The Golden Guide to Flashing Graphic CardsUpdate March 2011Ok, this thread is a bit old, and some things here are no longer important.For example, you can now generate automatically a 4870 / 4890 firmware in Zeus tool.I will still leave the old text, it has some important facts.But you should check out the Zeus threadFor current guides to flashing 4870 / 4890.For more discussion about flashing, look atRight now, the two topics in the Macrumors Mac Pro forum with the highest post and view count are 'Race to dump the 4870 ROM' and 'Ultimate thread: 4890 in Mac Pro'. They contain over two thousand replies and have been viewed over hundreds of thousand times.Both topics are about flashing graphic cards.In the beginning, the questions that people asked where something like 'Heya, I just read the thread, care to explain a little more detailed the Step number three on page 6' or such. Now a days, they are more like 'Hey I'm new to this, can you please do everything for me because I cba to read 50 pages, also can you tell me what color of underwear I should wear tomorrow, thanks'Hey, I dont blame you guys. Actually this is the reason I'm writing this thread. Flashing graphic cards are a hot thing, and with the newly announced Steam for Mac with latest Source games, and upcoming new Mac Pro graphic cards, this trend is not going away. And the only real information is scattered among thousands of posts.So, let me TRY to summarize this whole thing in one place.Wall of text, INC.What, Why and HowWHATWhat is flashing?Flashing usually refers to altering or replacing the firmware on a chip.The graphic card firmware (stored on a chip on the card itself) is data that contains stuff like clock speed, fan control, and more importantly: data for communicating with the computer.The computer also carries a firmware chip, on the motherboard.
Jun 23, 2011 The Golden Guide to Flashing Graphic Cards Update March 2011 Ok, this thread is a bit old, and some things here are no longer important. For example, you can now generate automatically a 4870 / 4890 firmware in Zeus tool.
The code on this chip is the first code that runs when you start your computer. Amongst other things, it communicates with your computer components (Hey, like the graphic card!).The firmware on PC computers is called BIOS. BIOS is like 20 years old or something, but moving away from it would be a pain for Microsoft, so they are stuck with it for a while longer.On Macs however, the firmware is EFI, a successor to BIOS.So Macs speak EFI and PCs speak BIOS.
What does the graphic card speak?Well, as you may know, there are 'Mac Graphic Cards' and 'PC Graphic Cards'.The PC cards carry BIOS firmware. So inserting them into a Mac will result in black screen, because the computer fails to initialize them!So the Mac cards probably carry EFI firmwares, right? They actually carry a BIOS firmware with a EFI addition. They are compatible with both! The EFI addition helps the Mac initialize the card, and the rest data, fan speed, clock speed, etc is read from the BIOS portion. Maybe you are thinking, how can Windows run on Macs if they use EFI?
Windows does not support EFI!Thing is, the Mac can emulate BIOS. This is needed for booting Windows through boot camp. It will not help BIOS Graphic cards to boot OSX.But! It WILL help PC graphic cards booting Windows. This means that you can use a PC Graphic card in your Mac if you are booting Windows or another OS then OSX. However, since no OSX stuff will run with the PC card, the Bootloader (the list of OS you get when holding alt / option button at boot) will not be accessable when using a PC card. You must select windows in Startup Disk in system preferencesin OSX, then shut down, then insert PC card, and from that point your Mac will act just like a PC.So, to recap:PC Cards: Works in PC's, works in Mac when Booting WindowsMac Cards: Works in PC's, works in Mac when Booting Windows or OSXYou see what the PC cards are missing?
Yes, the ability to boot OSX.And what was it that the PC cards where missing on the firmware? That's right, the EFI addition.So. Maybe it's possible to cut that EFI addition from a Mac Card Firmware, and simply paste it on a PC Card firmware? CARDYou can't just pick any PC card and magically have it work in OSX. The cards we have gotten to work are the one closely related to Apple's cards.Right now, it's the 4870 and 4890.4850 progress can be found here:Why not nvidia cards?Because the rom chip on PC nvidia cards are usually too small to have room for EFI addition. Apple Nvidia cards uses a bigger rom chip.But there are 1000 different 4870 and 4890 cards! A good idea when choosing a card might be to find another person (or post) of success and track down the ROM (firmware).
Because the ROMs are the things you're really going to have to hunt for.ROM (Firmware)This flashing thing has been around for a while, so there are tons of Mac Modified roms for PC cards out there (there=this forum)However,The ROM is different between card models. One Mac Modified 4870 Rom will not work for all PC 4870 cards.If there is a XFX 4890 of model ZWFC, it's ROM is going to be different, and possibly incompatible with a XFX 4890 of model ZWFL.Also, a deeper problem appears.
Because the Model itself can have different revisions.XFX 4890 Model ZWFC Rev. 1.6XFX 4890 Model ZWFC Rev.
5.4XFX 4890 Model ZWFC Rev. E.0Even though they are of same card (4890) of same manufacturer (XFX) of same model (ZWFC), and looks physically the same, the revision can be different and that means the ROM is different.This is really how specific a ROM needs to be. But if you are lucky, you will find a ROM that is cross compatible. For instance, maybe the XFX ZWFC E.0 ROM will work on a 5.4.Or maybe even on a different manufacturer, like a Sapphire card.What you should do is this.
Scan all your local and online retailers for cards looking like the ones in the Card Table. Ask the retailer for the Model and Revision (this can be found on a sticker outside the box usually)Then try the search function to find if anyone else had success with that card.As Roms can be so individual, it's a good idea to back up your original rom first. You can do so with GPU-Z (google it) in Windows. Click the small green arrow.There is a small gathering of ROMs for 4890 and 4870 here:Peloche has made a great 4890 rom table here:There are also (hundreds?) of roms scattered in the Card threads (Use search function!)- 4890- 4870But if your card does not have a compatible Mac Rom out there.
What to do?Well, you could create your own!Peloche made great instructions of Pipomolos method.Download this:Included everything you need for making a 4870 or 4890 romIf you fail at your attempt, upload your original rom in the right thread and maybe some kind dude will help you out.So, you have a Mac Modified ROM that is probably going to work for your card. Now what?FLASHING TOOLFlash Graphic Cards in Windows:Flash Graphic Cards in DOS:Instructions are for PC but DOS works on MacPro too:Flashing Graphic Cards in OSX:I just finished my new OSX Flashing Tool, ZeusNow you probably have your PC card up and running in OSX!All done?Nope, there is ONE MORE THINGExcotic 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.There you have itAdditional things to know about flashed cards:For 4870 / 4890 cards:Only one DVI port is dual link ( supports 30' screens) second is single link.Cards with other ports then DVI may not work properly, searchDual displays works under Snow Leopard only.You can not use VGA ( vga-dvi converter ) on the card.If you are unlucky, your ROM is so different that it will cause a bug, the 'power cable bug'. When booting OSX a popup will appear, saying your card does not have enough power. It's just a cosmetic bug, cards works fine, so just click OK.This works on ALL Mac Pro'sModding Fan BehaviourI will probably have to add more to this later.Also if any info is wrong please correct.
May have got stuff wrong.