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The Golden Guide to Flashing Graphic Cards

Cindori said:
there is ONE MORE THING

Excotic cards like the 4890 carries a Device ID that OSX graphics driver does not recognize. To add support, you need netkas QE CI patch.
Without this, the card will run, but at low resolution and no 3D graphics.
These can be installed with Zeus under Driver. Further documentation can be found inside the Help tab.
Click to expand...

Just to clarify, "exotic cards" in this case means anything other than the 4870, or is it possible certain 4870s will still need to do this step?
 
I encountered that once with a 4870 in 10.5.8. that is the only time anyone has had that tho. But yes excotic refers to non-apple-released models.
 
Cindori, I picked up a XFX HD 4890 1GB ZSFC Ver 1.6 because there was a known working rom (thank you search feature). I am able to boot to Windows with it OK but not able to get OSX to boot completely. I know this because the Log Me In program never launches to allow me to remote connect and flash the card using Zeus. When I put the 1900XT back in I am able to boot. Now I did have a problem with the last XFX card that I was not able to get working and bricked.... Would there be any reason OSX would not work because of this? Atleast with the last XFX card I as able to boot to OSX in order to do a remote connection. Any ideas? Is it ok to flash the card in dows with the ATI flashing tool?
 
So,

now that the nvidia GTX 480 has hit the market, the question lingers:

is it flashable? or is there not enough space on the rom chip to add the EFI bit?
 
Even if I asked God to create a Mac 480GTX and he did, it would not work in a Mac. There are no drivers in OSX to run the card.
 
Just got an XFX 4870 and the required cables. Install went fine, made a rom using the guide, flashed it with the latest Winflash. The card is detected in both Windows Vista 64 and OS X 10.6.3 but only supports one screen on the Mac. Installed the latest QE CI kexts for fun but those did not help. Using 2 single link DVI cables and 2 20" screens (1680 * 1050). Any ideas?
 
Cindori said:
Naaak do this:

download zeus

open Driver tab

Select card and OS and then Download. install that PKG

now try reboot.
Click to expand...

Aye. Did that as a first step when things didn't work yesterday. It does not help with my problem.


Cindori said:
If that does not help:

install this:

http://groths.org/dualdvi.zip
Click to expand...

This actually works. Dual screen support for my 4870 now works in 10.6.3. Thanks a ton.

What's the difference between that and the netkas package? I probably have to run that after every OS update, correct?
 
Hey there Naaaaaak,

Are you running one of the newer XFX 4870s? ie...one of the ZWxx series?

I ask as someone with an earlier ZHxx series card reported no issues with Dual Screen in 10.6.3

Trying to figure out which cards are going to be needing ongoing support versus those golden early XFX 1 Gig cards which have had Dual Screen since 10.5.7
 
The Rominator said:
Are you running one of the newer XFX 4870s? ie...one of the ZWxx series?

I ask as someone with an earlier ZHxx series card reported no issues with Dual Screen in 10.6.3

Trying to figure out which cards are going to be needing ongoing support versus those golden early XFX 1 Gig cards which have had Dual Screen since 10.5.7
Click to expand...

Yes, it is the XFX HD487AZWFC. Was hoping to avoid ongoing support, but I understand it's all hackery.
 
Success with Asus EAH4870 DK/HDTI/512MD5/A.

@Cindori

Hello, thank you for the golden guide!
And everyone who made all the parts that are combined in it.
I have an Asus EAH4870 card and rom creation was difficult with the provided instructions.
The Rom started with 55 AA .. and then 80 instead of the 7c or 7d or 7e.
I inserted the EFI part manually and then ran the fixrom.py script.
So far it works great in OSX and Windows on a Mac Pro 1,1 in 10.6.2 and Win7.
I flashed it in dos as the card locked up SL in every slot with 2 ,1 and zero power cables in combination with or without 7300GT.
So I could not use Zeus :-(
And as I didn't find a modified rom for it anywhere I decided to share it here.
But I just found out it's a black screen in 10.6.3 :-(

Leonoid
 

Attachments

  • Asus EAH4870:HDTI:512MD5:A.zip
    420.5 KB · Views: 412
10.6.3 fixed!

@Cindori,

Jes that helped!
But my Mac Pro kinda feels like an iPhone now...
Must be careful updating ;-)
 
Alright. I've been looking around all day using this thread and this thread. https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/800949/

The one on Amazon matches the photo in your image table, but I feel like I'm being fooled. http://www.amazon.com/XFX-HD489AZDF...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0020ZFL0C

And this is currently the one on Newegg, sharing all the same specs as the most successful video card, according to the compatibility thread, except the model number. Which I know is crucial. I was wondering if there has been any success with it. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161292&cm_re=4870-_-14-161-292-_-Product

I'm scared. Haha
 
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pardon me for going little off the track...

I like nVidia cards overall and I'm not very familiar with ATI in general

is it possible to do same kind of thing with nVidia instead of ATI?

I have old Mac Pro 1,1 what's the fastest card I can put in there?
 
Attaching the XFX HD-487A-ZWFC 1 GB Ver E.0 ROM I made
 

Attachments

  • XFX HD-487A-ZWFC 1 GB Ver E.0 ROMs.zip
    151.4 KB · Views: 441
alexus said:
pardon me for going little off the track...

I like nVidia cards overall and I'm not very familiar with ATI in general

is it possible to do same kind of thing with nVidia instead of ATI?

I have old Mac Pro 1,1 what's the fastest card I can put in there?
Click to expand...

Short answer: not really.

The fastest option would be an HD4890.
 
djhspawn said:
Cindori, I picked up a XFX HD 4890 1GB ZSFC Ver 1.6 because there was a known working rom (thank you search feature). I am able to boot to Windows with it OK but not able to get OSX to boot completely. I know this because the Log Me In program never launches to allow me to remote connect and flash the card using Zeus. When I put the 1900XT back in I am able to boot. Now I did have a problem with the last XFX card that I was not able to get working and bricked.... Would there be any reason OSX would not work because of this? Atleast with the last XFX card I as able to boot to OSX in order to do a remote connection. Any ideas? Is it ok to flash the card in dows with the ATI flashing tool?
Click to expand...



I'm having this exact problem. Card flashed with 13.rom, installed exotic driver pack. Works under windows, no boot on osx. Have you solved this, djspawn?
 
plugues said:
I'm having this exact problem. Card flashed with 13.rom, installed exotic driver pack. Works under windows, no boot on osx. Have you solved this, djspawn?
Click to expand...

Update: Unplugging 1 monitor has allowed me to boot on OS X. Card is a XFX 4890 ZSFC 1.6. Is there a newer rom that fixes this?
 
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