MP 1,1-5,1 MacVidCards alternative, or how to DIY EFI for RX580 Reference?

[DevoAtari]

Hey,

I've dealt with Dave from MacVidCards a bunch of times, first with an HD6870, then a GTX760, then a GTX970... Every one of those times was fantastic, albeit, he was getting harder and harder to get a hold of, over time. Now, I sent an email 8 months ago, which he still seemed great, quickly replaying that I could definitely drop off my card on a weekend... Then... Nothing... Absolutely nothing. Emailed about 10 more times, since then, and I've received no response. Looking around on the web, it seems this is a common occurrence, these days. Anyhow...

Are there any alternatives to MacVidCards?

And if not, are there any thorough DIY tutorials on how to modify an AMD GPU to add the EFI ROM? I understand there will be soldering, and I understand I will need a Windows system, but I'm just having some issues finding exactly what parts would be needed. A YouTube video mentioned the flash chipset AT25DF-041A, but there seems to be over 10 different versions of that chip, with different specs (voltages and clock speed) on the DigiKey site. Also, no answers to whether or not the EXP2010 is necessary, vs the newer EZP2013 or 2019... The list of questions goes on and on. I just have never flashed a chip before, but I'm willing to put in the effort

The card I have is an MSI Sapphire RX580 8GB Reference card. Which MacVidCards lists on their site. (I needed a card with a blower fan, since all my other slots are populated, and just need a better way to exhaust the heat.)

Anyhow. Any help getting me to a point, where my card has an EFI boot ROM, would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tsialex]

Why the effort? The moment you modify the GPU firmware of your card you lose UEFI GOP since the firmware signing will be invalid and then you won't have OpenCore pre-boot configuration support that requires it.

If RX 580 was a card with legacy macOS support I'd understand the effort, but just having a working display with 10.12.6, partial support with High Sierra and only fully working after 10.14.5, I don't really see any advantages of flashing a RX 580.

You can have the best of both worlds with OpenCore and for free.

 

[DevoAtari]

For work, I build out a lot of boot drives for workstations, as well as create/modify bootable USB sticks for troubleshooting system issues. Normally, I'd be using DeployStudio, but as I've been working remotely, I'm sticking to doing things the old fashioned way. I understand everything can be done through the OS, but literally hours a month could be saved having the boot option screen available.

Currently, the strongest GPU I have available with EFI is an old stock 1GB 5770, which can't handle my 3840x1600 display. And my other GPUs, which I was using in my cheese graters before the pandemic (and could handle the large screen), an old Titan Black and this RX580, are currently gathering dust. So, currently, I'm looking at a stretched 1080p desktop, with the 5770, just so I can have a boot option screen.

I bought this RX580 about a couple years ago, since I saw it posted on MacVidCards' blog. I expected to have this one flashed, but I never got around to it, since I realized I really didn't need the EFI on personal system anyway. Now, my personal system is my work system, and I do need that functionality.

EDIT: Does OpenCore give the boot option screen?

 

[tsialex]

EDIT: Does OpenCore give the boot option screen?

Like I wrote, yes. Flashing GPUs is a thing of the past.

 

[StuAff]

As someone who got his RX 580 flashed (at about the same time that epic OC thread appeared) I'd agree it's the best option now. With hindsight, the initial bother of setting it up and having to set up my Boot Camp install from scratch (legacy boot) would have been worth the considerable saving. OC is certainly better than chancing your card with one of those eBay sellers who ripped off the ROM, or sending it all the way to Marek (MVC Europe) in Poland.

 

[DevoAtari]

Thank you both. I always was weary of Open Core because I only really heard of it in relation to Hackintoshes.

I just have one question, in two parts... After reading the start of the OpenCore thread. It seems it means I won't be able to use NVidia GPUs or my internal Wi-Fi card, is that correct? I'm running a 5,1 on 10.13.6. Not planning on updating the OS, thanks to needing outdated software.

 

[tsialex]

Thank you both. I always was weary of Open Core because I only really heard of it in relation to Hackintoshes.

I just have one question, in two parts... After reading the start of the OpenCore thread. It seems it means I won't be able to use NVidia GPUs or my internal Wi-Fi card, is that correct? I'm running a 5,1 on 10.13.6. Not planning on updating the OS, thanks to needing outdated software.

No, you are mixing very different things, it's not OC restrictions at all, but Apple/NVIDIA after 10.13.6:

• NVIDIA non Kepler GPUs never were supported past 10.13.6. There is no NVIDIA web drivers anymore.
• Apple removed any legacy NVIDIA support for GPUs earlier that Kepler, since no supported Mac has a non Kepler GPU after High Sierra.
• Mojave requires METAL GPUs, non METAL GPU support was removed from Mojave. All Mac Pros earlier than late-2013 Mac Pro had the factory GPU support removed after High Sierra.
• Apple removed support for legacy AirPort Extremes, you can manually install the kexts or upgrade your card to one officially supported. Apple BCM94322MC (~$10 on eBay) is a drop-in that will work up to Catalina.

OC has nothing to do with the above, but can help with legacy AirPort Extreme support - it's more cost efective to just replace it, since you will need to re-do the kext install with every new Security Update.

 

[DevoAtari]

I know the OS limitations, some of the many reasons I can't upgrade until my work upgrades. The "requirements" section on the starting OpenCore post was what confused me. Realize I should have read the first sentence in that thread.

I don't need to upgrade my legacy Airport Extreme card, as I already upgraded years back, to gain handoff, and that's all I need it for. I have a 10Gb fibre card for actual network use. Are you saying I'll lose functionality with OpenCore, until I install the correct extensions? Or is that only when upgrading to Mojave and later?

 

[tsialex]

I know the OS limitations, some of the many reasons I can't upgrade until my work upgrades. The "requirements" section on the starting OpenCore post was what confused me. Realize I should have read the first sentence in that thread.

I don't need to upgrade my legacy Airport Extreme card, as I already upgraded years back, to gain handoff, and that's all I need it for. I have a 10Gb fibre card for actual network use. Are you saying I'll lose functionality with OpenCore, until I install the correct extensions? Or is that only when upgrading to Mojave and later?

It's Apple support exclusions of legacy hardware for Mojave and above, not 10.13.6. Please read again my post, seems you are understanding exactly the inverse of what I wrote.

Btw, OC works perfectly with 10.13.6 and people tested back to 10.16.8 to see if it's possible or not to run it below OC.

 

[DevoAtari]

I'm thankful for your responses, but jeez. I'm clearly on here to learn. But this is probably why I haven't used this forum in god knows how many years.

Like I said, I know the OS limitations. I was just trying to find clarity on OpenCore and OpenCore alone, because I stupidly read too fast through the "OpenCore on the Mac Pro" thread (which should have been named "Use OpenCore To Install Catalina on Legacy Hardware"), thinking the "Requirements" section was for any listed Mac Pro with any OS.

It seems it means I won't be able to use NVidia GPUs or my internal Wi-Fi card, is that correct? I'm running a 5,1 on 10.13.6. Not planning on updating the OS, thanks to needing outdated software.

The answer to my above question would have been: "You can continue to use those with OpenCore, as long as you stay on 10.13.6. [Then post all the limitations of 10.14 or higher, if you please.]"

Instead of saying NO, and then proceeding to not answer the actual question. Was the "No" the answer to my question? But the rest of that sentence didn't mention my question? Sure sounds like someone facepalming and saying, "No, you moron, here's the information you should be thinking about." Leaving me confused, but filled with information that didn't seem to calm my concerns about OpenCore.

So, your response to my question after that would be, "There was clearly a misunderstanding. You won't lose functionality, until upgrading to Mojave or later."

If I am incorrect in any of these assumptions, please let me know.

EDIT: Thank you very much for editing your last post.

 

[startergo]

which should have been named "Use OpenCore To Install Catalina on Legacy Hardware"), thinking the "Requirements" section was for any listed Mac Pro with any OS.

Wrong. You may need to read several times the first post of that thread. You got it wrong.

 

[tsialex]

I'm thankful for your responses, but jeez. I'm clearly on here to learn. But this is probably why I haven't used this forum in god knows how many years.

Like I said, I know the OS limitations. I was just trying to find clarity on OpenCore and OpenCore alone, because I stupidly read too fast through the "OpenCore on the Mac Pro" thread (which should have been named "Use OpenCore To Install Catalina on Legacy Hardware"), thinking the "Requirements" section was for any listed Mac Pro with any OS.



The answer to my above question would have been: "You can continue to use those with OpenCore, as long as you stay on 10.13.6. [Then post all the limitations of 10.14 or higher, if you please.]"

Instead of saying NO, and then proceeding to not answer the actual question. Was the "No" the answer to my question? But the rest of that sentence didn't mention my question? Sure sounds like someone facepalming and saying, "No, you moron, here's the information you should be thinking about." Leaving me confused, but filled with information that didn't seem to calm my concerns about OpenCore.

So, your response to my question after that would be, "There was clearly a misunderstanding. You won't lose functionality, until upgrading to Mojave or later."

If I am incorrect in any of these assumptions, please let me know.

EDIT: Thank you very much for editing your last post.

People are here to help, but if the answer/thread/whatever is not useful to you/you don't understand it, respect the person that spent valuable time to answer you, get whatever is useful and ignore what is not applicable to your case. Criticism is welcome when is constructive, not the way you just did and you won't dictate what anyone write here.

 

[DevoAtari]

People are here to help, but if the answer/thread/whatever is not useful to you/you don't understand it, respect the person that spent valuable time to answer you, get whatever is useful and ignore what is not applicable to your case. Criticism is welcome when is constructive, not the way you just did and you won't dictate what anyone write here.

I apologize for how I said that. I am truly grateful for your quick responses, but, honestly, I did feel attacked by what you originally said just prior to my crappy response. I thought I was asking simple questions, and I was clearly lost as OpenCore is not something I know anything about. What's the quote from South Park? "There are no stupid questions, just stupid people."

The more I read about OpenCore, the more I'm weary of it. Feels like everything surrounding OpenCore is geared towards Mojave > Big Sur, and I'm unsure what I do or don't need to do (like hardware acceleration). I'll stop asking questions. Feel like parsing everything will take me a while. I won't annoy you anymore.

Thank you again for responding, and apologies for getting salty.

 

[tsialex]

I apologize for how I said that. I am truly grateful for your quick responses, but, honestly, I did feel attacked by what you originally said just prior to my crappy response. I thought I was asking simple questions, and I was clearly lost as OpenCore is not something I know anything about. What's the quote from South Park? "There are no stupid questions, just stupid people."

The more I read about OpenCore, the more I'm weary of it. Feels like everything surrounding OpenCore is geared towards Mojave > Big Sur, and I'm unsure what I do or don't need to do (like hardware acceleration). I'll stop asking questions. Feel like parsing everything will take me a while. I won't annoy you anymore.

Thank you again for responding, and apologies for getting salty.

You can use OC just for providing full pre-boot configuration support (Boot screens, verbose boot, BootPicker, AHT/ASD support) with whatever supported macOS release you want to use and works with your RX 580 (10.12.6 to 10.14.6).

You can also use RefindPlus to have a functional BootPicker with a RX-580.

 

[startergo]

@DevoAtari Again wrong assumption. You can try educating yourself on the matter here:

OpenCore on the Mac Pro

I'm probably a poor candidate for this, but I couldn't resist. I've been following this thread since its inception over a year ago, but only managed to find time to install OpenCore this week. I'm no expert, so maybe some actual experts could enhance or correct any details I got wrong. I...

forums.macrumors.com

In essence:

OpenCore is a set of EFI programs designed to run on Macs (or compatible) computers. OpenCore runs on the EFI platform, it doesn't replace it. OpenCore is still evolving, and it has many facets, but broadly speaking, it's useful for three things: (1) it will display a boot-picker and progress screens on non-Apple graphics cards, (2) it allows you to fine-tune the initialization of the hardware, even to the point of "spoofing" (making one piece of hardware appear to be a different piece of hardware, or to disappear altogether), and (3) it allows you to "inject" code into MacOS to accomplish things that would otherwise be impossible, or prohibited by MacOS itself.

 

[Hot-Mac]

@DevoAtari I have two Sapphire Radeon RX 580 cards. One shows an OpenCore boot picker, the other did not (a single BIOS model without the on-board toggle switch), indicating a high likelihood of a non-factory flash. Having no spare Windows system for flashing and having no interest in setting one up, I opted to send my card to MacVidCards. Upsizing of the ROM chip with their proprietary firmware fixed my non-factory flash issue while also giving me the coveted boot screen if I ever wanted or needed it. $100 + shipping seemed like a reasonable cost, as I do value my time.

This was my first experience with MacVidCards. I had read all the horror stories from impatient people on their web site. However, my experience was quite normal. I mailed the card Feb. 19. A week later, they emailed me a shipment tracking number. I received it March 4, and the card works nicely. 👍

The flashed GPU boot behavior with OpenCore is as follows:

• Cold boot takes you to the OpenCore boot picker where the machine default to the OC volume after timeout. (Standard behavior)
• Alt/Option key on cold boot shows the Apple boot manager. Choose the EFI boot volume, and you are immediately shown the OpenCore boot picker.

I can confirm that OpenCore hardware acceleration in Big Sur 11.2.1 still works as expected for both H264 and HEVC. 👍

In conclusion, if I already had Windows up and running, I would have tried re-flashing the RX 580 myself to one of the factory ROMs available on TechPowerUp. Had I been successful, I probably would NOT have sent my card off to have it flashed. No need to do that with OpenCore boot picker, right?

But now that the flash is done, I'm quite satisfied knowing I didn't diminish its resale value but rather enhanced it.

 

[DevoAtari]

Wow, thank you @HotMac ! I've been having that exact issue with my single BIOS card. No boot picker, tried different OpenCore settings, then RefindPlus, tried again, and again, and still no bootpicker. Scared to say anything.

Late last year, I tried looking at the BIOS of the card, before realizing an EFI flash would take soldering, and everything looked to be stock (according to some random reference I was looking up, forgot from where), but you have me feeling like this card was flashed before I got it. Either way, I'm just hoping that my seeming inability to find anyone with a bootpicker working with a reference design MSI RX580 (with a blower fan) doesn't mean it's impossible to use.

Did you do business with MacVidCards in Europe? I live not far from Dave's place in Hollywood, so I'd always deal with him through email (after his eBay days), trying to schedule a drop-off/pick-up time. But I had issues since July, after that one quick response. I wouldn't say I was being impatient. Honestly, I'd still happily wait for him to flash my card, now. Just, right after that initial response, saying he could do a weekend flash, I tried to schedule that same week. And a week passed, tried again. A couple more weeks, a month, again, again... etc. And here I am giving up after 8 months.

Anyhow, I have a Windows system right here, so I'll try going down that BIOS flashing rabbit hole. I'm terrified, because looking at all the MSI cards listed on TechPowerUp, none match the port layout of my card (three DP, one HDMI). So, once again, it seems it's a deep deep very dark rabbit hole. Thanks again!

 

[Hot-Mac]

Wow, thank you @HotMac ! I've been having that exact issue with my single BIOS card. No boot picker, tried different OpenCore settings, then RefindPlus, tried again, and again, and still no bootpicker. Scared to say anything.

Late last year, I tried looking at the BIOS of the card, before realizing an EFI flash would take soldering, and everything looked to be stock (according to some random reference I was looking up, forgot from where), but you have me feeling like this card was flashed before I got it. Either way, I'm just hoping that my seeming inability to find anyone with a bootpicker working with a reference design MSI RX580 (with a blower fan) doesn't mean it's impossible to use.

Did you do business with MacVidCards in Europe? I live not far from Dave's place in Hollywood, so I'd always deal with him through email (after his eBay days), trying to schedule a drop-off/pick-up time. But I had issues since July, after that one quick response. I wouldn't say I was being impatient. Honestly, I'd still happily wait for him to flash my card, now. Just, right after that initial response, saying he could do a weekend flash, I tried to schedule that same week. And a week passed, tried again. A couple more weeks, a month, again, again... etc. And here I am giving up after 8 months.

Anyhow, I have a Windows system right here, so I'll try going down that BIOS flashing rabbit hole. I'm terrified, because looking at all the MSI cards listed on TechPowerUp, none match the port layout of my card (three DP, one HDMI). So, once again, it seems it's a deep deep very dark rabbit hole. Thanks again!

@DevoAtari , I spent several months using OpenCore without a boot picker, assuming I misconfigured something. After an entire day troubleshooting it, I found that swapping to my other GPU (also an RX 580) showed the boot picker.

Recently, the very knowledgeable and credible Martin LO (@h9826790) speculated that 80 percent of the time a GPU won't show the OpenCore boot picker is because the card was flashed with a non-factory firmware by the previous owner. Further, he says that 99% of the time a card can be fixed by flashing the card back to factory state:

Opencore not showing Showpicker on MSI RX 580 GAMING X 8 GB GPU

More than 80% of the cases was because the card was flashed (e.g. for OC, or downvolt, etc) by the last owner. Around 15% are the factory ROM which has "broken" or missing UEFI GOP. And about 5% is simply not compatible, or incorrect OC config, etc. In your case, 99% the problem can be fixed...

forums.macrumors.com

I was reassured to learn this, and I'm now certain the problem with my card was a non-factory firmware flashed by the previous owner. TechPowerUp shows seven available factory ROMs for my Sapphire Pulse RX 580. Though I have never flashed GPUs myself, I'd be fairly confident in my ability to try flashing different factory ROMs until I found one that worked. I see 2 or 3 ROMs that I'd try first. My methodology would be to match the installed memory manufacturer part number to the firmware I downloaded. I think it's important to mention the obvious that the factory firmware will safely fit onto the 256KB factory VBIOS chip, whereas the MacVidCards firmware requires a larger VBIOS chip. This is another reason why I think the $100 cost is reasonable for the upgraded chip, soldering expertise, and proprietary firmware.

However, what I'm not certain about is whether a single-BIOS card can be flashed without a 2nd card present. That is, how can you flash it at the same time you're using it?

You may be in uncharted territory for your MSI RX 580 reference card. More research is needed, and I'd be curious to learn what you discover. As Martin describes below, I would first backup your existing ROM with GPU-Z, examine it with PolarisBiosEditor, and carefully compare it to each factory firmware until you, hopefully, find one that matches. Alternatively, if you could find someone with the same card, ask them to dump their ROM and then try flashing yours with it.

MVC EFI BIOS for AMD 580?

Do you mind to dump the ROM via GPU-Z (NO need to publish it), then run PolarisBiosEditor 1.6.7 to check the ROM, and see if the parameters (e.g. Power Control Limit, Max RPM, Max Temp, etc.) still same as the original PULSE ROM? For info, this is the original parameters from my PULSE RX580 8GB...

forums.macrumors.com

Also of interest is the following post from Martin where he shows how to mod the VBIOS ROM image in a Sapphire Pulse RX 580. The process of dumping the ROM and examining/editing it would be similar for your MSI card:

Sapphire PULSE RX580 8GB VBIOS Study

*** For info, this mod is NOT compatible with the OpenCore boot screen mod *** This thread is about how to mod the Sapphire PULSE RX580 8GB card's ROM image. If you worry about bricking the card, or void the warranty etc. STOP HERE! For those who has MVC flashed RX580. Do NOT perform this mod...

forums.macrumors.com

I live in Indiana and did business with MacVidCards Los Angeles. USPS Priority Mail, 3-day service each way. Total 13-day turnaround. Satisfied customer! 👍

 

[h9826790]

However, what I'm not certain about is whether a single-BIOS card can be flashed without a 2nd card present. That is, how can you flash it at the same time you're using it?

No second card require.

The idea is simple. When you boot the computer, the card read the ROM, and do whatever it instruct the card to do so.

But once boot to desktop, you can do whatever you want to the ROM, because the required data is already in the RAM. You can even completely disconnect the ROM chip (of course, no one should do that).

Until you reboot the computer again, the card don't really need the ROM.

Therefore, even you have single card only. The situation is like this.

1) You boot to desktop with the old ROM
2) You flash the card inside a OS
3) Your card still running with the old ROM data inside that OS even after you flash it
4) You can dump the new ROM from the chip, and make sure it's 100% same as the newly downloaded ROM image.
5) Reboot to let the new ROM take effect

 

[DevoAtari]

Seems all the MSI ROMs listed in the TechPowerUp repository bring back a "mismatched system identification" error. Tried the only other reference BIOS (a Dell), tried any other card appearing to use a reference board layout, and also tried cards that have the same port layout. Still the same error. All ROMs attempted have the same memory, Samsung K4G80325FB.

I’m worried about using the command line utility to force a flash, since this is a single BIOS card.

 

[shadow_999]

I own a macvidcard RX580 and despite the card is flashed I'm seeing the opencore boot menu (I'm also able to see the Apple one). So not all the modified graphic card have issue with opencore boot picker. I'm also seeing the black screen with white apple during boot. When I remove my opencore disk, I see the white screen with black apple. I own this card since a couple of years (before I started using opencore)

 

[StuAff]

When I've used OC, I too see the boot menu. The Aorus control software in Windows (for overclocking, fan speed, RGB lighting) also works correctly.

 

[DevoAtari]

Trying to find someone that has my card to dump their ROM. Can't seem to figure this out. Even tried contacting MSI to see if they'd give out the original ROM, and absolutely no one is surprised that they quickly said no.

 

[Hot-Mac]

Seems all the MSI ROMs listed in the TechPowerUp repository bring back a "mismatched system identification" error. Tried the only other reference BIOS (a Dell), tried any other card appearing to use a reference board layout, and also tried cards that have the same port layout. Still the same error. All ROMs attempted have the same memory, Samsung K4G80325FB.

I’m worried about using the command line utility to force a flash, since this is a single BIOS card.

Have a look at these reference BIOSes for the RX 480. More than one manufacturer show it is the same BIOS used in the RX 580:
https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/?did=1002-67DF-1002-0B37-C7

I hope this may shed some light on your reference card BIOS situation! 🙂

 

[startergo]

Have a look at these reference BIOSes for the RX 480. More than one manufacturer show it is the same BIOS used in the RX 580:
https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/?did=1002-67DF-1002-0B37-C7

I hope this may shed some light on your reference card BIOS situation! 🙂

There a 2 types reference cards. One is with a 6 pin power connector and the other with 8 pin. The one with the 6 pin is actually an RX-480 and Dell and HP rebranded them as RX-580. It has a polaris 10 chip and in Mac OS it is been labelled as RX-480, whereas in Windows it is labelled RX-580. The one with the 8 pin is a polaris 20 proper RX-580. OP has to find out how is it recognized in Mac OS or to specify the number of power pins.