Ultimate Thread: 4890 in Mac Pro

[Peloche]

How to 4890 in a Mac Pro

AT FIRST: Don't forget to backup your stock ROM before any modifications

In fact there are two methods:

Flashing or Injectors Methods

Injectors method needs a customized Natit, if you have another card than Sapphire 4890 New Edition equipped with Qimonda memory chipsets, you'll have to :

Make your own Natit

4890 ROMs Table

How to make your own 4890 EFIROM

How to Flash your GPU with DOS on a PC

How to Flash your GPU with Windows

How to use DOS on your Mac Pro

How to Flash your GPU with OS X on your Mac Pro

--------------------

Information about Graphic cards (ATI Radeon HD 4890):

01 - Sapphire ATI Radeon HD4890 New Edition:

Photo

Label

P/N 288-1E115-D20SA
SKU# 11150-11

Equipped with Qimonda memory chipsets:

STOCK ROM
md5
afaa8ab80d28b050b54923242cdf78f3
EFIROM
md5
59eb238cb978084afff5cef729a2da21

Reports:
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/8741400/

Ports working on New Edition Qimonda

Equipped with Hynix memory chipsets:

STOCK ROM

EFIROM
md5
de101d3ba2a99360ad549f5465c281f2

Reports:
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/8827762/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/8837051/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/8837272/

02 -

--------------------------

Looking for Power Cables for your GPU in Europe

Looking for Power Cables for your GPU in USA

You prefer to power your card from the second Superdrive

You want to connect your DVI display to the DP of your GPU, you'll need this

You want to buy DP/DVI adapter in USA

--------------------------
Diagram Updates:

rev 01
1 - added MCuC address according to The Rominator excellent remark
2 - change some typing error according to Excellent Treksdot remarks
Something didn't change is that people without "A little common sense" should not try this and buy Apple 4870 ready to use

rev 02
1 - Clarifiy path for rom with 7C length
2 - add "i.e. Sapphire new Edition with P/N and SKU#"

rev 03
1 - Change Edit/Delete/Save by Edit/Save within box "Changing address of MCuC"

rev 04 - 14 Nov 2009
1 - Add lines and columns
2 - Add column G "File starts with 55 AA 7E" (including G5, G6, G7, G8, G9 boxes)
3 - Change text in C8, organization and polices in E7, E8, E9
4 - Reorganize boxes

rev 05 - 10 December 2009
1 - According to bradipo remark
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/8938424/In box E8

replace "Select octet at offset 112638" with "Insert cursor at octet 112638"

 

[Cindori]

pipmolo made the script.

good write up..

 

[Redneck1089]

Cindori,

Are these steps correct?

Okay, so this is the steps I'll take:

1) Open ATIflash ROM Tool.
2) Install Natit
3) Reflash to original ROM
4) Reboot

Now, this is where I might have some trouble. Last time I tried using Natit I didn't get anything but black screens. What I can do this time around though is use a remote login from my phone and continue the flash from it. Would this work?

So from there the steps will be:
1) Open ROM tool
2) Choose normal clocked ROM to flash from
3) remove Natit,
4) reboot again.

Does this sound correct?


Also, the original ROM I have is just the one that Treksdot posted on the 36th page of this thread. Or, the one that's included in your Tool Cindori. Is that alright?


I'm afraid I'm not advanced enough to make my own ROM. Afterall, Treksdot even had to walk me through the initial flashing process through window, which took a hell of a long time. I'd rather donate a few extra bucks to someone to take the time and help me walk through this again or to take the time to write me an EFI ROM.

 

[MacVidCards]

Who dares ?

Peloche,

Did you account for the place in PC BIOS that points to where GDDR5 table is?

I have been rather inarticulate trying to explain this, so I will circle what I am talking about in red.

So, in a ROM that the GDDR5 table gets moved in, you need to alter the address in BIOS that it looks for GDDR5 table at.

I think I took these from OEM 4870 ROM. Anyhow, you need to see where opening address of GDDR5 ends up and place it in BIOS in place I have circled.

If this still isn't clear I can do more pix. Don't know why I am being so verbally clumsy.

 

[Treksdot]

Who dares ?

Using Peloche's new writeup I'm running into a brick wall. When pasting the dd code block into Terminal I get the following attached results. The instructions are also slightly off. When it says to change Number mode it's under the Edit menu, not File. It's Find, not Finf.

 

[Cindori]

Cindori,

Are these steps correct?

I was talking about only injectors. Forget flashing, roms etc. Just run off injectors.

since natit does not run - you need modified natit. i can make one when I get time, or ask Peloche.
then:

flash to pc rom
install modified natit
reboot, pray for no screen tearing

 

[Redneck1089]

I got Natit to work this time! I'm running Natit right now with the original ROM.

Unfortunately there's still screen tearing. What else can be done about this? Ugh, why the F%&* is it tearing?!

I was talking about only injectors. Forget flashing, roms etc. Just run off injectors.

since natit does not run - you need modified natit. i can make one when I get time, or ask Peloche.
then:

flash to pc rom
install modified natit
reboot, pray for no screen tearing

 

[Cindori]

because ati makes crappy osx drivers:/

don't you still have your old card? to run the 20" from that?

 

[Redneck1089]

because ati makes crappy osx drivers:/

don't you still have your old card? to run the 20" from that?

I still have the 4870 Mac Edition. Don't I need to have that plugged in though? I have four hard drives and two optical drives...so I'm fresh outta places to plug that bugger in.


EDIT: Yup, needs to be plugged in too.

 

[SameOle]

@Redneck

Are you powering the card from the MB or Molex?

 

[Redneck1089]

Are you powering the card from the MB or Molex?

Which card, the 4890 or 4870?

The 4890 is being powered off the Mother Board. I'm using two six pin connectors with it, or molex.

The 4870 has no where else to be plugged in. Trying to experiment, even though I knew this would happen, I installed it into the mother board without power cables and this just freezes both the displays when the 20" display is attached to the 4870.

 

[Peloche]

pipmolo made the script.

good write up..

Hi Cindori,

The aim of this is to integrate your tool (with some more scripts from Pipomolo42...replacing hand maipulation) when we'll be sure that it works well.

For 7C length it works well, i'm using my New Edition card and mefka also.
I don't have a 7D card so i could'nt test it, but The Rominator was monitoring and found the first big bug...

 

[Peloche]

Peloche,

Did you account for the place in PC BIOS that points to where GDDR5 table is?

I have been rather inarticulate trying to explain this, so I will circle what I am talking about in red.

So, in a ROM that the GDDR5 table gets moved in, you need to alter the address in BIOS that it looks for GDDR5 table at.

I think I took these from OEM 4870 ROM. Anyhow, you need to see where opening address of GDDR5 ends up and place it in BIOS in place I have circled.

If this still isn't clear I can do more pix. Don't know why I am being so verbally clumsy.

Hi The Rominator,

Thanks a lot for your essential remark.
Why do you say "climsy" ? only arms crossed people aren't climsy, and yet, they are within the sole job they are doing, their remarks...

You did a merveillous job for the communauty and i'm sorry that i've forgot about MCuC addresses despite your multiple warnings.

Peloche,

 

[Cindori]

Hi Cindori,

The aim of this is to integrate your tool (with some more scripts from Pipomolo42...replacing hand maipulation) when we'll be sure that it works well.

For 7C length it works well, i'm using my New Edition card and mefka also.
I don't have a 7D card so i could'nt test it, but The Rominator was monitoring and found the first big bug...

still will require manual viewing... to see if mcuc adress is bad...

 

[Peloche]

Natit Home Made

For Natit home made:

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/development_tools/plisteditpro.html
http://www.charlessoft.com/
http://cheetha.net/
http://www.suavetech.com/0xed/0xed.html
http://www.respect_and_humility.needed

 

[Peloche]

still will require manual viewing... to see if mcuc adress is bad...

This IMHO could be an easy script, checking 7C or 7D according should be 01 B8 00 (B8 01 00) 112 640 and 01 BA 00 (BA 01 00) 113 152, offset of 512.

 

[Redneck1089]

PROBLEM SOLVED...although not quite in the way I would have initially liked!

I followed the oldest instructions on the first page of this thread! I took out my second optical drive and purchased some molex y-splitter power connectors. Long story short I now have both the 4890 and the 4870 running in my Mac Pro!

This has fixed both the screen tearing running dual monitors (one card runs on monitor, and the other card powers the other), and it's fixed my DRM problem with iTunes (I only watch on the monitor connected to the 4870).



I only have one last question, and this may or may not matter too much. The Expansion Slot Utility has popped up saying that PCI E slot 1 is running at 16X and slot 2 is running at 1X. I can't seem to get slot 2 to run at 8X.

If I switch both slot 1 and 2 to 8X each, will it run that way in Windows too, or will it automatically revert back to 16X for slot 1 when I boot into Vista? The reason I ask is I'll be using only the 4890 for gaming in windows and would like it running at 16X.

 

[Cindori]

didnt you have 08 or 09 mac?

then you have pci 2.0 = double bandwidth

so 8x is equal to 16x PCI1.0

run it 8x/8x. 4890 is not saturated by 8x PCI2.0 bus (heck even the 5870 isnt)

the slot speed is saved in your mac pro (OS does not matter)

btw is that screen from when booting? cause that red light indicates bad RAM - if it stays on after you push boot button.

 

[Redneck1089]

I have a 1.1 Mac Pro 3Ghz Quad. First generation.

Still advisable to go 8x/8x?

Yeah, I noticed the red light too. it was only registering 3 GB of RAM (I have 5 GB). I rebooted and all the RAM is registering now.

didnt you have 08 or 09 mac?

then you have pci 2.0 = double bandwidth

so 8x is equal to 16x PCI1.0

run it 8x/8x. 4890 is not saturated by 8x PCI2.0 bus (heck even the 5870 isnt)


btw is that screen from when booting? cause that red light indicates bad RAM - if it stays on after you push boot button.

 

[Treksdot]

Redneck you're aware that you're choking off the air intake for the bottom card right?

 

[Cindori]

I have a 1.1 Mac Pro 3Ghz Quad. First generation.

Still advisable to go 8x/8x?

8x pci 1.0 will choke card performance by ~20%. But you don't have much option. (one of the reasons I never went for two 4890)

Redneck you're aware that you're choking off the air intake for the bottom card right?

yes like any other crossfire rig in the world.

 

[Redneck1089]

Redneck you're aware that you're choking off the air intake for the bottom card right?

Not concerned. People stack cards like these all the time. ...thanks, tho

 

[Redneck1089]

8x pci 1.0 will choke card performance by ~20%. But you don't have much option. (one of the reasons I never went for two 4890)






yes like any other crossfire rig in the world.

It's cool, I'll run 8X in both slots till gaming, when I'll switch the slot 1 back to 16X in OS X and then reboot to Windows (a reboot will be needed to get into bootcamp anyways). Thanks Cindori

 

[kronoss]

Hello, i just bought this card:

POWERCOLOR PLUS AX4890 1GBD5-UH Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 CrossFire Supported Video Card - OC Edition - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131152

and i was wondering, what ROM do i use when flashing it ? I am confused since i see folders for HIS, Sapphire & XFX, but no folder for Powercolor.

Thanks

 

[Cindori]

I believe the sapphire one is used for powercolor.