Has Anyone figured out a way to get VGA working on the 4870 and get the link speed up to 5 GT/s?
Specifically for a 1gb Sapphire TOXIC.
Thanks
Specifically for a 1gb Sapphire TOXIC.
Thanks
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Race to dump the 4870 ROM, Who's first?
- Thread starter MacVidCards
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Bad groove. I just bought an Sapphire 4780 1 GB - flashed it with the "Kit" provided here ( http://web.me.com/jacobcroft/4870Flash/4870Flash.html )
Removed my X1900 and booted up my Mac Pro 1,1 - I hear the starting sound in a loop - the monitors stay black, and the Diagnostic LED on the Logic Board for CPU A or B is on in a shiny red colour.
I cannot even boot up the Mac when inserted two Cards (my old X1900 and the 4870) - the system will only boot when I install my X1900 solo.
Any opinion how I could reflash the card? I backed up the original Firmware.
Removed my X1900 and booted up my Mac Pro 1,1 - I hear the starting sound in a loop - the monitors stay black, and the Diagnostic LED on the Logic Board for CPU A or B is on in a shiny red colour.
I cannot even boot up the Mac when inserted two Cards (my old X1900 and the 4870) - the system will only boot when I install my X1900 solo.
Any opinion how I could reflash the card? I backed up the original Firmware.
Spanky Deluxe
macrumors 603
The ROM on that site is for an XFX 4870, that might be your problem. I think you have to put it into a PC to bring the card back to life.
Topper
macrumors 65816
Sorry my friend, I'd help you if I could but I have no idea.
But maybe this will keep your post going.
.
Yeah, this happens when the card hasn't been flashed at all, because there is no EFI and the system doesn't recognise the hardware. So The flash probably went wrong.
If you have Windows in Bootcamp, keep the x1900 in and set your startup disc to windows, shutdown and put in the 4870. restart, it should boot into windows fine (Holding Alt won't work) and use ATI Winflash to flash the card with either the backed up ROM and take it back or you can use my Sapphire 1gb TOXIC ROM, with EFI-rev F, which you can get below.
You Should be able to get winflash from: http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/152
That article also gives you a ROM so you can save your bricked card if you didn't back up the full 128kb file. GPU-Z gets the full size off the card.
I have a theory, if you flash the card with the raw mac ROM and just change the clocks to the appropriate speeds, the VGA and Link speed issue may be fixed. What do you Guys think?
Nilsemann, hope this helps!
The urge to help is admirable, but your info is all wrong.
I realize that this thread has grown into a behemouth, but if you DID read it all, you would see that your theory is 100% wrong.
The nilsman guy who flashed an XFX ROM onto another card is in a spot.
May be difficult to use Mac Pro to flash back, may very well need a PC to fix.
TO SUM UP...THE OEM MAC ROM THAT WE STARTED THIS THREAD WITH WORKS ON MOST 512 MEG CARDS (with reference board) ANY OF THE 1 GIG CARDS OR NEWER BOARDS NEED A CUSTOM ROM MADE WITH THEIR ORIGINAL ROM COMBINED WITH MAC EFI.
Just flashing any old ROM onto your board is going to make a mess....please do research FIRST. (Measure TWICE, cut ONCE)
I think this thread has grown long enough. We've been discussing:
- The race to dump the apple ROM
- How well this ROM works in PC 4870s (i.e. it can make a mess).
- How to combine the EFI with the PC BIOS to make other cards work
- How well flashed cards work
- Where to get the good cables
- How to make a PC radeon work without flashing (this confuses most people, given the thread's title)
- ...?
So any crucial info that is buried in the thread is quite hard to find.
There was a thread dedicated to ROM flashing for the 4870.
I think we need a separate one for ATY_Init / Natit.
- The race to dump the apple ROM
- How well this ROM works in PC 4870s (i.e. it can make a mess).
- How to combine the EFI with the PC BIOS to make other cards work
- How well flashed cards work
- Where to get the good cables
- How to make a PC radeon work without flashing (this confuses most people, given the thread's title)
- ...?
So any crucial info that is buried in the thread is quite hard to find.
There was a thread dedicated to ROM flashing for the 4870.
I think we need a separate one for ATY_Init / Natit.
The main thing is that the link speed of the flashed cards is still half that of the Apple retail card and yes, it does affect real-world performance.
Ok so here is my question guys. I have a 2008 2.8 Octo mac pro, I'm looking to upgrade my video card, keeping the radeon 2600 to run my Wacom Cintiq tablet and buy a 4870/4890 to run my dual 23" cinemas. So my question is what do I get to run my setup? I don't want to buy the apple card because I don't need the mini-displayport adapter mess plus I have no issues with buying a cheaper card and flashing it. I also want something that if I so choose would decently play a game in bootcamp. Keeping in mind that eventually I'd like to replace the 2600 with another 4870/4890 and do crossfire in windows.
Do they have any 4890's that have both DVI ports working in order to run my dual cinema's? If so what brands etc. Or would I be better off doing a 4870? Also what about cables, do I need adapters for the power connectors? If so anyone have a favorite place to buy them?
Basically I'm looking for the easiest solution but also the most stable as I do have to make a living off my box so it can't be down or unstable.
I appreciate all the help, I have read through most of this post but it gets a bit confusing on what's working and what isn't so I figured I'd just ask.
Do they have any 4890's that have both DVI ports working in order to run my dual cinema's? If so what brands etc. Or would I be better off doing a 4870? Also what about cables, do I need adapters for the power connectors? If so anyone have a favorite place to buy them?
Basically I'm looking for the easiest solution but also the most stable as I do have to make a living off my box so it can't be down or unstable.
I appreciate all the help, I have read through most of this post but it gets a bit confusing on what's working and what isn't so I figured I'd just ask.
Am I reading this wrong but is there no way to buy a 4870(or 4890 for that matter), flash it and for it to just work with the default 10.5.7 drivers or will I always need a natit package?
Pressure
macrumors 603
You need ATY_init.
It's basically the same as installing a graphic card driver in Windows, although less time consuming.
I'm running a Radeon HD 4890 this way with no problems.
Pressure
could you test this - https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/7619986/
lenster
if u flash it, then u dont need any natit/aty_init pkgs
anyway, those pkgs stay in system after osx upgrade and works fine
could you test this - https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/7619986/
lenster
if u flash it, then u dont need any natit/aty_init pkgs
anyway, those pkgs stay in system after osx upgrade and works fine
Pressure
macrumors 603
Sure thing, will test it with a clean Mac OSX install when I get home from work.
Spanky Deluxe
macrumors 603
You only need natit if you're using a 4890. If you buy and flash a 4870 using the instructions provided in this thread then it will "just work" in 10.5.7.
swissmann
macrumors 6502a
I think the easiest way is to follow my tutorial. It will give you an overclocked (pretty sure about this) 1 GB 4870 that will support one 30" (dual link) display and one display smaller than 30" (single link) at the same time (positive about this as it is what I am running). All information on cables and such should be in there - lots of others have had success following the tutorial (check the comments page linked to it).
The tutorial site:
http://web.me.com/jacobcroft/4870Flash/4870Flash.html
Spanky Deluxe
macrumors 603
TheStrudel
macrumors 65816
I know we've kind of moved past this, but has anybody figured out why, exactly (is it a ROM issue, or what?) that:
a) No 4870s are getting two dual-link ports working
b) Many 4870s are only getting one port working at a time
And whether or not this can be fixed with some ROM hacking or different methods? This thread's put out some pretty amazing work. Just wondering if we can get some wider card compatibility and functionality.
a) No 4870s are getting two dual-link ports working
b) Many 4870s are only getting one port working at a time
And whether or not this can be fixed with some ROM hacking or different methods? This thread's put out some pretty amazing work. Just wondering if we can get some wider card compatibility and functionality.
here is the trick: on hackintosh many 4870 have dual dvi because Mac's bin_image inserted to ioreg, so driver gets connectors table from it and works better than with original bin_image.
Need a little help here,
Have a Mac Pro 1,1 with X1900 in it already, running Mac OS 10.5.7 on one drive, and another separate drive for bootcamp (Vista 32bit Home Premium).
I'd like to get a PC 4870 and flash it. I need help on a few of the steps.
The card will be this XFX 4870 1GB from the UK, and I'll mostly be following swissman's tutorial here, with some changes.
I plan to remove the Mac OS HDD and X1900, and put in the 4870. I'll let it boot into Vista HP and then use ATI winflash to backup the ROM and then rhildinger's ROM onto it.
(I think it would be easier to flash from Windows due to the fact I can't fit both gfx cards in together and I don't know if I will see anything on an unflashed 4870 to select the BootCD.)
Also, I can't seem to locate another gfx power cable, 4870 needs two and I have one that comes with the 1900. I have seem some on ebay.
Could anyone shed any light on whether what I plan to do will work? I haven't bought anything yet but will do as soon as I know there aren't any flaws in my anticipated sequence of events.
Have a Mac Pro 1,1 with X1900 in it already, running Mac OS 10.5.7 on one drive, and another separate drive for bootcamp (Vista 32bit Home Premium).
I'd like to get a PC 4870 and flash it. I need help on a few of the steps.
The card will be this XFX 4870 1GB from the UK, and I'll mostly be following swissman's tutorial here, with some changes.
I plan to remove the Mac OS HDD and X1900, and put in the 4870. I'll let it boot into Vista HP and then use ATI winflash to backup the ROM and then rhildinger's ROM onto it.
(I think it would be easier to flash from Windows due to the fact I can't fit both gfx cards in together and I don't know if I will see anything on an unflashed 4870 to select the BootCD.)
Also, I can't seem to locate another gfx power cable, 4870 needs two and I have one that comes with the 1900. I have seem some on ebay.
Could anyone shed any light on whether what I plan to do will work? I haven't bought anything yet but will do as soon as I know there aren't any flaws in my anticipated sequence of events.
Pressure
macrumors 603
Spanky Deluxe is refering to a DVI cable of poor quality. Not a PCI-Express power cable.
I think this is the part in question:
http://www.applemacparts.co.uk/store/product_info.php?cPath=7445_7624_7639&products_id=65524
£14 + VAT.
Ok I gave back my Sapphire 4870 to the shop. And get another 4870 512MB, I was able to flash it, so that I could also boot up to Mac OS X 10.5.7
I have 1 x 20" and 1 x 22" Screen both at 1650 PX.
As soon as I plug in a second Screen the screens turn blue and the system freezes. Is there any driver to fix this?
I have 1 x 20" and 1 x 22" Screen both at 1650 PX.
As soon as I plug in a second Screen the screens turn blue and the system freezes. Is there any driver to fix this?
macz1
macrumors 6502
Need a little help here,
Have a Mac Pro 1,1 with X1900 in it already, running Mac OS 10.5.7 on one drive, and another separate drive for bootcamp (Vista 32bit Home Premium).
I'd like to get a PC 4870 and flash it. I need help on a few of the steps.
The card will be this XFX 4870 1GB from the UK, and I'll mostly be following swissman's tutorial here, with some changes.
I plan to remove the Mac OS HDD and X1900, and put in the 4870. I'll let it boot into Vista HP and then use ATI winflash to backup the ROM and then rhildinger's ROM onto it.
(I think it would be easier to flash from Windows due to the fact I can't fit both gfx cards in together and I don't know if I will see anything on an unflashed 4870 to select the BootCD.)
Also, I can't seem to locate another gfx power cable, 4870 needs two and I have one that comes with the 1900. I have seem some onebay.
Could anyone shed any light on whether what I plan to do will work? I haven't bought anything yet but will do as soon as I know there aren't any flaws in my anticipated sequence of events.
When I flashed my 4870 I used the FreeDOS boot CD and the card worked (unflashed) as soon as DOS began to load, like it does in Windows. Only OS X does not work. Just hold down the C key on the keyboard during startup and your mac will start from the CD (provided that you burnt it correctly...)
I used DOS because WinFlash (even the newest version) did not work for me. I could dump the original BIOS but it froze when I attempted to flash my custom rom... (Fortunately I have a Gainward with two bioses on it) That is why I would not recommend WinFlash although many other people had success with it...