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Resolved So called "Security Update 2015-002" from today will purposely break nVidia drivers!

Zorn

Zorn

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 14, 2006
1,142
839
Ohio
Generally I've done all security updates through the App Store, as these don't change the OS X version number. Today, I installed a security update, and upon reboot, my Mac with GTX 980 is black screened. After screen sharing into it, turns out the nVidia driver is disabled on purpose and somehow not compatible with my OS version, even though I'm using 10.10.2.

This is incredibly stupid behavior and I will definitely not install any security updates again until I can obtain 100% verification that they won't cripple my machine just for fun. Beware of this update.
 
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I just got burned by this security update too and had to temporarily re-install my old gtx 120. This really sucks! I hope Nvidia can give us an updated driver soon. I really wish I had waited to install this security update but it never occurred to me that it might break my nvidia driver. :mad:
 
To me doing this is inexcusable. At least with a 10.10.x update, we *know* they are going to break things and can hold off. When you see a "security update", it isn't supposed to screw your system up until you have time to do surgery on it.
 
My own recollection though over the last 8-12 years going back to Jaquar is that they DO tend to break more things than OS X "updates" which are tested more?

In any event, I don't install or apply immediately, I treat with kid gloves, make a clone, try to read what you guys and other "news" sites have tripped over or on for days or a week. And read what ZDNet Security page and others have to say (they usually have something to say!

Apple started becoming more like someone with "SPn" and where you would hold off -- oh, wait, waiting until 10.3.2 or later? or 10.4.3+? yea, every one of 'em has been out the gate, in my mind mind you, as "not ready for prime time" when it is .1 or .2, ever.

People use to send reports, and still do, and see what is said on
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com has always been quick.
 
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Can I use Time Machine to go back to just before I installed that update? Otherwise, are we gonna be permanently stuck with disabled graphics cards?
 
OS-SEX said:
Can I use Time Machine to go back to just before I installed that update? Otherwise, are we gonna be permanently stuck with disabled graphics cards?
Click to expand...

Apparently can't do that unless you feel like switching out cards for the 900000th time. I tried via screen sharing and you can't get into the restore mode to do a time machine restore.
 
Zorn said:
Generally I've done all security updates through the App Store, as these don't change the OS X version number. Today, I installed a security update, and upon reboot, my Mac with GTX 980 is black screened. After screen sharing into it, turns out the nVidia driver is disabled on purpose and somehow not compatible with my OS version, even though I'm using 10.10.2.

This is incredibly stupid behavior and I will definitely not install any security updates again until I can obtain 100% verification that they won't cripple my machine just for fun. Beware of this update.
Click to expand...

The security update does not break the Nvidia drivers on purpose. The update changed the build version of the OS for both 10.9.5 and 10.10.2. Nvidia apparently feels it's necessary to restrict the drivers to specific OS versions and build numbers. It's not the first time a security update has changed an OS X build version.
 
ClassObject said:
Why do you blame apple and not nvidia? nvidia locks their stuff to versions, apple seems to version appropriately.
Click to expand...

Because Apple is being infantile and not using newer Nvidia drivers.

Not only are 970/980/750 not in the OS drivers, neither are the Titan Black and 780Ti, despite having been around for a long time.

It seems to me that throughout 10.9 they never added any new Nvidia cards to the shipping drivers.

If instead of dragging their feet they just let those newer drivers become part of their OS, this whole event would have passed unnoticed.

I realize that choosing which pink watch band goes with the "Aluminum Sport Extended" is high-tech stuff and needs most of their engineering staff, but maybe every now and then they couldld spend a few moments on actual computers.

netkas said:
install this driver before(or after security update)http://us.download.nvidia.com/dZAS8cBUHaT1cUk4pr4NBgqTMH8PbHXC/WebDriver-343.02.02b04.pkg

or wait for updated driver
Click to expand...

Netkas to the rescue !!!

Yes, I can confirm that this works.

Nice thing with our EFI cards you can do this without removing cards, etc.
 
Mine's a vanilla 780 so it just reverted to the OS X driver and put up that error message about an incompatible OS.

I expect we won't see a new driver from Apple until new Macs w/ Nvidia chipsets come out. Wouldn't surprise me if iMacs with 9xxM chipsets were announced then suddenly 780Ti / 970 / 980 are working perfectly with built in drivers.

Probably comes down to a contest between Apple's desire to bury CUDA vs their love of power efficient chips. If they go all AMD this round we could be in for a very long wait. :\
 
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My Mac Pro 5,1 3.33 GHz 6-Core has a SSD on a Velocity Solo X2 card would not start until I reset the PRAM. Got the grey screen with flashing ???. The Mac edition NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 kicked in running on the system drivers.

All the last updates broke the NVIDA drivers and CUDA drivers. Nothing new here.
 
Let's see if it breaks my Mini's SSD

rjtiedeman said:
My Mac Pro 5,1 3.33 GHz 6-Core has a SSD on a Velocity Solo X2 card would not start until I reset the PRAM. Got the grey screen with flashing ???. The Mac edition NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 kicked in running on the system drivers.

All the last updates broke the NVIDA drivers and CUDA drivers. Nothing new here.
Click to expand...

2 Samsung SSDs. Downloading now. :eek:
 
I'm sure NVIDIA will have a new driver out shortly. In the mean time, you can probably just update the OS version listed in /System/Library/Extensions/NVDAStartup.kext/Contents/Info.plist and rebuild your kext cache.

Edit: Specifically this:

Code: 
                        <key>NVDARequiredOS</key>
                        <string>14C109</string>

to whatever the new version number is.

Double edit: Actually netkas posted this one, should work on any 14C build:

http://us.download.nvidia.com/dZAS8cBUHaT1cUk4pr4NBgqTMH8PbHXC/WebDriver-343.02.02b04.pkg
 
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Asgorath said:
I'm sure NVIDIA will have a new driver out shortly. In the mean time, you can probably just update the OS version listed in /System/Library/Extensions/NVDAStartup.kext/Contents/Info.plist and rebuild your kext cache.

Edit: Specifically this:

Code: 
                        <key>NVDARequiredOS</key>
                        <string>14C109</string>

to whatever the new version number is.

Double edit: Actually netkas posted this one, should work on any 14C build:

http://us.download.nvidia.com/dZAS8cBUHaT1cUk4pr4NBgqTMH8PbHXC/WebDriver-343.02.02b04.pkg
Click to expand...

Wouldn't editing the kext require running in kext_dev_mode?

The Beta driver is nice since you don't need to enable that.
 
And the security update also breaks the Nvidia Web Driver for 10.8.5.

However, my non-flashed GTX 570 2.5GB still works and Cuda is still playing nicely with Adobe AE & PP while using the Apple driver, at least...

Question:
Perhaps Apple's drivers are presently mature enough that with my 10.8.5/gtx570 combo, that using the Nvidia driver will not exhibit any performance boost over current OS drivers anyways... Your thoughts?

Thanks,
Lonnie
 
This happened awhile back with another "security" update - either under 10.8 or 10.9. Basically everyone but Apple would rather see this as .X number increments rather than just security updates.

I'd give it a few weeks - they've been pretty on top of releases as of late. In the meantime, I'll be resorting to the OSX default driver...
 
or you can edit the file

/System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist

and restore the old build number there, might cheat nvidia drivers on 10.8/10.9/10.10

<key>ProductBuildVersion</key>
<string>14C109</string>
 
Thanks Netkas! I will try this later. To echo what others have said, I too, always wait for system updates but never had a security patch break things! Even the stock apple drivers will not work with my EVGA 650ti! Very disappointed here...
 
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