MacVidCards Radio Silence

[S5csimon10425]

I bought a GTX 1070 video card from MacVidCards last July. It worked for about a 2 weeks and then I ran Windows 10 on my Mac Pro. When I swapped drives back to Mac OS, the video card would not boot the system. It now only works when booting Windows 10. I’ve emailed about 7 times, called, etc....no response. No support at all since last July. I guess I’m out $730 bucks. Anyone know how to fix this? Does Running Windows on a flashed video card delete MacVidCards firmware?
Help!
Thanks!!

 

[tsialex]

Maybe your problem is not your GPU, but your Mac Pro configuration? We are seeing a lot of cases that you can't boot back from UEFI installed Windows. Some NVRAM conditions and old Mac Pro firmware exacerbate this. You should try to do a clean install of Sierra with a supported GPU and without your Windows disk, then upgrade your Mac Pro firmware, read about with the first post of this thread MP5,1: What you have to do to upgrade to Mojave

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Maybe your problem is not your GPU, but your Mac Pro configuration? We are seeing a lot of cases that you can't boot back from UEFI installed Windows. Some NVRAM conditions and old Mac Pro firmware exacerbate this. You should try to do a clean install of Sierra with a supported GPU and without your Windows disk, then upgrade your Mac Pro firmware, read about with the first post of this thread MP5,1: What you have to do to upgrade to Mojave

Probably a macOS update that broke the web drivers. Nevertheless his issues highlight the pains Nvidia card owners have expressed before. If a vendor sells a card intended to be used with macOS or if Nvidia says they have included support for a GPU then customers should have better direct support instead of using a public forum.

It’s as if we forum members are being used as unpaid tech support by Nvidia. I can’t imagine how much of Apple support team have to deal with this and how much it costed them. No wonder they decided to block Nvidia in Mojave. Nvidia needs to officially list macOS support on the box and provide support then I’m sure we will see the drivers return.

 

[h9826790]

I bought a GTX 1070 video card from MacVidCards last July. It worked for about a 2 weeks and then I ran Windows 10 on my Mac Pro. When I swapped drives back to Mac OS, the video card would not boot the system. It now only works when booting Windows 10. I’ve emailed about 7 times, called, etc....no response. No support at all since last July. I guess I’m out $730 bucks. Anyone know how to fix this? Does Running Windows on a flashed video card delete MacVidCards firmware?
Help!
Thanks!!

How to you determine "video card would not boot the system", but not simply "the system would not boot"?

As Tsialex pointed out, may be nothing about the GPU.

Which macOS you are talking about Mojave? AFPS?

How you swap back to macOS? Selected inside Windows bootcamp apps? Hold option during boot? PRAM reset?

 

[startergo]

I bought a GTX 1070 video card from MacVidCards last July. It worked for about a 2 weeks and then I ran Windows 10 on my Mac Pro. When I swapped drives back to Mac OS, the video card would not boot the system. It now only works when booting Windows 10. I’ve emailed about 7 times, called, etc....no response. No support at all since last July. I guess I’m out $730 bucks. Anyone know how to fix this? Does Running Windows on a flashed video card delete MacVidCards firmware?
Help!
Thanks!!

I am in a similar boat. I sent him a titan for flashing and he has the card for month and a half already and no response from him on status or shipping info. Even from the paypal dispute I opened. I start loosing hope I will see my card back.

 

[jswami088]

Have you got any support from the customer care?

 

[S5csimon10425]

Maybe your problem is not your GPU, but your Mac Pro configuration? We are seeing a lot of cases that you can't boot back from UEFI installed Windows. Some NVRAM conditions and old Mac Pro firmware exacerbate this. You should try to do a clean install of Sierra with a supported GPU and without your Windows disk, then upgrade your Mac Pro firmware, read about with the first post of this thread MP5,1: What you have to do to upgrade to Mojave

Thanks. My concern is that I am running a 4,1 to 5,1 with a new CPU and upgraded ram. Do you know if the computer will boot up with the newer upgrades?

 

[S5csimon10425]

How to you determine "video card would not boot the system", but not simply "the system would not boot"?

As Tsialex pointed out, may be nothing about the GPU.

Which macOS you are talking about Mojave? AFPS?

How you swap back to macOS? Selected inside Windows bootcamp apps? Hold option during boot? PRAM reset?

It is true that it may not be the GPU. I am not super knowledgable with this stuff. Although nothing changed with my MacOS drive. I have two SSD's. One runs Windows 10, the other runs High Sierra. All I do is swap the SSD drives when switching between MacOS and Windows10. I was running Windows for a few weeks and decided to swap drives back to MacOS. It would not boot. I tried resetting PRAM, Holding OPTION during boot, etc. Is it possible that when running Windows, Windows updated the GPU firmware, thus erasing MacVidCards firmware?
[doublepost=1555150945][/doublepost]

I am in a similar boat. I sent him a titan for flashing and he has the card for month and a half already and no response from him on status or shipping info. Even from the paypal dispute I opened. I start loosing hope I will see my card back.

Do you live in Los Angeles? I am thinking about just showing up at their office. My guess is that it's his home.

 

[h9826790]

I have two SSD's. One runs Windows 10, the other runs High Sierra. All I do is swap the SSD drives when switching between MacOS and Windows10.

This is NOT the way to do it. There is no need to swap drive, and it's so much easier to keep both SSD installed. And use software method to switch between them.

Swap SSD will NOT make the Mac able to boot to another OS automatically.

Is it possible that when running Windows, Windows updated the GPU firmware, thus erasing MacVidCards firmware?

NO. Mac Pro's firmware (BootROM) is independent to the graphic card's firmware.

I was running Windows for a few weeks and decided to swap drives back to MacOS. It would not boot. I tried resetting PRAM, Holding OPTION during boot, etc.

Did you see the boot manager when holding option to boot?

Did you use this function before?

Are you using a wired keyboard?

Is that an Apple keyboard?

How is your SSD installed? (on a PCIe card? direct connect to the SATA port?)

You have to tell us more info. Otherwise, it's very impossible that we can give you solid advice.

Anyway, this is my way to dual boot Windows and macOS.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ut-a-boot-screen.2114788/page-9#post-26689280

 

[startergo]

It is true that it may not be the GPU. I am not super knowledgable with this stuff. Although nothing changed with my MacOS drive. I have two SSD's. One runs Windows 10, the other runs High Sierra. All I do is swap the SSD drives when switching between MacOS and Windows10. I was running Windows for a few weeks and decided to swap drives back to MacOS. It would not boot. I tried resetting PRAM, Holding OPTION during boot, etc. Is it possible that when running Windows, Windows updated the GPU firmware, thus erasing MacVidCards firmware?
[doublepost=1555150945][/doublepost]

Do you live in Los Angeles? I am thinking about just showing up at their office. My guess is that it's his home.

I live in Florida. Far away from his office. I will wait a little more and will start a legal action. Paypal can only refund me the money for the flashing service.

 

[S5csimon10425]

This is NOT the way to do it. There is no need to swap drive, and it's so much easier to keep both SSD installed. And use software method to switch between them.

Swap SSD will NOT make the Mac able to boot to another OS automatically.



NO. Mac Pro's firmware (BootROM) is independent to the graphic card's firmware.



Did you see the boot manager when holding option to boot?

Did you use this function before?

Are you using a wired keyboard?

Is that an Apple keyboard?

How is your SSD installed? (on a PCIe card? direct connect to the SATA port?)

You have to tell us more info. Otherwise, it's very impossible that we can give you solid advice.

Anyway, this is my way to dual boot Windows and macOS.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ut-a-boot-screen.2114788/page-9#post-26689280

No boot manager when holding option. Used an apple wired keyboard in multiple USB receptacles. Windows 10 boots fine. Just can't get MacOS to boot. SSD is direct connected to SATA port

 

[tsialex]

No boot manager when holding option. Used an apple wired keyboard in multiple USB receptacles. Windows 10 boots fine. Just can't get MacOS to boot. SSD is direct connected to SATA port

You are connecting your display where? Did you checked if connecting to the other ports you have the boot selector when booting with alt pressed?
[doublepost=1555166035][/doublepost]

Thanks. My concern is that I am running a 4,1 to 5,1 with a new CPU and upgraded ram. Do you know if the computer will boot up with the newer upgrades?

Yes, CPU and RAM upgrades are not the problem.
[doublepost=1555166161][/doublepost]

It is true that it may not be the GPU. I am not super knowledgable with this stuff. Although nothing changed with my MacOS drive. I have two SSD's. One runs Windows 10, the other runs High Sierra. All I do is swap the SSD drives when switching between MacOS and Windows10. I was running Windows for a few weeks and decided to swap drives back to MacOS. It would not boot. I tried resetting PRAM, Holding OPTION during boot, etc. Is it possible that when running Windows, Windows updated the GPU firmware, thus erasing MacVidCards firmware?

Windows can't update the GPU firmware by itself, but if you used the NVIDIA GOP update that sometime ago every PC user was running, you overwrote the GPU firmware.

 

[h9826790]

No boot manager when holding option. Used an apple wired keyboard in multiple USB receptacles. Windows 10 boots fine. Just can't get MacOS to boot. SSD is direct connected to SATA port

Did you ever use the "Boot screen" before? (boot manager, single suer mode, recovery partition, etc)

If no, did you ever confirm the flashed card actually gives you boot screen?

No boot manager if you hold option to boot. Does the cMP hang with black screen, or continue to boot to Windows?

It can't boot to macOS, what does it shows on the screen?

You really have to tell us more info.

 

[jbarley]

I also have had the misfortune of a MVC lack of support experience so I feel your pain.
MVC has quite a file with the Los Angeles Better Business Bureau, and none of it is good.

https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/los-angeles/profile/computer-parts/macvidcardscom-1216-719173/complaints

 

[bookemdano]

Is there any chance you ran the updater mentioned in MVC's blog post? If so, then you may have overwritten the custom ROM he flashed, which would result in exactly the behavior you are seeing (Windows working, no display from macOS--even boot screens). Back when this blog was first posted, he had the intention of making a v2 ROM and offering to reflash everyone's cards for a small fee. However, since the Mojave debacle with NVIDIA cards I think he figured out that his business is pretty much toast now and I very much doubt he's going to release his v2. Not sure if that's why he's MIA now or not, but I do remember there being posts here in the past with similar complaints (even before Mojave) so this isn't anything new.

Some folks here seem to have a closer connection to him so maybe one of them can assist with ideas to contact him. Not sure what else you can do.

 

[TheStork]

MVC (aka Rominator) has seem to disappear. He was last seen on the netkas.org forum on December 21, 2018, @11:04:28 PM. I seem to remember he was having health problems. Dunno if my olde brain got that right.

 

[startergo]

MVC (aka Rominator) has seem to disappear. He was last seen on the netkas.org forum on December 21, 2018, @11:04:28 PM. I seem to remember he was having health problems. Dunno if my olde brain got that right.

He must have somebody running the business or at lest replying to emails. That is how normal business operates right?

 

[Asgorath]

Probably a macOS update that broke the web drivers. Nevertheless his issues highlight the pains MacVidCards card owners have expressed before. If a vendor sells a card intended to be used with macOS or if MacVidCards says they have included support for a GPU then customers should have better direct support instead of using a public forum.

It’s as if we forum members are being used as unpaid tech support by MacVidCards.

Fixed that for you.

This has nothing to do with NVIDIA. MacVidCards is selling hacked versions of their cards, with a custom third-party UEFI that he wrote. If you buy one of those hacked cards, then you're running an unofficial product as far as NVIDIA is concerned. Why would you expect NVIDIA to provide full official support for a card running a UEFI that they didn't produce?

And just to be 100% crystal clear, since you seem to take all my posts as shilling for NVIDIA, I am in no way recommending that anyone buy one of these GPUs, or any NVIDIA GPU for use under macOS. For more details, see the sticky FAQ threads.

 

[TheStork]

He must have somebody running the business or at lest replying to emails. That is how normal business operates right?

You'd think so.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Fixed that for you.

This has nothing to do with NVIDIA. MacVidCards is selling hacked versions of their cards, with a custom third-party UEFI that he wrote. If you buy one of those hacked cards, then you're running an unofficial product as far as NVIDIA is concerned. Why would you expect NVIDIA to provide full official support for a card running a UEFI that they didn't produce?

And just to be 100% crystal clear, since you seem to take all my posts as shilling for NVIDIA, I am in no way recommending that anyone buy one of these GPUs, or any NVIDIA GPU for use under macOS. For more details, see the sticky FAQ threads.

We came to an agreement previously so you don't need to clarify yourself. True flashing cards is one thing, the other part of the issue is Nvidia has not been giving clarity to end users about the proper status of their drivers for the last 4 years. Users hear that Maxwell/Pascal are enabled but officially these architectures aren't listed on the driver page and that means Nvidia isn't being clear about tech support too. So users come crying to the forums or to Apple bug reports when there are driver problems. I was tired of doing that long ago. I'm an Nvidia shareholder, actually all chip stocks, so I want them to give users that clarity. Blaming Apple for the Mojave situation is a low blow truly. Anyway most of these people using Nvidia with macOS are Hackintosh users not cMP. We Mac Pro are a minority in this debate.

 

[Asgorath]

We came to an agreement previously so you don't need to clarify yourself. True flashing cards is one thing, the other part of the issue is Nvidia has not been giving clarity to end users about the proper status of their drivers for the last 4 years. Users hear that Maxwell/Pascal are enabled but officially these architectures aren't listed on the driver page and that means Nvidia isn't being clear about tech support too. So users come crying to the forums or to Apple bug reports when there are driver problems. I was tired of doing that long ago. I'm an Nvidia shareholder, actually all chip stocks, so I want them to give users that clarity. Blaming Apple for the Mojave situation is a low blow truly. Anyway most of these people using Nvidia with macOS are Hackintosh users not cMP. We Mac Pro are a minority in this debate.

Let's read what the OP actually said.

"I bought a GTX 1070 video card from MacVidCards last July. It worked for about a 2 weeks and then I ran Windows 10 on my Mac Pro. When I swapped drives back to Mac OS, the video card would not boot the system."

So, to summarize:

- The card worked in macOS.
- They then rebooted into Windows 10 for about 2 weeks.
- The system would then no longer boot into macOS.

How could there be a macOS update from Apple that broke the web driver in that time? Once the OP booted Windows, the macOS partition no longer worked. Thus, there is no way that a Software Update from Apple could've invalidated the web driver, and again, the whole point of these flashed UEFI cards is that they work without a driver (i.e. light up the screen so you can get the new driver etc).

I get that you're unhappy with NVIDIA's level of support for macOS, but this specific problem has absolutely nothing to do with them or their web drivers or their general lack of support for macOS or the lack of Mojave drivers. The issue here is that something happened when the OP booted Windows 10. Talking about all those other things is just distracting from the current discussion, which I'm assuming is aimed at helping the OP get their system working again under macOS (like it used to before they booted into Windows 10).

 

[w1z]

It is true that it may not be the GPU. I am not super knowledgable with this stuff. Although nothing changed with my MacOS drive. I have two SSD's. One runs Windows 10, the other runs High Sierra. All I do is swap the SSD drives when switching between MacOS and Windows10. I was running Windows for a few weeks and decided to swap drives back to MacOS. It would not boot. I tried resetting PRAM, Holding OPTION during boot, etc. Is it possible that when running Windows, Windows updated the GPU firmware, thus erasing MacVidCards firmware?
[doublepost=1555150945][/doublepost]

Do you live in Los Angeles? I am thinking about just showing up at their office. My guess is that it's his home.

If you want to know whether you overwrote the GPU's firmware or not just boot into Windows and download and run any system information software. You'll be able to see firmware info under GPU.

 

[macsforme]

If you want to know whether you overwrote the GPU's firmware or not just boot into Windows and download and run any system information software. You'll be able to see firmware info under GPU.

What do you expect to see differently in Windows when you have an MVC-flashed card? I only see the original VBIOS version from the ROM he used. In macOS I think he got it to show “MacVidCards” as the VBIOS version, but I have never seen any indication that it’s a flashed card under Windows.

 

[w1z]

What do you expect to see differently in Windows when you have an MVC-flashed card? I only see the original VBIOS version from the ROM he used. In macOS I think he got it to show “MacVidCards” as the VBIOS version, but I have never seen any indication that it’s a flashed card under Windows.

You'll see the same vbios version as you're seeing on macos, "MacVidCards"

I'll see if I can attach a screenshot when I reach home.

 

[startergo]

You will see it under rom revision: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/gpu-zoo-for-cmp.2174600/page-3#post-27283389
[doublepost=1555427251][/doublepost]

What do you expect to see differently in Windows when you have an MVC-flashed card? I only see the original VBIOS version from the ROM he used. In macOS I think he got it to show “MacVidCards” as the VBIOS version, but I have never seen any indication that it’s a flashed card under Windows.

You'll see the same vbios version as you're seeing on macos, "MacVidCards"

I'll see if I can attach a screenshot when I reach home.