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Just purchased XFX Radeon HD 4870 ZWFC 1gb

P

panavision

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 6, 2010
16
0
SoCal
I've been reading the guides throughly and I just want to be confident before installing everything and flashing so if someone can just confirm what I'm doing is correct, I'll feel better about this whole process!!! Thank you!

I have a 1st Gen Mac Pro running Snow Leopard 10.6.3

- First I'll shut my computer off.
- Unplug the monitors
- Remove the 7300 GT and put it in to slot 4
- Add the XFX card in to slot 1 and use the extra super drive power while using a split molex to connect 2 of the power cables that come with the graphic card
- Connect 1 monitor in the slot for (7300 GT)
- boot up, and run Zeus on OSX (Select ATI tab, Select 4800 series, Select Snow Leopard ,Browse for the ROM with [groths.se/atiflashingtool/ROMS.zip] and select the XFX ZWFL & ZWFC rom, Click Flash)
-power down
-unplug the monitor cable from slot 4 (7300 GT)
-plug both monitors into the 4870

Good to go? Looking forward to your help! :)
 
Cindori

Cindori

macrumors 68040
Jan 17, 2008
3,527
378
Sweden
You got most of it right.


1st, make sure what Revision of ZWFC you have. It will say on the box, "Made in China" and then Rev. X.X

You have to find a ROM for the same revision as your card. I do not know what revision the ROMS.zip - ZWFC rom is for. But many different ZWFC Rev ROMS can be found in the 4870 thread.


2nd, in 10.6.3, some people get problems with dual display. So start out connecting 1 display. IF you get dual display problems, install http://groths.org/dualdvi.zip
 
C

ChalkyZero

macrumors newbie
May 7, 2010
1
0
I came across this trying to confirm that 1GB versions do exist, before I buy one online. It seems a little too good to be true, compared to the price for the 512MB one from Apple.

Please do post your success...
 
Mackilroy

Mackilroy

macrumors 68040
Jun 29, 2006
3,921
585
ChalkyZero said:
I came across this trying to confirm that 1GB versions do exist, before I buy one online. It seems a little too good to be true, compared to the price for the 512MB one from Apple.

Please do post your success...
Click to expand...
What, 1 GB versions of the 4870/4890?

Here's mine. I paid ~$200 for it.
 

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P

panavision

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 6, 2010
16
0
SoCal
So my Graphics card is a Ver E.0.

I put the 7300 GT in the 4th slot.
Plugged in 1 monitor
Put the XFX 4870 in the 1st slot
Boot up

the grey loading screen appears for 2 minutes, loading wheel turns and goes to the dark grey screen asking me to restart.
 
M

MacVidCards

Suspended
Nov 17, 2008
6,096
1,056
Hollywood, CA
That would be a "Kernel Panic".

Do you have another Mac you could run the Pro from remotely?

In theory you can use Natit or ATY_init to enable the allow the 4870 to work (w/o 7300) so you can flash.

Or a WIndows machine with DOS...always a sure-fire route.

If you are actually working at Panavision you are right around the corner, I drove by there on way back from Post Office today. You can bring it by with a six of Stella and i'll flash it for you. Just promise you aren't going to turn into a video card stalker....been there, done that.
 
P

panavision

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 6, 2010
16
0
SoCal
The Rominator said:
That would be a "Kernel Panic".

Do you have another Mac you could run the Pro from remotely?

In theory you can use Natit or ATY_init to enable the allow the 4870 to work (w/o 7300) so you can flash.

Or a WIndows machine with DOS...always a sure-fire route.

If you are actually working at Panavision you are right around the corner, I drove by there on way back from Post Office today. You can bring it by with a six of Stella and i'll flash it for you. Just promise you aren't going to turn into a video card stalker....been there, done that.
Click to expand...

I have a Macbook Pro laptop if that does any good?

Where can I find intructions for Natit or ATY_inti? I can't find it on the forums...:confused:
 
P

panavision

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 6, 2010
16
0
SoCal
Rominator is my hero

I wasn't able to flash from my own macpro due to kernal panic.

Rominator was generous to help me out.

He booted the card into DOS. Flashed it instantly and I was good to go.

I came home, popped the card in. Only one monitor worked so I installed the Kext Helper and rebooted and both monitors are working fine now.

I am a complete newbie to all of this stuff and thanks to Rominator, I can in fact clarify that the 4870 ZWFC Ver. 4.0 in flashable. Yes you get the power warning thing, but it goes away.

10x4qky.jpg
 
M

MacVidCards

Suspended
Nov 17, 2008
6,096
1,056
Hollywood, CA
A Hero, no less?

Actually, the real hero was my cab driver.

Panavision left my place at 8:30. Still had to throw some stuff in a suitcase.

At 9:30 I was on my flight to JFK, taking off over Burbank. Never would have gotten through security that fast @ LAX. And somehow we hit nearly every light green enroute.

The ZWFC was just like one I flashed months ago. Panavision says still available from TigerDirect.

Not even sure which ROM we used, but an easy flash once DOS was up.

(You can always mail me the 6 pack) ;)
 
H

hueybui

macrumors newbie
May 31, 2010
2
0
Orange County, CA
How has the 4870 worked out so far for you?

Hey Panavision...I'm in the same boat as you were. Just bought the same video card and I'm going to try and flash and get it installed. I've heard that the particular card we bought runs really hot. Any experience with that? Also, are you getting the error screen upon bootup? Thanks!

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...y=XFX Radeon HD 4870 1GB PCIe w/Dual Link DVI

panavision said:
I've been reading the guides throughly and I just want to be confident before installing everything and flashing so if someone can just confirm what I'm doing is correct, I'll feel better about this whole process!!! Thank you!

I have a 1st Gen Mac Pro running Snow Leopard 10.6.3

- First I'll shut my computer off.
- Unplug the monitors
- Remove the 7300 GT and put it in to slot 4
- Add the XFX card in to slot 1 and use the extra super drive power while using a split molex to connect 2 of the power cables that come with the graphic card
- Connect 1 monitor in the slot for (7300 GT)
- boot up, and run Zeus on OSX (Select ATI tab, Select 4800 series, Select Snow Leopard ,Browse for the ROM with [groths.se/atiflashingtool/ROMS.zip] and select the XFX ZWFL & ZWFC rom, Click Flash)
-power down
-unplug the monitor cable from slot 4 (7300 GT)
-plug both monitors into the 4870

Good to go? Looking forward to your help! :)
Click to expand...
 
V

vizfxman

macrumors regular
Mar 31, 2010
126
0
Los Angeles
Hey hueybui,

I'll be curious to know how your install goes. I also have that same card from Tiger Direct and have it installed on my 1,1 Mac Pro... not without some issues... so I'll be curious to know what ROM you use and how it works, etc.

I've talked about some of my issues in this thread.

I do get the error screen regarding the power cable when booting into OSX.
 
J

jeznav

macrumors 6502
Aug 10, 2007
459
14
Eh?
Hey Everyone,

I got the exact same card as panavision; an XFX 4870 ZWFC E.0 and it works well in OSX and Win7 with Rominator's version. Cindori's version had causes artifacting in bootcamp.

I benchmarked the 3D performance on Windows 7 and its excellent. However in OSX, 3D performance is bad and laggy much lower than my 8800 GT. Though the windowing, core animations, HD playback is smooth.

So I am guessing it something to do with the drivers.

Did anyone try the QECI_1063.pkg ATI patcher and see 3D improvements?

I just clean reinstalled 10.6.3 combo update and see if it will work again.

Also, does the Power Notification disappear if you use the both 6-pin molex on the motherboard rather than using power from optical drives?


UPDATE:

I just noticed the QECI_1063.pkg ATI patcher doesn't include 4870, only 4870x2 and a bunch of others. I reinstalled it again, no improvement.
 
A

alandmar

macrumors newbie
Jun 23, 2010
1
0
jeznav said:
Hey Everyone,

I got the exact same card as panavision; an XFX 4870 ZWFC E.0 and it works well in OSX and Win7 with Rominator's version. Cindori's version had causes artifacting in bootcamp.

I benchmarked the 3D performance on Windows 7 and its excellent. However in OSX, 3D performance is bad and laggy much lower than my 8800 GT. Though the windowing, core animations, HD playback is smooth.

So I am guessing it something to do with the drivers.

Did anyone try the QECI_1063.pkg ATI patcher and see 3D improvements?

I just clean reinstalled 10.6.3 combo update and see if it will work again.

Also, does the Power Notification disappear if you use the both 6-pin molex on the motherboard rather than using power from optical drives?


UPDATE:

I just noticed the QECI_1063.pkg ATI patcher doesn't include 4870, only 4870x2 and a bunch of others. I reinstalled it again, no improvement.
Click to expand...

Jeznaz I have the same card you do, and pana have, and I, like you, cannot get the power warning to go away. I have a MacPro 3,1. I don't know that it would have anything to do with the rom I flashed or what, but I can't find a solution either. Could it be a flash problem? no idea. I wouldn't mind trying to flash mine with what rominator flashed pana's with, I didn't roll my own. It also will not display after boot so I have to keep my craptastic 2600 in it. Pana when you said "it goes away" you meant when you installed the kext helper? what did you do with the kext helper and what did you install?

edit: after more reading I think I found it.
 
J

johnwillsey

macrumors member
Dec 31, 2009
54
10
jeznav said:
Hey Everyone,

I got the exact same card as panavision; an XFX 4870 ZWFC E.0
Also, does the Power Notification disappear if you use the both 6-pin molex on the motherboard rather than using power from optical drives?
Click to expand...

I have the E.0 card as well in a MacPro 1,1 2006. I had to use a few 10.6.3 kexts to get things working in 10.6.4 but all is well now. With regard to the power notification, I have two power cables. It appears at boot and by the time my Finder is done loading all the start up items, the message disappears all by itself.
 
P

panavision

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 6, 2010
16
0
SoCal
johnwillsey said:
I have the E.0 card as well in a MacPro 1,1 2006. I had to use a few 10.6.3 kexts to get things working in 10.6.4 but all is well now. With regard to the power notification, I have two power cables. It appears at boot and by the time my Finder is done loading all the start up items, the message disappears all by itself.
Click to expand...

What were the other 10.6.3 kext you used? (and where could I find them? :D)
Ever since I upgraded to 10.6.4 VLC is a black screen and Preview displays all jpg, bmp, png, etc as blank. Could this be related to my drivers? I'm also finding that expose lags slightly when I do All Windows or Desktop.
 
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