Ultimate Thread: 4890 in Mac Pro

[AnimeFunTv]

I did a OpenGL benchmark test, and the results aren't 'Bad' its respecivly faster than my stock x1900, but its slower than the current 4890 benchmark thats here and slower than the stock Apple OEM 4870 card, of course the 4890 benchmark dose not mention what model the MacPro is used, but here are my results with my MacPro spec's

MacPro 1,1 - 2x 3Ghz Dual Core Xeon, w/ 4GB Ram

 

[Altimeter88]

Hi Altimeter88,

If this could help you (mainly points 3 and 4):

In order to test Sapphire 4890 New Edition (NE) outputs, i wanted to be sure that they were running on XP, instead to remove again the GPU from MP, installed it on PC and reverse, i've installed Bootcamp (3) and XP.

XP alone can't be installed with Bootcamp (minimum required is XP SP2).

1 - Fortunately i found a tutorial (in french) "how to integrate SP3 within XP and make a bootable cd" http://www.tutoriaux-excalibur.com/integrer-sp3-xp.htm, this tutorial is using nLite (http://www.nliteos.com/index.html).

2 - After XP installation and reboot, BootCamp XP was not using NE, 30" ACD connected to NE DVI was black, only NVidia 7300 GT was working on 20" ACD.

3 - With 20" ACD connected to NVidia, i did install Catalyst 9.10 http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/downloads/download_index_01.aspx?psn=0006

and open Catalyst Center,

4 - With the help of Catalyst Center, XP was running 4890 NE with a 30" ACD attached to DVI and 20" ACD to HDMI / DVI adaptor.
etc.…

Peloche,

My bootcamp (v3.x) partition is on its own hard drive that is setup to dual boot XP MCE SP3 or Vista x64. I have had this setup and working for over a year with everything working fine with my 8800GT.

The problem though I believe has nothing to do with windows because the severe artifacting problem starts right away as soon as you choose to boot to "Windows" at the MacPro boot up section.

So here is what happens:

-Power on Mac Pro and hold "option" key.

-I am presented with 2 options: "OSX" or "Windows" and I select "Windows" and hit enter.

-The screen goes black for about 1-2 seconds and then comes up with severe artifacts all over the screen. This includes random ascii characters both in color and black and white.

-Now my RAID BIOS screen comes up and there are artifacts everywhere (I have a highpoint SATA RAID card that I only use in OSX to boot an external RAID 5 array). I have tried booting windows with and without this card installed but it doesn't change anything, there are still artifacts everywhere.

-Now my Windows dual boot OS selection screen comes up where I can choose XP Media Center Edition or Vista x64. (again random characters all over the screen but I can usually make out which option to choose and I have tried both Vista and XP. Both usually boot into windows and tell me I need to install the drivers for the new card but there are still artifacts everywere.

So because these artifacts are present during the RAID Bios screen and before windows even gets to a loading point, this indicates to me a problem with my card's ROM and the PC BIOS emulation of the EFI that the MacPro uses.

I do have a few Dell PCs that I think I will try the card in and see how that turns out but I need to reflash the card to the original PC ROM. I didn't make a backup of my ROM with the Hynix memory, but according to what you said to Astro768, the original ROMs have the same checksum correct?

Hi astro768,

Your Hynix vgabios attached newsapp.bin is 100% identical to my Qimonda E115QA1G.S02, so the EFIROM is also identical, here attached this EFIROM:
md5
59eb238cb978084afff5cef729a2da21
You could try it.

I'm very surprised that rom for Hynix and Qimonda memories card are identical, since i obtained mine directly from the manufacturer in Taiwan who asked me to open and check because there was 2 types of new edition card, and the designation E115QA1G.S02 is theirs with QA for Qimonda.

Do your P/N and SKU# match this the attached label?

Peloche,

The above pics are identical to my Sapphire Card with Hynix memory so I will search through the forums and try to find yours or astro768's original BIOS to flash my card with and then try it in the Dell and make sure it works correctly and go from there.

Let me know if you have any suggestions or if my thinking on the ROMs is incorrect.

 

[Peloche]

Peloche,

My bootcamp (v3.x) partition is on its own hard drive that is setup to dual boot XP MCE SP3 or Vista x64. I have had this setup and working for over a year with everything working fine with my 8800GT.

The problem though I believe has nothing to do with windows because the severe artifacting problem starts right away as soon as you choose to boot to "Windows" at the MacPro boot up section.

So here is what happens:

-Power on Mac Pro and hold "option" key.

-I am presented with 2 options: "OSX" or "Windows" and I select "Windows" and hit enter.

-The screen goes black for about 1-2 seconds and then comes up with severe artifacts all over the screen. This includes random ascii characters both in color and black and white.

-Now my RAID BIOS screen comes up and there are artifacts everywhere (I have a highpoint SATA RAID card that I only use in OSX to boot an external RAID 5 array). I have tried booting windows with and without this card installed but it doesn't change anything, there are still artifacts everywhere.

-Now my Windows dual boot OS selection screen comes up where I can choose XP Media Center Edition or Vista x64. (again random characters all over the screen but I can usually make out which option to choose and I have tried both Vista and XP. Both usually boot into windows and tell me I need to install the drivers for the new card but there are still artifacts everywere.

So because these artifacts are present during the RAID Bios screen and before windows even gets to a loading point, this indicates to me a problem with my card's ROM and the PC BIOS emulation of the EFI that the MacPro uses.

I do have a few Dell PCs that I think I will try the card in and see how that turns out but I need to reflash the card to the original PC ROM. I didn't make a backup of my ROM with the Hynix memory, but according to what you said to Astro768, the original ROMs have the same checksum correct?

The above pics are identical to my Sapphire Card with Hynix memory so I will search through the forums and try to find yours or astro768's original BIOS to flash my card with and then try it in the Dell and make sure it works correctly and go from there.

Let me know if you have any suggestions or if my thinking on the ROMs is incorrect.

Hi Altimeter88,

As I told Astro768 I was and I am still very surprised about Sapphire Radeon HD 4890 "New Edition" Qimonda and Hynix Roms being identical.

I'm wondering if Astro768's friend didn't get a returned card flashed with Qimonda Rom.

To be sure that your problems are not linked to the rom we should expect a Mac Rumors reader equipped with this Hynix card and original rom to donate it to this thread.

Anyway, awaiting this generous donator, you could try on a PC to flash it with my original rom here attached :

md5
afaa8ab80d28b050b54923242cdf78f3

 

[Altimeter88]

Yeah, that would be great if someone who has this Sapphire 4890 with Hynix memory could upload their original PC Bios.

I will try the PC ROM you uploaded in a PC and report back but I am in class all day and will not be able to report back until tomorrow.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions!

 

[cryptoseven]

um... wow

Okay apparently I'm very slow at keeping up with you kids...

I have a MacPro1,1 with an ATI 3870 "mac & pc edition". I was just getting ready to buy a 4870 and flash it based on http://web.me.com/jacobcroft/4870Flash/4870Flash.html since I'll be stuck with my machine for some time due to my 6 TB worth of RAID1 arrays based on the RocketRAID 2314. It gets so many kernel panics under 10.6.0 and .1 that I went back to 10.5.8. No indication of RocketRAID drivers being fixed in .2 so I'm at 10.5.8 for the time being.

That's another story entirely, but I saw Cindori replied to incision that the HIS 4890 H489FT1GP works, which is still sold at NewEgg. I tried reading through some of the 53 pages of the ultimate 4890 thread but I'm just too old for this s**t.

So forgive me if this has been answered but does anyone know if the HIS H489FP1G (as listed at newegg.com; seems to be 0.2 Gbps faster at 965 MHz vs. 900 MHz) works also with the groths.se package ROM? The cards appear identical based on the JPEG included but I couldn't find a model #. I've got some cash burning a hole in my pocket right now and I want to buy a 4890 before the models go bye-bye like the 4870 went from ZDFC to ZWFC (yes, I saw the 4870 ZWFC ROM in the groths.se package but I've got modern warfare 2 now so I want to pimp my MacPro1,1 out with a 4890 instead because I'm greedy that way...)

Thanks for all your awesome work and patience, Cindori, peloche and too many others to mention... from all my searches you guys are the absolute authorities on this (ok, so I'm greedy AND an ass-kisser, have to give me credit for that...

Cheers,
crypto7 (don't have access to my old ID any longer)

Edit:
Ok, I just noticed that the FP1G has a green circuit board and the FT1GP has the red one as pictured in groths.se download. But I'm still greedy.

 

[cjsketchy]

Hi cjsketchy,

Here attached is your customized EFIROM,

md5
02f2f758bb81adbfa24c17e723f6b6b5

Could you please report when done, thanks.

Good luck

I haven't had much time to test everything out, but this appears to have worked perfectly! booted straight into OSX with the startup screen first time, installed the qe_ci, ran opengl extensions benchmark, and it's flying! BIG thanks Peloche

 

[Peloche]

I haven't had much time to test everything out, but this appears to have worked perfectly! booted straight into OSX with the startup screen first time, installed the qe_ci, ran opengl extensions benchmark, and it's flying! BIG thanks Peloche

You're welcome cjsketchy and big thanks for your report.

 

[Peloche]

Okay apparently I'm very slow at keeping up with you kids...

I have a MacPro1,1 with an ATI 3870 "mac & pc edition". I was just getting ready to buy a 4870 and flash it based on http://web.me.com/jacobcroft/4870Flash/4870Flash.html since I'll be stuck with my machine for some time due to my 6 TB worth of RAID1 arrays based on the RocketRAID 2314. It gets so many kernel panics under 10.6.0 and .1 that I went back to 10.5.8. No indication of RocketRAID drivers being fixed in .2 so I'm at 10.5.8 for the time being.

That's another story entirely, but I saw Cindori replied to incision that the HIS 4890 H489FT1GP works, which is still sold at NewEgg. I tried reading through some of the 53 pages of the ultimate 4890 thread but I'm just too old for this s**t.

So forgive me if this has been answered but does anyone know if the HIS H489FP1G (as listed at newegg.com; seems to be 0.2 Gbps faster at 965 MHz vs. 900 MHz) works also with the groths.se package ROM? The cards appear identical based on the JPEG included but I couldn't find a model #. I've got some cash burning a hole in my pocket right now and I want to buy a 4890 before the models go bye-bye like the 4870 went from ZDFC to ZWFC (yes, I saw the 4870 ZWFC ROM in the groths.se package but I've got modern warfare 2 now so I want to pimp my MacPro1,1 out with a 4890 instead because I'm greedy that way...)

Thanks for all your awesome work and patience, Cindori, peloche and too many others to mention... from all my searches you guys are the absolute authorities on this (ok, so I'm greedy AND an ass-kisser, have to give me credit for that...

Cheers,
crypto7 (don't have access to my old ID any longer)

Edit:
Ok, I just noticed that the FP1G has a green circuit board and the FT1GP has the red one as pictured in groths.se download. But I'm still greedy.

Hi cryptoseven,

At the time being you can buy almost any 4890, we'll make a customized EFIROM for you, but don't forget to backup the original rom before any modification.

Good luck

 

[Yorb]

Another success with a Sapphire 4890 (new edition) w/ Hynix memory, SKU # 11150-11.

Machine: PowerMac (Early 2008), 8-core 3.0 Ghz, 4GB RAM, existing ATI Radeon 2600 HD XT.

Bypassing all of my failures, here's what seemed to work, pieced together from various posts across this and other threads (credit where credit is due). Note that this method requires setting up screen sharing (VNC access) on the Mac Pro and accessing from another computer at step 2.

1. Follow these instructions from Peloche for INJECTOR method:
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/8742713/
(the archive.zip he's referring to and the kexthelper download link can be found from here: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/8734335/).

2. Reboot. Blank screen (monitor doesn't wake from sleep), but computer boots all the way up. Wait for it to boot up and access it via VNC from another computer (in 10.5+, command-k in the finder, vnc://yourcomputer.local).

3. Follow the FLASHING method from the image in step 1 (remember to delete the kexts).

4. Reboot Mac Pro. Bad screen tearing.

5. Google for and download the 10.6.2 combo update (even if you already have 10.6.2) and "qe_ci_exotic 10.6.2" (from netkas.org). Run both, combo update and then qe_ci installer, THEN restart.

This worked for me. Here's my benchmarks, which are admittedly crappy compared to what I've seen, so I dunno what's going on with that. Ideas? Should I reflash? I didnt think to back up my ROM first (doh).

EDIT: to fix artifacting in boot camp, as someone else had suggested:
1. Shut down
2. Install old card in slot 3 and plug DVI cord into it
3. boot in windows. should be fine with no artifacts, though resolution may be screwed up due to there not being drivers loaded for the card.
4. google for and download ATI catalyst software for your OS (I have win 7 64-bit).
5. swap monitor cable to new card. voila!
6. shut down, remove old card again. SPOKE TOO SOON. The 4890 appears to work in boot camp, but only if you boot up with another card plugged in, and then switch to the 4890. Still not sure what's going on here.

 

[Peloche]

Another success with a Sapphire 4890 (new edition) w/ Hynix memory, SKU # 11150-11.

Machine: PowerMac (Early 2008), 8-core 3.0 Ghz, 4GB RAM, existing ATI Radeon 2600 HD XT.

Bypassing all of my failures, here's what seemed to work, pieced together from various posts across this and other threads (credit where credit is due). Note that this method requires setting up screen sharing (VNC access) on the Mac Pro and accessing from another computer at step 2.

1. Follow these instructions from Peloche for INJECTOR method:
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/8742713/
(the archive.zip he's referring to and the kexthelper download link can be found from here: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/8734335/).

2. Reboot. Blank screen (monitor doesn't wake from sleep), but computer boots all the way up. Wait for it to boot up and access it via VNC from another computer (in 10.5+, command-k in the finder, vnc://yourcomputer.local).

3. Follow the FLASHING method from the image in step 1 (remember to delete the kexts).

4. Reboot Mac Pro. Bad screen tearing.

5. Google for and download the 10.6.2 combo update (even if you already have 10.6.2) and "qe_ci_exotic 10.6.2" (from netkas.org). Run both, combo update and then qe_ci installer, THEN restart.

This worked for me. Here's my benchmarks, which are admittedly crappy compared to what I've seen, so I dunno what's going on with that. Ideas? Should I reflash? I didnt think to back up my ROM first (doh).

Hi Yorb,

Congrats for your perseverance , and big thanks for your report.

For benchmark side i don't know if other results are obtained with OC cards or not, IMHO flashing again won't change results, but you can try if you like.

Good luck,

 

[Yorb]

Hi Yorb,

Congrats for your perseverance , and big thanks for your report.

For benchmark side i don't know if other results are obtained with OC cards or not, IMHO flashing again won't change results, but you can try if you like.

Good luck,

Thank YOU. I added the boot camp tearing fix to #1309. Atimatter -- try that, as we seem to have identical setups and problems (I was having the same boot camp artifacting).

Wondering if my poor benchmark results are due to pulling power from the optical drive bay, with 2 splitters (aka the cheap way). Is that possible? I get the power cables not connected properly message every time I boot in OS X.

 

[cjsketchy]

You're welcome cjsketchy and big thanks for your report.

Played some CoD4 and WoW with great framerates on the 4890 tonight. wow, again, amazing work... if there's any other tests you need me to do, let me know. Worthy of a paypal donation if you have one.

 

[Peloche]

Thank YOU. I added the boot camp tearing fix to #1309. Atimatter -- try that, as we seem to have identical setups and problems (I was having the same boot camp artifacting).

Wondering if my poor benchmark results are due to pulling power from the optical drive bay, with 2 splitters (aka the cheap way). Is that possible? I get the power cables not connected properly message every time I boot in OS X.

Thanks for your fix, I don't have problems with bootcamp but it should help Altimeter88 and others.

For power cables if you have some doubts about them, now you have time to order and replace them.

 

[Peloche]

Played some CoD4 and WoW with great framerates on the 4890 tonight. wow, again, amazing work... if there's any other tests you need me to do, let me know. Worthy of a paypal donation if you have one.

This is IMHO a great test to confirm that your GPU is working well.

Many thanks for your paypal proposal, i appreciate a lot, but i'm not trying to help you or others for money, if you like to be generous don't forget Netkas (netkas.org) , Pipomolo42 (I don't know how ?), The Rominator and Cindori (within this thread).

Enjoy your GPU

 

[AnimeFunTv]

Just asking, If I where to boot my Sapphire under windows XP, by any chance with the supplied software, it allows you to adjust the clock speed and over clock it. If I where to clock it higher with the software it came with, do you think that higher clock setting would save into the modded rom and allow it to be used under osx?

 

[Peloche]

Just asking, If I where to boot my Sapphire under windows XP, by any chance with the supplied software, it allows you to adjust the clock speed and over clock it. If I where to clock it higher with the software it came with, do you think that higher clock setting would save into the modded rom and allow it to be used under osx?

I made this test:

1 - Under Bootcamp XP and CCC advanced (Catalyst Center) I've changed clock settings of Sapphire 4890 New Version GPU from 850 to 875 and from 975 to 1000 for memory

2 - Log out from XP and reboot on Mac OS X

3 - Log out from OS X and reboot on XP

4 - Check clock speeds, there was 875 and 1000, IMHO it's written in ROM each time you modify clock speeds.

 

[Peloche]

SPOKE TOO SOON. The 4890 appears to work in boot camp, but only if you boot up with another card plugged in, and then switch to the 4890. Still not sure what's going on here.[/COLOR]
[/COLOR]

Hi Yorb, did you try to manage Displays with Catalyst Control Center Advanced (CCC advanced) as explained https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/8802240/, points 2, 3 4.

Before managing displays with ccc i had the same problem since Windows doesn't organize itself the displays, IMHO you have to force the displays to be used with ATI GPU.

I removed my NVidia 7300 GT and work only with ATI DVi for 30" and HDMI/DVI adaptor or DP/DVI adaptor for 20" and it works well.

 

[Yorb]

Hi Yorb, did you try to manage Displays with Catalyst Control Center Advanced (CCC advanced) as explained https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/8802240/, points 2, 3 4.

Before managing displays with ccc i had the same problem since Windows doesn't organize itself the displays, IMHO you have to force the displays to be used with ATI GPU.

I removed my NVidia 7300 GT and work only with ATI DVi for 30" and HDMI/DVI adaptor or DP/DVI adaptor for 20" and it works well.

I did try the CCC app, but it doesn't seem to offer any help. It just tells me the card and has all the options for adjusting it. I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. If I try to clock it up like you said (850 -> 875 and 975 -> 1000), and then hit Test Custom Clocks, it blue screens and restarts.

Also, if I try to boot up with the display plugged into the 4890, it doesnt boot all the way up. at some point it just restarts (after presumably blue screening, though I cant see it because its nothing but artifacts).

 

[Peloche]

I did try the CCC app, but it doesn't seem to offer any help. It just tells me the card and has all the options for adjusting it. I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. If I try to clock it up like you said (850 -> 875 and 975 -> 1000), and then hit Test Custom Clocks, it blue screens and restarts.

Also, if I try to boot up with the display plugged into the 4890, it doesnt boot all the way up. at some point it just restarts (after presumably blue screening, though I cant see it because its nothing but artifacts).

Hi Yorb,

I've booted under Bootcamp XP, do you know how to screen capture with Apple keyboard under XP ?

Ok didn't find, installed WinSnap.

Did you force your screen to be with ATI Radeon ?

 

[Yorb]

Did you force your screen to be with ATI Radeon ?

What do you mean by force? I only have one screen. So when the monitor is plugged in to the 4890, that's the only card that shows up. Here's what I think is the equivelent screen (I can't find the exact page you have in your CCC):

 

[Peloche]

What do you mean by force? I only have one screen. So when the monitor is plugged in to the 4890, that's the only card that shows up. Here's what I think is the equivelent screen (I can't find the exact page you have in your CCC):

For the page may be it's a matter of rev, i downloaded the last revision some days ago.

Did you remove your 2600 ?

I'm sorry but i've installed bootcamp few days ago, i was using XP with VMWare Fusion, so my experience with Bootcamp is very small.

But IMHO normal way for checking should be:

1 - Could you check at first on a PC if your card works well on Windows, if not reflash it with the original ROM (which is not ...) check and reflash it with EFIROM.

2 - When everything is ok you could try to reinstall XP on Bootcamp with only 4890 card.

 

[Yorb]

For the page may be it's a matter of rev, i downloaded the last revision some days ago.

I downloaded mine yesterday. 9.10 for Windows 7 64-bit.

Did you remove your 2600 ?

I can't, since windows won't boot with the 2600 out.

I'm sorry but i've installed bootcamp few days ago, i was using XP with VMWare Fusion, so my experience with Bootcamp is very small.

But IMHO normal way for checking should be:

1 - Could you check at first on a PC if your card works well on Windows, if not reflash it with the original ROM (which is not ...) check and reflash it with EFIROM.

2 - When everything is ok you could try to reinstall XP on Bootcamp with only 4890 card.

I don't have a PC to test with unfortunately. I guess I'll just wait around until someone can get a NE w/ Hynix EFI ROM and I'll try flashing with that. Until then, my card still performs at what I guess is about half speed in OS X, and pretty damn well in Windows as long as I boot with the 2600 and then swap the DVI cable. Still a hell of a lot better than my 2600

 

[Altimeter88]

I downloaded mine yesterday. 9.10 for Windows 7 64-bit.



I can't, since windows won't boot with the 2600 out.



I don't have a PC to test with unfortunately. I guess I'll just wait around until someone can get a NE w/ Hynix EFI ROM and I'll try flashing with that. Until then, my card still performs at what I guess is about half speed in OS X, and pretty damn well in Windows as long as I boot with the 2600 and then swap the DVI cable. Still a hell of a lot better than my 2600

I am going to do some testing today if I have time, I have a Dell that has PCI-E slot so I am going to try Sapphire Card with Peloche's PC ROM and see if I get the same symptoms as bootcamp.

I am now agreeing with Peloche that there is likely a specific Hynix based ROM for this Sapphire New Edition card and hopefully someone can back up their Original ROM so Peloche can look at it and compare it with his Quimodo one.

So anyone out there we need an original Hynix ROM from the Sapphire New Edition card.

 

[AnimeFunTv]

I made this test:

1 - Under Bootcamp XP and CCC advanced (Catalyst Center) I've changed clock settings of Sapphire 4890 New Version GPU from 850 to 875 and from 975 to 1000 for memory

2 - Log out from XP and reboot on Mac OS X

3 - Log out from OS X and reboot on XP

4 - Check clock speeds, there was 875 and 1000, IMHO it's written in ROM each time you modify clock speeds.

CCC says by Default, my GPU core speed is 870MHZ, and the Mem speed is 1050Mhz this actually confirms that this is an OC card, and not just the normal Vapor-X, according to the Sapphire website.

But either way I went up 50Mhz to make 920Mhz on the GPU, and I tried to move down the Mem speed to 1000Mhz, I rebooted under bootcamp and checked GPU-Z and confirmed that the changes where made for the GPU, however the Mem speed did not change, it stayed at 1050Mhz. I went ahead and rebooted back to OSX, and used OpenGL Extensions Viewer to see if I saw an increase of framerates and it did, I would say it was about a 30% gain which made it up to par with what it suppose to have from the ATI benchmarks given.

Just so ya know, the hard drive with bootcamp and OSX is NOT my main HDD, Its a spare dummy drive that I had in order to keep my main HDD safe from any potential crashes or corruption's during the flashing process.

I did make sure once everything was working to apply the patches and QE patches to make sure my main HDD was going to operate normally as it would the dummy HDD.

I went ahead and installed my main HDD and did the test again. However, This time the benchmark was much less, it was back to the same benchmark as I had before, as if the clock speed on the GPU had never changed. Curious I went back to my dummy HDD and did the OpenGL test again and it came up with the better benchmark again.

I'm kind of puzzled here, I don't know why my dummy HDD w/bootcamp is getting a much higher benchmark, while my main HDD w/o bootcamp is getting the same lower score when I first initially tested it.

I know on both HDD's have all the patches installed right.

And there is no way to see if the clock changes with my Main HDD since I don't have Bootcamp installed, or any GPU OSX app that could take a look at the clock speed of the GPU in order to find out if for sure the clock speed down, or if just because I have a lot more things going on on my main HDD.

There wouldn't happen to be a GPU-Z equivalent app for OSX would there?

 

[Cindori]

there are no drivers to check clock or temp in osx


if you change clock in catalyst it is lost when reboot (and re enabled when catalyst is started)

to set clock permanently, edit rom with RBE and flash