clay_9
Level 1 (10 points)

Q: Flashed gtx980 web driver causing boot issues

MacPro 5,1 2009.

2 x 3.33 Ghz (12 core)

32 GB

Nvidia GeForce gtx980 4gb (Flashed with EFI).

 

I've just bought this mac and I've been having an odd issue with it, I can't find any similar problem discussed online.

 

Summary of the problem.

Mac came with Yosemite 10.10.5, I updated it to 10.11.1 (after a hassle with getting suitable web-drivers). After installing 10.10.1 I install a bootcamp partition with win7 home premium 64bit.

I notice a boot issue where the mac does not auto boot (regardless of what startup disk is selected in MacOS), after powering on the screen stays black and nothing happens.

Holding alt on startup will bring up the boot menu and I can select MacOS 10.11.1 and it boots then with no problems. However selecting windows will freeze the mac completely on the boot screen, it doesn't get close to booting windows, just a 100% freeze the moment windows is selected.

 

Diagnosing.

PRAM and SMC resets didn't work (I can't remember what else I tried, it's been a stressful few days). So I installed an older apple certified AMD radeon card and both problems instantly go away, mac now auto boots and windows doesnt freeze the system.

 

So it's something to do with the gtx980 and web drivers. So I perform a clean install of yosemite again, as that was the OS on the mac when purchased. However after updating the correct webdrivers under 10.10.5, the problem re-occurs, no auto-boot and windows freezes on the boot menu.

 

I'm currently running the 980 on 10.10.5 and there don't seem to be any other issues with it. The mac supplier is shipping me a replacement card tomorrow, but I was still hoping that there could be a software fix somewhere out there or something else I could try. Although most people I speak to are pretty stumped and haven't seen this issue before.

Posted on Nov 9, 2015 7:20 AM

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clay_9

Q: Flashed gtx980 web driver causing boot issues

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Christian Stueben,

    Christian Stueben Christian Stueben Nov 10, 2015 12:45 AM in response to clay_9
    Level 1 (120 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 10, 2015 12:45 AM in response to clay_9

    Which version of the Web Diver do you have installed? Up-to-date is 346.03.03f02. Go to the nvidia control, updates, and make a "check now".

     

    I am using the gtx 980 ti in my mp 2010 / 10.11.1, no problem at all.

     

    greetings from germany

    Chris

  • by clay_9,

    clay_9 clay_9 Nov 10, 2015 1:15 AM in response to Christian Stueben
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Nov 10, 2015 1:15 AM in response to Christian Stueben

    I'm up to date and correct for 10.10.5, which is 346.02.03f02.

     

    The same freezing happens when attempting to boot from the windows 7 install dvd. Very odd problem indeed.

     

    Also, switching back to Mac OS drivers and rebooting doesn't help. It's exactly the same.

  • by nicofem,

    nicofem nicofem Jan 3, 2016 11:01 AM in response to clay_9
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 3, 2016 11:01 AM in response to clay_9

    hi,

    what do you mean by flashed efi gtx980 ? is it a macvidscard ? An EFI flashed card should be recognized and you should get bootscreen ?

     

    I use a PC GTX 980 on my 4.1/5.1 macpro and got many issues installing windows with this card + original GT120 inside mac pro.

    To perform installation with bootcamp and upgrade seven to windows 10, i had to remove the GTX980, then when over, only use the GTX890 and remove GT120 before startup.

    I have only one display so i can't check if it works with both cards inside on 2 displays. But i removed the gt120 because i readed a post on macrumors telling the 2 cards wouldn't work together.

    And it solved my pb even if i don"t have bootscreen. I have to use system pref on OSX or Bootcamp Menu to restart on other System (El Cap or Win 10).

     

    Cheers from France

  • by uwemutz,

    uwemutz uwemutz Aug 19, 2016 11:29 AM in response to clay_9
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 19, 2016 11:29 AM in response to clay_9

    Quite the same here: GTX 980 and flashed GTX 950. The 950 alone works well with Mac OS as well as with Windows 10. If I use both cards my Mac freezes after selecting Windows from Bootscreen.

    Differently to you: my Mac works well with GTX 980 and GT120 (Efi) although Windows always tries to install a driver for the GT 120 because the new NVidia drivers for the 980 dont support the GT 120 any more.

    So did you manage to solve the problem with freezing after selecting Windows?

    Ciao

    Uwe