Resolved nVidia GPU's: examining MVC Rom's

[cococheaf]

Hi everybody,

I know it's gonna give some people here who don't like what I'm doing now, but I also know that there will be someone who will benefit from it.

It all started with an order at MacVidCards to flash my GTX 1070 8GB graphics card (MSI Brand, 3x DP, 1x HDMI, 1x DVI). Everything worked fine, full 4K resolution of the boot screen on all ports, great performance and no problems until Apple released the APFS supported bootrom update for the cMP 5,1 which unfortunately interfered with the MVC EFI ROM (bootdiag messages at bootscreen and slow boot times while enumerating apfs volumes - the more apfs volumes, the more boot delay).

If MVC hadn't behaved so customer unoriented and sent me a correction of the EFI BIOS to flash by myself, it wouldn't have been a problem. On the contrary, you should probably send the card in again to flash, and pay the full price again, all by having the solution already finished for the GTX 1070 TI.

But although I had sent several mails, as well as blog entries on their homepage, I didn't get any answer from them. I was hoping to get some but they simply left me in the shade.

I find this handling of a paying customer very embarrassing, and out of pure anger I would like to post the MVC Mac EFI BIOS for my GTX 1070 8GB here, maybe someone can help me remove the annoying boot debug messages and incorporate the DP1.4 patch, if MacVidCards doesn't feel it necessary.

Or, somene can live with that stupid debug lines and no working dp1.4, and can use it on its GTX 1070 8GB.

PLEASE, DO NOT INSTALL THE EFI BIOS IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE POSSIBILITY TO FLICKER A SWITCH FOR RECOVERY BIOS MODE.

For anyone else, it is my interest to help people which have the same issues than me, (or no bootscreen at all) without messing with such a*****es like MVC.

I don't care at all whether someone finds this justified or not.

== EDITED ==
Removed the rom because not sure that it is complete.

 

[flowrider]

Hi everybody,

I know it's gonna give some people here who don't like what I'm doing now, but I also know that there will be someone who will benefit from it.

It all started with an order at MacVidCards to flash my GTX 1070 8GB graphics card (MSI Brand, 3x DP, 1x HDMI, 1x DVI). Everything worked fine, full 4K resolution of the boot screen on all ports, great performance and no problems until Apple released the APFS supported bootrom update for the cMP 5,1 which unfortunately interfered with the MVC EFI ROM (bootdiag messages at bootscreen and slow boot times while enumerating apfs volumes - the more apfs volumes, the more boot delay).

Hmm, I didn't know there was such bug I have an MVC flashed GTX 1080 and experience no such glitch. All my SSDs are APFS.

Lou

 

[cococheaf]

Hmm, I didn't know there was such bug View attachment 810730 I have an MVC flashed GTX 1080 and experience no such glitch. All my SSDs are APFS.

Lou

Yep,

i assume that is because of the newer efi.
They have incorporated the DP 1.4 patch from nVidia (https://www.nvidia.com/object/nv-uefi-update-x64.html), also cleaning up some things that have to do with that debug code.
That's what they say on their homepage.

But they want you to pay again for the flash of the new efi, not taking care about customers who already have paid their money.

Definately not ok in IMHO.

 

[flowrider]

^^^^My card was bought in April 2017. Which predates the link you provided. My GTX was actually one of the first with MVC's Pascal EFI flash.

Lou

 

[cococheaf]

^^^^My card was bought in April 2017. Which predates the link you provided. My GTX was actually one of the first with MVC's Pascal EFI flash.

Lou

Well, then be happy that it works so wonderfully for you.
The fact is that some people have the problem and MVC even write on their site that there are exactly these problems. You also write that you have a GTX 1080, I'm talking about a GTX 1070.

For your reference: http://www.macvidcards.com/blog/mvc...nvidia-uefi-updater-on-your-mac-flashed-cards
But you know that link anyway, as you also contributed to the blog.

Don't want to argue with you if it works for you or not.
Mine isn't.

 

[JeffreyA]

You can probably implement the DP 1.4 patch by using the updater. As far as I am aware, the updater does not touch the EFI portions of the ROM. I wouldn't mind trying this on my own card if you like.

 

[cococheaf]

Hey, yes that would be nice, but will not solve the diagnostics code issue.

 

[h9826790]

Hey, yes that would be nice, but will not solve the diagnostics code issue.

You mean this kind of code?

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...en-high-sierra-10-13-5.2121858/#post-26131553

 

[cococheaf]

exactly that one.
[doublepost=1544820050][/doublepost]

You can probably implement the DP 1.4 patch by using the updater. As far as I am aware, the updater does not touch the EFI portions of the ROM. I wouldn't mind trying this on my own card if you like.

By the way, the updater didn‘t let me do the update and also mvc say to not do the update (why wouldnt they.... Its their money)

 

[h9826790]

exactly that one.
[doublepost=1544820050][/doublepost]

By the way, the updater didn‘t let me do the update.

It's a known issue. AFAIK, that's just cosmetic.

And as you can see in post #3 in that thread, flowrider documented how that glitch evolved.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...en-high-sierra-10-13-5.2121858/#post-26131308

 

[marcoscc]

Some time ago I bought a GTX 980 and hand carry it to Brazil. The GTX 980 did not work in any way on my MAC. I tried to get support from a person named Davie ... it was the worst support I've ever received in my life. I would send him big reports and he would answer me in two words. I could not get the GTX 980 to work. I returned it from Brazil to USA by mail (expensive) and he gave me back the amount paid in the board only. So far I have not received any feedback if the GTX 980 was in trouble and what was the problem. By the speed he gave me back the amount paid I understood that it really was a serious problem of the GTX 980. I can not recommend MACVIDCARDS to anyone. Worst support in the world in my point of view. Maybe he does not like Brazilians.

 

[cococheaf]

It's a known issue. AFAIK, that's just cosmetic.

And as you can see in post #3 in that thread, flowrider documented how that glitch evolved.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...en-high-sierra-10-13-5.2121858/#post-26131308

i understand what you mean, but this is not the point yet. i am agrued because

- i get no answer from them
- they have an updated firmware on hands
- they want users to pay the same money again just for fixing some minor bugs

it seems to become clear with the linked posts that the problem exists and that @flowrider here only tries to protect mvc without constructive hints. i don't want to attack @flowrider personally, he certainly has his reasons to contradict himself, but i first he said he never had any problem and then on the links post #3 he has some? I just want to show everyone that there are definitely other ways to spend money on. And to be honest, I want to spoil the mood of the guys at mvc like they did for me.

 

[flowrider]

Hey, yes that would be nice, but will not solve the diagnostics code issue.

At first I found that text to be somewhat irritating, but now I'm glad it's there. Now, when updating the firmware, Apple has deleted the progress bar during boot. That rolling text gives me FW update status. I'm now happy it's there and would not want to defeat it. I do not believe it adds to the boot time.

Lou

 

[cococheaf]

Okay, again - YOU may be happpy with it. OTHERS and ME included maybe not.
Also, how often do you update the firmware with efiupdater2?

That is ********.

Btw. I have tested it with another card it accounts 10-20 seconds to the boot time.

 

[flowrider]

^^^^No need for the caustic tone I am just posting my thoughts. Weather you agree with me or not, I couldn't care less. But, I have a right too disagree with you. 10 to 20 seconds, I don't think so As I said, I like seeing the FW update process, if you don't so be it.

Lou

 

[DearthnVader]

I think the verbose text comes from the APFS.efi, what the fix for it would be I don't know.

I see it too in my Virtual MP with the RX580.

 

[cococheaf]

^^^^No need for the caustic tone View attachment 810833 I am just posting my thoughts. Weather you agree with me or not, I couldn't care less. But, I have a right too disagree with you. 10 to 20 seconds, I don't think so View attachment 810832 As I said, I like seeing the FW update process, if you don't so be it.

Lou

Of course you have that right, and i never said that you cannot post your thoughts, but please stay straight, don‘t tell the people first that you have no problems and then afterwards we find posts where you do have...if you know what i mean.
[doublepost=1544871800][/doublepost]

I think the verbose text comes from the APFS.efi, what the fix for it would be I don't know.

I see it too in my Virtual MP with the RX580.

Yes that is what mvc is saying on their blog. the problem is that this change in the apfs efi is interfering with mvc‘s efi.

as i have stated before, i know they already have fixed it, but the do not want to give it out as a free update to customers who already paid for a rom

 

[DearthnVader]

Of course you have that right, and i never said that you cannot post your thoughts, but please stay straight, don‘t tell the people first that you have no problems and the. afterwards we find posts where you do have...if you know what i mean.
[doublepost=1544871800][/doublepost]

Yes that is what mvc is saying on their blog. the problem is that this change in the apfs efi is interfering with mvc‘s efi.

as i have stated before, i know they already have fixed it, but the do not want to give it out as a free update to customers who already paid for a rom

I'm not sure what is to be gained by posting the ROM, MVC knows about the ROM, and outside of them we just don't know very much.

Could be someone with enough knowledge could fix it, but that would likely mean they would have enough knowledge to create a whole new ROM.

That's just highly unlikely, MVC, to my knowledge is the only one to take the time to create rom for UGA EFI systems, outside of AMD/nVidia, so the chances of someone else being able to fix it are very slim.

 

[cococheaf]

I'm not sure what is to be gained by posting the ROM, MVC knows about the ROM, and outside of them we just don't know very much.

Could be someone with enough knowledge could fix it, but that would likely mean they would have enough knowledge to create a whole new ROM.

That's just highly unlikely, MVC, to my knowledge is the only one to take the time to create rom for UGA EFI systems, outside of AMD/nVidia, so the chances of someone else being able to fix it are very slim.

This will gain nothing, that's correct.
But as i said, I've done that because i am very angry and i disagree with the way mvc deals with customers.

I know for sure that there are people in this forum, which have already dealt with that rom (PlzYaSueMe - that was written from a user here into a mvc rom), so i know that this is the only place where anyone might know about it.

I would also like to make it possible for people who don't have a boot screen at all, to at least try it.
I don't really care if anyone thinks this is good or bad, I don't have a guilty conscience for what I'm doing here.

 

[DearthnVader]

This will gain nothing, that's correct.
But as i said, I've done that because i am very angry and i disagree with the way mvc deals with customers.

I know for sure that there are people in this forum, which have already dealt with that rom (PlzYaSueMe - that was written from a user here into a mvc rom), so i know that this is the only place where anyone might know about it.

I would also like to make it possible for people who don't have a boot screen at all, to at least try it.
I don't really care if anyone thinks this is good or bad, I don't have a guilty conscience for what I'm doing here.

I looked at the EFI part of the ROM, and I think I have an idea of is causing the issue, but I really don't have a clue how to fix it.

If I come up with anything, I'll let you know.

EDIT:One posible way to fix it, maybe to patch the APFS.efi in the Boot ROM, like what is done for Clover.

https://hackintosher.com/forums/thread/how-to-update-and-patch-apfs-efi-on-a-hackintosh.126/

 

[cococheaf]

I looked at the EFI part of the ROM, and I think I have an idea of is causing the issue, but I really don't have a clue how to fix it.

If I come up with anything, I'll let you know.

EDIT:One posible way to fix it, maybe to patch the APFS.efi in the Boot ROM, like what is done for Clover.

https://hackintosher.com/forums/thread/how-to-update-and-patch-apfs-efi-on-a-hackintosh.126/

which tools did you use to examine the rom?
i used binwalk and uefitool, but got no usable result...

Patching of the original systemfiles is a nogo for me, as i want to keep everything macOS related original.

 

[DearthnVader]

which tools did you use to examine the rom?
i used binwalk and uefitool, but got no usable result...

Patching of the original systemfiles is a nogo for me, as i want to keep everything macOS related original.

I used UEFIROMExtract after removing the PC Vbios from the ROM you posted.

The interesting part I found was at the very end of the decompressed EFI driver:

/Volumes/Media/Clover/cloverefiboot-code/Build/Clover/RELEASE_GCC47/X64/Clover/ContainerDxe/ContainerDxe/DEBUG/ContainerDxe.dll

 

[cococheaf]

I used UEFIROMExtract after removing the PC Vbios from the ROM you posted.

Will check that when i get back home. May take a few days.
Thanks for your help, i really appreciate it.

 

[DearthnVader]

What I found in the ROM is the Alien Driver and the Alien Blocker.

I assume the later is used to implement a form of copy protection that blocks dumping of the full rom file from the EEPROM.

That brings up the point that the ROM you posted may not be the full ROM, but it looks complete to me, tho I maybe wrong.

I'd be very careful to flash this rom to a PC card, as it may not be complete, and could result in a bricked card. Also the ROM looks to be bigger than a 256k eeprom, so it may also require a lager EEPROM to be added to the card.

 

[Synchro3]

Yep,

i assume that is because of the newer efi.
They have incorporated the DP 1.4 patch from nVidia (https://www.nvidia.com/object/nv-uefi-update-x64.html), also cleaning up some things that have to do with that debug code.
That's what they say on their homepage.

My understanding is that the new MVC V2 EFI's with DP 1.4 support are still in development and not yet released.

MVC writes: 'To start, the 1070Ti will be our first new cards, and the first cards shipped with the updated rom.'
http://www.macvidcards.com/blog/mvc...nvidia-uefi-updater-on-your-mac-flashed-cards

An MVC 1070 Ti is not yet released, and no current MVC card has the new EFI. A new EFI V2 just does not exist yet.