
I took the GT 120 out, and gaming performance went back to how it had been prior. So I wanted to come here to find out what might be causing the drop in fps?
because your game is ruining on the GT 120 not the GTX 980.
the game running on the primary display will be used for you game ie the display that displays the boot screen.
Id pull the GT 120 and only put it in when you need it for troubleshooting (or if you have to just leave it in with no displays plugged in and only plug a display in when needed. (id not do that as it's just going to make heat/sound and use up power doing not much).
why did you want boot screen? maybe it's something we can help with.
the game running on the primary display will be used for you game ie the display that displays the boot screen.
Id pull the GT 120 and only put it in when you need it for troubleshooting (or if you have to just leave it in with no displays plugged in and only plug a display in when needed. (id not do that as it's just going to make heat/sound and use up power doing not much).
why did you want boot screen? maybe it's something we can help with.
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