MP 1,1-5,1 Radeon Pulse RX 580 8GB just shows grey screen on High Sierra on MacPro

[lukasss]

Hi all. My name is Lukas and i'm from Germany. I bought a "Sapphire Radeon 11265-05-20G Pulse RX 580 8GB GDDR5" for my oldschool Mac Pro 2009 (4,1) updated to (5,1) but it doesn't work. When i boot, i just can see a grey screen and nothing else. The fans are rotating and it feels/ sounds like it is booting. When i put back the original Nvidia GT 120 everything works fine. It is clear that this card is compatible with my system, like even Apple itself recommends it and i've seen it in youtube videos people installing it on the same system. I also read a lot of articles on forums on the last days about people dealing with the same problem, but never found a satisfying solution.

Here more about my system:

• Mac Pro 4.1 early 2009 updated to 5.1
• macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 (built: 17G14042)
• processor: 2,66 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
• ram: 16 GB 1066 MHz DDR3
• Boot-ROM-Version: MP51.0089.B00
• SMC-Version (system and processor both): 1.39f5
• drive: WD HDD Sata 640GB Mac OS Extended Journaled HFS+
• monitor: Eizo CG223W (1680 x 1050) with DVI
• using a 16AWG Dual Mini 6 Pin to 8 Pin PCI-e cable to connect the graphic-card
• FileVault is deactivated

Things that i've already tried to do without a positive solution:

• reset the NVRAM 4 times in a row
• reset PRAM
• reset SMC
• doing manually EFI-Firmware-Updates
• switching PCI-slots
• using DisplayPort cable to monitor in different slots in card, using HDMI cable to TV
• reinstalled clean High Sierra over flashed USB drive

Can you help me?


Thanks.

 

[Situationen]

Are you aware of the fact that no boot screen is available with that graphics card, without either OpenCore or getting it flashed by a third party? So that you having nothing on the screen while booting could be fine.

But I guess that you don't get any picture, even after what would be enough time for the OS to get to the login screen, correct?

 

[lukasss]

Are you aware of the fact that no boot screen is available with that graphics card, without either OpenCore or getting it flashed by a third party? So that you having nothing on the screen while booting could be fine.

But I guess that you don't get any picture, even after what would be enough time for the OS to get to the login screen, correct?

yes, you are correct. i know that there is no boot screen. i don't get on desktop.

 

[JedNZ]

Before you go much further, you should read this thread that talks about upgrading your cMP, and this thread which talks about updating your firmware.

Once your machine has its firmware updated, you might consider two other options for getting boot screens and other modern functionality for your cMP via either OpenCore (which supports UEFI Windows installs) or RefindPlus/OpenCore Chainload (supports Legacy Windows installs).

 

[judino28]

Have you tried entering your password blindly and hitting return on the grey screen? I dual boot High Sierra and Mojave on my 5,1 with unflashed RX580 and lately I've had this grey screen issue on High Sierra sometimes. I just enter my password, hit enter, and then the screen "comes to life" and I get to the desktop and all works fine.

 

[KeesMacPro]

Before you go much further, you should read this thread that talks about upgrading your cMP, and this thread which talks about updating your firmware.

Once your machine has its firmware updated, you might consider two other options for getting boot screens and other modern functionality for your cMP via either OpenCore (which supports UEFI Windows installs) or RefindPlus/OpenCore Chainload (supports Legacy Windows installs).

AFAIK firmware has nothing to do with the RX580 working or not.
HS supports the RX580 and the OP knows that a pc version doesn't show a bootscreen.

 

[lukasss]

Before you go much further, you should read this thread that talks about upgrading your cMP, and this thread which talks about updating your firmware.

Once your machine has its firmware updated, you might consider two other options for getting boot screens and other modern functionality for your cMP via either OpenCore (which supports UEFI Windows installs) or RefindPlus/OpenCore Chainload (supports Legacy Windows installs).

Thanks. But the problem is I can't even go to desktop. The 'not having a bootscreen' is ok for me.

Have you tried entering your password blindly and hitting return on the grey screen? I dual boot High Sierra and Mojave on my 5,1 with unflashed RX580 and lately I've had this grey screen issue on High Sierra sometimes. I just enter my password, hit enter, and then the screen "comes to life" and I get to the desktop and all works fine.

Was thinking about this also before I tried, but nothing happened. Just for asking: How long did it take by you after entering the pw to get to desktop. Immediately or a few minutes?

@KeesMacPro

Like I've written above, it is powered with a 16AWG Dual Mini 6 Pin to 8 Pin PCI-e cable. And yes, I've tried several pci-slots

 

[dataid]

How did you acquire you RX580? New out of box? Secondary purchase? Does your model have a ROM switch for the VBIOS? If so try alternative switch positio. If purchased on secondary market was it used for currency mining? if so the VBIOS may have been modified.

 

[lukasss]

How did you acquire you RX580? New out of box? Secondary purchase? Does your model have a ROM switch for the VBIOS? If so try alternative switch positio. If purchased on secondary market was it used for currency mining? if so the VBIOS may have been modified.

it is a second used from ebay. there is no switch on this version. i know, it could be possible that the card is broken or with another bios... hopepfully not. i mean, i just want rule out everything else.

 

[KeesMacPro]

@lukasss :

In case you bought the "light" version, this could explain the issue.
The light version is known for causing issues/not working correctly in a MP.
This version is easy to identify : it misses the DVI connector (only 3 DP and 1 HDMI connector).

After reading your 1st post thoroughly I deleted my questions, as they were already answered, sorry

 

[lukasss]

@lukasss :

In case you bought the "light" version, this could explain the issue.
The light version is known for causing issues/not working correctly in a MP.
This version is easy to identify : it misses the DVI connector (only 3 DP and 1 HDMI connector).

After reading your 1st post thoroughly I deleted my questions, as they were already answered, sorry

It is not the light version. I am even connected via DVI!

 

[mattspace]

what happens if you boot with both cards installed & your display plugged into the GT-120? That's still supported on High Sierra. That should at least let you get to system profiler, and let you see the card stats. You could also try plugging the rx580 into a different port on the display connected to the gt-120 at the same time, and see if it sees itself connected to anything.

 

[lukasss]

what happens if you boot with both cards installed & your display plugged into the GT-120? That's still supported on High Sierra. That should at least let you get to system profiler, and let you see the card stats. You could also try plugging the rx580 into a different port on the display connected to the gt-120 at the same time, and see if it sees itself connected to anything.

when i install both cards and connect the display with the GT-120, the normal apple mac boot progress starts, but stops by 3/4 loading. then the mac, i think so, hangs up.

when plugging the rx580 into a different port on the display connected to the gt-120 at the same time, only the gt120 is detected.

 

[lukasss]

in safe mode the rx580 is detected:

 

[Dayo]

i know it could be possible that the card is broken or with another bios... hopepfully not. i mean, i just want rule out everything else.

Actually you have things a bit upside down and you need to rule that likelihood out first before thinking of anything else.

 

[judino28]

Was thinking about this also before I tried, but nothing happened. Just for asking: How long did it take by you after entering the pw to get to desktop. Immediately or a few minutes?

Normally the screen is completely black for a little while until the apple logo shows up, the bar loads quickly, and then i enter my password. When the grey screen happens, the screen is black, then the screen turns grey, I let it sit maybe a minute, and then blindly enter the password, and then I'm logged in and all works normally. As mentioned, this only happens sometimes and only on High Sierra; Mojave always boots normally.

 

[dataid]

in safe mode the rx580 is detected:

Here is the display from my system report, aside from the language difference a critical element is missing in your system report, Metal is not indicated as being supported.
I suspect you have a modified VBIOS most likely your card was used for currency mining or modified for other purposes.
You need to check the VBIOS version first as @Dayo suggested.

 

[MarkC426]

deleted ?

 

[Dayo]

Metal is not indicated as being supported.

Just noticed the OP is on HiSierra and not actually sure whether HiSierra shows this info.

I think I have read that HiSierra also doesn't have all the needed drivers for these Polaris GPUs or that the Polaris drivers in HiSierra were buggy first gen efforts.

 

[tsialex]

Just noticed the OP is on HiSierra and not actually sure whether HiSierra shows this info.

I think I have read that HiSierra also doesn't have all the needed drivers for these Polaris GPUs or that the Polaris drivers in HiSierra were buggy first gen efforts.

You are mistaken Sierra Polaris/Ellesmere support with High Sierra. High Sierra support for Polaris is fine.

 

[Dayo]

You are mistaken Sierra Polaris/Ellesmere support with High Sierra. High Sierra support for Polaris is fine.

Mea Culpa then. Although I could have sworn I have come across that somewhere here.
Was there something similar regarding HiSierra and Mojave ... maybe specific to the RX 580?

 

[MarkC426]

I got my RX580 when on Sierra, which showed as R9 gpu.
When upgraded to HS shows as proper RX580 with Metal 1.
When upgraded to Mojave Metal 2.