Flashcard Hero is a freemium flashcard app for Mac. The full version comes with a. Remove the blue plastic cover over the PCIe connector before installation. Slide the new video card into the bottom slot. Connect the two power cords and replace the bar that holds the PCIe cards in place. Close up the Mac and turn on. Boot the computer with the monitor connected to your old video card. Load the kernel extension for the flashing (sudo kextload ATIROMFlasher.kext), then run the flash utility: sudo open ATIFacelessFlash.app. Shut down your computer, pull the old card, and boot up with the monitor connected to the new one.
OK, there is a lot of bad advice out there on flashing PC video card ROMs to work with Snow Leopard 10.6.4. So, let’s start with a list of what you do and don’t need.
Service to flash your video card to allow a boot screen for your Apple Mac Pro. This will allow your video card to see the boot screen in the initial boot-up process. Simply mail in your video card, I will flash it, and mail it back promptly. Download and install the driver, follow the instructions including restarting the Mac Pro. Go to System Preferences and check the Nvidia driver manager pane, on the third tab (updates) click update to ensure your on the latest version. (Repeat this for the CUDA for Mac driver if you also installed this, CUDA driver can be found here).
What you need BEFORE you start:
- Snow Leopard 10.6.4 with Graphics Update OR 10.6.5 OR 10.6.6
- A graphics card and ROM mentioned here
- a 6pin-6pin power booster cable (Go Apple!) Google
You will also need some software and anywhere between two a billion CDRs
CD 1:
Burn this iso to a CD using Disk Utility
CD 2:
- A ROM compatible with your card from the aforementioned forum thread; it is a good idea to get the original ROM for your card from the manufacturer or another source just in case something goes wrong and you need to restore it. See the note below.
What you do NOT need:
- A FAT32 partition on your hard drive. I could NOT get DOS to recognize mine no matter what I did.
Procedure:
- MAKE SURE that you have 10.6.4 with the Graphics Update (Check in Software Update) or 10.6.5. Put CD1 with the Ultimate Boot CD in. Turn your computer off.
- Unplug everything, remove your old graphics card and put the new one in. Get someone with small hands or a girl to attach the power booster cable.
- Plug your monitor, keyboard back in.
- Turn the computer on and hold C. If you are lucky, you will be presented with a menu. Holding C for too long can cause your keyboard not to work, if that is the case reboot and try again. Choose “UBCD FreeDOS”
- Once you are at the DOS prompt (say yes if it asks you to load mouse drivers etc), pull your CD drive’s housing out from the side and push the button to eject the CD.
- Put CD2 in and close the drive.
- Type: menu and press enter. Choose “List Drives”
- Your new CD will be detected. Now switch to that drive by typing, for example, T: and pressing enter (your letter may be different, have a look.)
- atiflash -p 0 (your rom here) -f
- If you used a compatible card and ROM, everything should be fine. If not (hope you got that backup!) repeat step 9 with your old ROM.
- Assuming that it reported no error, eject the CD again and reboot.
Flash Video Card For Mac
…
Presuming everything went OK, you will be presented with your Mac OS log in screen.
If not…
Troubleshooting FAQ:
Try pressing the volume keys on your keyboard. If the computer responds with the volume “pop”, this means Mac OS has booted correctly, but is unable to display a video signal.
- Try plugging your monitor into the other DVI port on the card; sometimes one will work and one won’t.
- Try a different monitor. I have only tested a 30″ Cinema Display, so cannot confirm if VGA or HDMI ports work on any flashed card.
- Reflash with a different (incompatible) ROM. This is where needing a bajillion CDRs can come in.
If you are getting no keyboard input, try screen sharing or putting your old card back in to see if there’s not a problem with your system.
Notes:
Boot from Windows if you have it and use ATI Winflash to save your ROM.
My setup?
How To Flash A Video Card For Mac Pro 5 1
with another card’s ROM (m57703.rom)