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LucMac

macrumors member
Dec 17, 2014
43
6
GERMANY
Do NOT do the resistor mod. It's NOT required anymore.

If you want 5GT/s, flash your cMP to 5,1, and upgrade the firmware to 138.0.0.0.0

I did the Resistor removal with your help two years ago. :)
Is the missing resistor a problem now?
I want to update to mojave today.

The R9 280x still fulfill my needs.
 

GrannyWithA50Cal

macrumors newbie
Mar 20, 2019
2
0
Hi!

I can pick up two XFX Radeon HD7950 Black Editions for 125 euro. I want to make sure that these cards are 100% compatible and everything works/should work with Mac OS mojave. And If its compatible with a mac 2.1 aswell.

Kind regards
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,587
Hong Kong
Hi!

I can pick up two XFX Radeon HD7950 Black Editions for 125 euro. I want to make sure that these cards are 100% compatible and everything works/should work with Mac OS mojave. And If its compatible with a mac 2.1 aswell.

Kind regards

It may work, but XFX is the least compatible brand for cMP (especially the 7xxx series).
 
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Kc7gnm

macrumors newbie
Feb 23, 2016
7
27
I have read this whole thread and haven't seen anyone say that the 7950 rom is compatible with the 7970 GPU. I have the XFX Double D HD7970 GPU and need to flash it for a boot screen but am hesitant to use this one if it will bork up my card.
 

StudioT

macrumors newbie
Oct 10, 2018
7
1
I have read this whole thread and haven't seen anyone say that the 7950 rom is compatible with the 7970 GPU. I have the XFX Double D HD7970 GPU and need to flash it for a boot screen but am hesitant to use this one if it will bork up my card.


Don’t! I got a 7970 after I got a 7950. I tried loads of Roms even making one myself and I couldn’t get the Double D HD7970 to work. I even killed it at one point. I had to get a little cable and flash the chip on its own to restore it and that’s not easy.
 

crjackson2134

macrumors 601
Mar 6, 2013
4,847
1,957
Charlotte, NC
I have a flashed XFX 7970 and it’s pretty flawlessly in macOS and WIN10. So yes, it can be flashed with great success. That said, mine is an MVC flashed card not a DIY jobber. Moving forward, I would (and have) invest in an RX580. If you need full pre-boot support (EFI BootPicker), consider that MVC now has the solution. Ask @flowrider how well his works.
 
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flowrider

macrumors 604
Nov 23, 2012
7,321
3,003
^^^^Very well, thank you thumbsup.gif But, does not have the performance of the GTX 1080 Apple forced me to replace thumbsdown.gif

Lou
 
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MIKX

macrumors 68000
Dec 16, 2004
1,815
691
Japan
I have read this whole thread and haven't seen anyone say that the 7950 rom is compatible with the 7970 GPU. I have the XFX Double D HD7970 GPU and need to flash it for a boot screen but am hesitant to use this one if it will bork up my card.
the idea is NOT to use other people's ROMS = asking for trouble - you DUMP the ROM from YOUR XFX 7970 in GPU-z in Windows 7 ( I used Win7 )- put a copy of that ROM IN A SAFE PLACE.

Then you boot back into your cMP to run the the netkas script on a COPY of your DUMPED ROM.
http://forum.netkas.org/index.php/topic,5619.0.html

Read all 40 pages - we all did. There are plenty of examples on the above site.

I flashed my Sapphire Dual-X 7970 & did the 5GT/s mod.

XFX cards are sometimes not AMD reference. Does your XFX have the DUAl Bios switch ? If so set it to position 2 ( while powered off ).
 
Last edited:

Kc7gnm

macrumors newbie
Feb 23, 2016
7
27
the idea is NOT to use other people's ROMS = asking for trouble - you DUMP the ROM from YOUR XFX 7970 in GPU-z in Windows 7 ( I used Win7 )- put a copy of that ROM IN A SAFE PLACE.

Then you boot back into your cMP to run the the netkas script on a COPY of your DUMPED ROM.
http://forum.netkas.org/index.php/topic,5619.0.html

Read all 40 pages - we all did. There are plenty of examples on the above site.

I flashed my Sapphire Dual-X 7970 & did the 5GT/s mod.

XFX cards are sometimes not AMD reference. Does your XFX have the DUAl Bios switch ? If so set it to position 2 ( while powered off ).
Ok I did dump my rom and I did create an EFI Rom based on the Netkas script. I had to do it on my MB Pro but I will try it when I get home tonight. Thanks for the help.

Also for the dual bios switch I don't think it does.
 

MIKX

macrumors 68000
Dec 16, 2004
1,815
691
Japan
Kc7gnm

No DUAL BIOS. Then it is not an AMD "reference " 7970.

I saw a very cheap XFX R9 280X here in Japan last week but also . . no dual BIOS. Didn't buy it even though it should boot ( no EFI ) to Mojave, High Sierra.
 

Kc7gnm

macrumors newbie
Feb 23, 2016
7
27
Ok when I run GPU-z my device ID is 6798. Should I use this instead of 679a as stated in the guide?
 

Drug_Store

macrumors newbie
Mar 26, 2020
16
2
Hi,

Sorry to ressurect this topic, but I would a little help with someone more experienced then me.
Ok, so I´m trying to flash a VTX Radeon HD 7950, and however following all the steps, seems to be missing something.

Did anyone flashed one of these?
The mistake I think I´m doing, it´s that after I run the script in the OSX, I don´t change anything, and go into a windows PC and flash the efi rom file. How you guys edit the file before flash?

Anyway, if anyone had a rom file that had worked on one of these, would save me a "ton" of work, because I don´t use bootcamp, I just use another PC with Windows 10.

Thank you
 

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Drug_Store

macrumors newbie
Mar 26, 2020
16
2
Today I retried the whole process, flashed it. But still nothing.
I attach the original and patched ROM.

Anyone can give me a help?
 

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Endracion

macrumors newbie
May 10, 2020
1
0
If someone has access to a mac and could run the script for me, I'd really appreciate it.
I had everything prepared for this XFX 7950 that I'd like to give to a friend, but I didn't realize the script needed to be run on a real Mac, so I'm stuck at that point.

I'm attaching the BIOS here.
 

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Drug_Store

macrumors newbie
Mar 26, 2020
16
2
If someone has access to a mac and could run the script for me, I'd really appreciate it.
I had everything prepared for this XFX 7950 that I'd like to give to a friend, but I didn't realize the script needed to be run on a real Mac, so I'm stuck at that point.

I'm attaching the BIOS here.
I'm sorry to say, but no one will help you with that. I asked for help on a couple of threads, and nothing.
I advise to do as I did, go to netkas forum, check the whole thread and collect all rom files you can.
Maybe you can find a one already created for your GPU, or as me, I had to try 10 or 15 files, until I found one that actually worked. Most won't flash at all, software will tell you that the file isn't compatible with your GPU ID, some will flash, but won't do anything, others will flash, and cause the Mac Pro to bootloop or black screen (in this case, go back to the windows machine, flash the backup file, and finnaly there will be one that will work as you need. Mine is good and working, boot screen working, OSX see it as HD7950 3Gb Radeon, it's 5 GT/s, the only thing it seems not to be working is the HDMI port, but both mini DP are working.
 

don17sch

macrumors newbie
Jan 5, 2020
9
1
For those having trouble patching their rom. You cannot run this script in Catalina. The script runs some files as 32-bit so you will not have the EFI portion written onto the from file
 

sparky720John

macrumors member
Apr 26, 2020
44
10
Guide to Flash XFX Double D HD 7950 Black Edition Card for Mac Pro
XFX Part #: FX-795A-TDBC

b843.jpg


Things you need:
  • Windows Partition on your Mac Pro or a Windows PC.
  • An OEM EFI card for Boot Screens and Choices (like Ati 5770 in case you’re on a Mac Pro)
  • Bootable DOS USB Dongle
  • EFI Rom from netkas
  • Original Rom from your card
  • AtiFlash to flash the EFI Rom to your card
  • Knowledge and patience.

  1. Hook up your card on your Mac Pro or your PC on a secondary PCI slot.
  2. Start Windows, go here and get TechPowerUp GPU-Z. Install it and run the program. Select the 7950 card from the list on the bottom. Next to Bios Version there is a button that lets you save the current Rom to file. Save it and keep it in place.
  3. If you don’t have access to DOS, go here and download the files, create a bootable USB dongle using the step by step guide in this page.
  4. Go here and download AtiFlash. (I prefer this instead of AtiWinFlash)
  5. Go to netkas forum and download the bundle to convert your original rom to an EFI one so you can get Boot Screens. This is the goal of this guide after all.
    NOTE: netkas has made a misspelling on the card id number, instead of 697a as he has wrote, YOU SHOULD write 679a. I wonder why this isn’t mentioned there already…
  6. Follow the netkas directions to the letter EXCEPT the above noted one. After this process you will have a file that probably will be named as “Tahiti.rom.efi.rom”. (Mine was named like this on this card model).Rename it to “7950.rom” to be readable with full name in DOS.
  7. Plug the Bootable DOS USB Dongle on your Mac Pro running Windows or your PC. Inside the mounted USB Dongle create a folder and name it “AtiFlash”. On this folder put the files from AtiFlash download and the Rom file from the previous step (6).
  8. Reboot and select as Boot device the USB Dongle.
  9. While on DOS, give the following commands:
    cd AtiFlash (this takes you to the folder we will use the program to flash the card)
    atiflash -ai 1 (remember that “1” means the second PCI card, not the main, it’s wise to have only the two graphic cards hooked on your computer. The info you will get MUST write Tahiti as the chip name)
    atiflash -unlockrom 1 , (I suggest you do this because some Bios files are in fact locked and can't be flashed until unlocked, the XFX ones are indeed locked)
    atiflash -f -p 1 7950.rom (this is the flashing process, when it’s done flashing simply CTRL+ALT+DEL to reboot to Windows on your PC or your Mac)
  10. Run TechPowerUp GPU-Z and select the second graphics card, if you see it OK with all the card's info and clock speeds, you’re done it right
  11. Shut down your Mac Pro, unplug the card from PCI slot 3 (probably) and put it in slot 1 after you remove the old OEM you have. In case of Windows PC, shut down, remove the card and put it into your Mac Pro’s PCI Slot 1. In both cases, hook up your monitor to the newly flashed card and enjoy Boot Screens and Correct System Profiler info!



INFO: The card I flashed is this one, you can flash with the same guide all 7950 or 7970 cards I think. I bought the XFX instead of any other brand because of the looks, the reviews I’ve read and the experience I’ve got from this brand. Here is a list of the factory ROMs for this type of cards from XFX at the TechPowerUp website. Make sure to view your card’s model number and the clock speeds before you download any ROM to overclock (if you want) and create a EFI Overclocked ROM to use in your Mac and/or PC. I am attaching the ROM I used to flash my card, the factory clock speeds of my card are: GPU Clock 900 / Memory Clock 1375 so this is the final EFI ROM I’ve flashed on my card. (you can use it if you have the same model and save some time)

PROS: You save money, you get a card fully recognized and functional for your Mac Pro with superior Hardware made by XFX, with great cooling, and low consumption (needs 2x6pin Mini PCIe to PCIe power cables without any internal or external PSU)

CONS: You lose 1 DVI, in my case the card has 2 DVIs and I lost the second one (red color). I don’t mind at all. Total ports in my card are: 2 DVIs, 2 mini DPs and one HDMI. If your card has only 1 DVI, you have to know that this won’t work from now on after the EFI rom is installed on the card.

CREDITS: Thanks and salutes goes to netkas, Rominator and all the websites linked in this guide. Without them, we couldn’t have these amazing cards installed in our Mac Pros.

DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible to any damage you may cause to your computer(s) using this guide, nor any other person or website I’ve provided/linked. You will loose your warranty if you flash your card with any no factory ROM, so BE WARNED! Also make sure to use the DOS commands by letter so you won’t brick your OEM/Factory cards with wrong ROM.

I hope this guide will help many of you who want to upgrade your Graphics Card to something very powerful for our old/classic Mac Pros. If I had it, I could have saved much time last night when I flashed my new XFX 7950 DD Black Edition.
You can see the Mac Pro I own at my signature.

Greetings from Greece and good luck flashing, remember I said that Knowledge and patience is one of the things required but never mentioned on this guide so far, now you need’em ;)

-VAG.

EDIT: Added a screenshot by System Profiler

Im sorry to resurrect a long ago post here, i am confused as to the proper procedure.

i have downloaded everything in the post and have used the TechGPU-Z got the info i need for the file made a backup of the rom for the gpu and saved it all of this has been done with my mac pro booted into windows 7

now is where I'm confused, if I'm suppose to follow the Netkas post to the letter changing my card id to 679a
am i running these commands from terminal or can all of this be accomplished in Windows, and is this not the same file I created when i backup the original rom in step 2?

Sorry I'm just trying to get my mac pro 3,1 with the radeon HD7970 black edition to flash with the EFI so i can get my boot screens back and be able to use it like originally with the original card.

Thanks to everyone thats already made this possible to do much appreciated.
 

don17sch

macrumors newbie
Jan 5, 2020
9
1
Im sorry to resurrect a long ago post here, i am confused as to the proper procedure.

i have downloaded everything in the post and have used the TechGPU-Z got the info i need for the file made a backup of the rom for the gpu and saved it all of this has been done with my mac pro booted into windows 7

now is where I'm confused, if I'm suppose to follow the Netkas post to the letter changing my card id to 679a
am i running these commands from terminal or can all of this be accomplished in Windows, and is this not the same file I created when i backup the original rom in step 2?

Sorry I'm just trying to get my mac pro 3,1 with the radeon HD7970 black edition to flash with the EFI so i can get my boot screens back and be able to use it like originally with the original card.

Thanks to everyone thats already made this possible to do much appreciated.


You need to run the script in Mac OS. it will not run in Windows.

Also if you are flashing a 7970 then you need to go to "about this mac" -> "System report" -> "Video Card" and make note of the model number. The model number shown here is only for the 7950, not the 7970.

Once you have the model number you can run the script using the rom file that you acquired with GPU-Z
 
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