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

[DevoAtari]

The one with the 8 pin is a polaris 20 proper RX-580.

Looks like I do have an RX-580. This has a single 8-pin power connector.

EDIT: Removed angst

 

[startergo]

You may update your GOP here

Edit: for a smooth experience, please unpack the archive to a folder outside your regular download folder. Make sure the name of the folder doesn't have any strange characters. Place your VBIOS in this folder and again make sure the name is not made of special chars, keep it as simple as possible. Also, when I say drop xyz on the *.bat file, I really mean dropping the xyz on the *.bat file, not on the window it is opening.

The VBIOS file has to be latest version, for your own sake. The flow should be like this: 1 - get the dump from your current card by using GPU-Z (novice) or nvflash (advanced); 2 - check the manufacturer for an updated VBIOS; 3 - check with techpowerup database. Users should decide if they want to keep the current VBIOS and only update the GOP, or go for the one on manufacturer site, if it is newer than their own. The techpowerup database should be used only as a last resort and only if it is a newer version and ONLY IF it is compatible with your card. Otherwise you might flash a wrong VBIOS and blame my tool, when it was you who made a big mistake in the first place. As a recommendation, always update the GOP of an already flashed VBIOS, so you can rule out a bad flash.

To work with GOPupd, you just drop the VBIOS file on GOPupd.bat and follow the instructions.

 

[DevoAtari]

Just an update, before I remove it from the PC and plop it in the cheesegrater... I finally found a BIOS that took. I download the Radeon Adrenalin Software, and verified back and forth the Device, Vendor, System and Subsystem IDs, making sure it did actually have the correct MSI Reference ID on my card. Meaning it wasn't a full BIOS replacement, it was just tweaked.

After doing some manual digging and finding nothing on the TechPowerUp list, that matched that System ID, "8A92"... I just Googled it, and there it was. It was on TechPowerUp. But it was not listed in TechPowerUp's BIOS Collection, because it was unverified. And, even though I had seen that exact card (MSI RX 580 V1) in the list of cards below the spec page for my model, there was no link to this unverified BIOS.

(Now I'm realizing there's a GPU Brand: "unverified uploads" menu selection that isn't automatically selected when you have "All" selected on that same pull-down. I've seen that list, and I wouldn't have been able to find it myself. 237 entries and none mentioning subtype of card in the title, like Armor, GamingX, OC, etc. Jeez.)

By the way, this BIOS and the "tweaked" BIOS were so incredibly different, I'm hoping this works. It was working flawlessly in the PC after the flash, so I'm hopeful.

Aaaanyways... I'm about to swap them. I'll update again, shortly.

 

[DevoAtari]

And a boot picker! Woohoo!

I'm happy as a clam. Though, I do have a question concerning the boot process itself. I've tried searching around the OpenCore thread, and nothing immediately pops up. Is a crazy-bright, instantaneous, white flash during boot, normal?

I tried a few times to get it on camera, but this is the best I could get. Happens at 20 sec. Audio for emphasis. Also shows how once in a while the progress bar doesn't move, and after it, the screen goes completely black, just for a moment. Or is that possibly another GPU issue?

If there's nothing I can do about it, then I'll just try to remind myself to never boot my system in a dark room.

https://imgur.com/0IN7hqA

Edit: Jumping over to the OpenCore thread. As, if this isn't GPU based, this is definitely off-topic.

 

[yeti]

Hi, I have a Saphire Pulse RX580 card in my cMP 5,1.

That machine is booting VMWare EXSi 6 bare metal so I can launch all types of virtual machines with Mac OS X/macOS (from 10.6 to almost the present). The problem is that right now there is no boot picker and I also have an SSD with macOS Mojave that I would like to update to Big Sur or Monterey using OC.

From all the options that I have seen I would rather use OpenCore Patcher 0.4.8 (released yesterday) because it seams more approachable to someone that hasn't used OC before.

My goal is quite simple: have a boot picker to change between ESXi and macOS and so I don't have to flash my RX 580 card and to be able to install Monterey in my venerable cMP 5,1 2012.

Can I do that or the ESXi part of the equation makes it impossible and I need to flash the RX 580 to be Mac compatible?

Thank you in advance for all your knowledge and patience with newbies

Yeti

 

[h9826790]

In your case, it seems RefindPlus fit your needs more.

 

[yeti]

Thank you very much for your information. I will look into it, but just to know, why do you think it is a better fit? What special characteristics do you think that suite me better for my use case?

Thank you for your time,

Yeti

 

[h9826790]

Thank you very much for your information. I will look into it, but just to know, why do you think it is a better fit? What special characteristics do you think that suite me better for my use case?

Thank you for your time,

Yeti

It seems you only need the UEFI GOP boot screen and boot picker. That's what RefindPlus does.

 

[yeti]

OK, thank you very much for your insight. I am already reading about it.

 

[Wombat58]

I too have a Sapphire Pulse RX-580 and a MP5,1. Besides for giving me the UEFI GOP boot screen, will RefindPlus make any difference trying to boot into Windows once I load OpenCore?

 

[yassabd]

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

I have an RX 580 Red devil and since i can't have a bootloader screen i can't install Monterey with opencore. Bought the tower without the old mac card in it. Is there any way to solve this?

 

[tommy chen]

I have an RX 580 Red devil and since i can't have a bootloader screen i can't install Monterey with opencore. Bought the tower without the old mac card in it. Is there any way to solve this?

why can others?
and no, you don't need a bootscreen (bootpicker) to install opencore and monterey with an RX580.

 

[yassabd]

why can others?
and no, you don't need a bootscreen (bootpicker) to install opencore and monterey with an RX580.

Well if 'others' can, they don't mention it anywhere! If i'm following any tutorial boot screen is needed in any of them. Would anyone have the solution ? Using a 5,1 mac tower with RX 580 red devil! Thanks!

 

[AnimeFunTv]

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.

I just recently did the BIOS chip flash/swap on my Sapphire Nitro+ RX580. I did it for the sole purpose of installing Windows 10 outside of OpenCore, but that's turning into a fiasco (see my thread). It's not THAT hard to do, you will have to buy the chips (which come from China and can take up to 3 weeks to get) and get yourself a programmer which is pretty cheap nowadays on Amazon. The problem you'll face is you need some additional equipment like a soldering/reflow station as well, also a digital microscope helps too. If you don't have these it might not be cost-effective. It is nice to be able to see the Apple Boot picker again. OC is very good and will always be a work in progress. I personally use OpenCore Legacy Patcher as its an all-in-one easy solution. My only gripe is that loading windows onto it will lock up (for me) when trying to switch to it and requires a few restarts (not ideal) before it loads up.

 

[hwojtek]

Well if 'others' can, they don't mention it anywhere! If i'm following any tutorial boot screen is needed in any of them. Would anyone have the solution ? Using a 5,1 mac tower with RX 580 red devil! Thanks!

Install OC on your existing system, check if your config.plist is ready for Monterey, reboot for OC to take over, install Monterey as anyone would do on a supported Mac - run it from Install MacOS Monterey.app. Job done.

It has been covered ad nauseam in the Open Core thread. People are spending nights writing up the instructions in the 1st post of “Open core on Mac Pro” thread, show them some respect instead of “they don’t mention the solution I was not really searching for”.

 

[yassabd]

Install OC on your existing system, check if your config.plist is ready for Monterey, reboot for OC to take over, install Monterey as anyone would do on a supported Mac - run it from Install MacOS Monterey.app. Job done.

I will try that! Thank you very much for the fast answer!

 

[yassabd]

Install OC on your existing system, check if your config.plist is ready for Monterey, reboot for OC to take over, install Monterey as anyone would do on a supported Mac - run it from Install MacOS Monterey.app. Job done.

It has been covered ad nauseam in the Open Core thread. People are spending nights writing up the instructions in the 1st post of “Open core on Mac Pro” thread, show them some respect instead of “they don’t mention the solution I was not really searching for”.

I have looked over and over before coming here looking for it. Asking on google for how to install it without having the boot window to actually choose Oc to take over. I'am new here and was 3 months ago a pc user. I guess my mistake was to use the wrong words to find my answers. I respect the work of peoples that take their time. All i wanted was for someone to help me find my answers here. They don't mention was about tutorial not here by the way. These comments are unnecessary!

 

[hwojtek]

Perhaps you should've used "Open Core Mac Pro", in which case you'd find a thread about it with the most detailed explanation ever:

OpenCore on the Mac Pro

This guide explains how to use the excellent OpenCore boot loader to install, run, and update the latest version of macOS on the MacPro5,1, resulting in a clean, unaltered operating system just like on a supported Mac.

forums.macrumors.com

But you keep posting about OC in the wrong thread, dedicated to GPUs and not OC. This explains a lot.

 

[yassabd]

Install OC on your existing system, check if your config.plist is ready for Monterey, reboot for OC to take over, install Monterey as anyone would do on a supported Mac - run it from Install MacOS Monterey.app. Job done.

It has been covered ad nauseam in the Open Core thread. People are spending nights writing up the instructions in the 1st post of “Open core on Mac Pro” thread, show them some respect instead of “they don’t mention the solution I was not really searching for”.

Perhaps you should've used "Open Core Mac Pro", in which case you'd find a thread about it with the most detailed explanation ever:

OpenCore on the Mac Pro

This guide explains how to use the excellent OpenCore boot loader to install, run, and update the latest version of macOS on the MacPro5,1, resulting in a clean, unaltered operating system just like on a supported Mac.

forums.macrumors.com

But you keep posting about OC in the wrong thread, dedicated to GPUs and not OC. This explains a lot.

I did but didn't come across this link. I am a newbie here and never been on a forum before. I actually used a google link that for whatever reason bring me directly to this thread. After that to be able to ask something i've created an account. I appreciate the time you took to answer my question. Thanks for your help! have a nice day!

 

[less500]

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.

If I remember correctly in open core options choose your video card and it will work I’ve used opencore for a couple months

 

[resonate]