Mac Pro 2009, I need a Metal supported GPU, 680 or 780?

[DIY_glenn]

Hi!

Short version:
I need a GPU which supports metal for my 5.1 flashed Mac Pro 2009. Would GTX 680/780 be possible?

I'd like to flash to Mac EFI as well. My GT120 might not last much longer it seems, and I'd need it to be fully compatible.

Long version:

I got a 2009 Mac Pro for free a few years back which has been sitting in storage since, as I have a 2008 Pro with GTX 285 which has been serving me well.
The 2009 Mac Pro only had 3GB of RAM and the cheapest Xeon CPU (quad 2.66) and no Wifi, but recently I discovered that it is identical with the 2010 board, and therefore tried the 5.1 flash; 10 minutes later I had a Mac Pro 2010, and 30 minutes after that again - High Sierra instead of El Capitan.

So I'm ordering a X5690 (single GPU tray), and I've already upgraded to 16GB RAM, and I also want a GPU for it, so I can support Mojave.

There's a lot of GTX 680's for sale. I found one called "Classified" with 4GB RAM for approx $50 which seems like a decent price (2GB's are more expensive...).
There are also 780's with 3GB(?) that cost around $80, which is also fine.

Searching around I can't seem to find a EFI firmware for the 780, but there seems to be one for GTX 680?
Especially this thread seems promising, but I can see some that have problems with the firmware and newer OS X versions...?

1. Does it support Metal?

2. Is a firmware for 780 available?

3. Is a firmware for 680 4GB "Classified" available? (what is Classified anyways?)

4. Do I need to replace the ROM chip like I had to with my 2008's GTX 285?

Thanks!

Update:
The 4GB classified version is gone... But there are a bunch of different 680’s and 780’s at roughly the same price ($50-$100).

Would appreciate ant thoughts on the matter. I love the cMP, and it would be great to be on Mojave rather than El Capitan, and single 6 core HT rather than dual quad core (less heat/noise).

 

[bsbeamer]

There are MANY threads about this same topic... have you read or followed any of them?

The EVGA GTX 680 Mac Edition 2GB was the last officially released NVIDIA card for Mac with EFI. You will not find officially available newer cards. There are others sold that have been flashed, but you will not be able to do that yourself.

Currently Apple is recommending two GPUs for Mojave beta - MSI Gaming Radeon RX 560 and Sapphire Radeon PULSE RX 580:
https://support.apple.com/macos/mojave

If you do not use CUDA, get one of those GPUs since they are likely to be "officially" supported in some capacity. Many other RX 580's work. Several other RX 560's work.

Search for the forum for more info, including reading through this thread:
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...cs-cards-will-run-macos-10-14-mojave.2121475/

 

[DIY_glenn]

There are MANY threads about this same topic... have you read or followed any of them?

The EVGA GTX 680 Mac Edition 2GB was the last officially released NVIDIA card for Mac with EFI. You will not find officially available newer cards. There are others sold that have been flashed, but you will not be able to do that yourself.

Currently Apple is recommending two GPUs for Mojave beta - MSI Gaming Radeon RX 560 and Sapphire Radeon PULSE RX 580:
https://support.apple.com/macos/mojave

If you do not use CUDA, get one of those GPUs since they are likely to be "officially" supported in some capacity. Many other RX 580's work. Several other RX 560's work.

Search for the forum for more info, including reading through this thread:
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...cs-cards-will-run-macos-10-14-mojave.2121475/

Yes, sorry about that. I got confused with what exactly was support for my setup.
Not sure if I need Cura. I seem to remember using it with FCPX or Premiere Pro? If it helps I'd like it.

With the Radeon cards, will I not have to flash them? Will I still get Apple logo on boot etc?

Otherwise, GTX 680 seems like an OK choice for my use. I did find the thread (linked in my post) regarding 680 4GB with a custom firmware, but with mixed results? It seemed like some had problems after updating to newer OS versions.

I'm not sure how much longer my GT120 will hold, so I think I need something that can act as a native card.

 

[bsbeamer]

There are threads dedicated to flashing GTX 680 cards where would get much better advice and recommendations:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/confirmed-and-possible-flashable-gtx-680-models.1578255/

CUDA is only available on NVIDIA cards, they require CUDA drivers to be installed AND NVIDIA Web Drivers to be installed in order to properly utilize. Per NVIDIA, CUDA does not function properly with the macOS Default Driver. This is discussed heavily in other threads, including the sticky at the top of this forum:
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...out-nvidia-pc-non-efi-graphics-cards.1440150/

FCPX does not use CUDA.
Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018 can use CUDA, but it is not required.

 

[DIY_glenn]

Thank you, I appreciate the help. Will definitely check out that thread.

A guy nearby posted an ad with two EVGA GTX 680 2GB just now. I hope
I’ll be able to get one of them tomorrow.

Considering EVGA also makes a Mac version, this seems like a good purchase.
1 for $60 or both for $100.

I’m not looking for a gaming setup, just anything better than my 2008 with 285.
And something that doesn’t heat up the whole room in a couple of hours...

 

[jbarley]

I'm more then happy with my NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 2048 MB.
Handles everything I need in Mojave plus no need to fuss with any extra power cables.

 

[SneakyTLoD]

If you're not in need of CUDA just get an RX480 or RX580. They're dirt cheap right now and perform much better than the cards you mentioned. Now if you were saying a rx1070 or 1080 that'd be a bit different. Even with those I might still choose the Amd cards due to the driver support with osx.

 

[DIY_glenn]

Are there any lists of which Mac ROMs that are available?
F.ex. I'm pretty sure I won't be able to get that EVGA GTX 680 I was hoping for, but I might be able to get a EVGA GTX 670 for $35.

Are there Mac ROMs available for this card?

I'd like to see a database of all this information...

 

[tsialex]

Only Nvidia eVGA GTX 680 2GB and 4GB, no need to replace the SPI-flash memory. Some other GTX 680 are compatible with the eVGA EFI too.

No other model of Nvidia card has public available EFI. For MP3,1, GTX 680 is the only flashable yourself solution.

The list of compatible cards: Confirmed and Possible Flashable GTX680 Models

You can flash GTX 680 using the info in this post: Step-by-Step Instructions for Flashing GTX680


Btw, Flashed GTX680 works nicely with Mojave.

 

[DIY_glenn]

Great! Thanks. I'll try to get my hands on a EVGA GTX 680. There's a 4GB version for $100, which is a bit more than I'd like to pay, but much cheaper than any "real" Mac alternatives anyways.

No soldering necessary? I don't know the exact part number of it, it just says "EVGA GTX 680 4GB" in the ad.

 

[tsialex]

Great! Thanks. I'll try to get my hands on a EVGA GTX 680. There's a 4GB version for $100, which is a bit more than I'd like to pay, but much cheaper than any "real" Mac alternatives anyways.

No soldering necessary? I don't know the exact part number of it, it just says "EVGA GTX 680 4GB" in the ad.

Usually, all eVGA GTX 680 are flashable, you just have to use the correct ROM version, 2GB or 4GB. All eVGA GTX 680 has SPI-Flash with the size needed.

 

[DIY_glenn]

Usually, all eVGA GTX 680 are flashable, you just have to use the correct ROM version, 2GB or 4GB. All eVGA GTX 680 has SPI-Flash with the size needed.

Awesome!
If the 680 2GB is sold before I can get a hold of it, I'll try the 4GB version.
Might even be a better deal when working with textures.

 

[DIY_glenn]

Yeah!!
The plastic is still on the boards, which it says to remove before use. Hopefully not a problem.
Smells a bit burned though, probably fine dust. I did also find some thermal paste, hopefully they haven’t been to much tinkered with.
I guess it will shut down if it overheats.

I’ll disassemble the plastic cover (not heat sink) and clean. If something seems strange I might buy some paste and redo it.

Just need to buy a couple of those mini 6P PCIe cables. These are 2x 6pin

 

[tsialex]

Yeah!!
The plastic is still on the boards, which it says to remove before use. Hopefully not a problem.
Smells a bit burned though, probably fine dust. I did also find some thermal paste, hopefully they haven’t been to much tinkered with.
I guess it will shut down if it overheats.

I’ll disassemble the plastic cover (not heat sink) and clean. If something seems strange I might buy some paste and redo it.

Just need to buy a couple of those mini 6P PCIe cables. These are 2x 6pin

Nice! Just flash with the corresponding version with windows or FreeDOS and you’re good to go.

 

[Ludacrisvp]

I'm running a GTX 650 Zotac 2Gb flashed with EFI boot screen support, no chip swapping needed.

"Metal: Supported, feature set macOS GPUFamily1 v3"
I do wonder why mine says v3 metal, and the poster above has a 640 that says v4 ... thinking more about this it could be that i'm still running High Sierra and not Mojave beta yet.

What is different from v3 / v4?

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650:

  Chipset Model:    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650
  Type:    GPU
  Bus:    PCIe
  Slot:    Slot-1
  PCIe Lane Width:    x16
  VRAM (Dynamic, Max):    2048 MB
  Vendor:    NVIDIA (0x10de)
  Device ID:    0x0fc6
  Revision ID:    0x00a2
  ROM Revision:    3731
  Metal:    Supported, feature set macOS GPUFamily1 v3
  Displays:
HF257:
  Resolution:    2560 x 1440 (QHD/WQHD - Wide Quad High Definition)
  UI Looks like:    2560 x 1440 @ 59 Hz
  Framebuffer Depth:    24-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
  Display Serial Number:    910RG3NA01945
  Mirror:    Off
  Online:    Yes
  Rotation:    Supported
  Automatically Adjust Brightness:    No
DELL P2416D:
  Resolution:    2560 x 1440 (QHD/WQHD - Wide Quad High Definition)
  UI Looks like:    2560 x 1440 @ 60 Hz
  Framebuffer Depth:    24-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
  Display Serial Number:    TN5PP6CQ0FTS
  Main Display:    Yes
  Mirror:    Off
  Online:    Yes
  Rotation:    Supported
  Automatically Adjust Brightness:    No

 

[tsialex]

I'm running a GTX 650 Zotac 2Gb flashed with EFI boot screen support, no chip swapping needed.

"Metal: Supported, feature set macOS GPUFamily1 v3"
I do wonder why mine says v3 metal, and the poster above has a 640 that says v4 ... thinking more about this it could be that i'm still running High Sierra and not Mojave beta yet.

What is different from v3 / v4?

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650:

  Chipset Model:    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650
  Type:    GPU
  Bus:    PCIe
  Slot:    Slot-1
  PCIe Lane Width:    x16
  VRAM (Dynamic, Max):    2048 MB
  Vendor:    NVIDIA (0x10de)
  Device ID:    0x0fc6
  Revision ID:    0x00a2
  ROM Revision:    3731
  Metal:    Supported, feature set macOS GPUFamily1 v3
  Displays:
HF257:
  Resolution:    2560 x 1440 (QHD/WQHD - Wide Quad High Definition)
  UI Looks like:    2560 x 1440 @ 59 Hz
  Framebuffer Depth:    24-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
  Display Serial Number:    910RG3NA01945
  Mirror:    Off
  Online:    Yes
  Rotation:    Supported
  Automatically Adjust Brightness:    No
DELL P2416D:
  Resolution:    2560 x 1440 (QHD/WQHD - Wide Quad High Definition)
  UI Looks like:    2560 x 1440 @ 60 Hz
  Framebuffer Depth:    24-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
  Display Serial Number:    TN5PP6CQ0FTS
  Main Display:    Yes
  Mirror:    Off
  Online:    Yes
  Rotation:    Supported
  Automatically Adjust Brightness:    No

Nvidia GPUs show 1v3 with High Sierra and 1v4 with Mojave. Apple changed that but did not updated the documentation about it.

 

[orph]

@DIY_glenn sounds like the GTX 680 was on water if the plastic stuff was still on the cooler ^^ that also explains the thermal past

 

[DIY_glenn]

I think he might have redone the CPU paste or something without removing the cards. One is perfectly fine, but the other has some paste residue. Hopefully not a conductive kind as one is slightly melted over a few resistors.
The card hasn't been disassembled considering the fine dust that's on the heatsink and fan etc.

Decided I want to disassemble and clean the board anyways. Buying some thermal paste this afternoon. I do have some 1mm or 2mm thermal pads which I hope can be used for the chips.

There seems to be some residue on the board, but it could just be fine dust and the original flux or something. Almost looks like corrosion, but washes off with isopropanol.

As I'm rebuilding my Mac Pro to clean everything up, why not do the GPU's as well...

 

[orph]

sounds like it's good, i relay need to think about re-pasting my GTX 660 & 770 there still on the original past
think i have some leftover stuff from my cpu swap a few years back maybe ill give it a go to.

did you get two gtx 680's, got to ask why pick up two of them?

 

[DIY_glenn]

I've had good results with Noctua NT-H1 before, trying that again.
Not sure about thermal pads though. AFAIK they are 0.5mm, but I think I have 1mm. This might be an issue for assembly?

Why two cards... well...
Seller sold one for $60 or both for $100. Another buyer was interested in both, so he was supposed to sell to the other guy. Fortunately for me he was a no-show, so he offered to deliver if I purchased both for $100.

Fine by me. If I were to buy a single one from anywhere else in the country I would have had to pay closer to $80 anyways (shipping etc).
I'm thinking of flashing both, selling one, which would probably sell for more, but I was also thinking - If I install Mojave, there's no way back if my GTX 680 fails - Having a spare would probably not be a bad idea.

I guess I was also a bit desperate too, when I finally saw a EVGA 2GB board - which should be a perfect match for the Mac ROM (02G-P4-2680-KR). I'll easily be able to resell one, probably even easier after Mojave is released.

I also have a 8800 GT, GT120, and the Mac Pro 3.1 with a flashed 285GTX, considering selling all of these as well.

 

[orph]

yep that makes sense, if you do shift the 3.1 you can always see if you can shift a 680 with it.
may be worth keeping one original "mac" card like the GT120 as a backup, seen reports that the GT120 works in osx10.14.

 

[Squuiid]

Folks, I'm unable to install the latest Mojave (18A389) using a USB flash drive and an eVGA GTX 680 2GB Mac EFI flashed card. Surely we're not limited to just AMD Metal are we?
What gives?!

URL shown is currently not live.
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT208898

 

[tsialex]

Folks, I'm unable to install the latest Mojave (18A389) using a USB flash drive and a eVGA GTX 680 2GB Mac EFI flashed.
What gives?!

View attachment 781261

Do you use FileVault? Did you installed 138.0.0.0.0 before booting with the pendrive?

 

[crjackson2134]

Folks, I'm unable to install the latest Mojave (18A389) using a USB flash drive and an eVGA GTX 680 2GB Mac EFI flashed card. Surely we're not just limited to just AMD Metal are we?
What gives?!

View attachment 781261

Do you have filevault?

 

[Squuiid]

Do you use FileVault? Did you installed 138.0.0.0.0 before booting with the pendrive?

No, never have on this Mac and I used disk utility immediately prior to trying to install the OS. Erased drive and tried both APFS and HFS+. No go! WTH.
Only one drive in system, a 512GB SSUAX.
It's a 2009 5,1 cMP, with 138.0.0.0.0.