April 22, 2009
Multiple ATI cards for OSX. final solution.
We finaly managed to fix aty_init (thx to Dong).
It works fine now, all automaticaly.
If you have multiple ati card which u want to work with OSX, follow next steps:
1) if you have identical cards (for example few 2600xt ) go to step 4)
2) if you have different cards (for example 2600xt and 4870), you need to figure out which card set as inital graphics port (card which gives you output on boot is most likely this one), then you need to dump bios for rest of cards.
3) add this dumped bios image as ATY,bin_image key(type – data), to corresponding section of natit’s Info.plist
3.5)the natit included into pkg already has bios images of 4850 and 4870, so if u have , for example 2600xt and 4870, and want to skip step 2 and 3, you just need to set 2600xt as inital graphics .
4)Install package and enjoy.
P.S. it helped MacPro to get 4870×2 working without flashing.
more – here
P.P.S natit for 4870×2 for hackintoshes – here
Comments(48)
You are awesome!!
Thanks a lot.
Causes black screen on my mac pro (early 2008) /w 2600xt and Sapphire 4870 1GB p/n 11133-04-20R (restored factory bios). I removed the 4870 and tried to boot and I still get black screen. I will remove the drive from the mac pro and delete the files from the installer then use pacifist to extract them again from the package and then add the stock bios dump to natit.
there is special pkg for macpro, which natit attaches only to 48×0
http://rapidshare.de/files/46852855/ATI_Init.pkg.html
you can fix your macpro this way
boot single user mode,
mount -uw /
rm -rf /System/Library/Extensions/Natit.kext
rm -rf /System/Library/Extensions/ATY_Init.kext
reboot
Buglamp, also try to change matching of aty_init, to make it attach only to 4870.
I tried the package for mac pro and same thing. I get black screen moments after install. I changed matching inside aty_init to match only 0x9440 only. The card I have does not work with the stock mac 4870 efi bios does that matter? I have not tried to add the stock bios dump to natit. I will do this now.
Just curious but is this confirmed working on ati 4850 and mac pro?
nop, no confirmations from macpro yet, be first 😉
if it doesnt work with stock mac 4870 bios, then u need to replace binimage in natit’s plist (4870 section) with your own.
ok so I opened the stock bios in hex edit and copied the hex data over using plist editor then changed vmem size to 1024 and mem offset to 1024 (for my 1gb card). then I changed the aty_init matching to 0x9440 for my card. Still get black screen then reboot.
bleh, it works for me with unPOSTed 4850.
lets see for reports from Macpro and 4870×2 then , i posted pkg for it on macrumors, and natit there was checked to work with 4870×2 on hacks.
now it boots but window manager fails to launch. display stalls at mac logo boot screen. I can access the computer on the network.
Why not work on the cooling situation for single 48xx cards? They run too hot.
work on ur card – http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/1356/TechPowerUp_Radeon_Bios_Editor_v1.20.html
fan settings tab.
Buglamp, it worked for 4870×2 – http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=7506850&postcount=981
If I edit the BIOS, will I still be able to adjust the fan settings while in Windows? Will Overdrive still work?
yes
Hmm I wonder why mine stalls on the grey screen then. Also does this method make vga/svideo work?
Maybe I need more recent ATI Kexts. I’m not sure I have the latest build of 10.5.7 ones.
svideo O.o , imho not going to happen.
So I ended up trading my friend my 4870 1GB for his two 4850’s because he was having trouble with crossfire on the windows side and I can use as many outputs as possible (i do trippy video stuff for nightclubs). I now have dual 4850s in the macpro (rev3). Both of the 4850s are in slot 1 and slot 2 plus I have the original mac 2600xt in slot 3 (4x pcie). I have the monitor connected to the 2600xt. When I install the package I get a black screen moments after install completes (I guess when the system runs the new kexts). Pretty much the same thing as what happened with the 4870.
I have tried booting with the 2600xt in slot 1 and one of the 4850s in slot two. the result is that the system boots without the black screen crash but hangs at the blue screen just prior to desktop.
I have yet to dump the bios for these cards (Diamond Radeon 4850 512mb) and add it to natit. I will do this shortly however I am pretty sure it will not help as I have run into this issue with the 4870 (for which I did add the bios to natit).
Netkas: you mentioned that you have a 4850 working (on mac pro?). Could I try all of the files you are using (modded 10.5.7 drivers + aty_init + natit)?
hm…i think you need to test new natit for macpro, it makes aty_init to do not init efi-initialized cards (like ur 2600xt)
will upload in a bit.
Btw, install patched motmot to get both dvi working ( dont try dual dvi, will result in kp), http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=7514020&postcount=1010
I dont see a reason why ur 2600xt gives no output, first version of aty_init for macpros was attaching only to 48×0 series.
BugLamp, try first with only one 4850 and pathced Motmot then.
then try new aty_init pkg, it shouldnt change kexts attitude for 48×0, it just will be more universal, so peoples can add 3870×2 support with just adding binimage inside.
http://rapidshare.de/files/46886252/ATI_Init_new.pkg.html
Need clarification on step 3. I have a 4870 pci-e port1, and a 2600 mac edition pci-e port2.
I understand how to flash rom, I have done it before
how do I dumb the bios, and do step 3
i understand that this is simple for you, you have done it before.
can you make a full version for the rest of the world, or just put in links for the stuff that is obvious to you.
Thanks
Cool! I flashed my card and when the card is between 40-70 degrees celsius, the fan will be at 65%.
any news about Radeon HD 4550? looks like this piece of crap works only on windows. couldn’t make it run dual head on 3 linux distros
Master Netkas, this package will work whit my 4850×2 2gb ??
Hey Netkas,
Have 4850×2 2GB like sea above. Have tried natit for 4870×2, I get one jumpy and one okay (running 2 x 30 inch). One of the Dvi ports isn’t running at dual DVI (1280×800 only and this is the jumpy one). Any suggestions, going to try no powerplay natit.
Edit.
Don’t work.. 🙁
i don’t have change resolution or QE or CI
Info :
ATI Radeon HD 4800:
Chipset Model: ATI Radeon HD 4800
Type: Display
Bus: PCIe
Slot: Slot-1
PCIe Lane Width: x16
VRAM (Total): 256 MB
Vendor: ATI (0x1002)
Device ID: 0x9443
Revision ID: 0x0000
ROM Revision: 113-B1480A-236
EFI Driver Version: 01.00.236
Displays:
Display:
Resolution: 1024 x 768
Depth: 32-bit Color
Core Image: Software
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Not Supported
Biosed , can you please explain me how have QE and change resolution under Leopard whit my 4850×2 ?
Thanks
How about 4770 and 4770 crossfire?
Hi, Netkas!
I hope you can help me too 🙂
1. I have Gigabyte Radeon HD 4870×2 2Gb GDDR5.
2. i’m installed Natit.kext.tar.bz2 for 4870×2 for iHackintoshes and have detected my card, but with 1 core and with no CI/QE :(.
3. If i will install ATI_Init.pkg then i have 2 desktops, but i can see only 2nd desktop w/o menu and dock :(.
P.S.:
ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 (1 core):
Chipset Model: ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 (1 core)
Type: Display
Bus: PCIe
Slot: Slot-1
PCIe Lane Width: x16
VRAM (Total): 256 MB
Vendor: ATI (0x1002)
Device ID: 0x9441
Revision ID: 0x0000
ROM Revision: 113-B7710C-176
EFI Driver Version: 01.00.318
Displays:
Display:
Resolution: 1024 x 768
Depth: 32-bit Color
Core Image: Software
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Not Supported
Display Connector:
Ati Efi injection with dsdt, by Buildsmart:
Maybe netkas already knows, but if not see it here:
For ATI owners I offer the following after a discussion with ATI tech support on the design of an EFI driver, I have tested the following and found performance to be better than using Natit.kext:
CODE
Method (_DSM, 4, NotSerialized)
{
Store (Package (0x16)
{
“@0,compatible”,
Buffer (0x00)
{
“ATY,Caretta”
},
“@0,device_type”,
Buffer (0x00)
{
“display”
},
“@0,display-connect-flags”,
Buffer (0x02)
{
0x00, 0x04
},
“@0,name”,
Buffer (0x00)
{
“ATY,Display_A”
},
“@1,compatible”,
Buffer (0x00)
{
“ATY,Caretta”
},
“@1,device_type”,
Buffer (0x00)
{
“display”
},
“@1,display-connect-flags”,
Buffer (0x02)
{
0x00, 0x04
},
“@1,name”,
Buffer (0x00)
{
“ATY,Display_B”
},
“device_type”,
Buffer (0x00)
{
“ATY,CarettaParent”
},
“model”,
Buffer (0x00)
{
“ATI Radeon X1300 Series”
},
“rom-revision”,
Buffer (0x00)
{
“3169a”
}
}, Local0)
DTGP (Arg0, Arg1, Arg2, Arg3, RefOf (Local0))
Return (Local0)
}
Despite what you believe is required ATI has informed me that these are the only settings requiring injection by EFI for video to work, these are the settings that apple is injecting from their EFI driver rom and I have confirmed that this works with 3 different ATI video cards.
Most ATI cards are seen as two physical cards, the first being the generic VGA card capable of VESA mode only and the second card as the graphics capable card (lspci -nvnv will show two video controllers with a single card plugged in.
Provided your card has natively supported ID’s you only need to know which driver your card is compatible with and substitute the name and the card works.
I have tested this with an HP ATI X1300, a Dell ATI X1600 and a Saphire HD2400 Pro and since the ID’s were natively recognized the cards functioned without issues giving me QE/CI/QGL (hardware accelerated).
If you have an X1600, you would replace all occurrences of Caretta with Wormy, for X1800 all occurrences of Caretta with Alopias , for X1900 all occurrences of Caretta with Sphyrna etc…
Hi,
Thanks for the kexts, changing the resolution happens smoothly now, I only have one problem. QE still does not get enabled. When I look in the profiler, it shows as:
Quartz Extreme: Not Supported
QuartzGL: Supported
I have 2 HD4850’s 512, could you help me out if you have a sollution for my problem?
And, how i can use ROM bios, how i can add to ati_init.kext ?
netkas, or anybody with a working 4830… Please help me get this thing to work. I boot into Blue Screen all the time, if ACELL installed… If not, it boots into GUI, but with no QE and CI support. Anyone? Please? Thank you!
Will this work on the new Mac Pro (2009), and allow me to put a 2nd non-Apple card in? I got the pro with the Apple 4870, but I need a 2nd card to drive my 2nd+3rd monitors. Will this work with, say, a PC Radeon 4650/4670 card?
Thanks for all the hard work!
I have two x1900 512meg cards…
Will this enable me to use both at the same time?
ie 4 monitors?`
wallie:
how does one get your code to work…
what do you put where…
Thank you Netkas, you helped me a lot!
And excuse me for my bad english ^^.
But i have a problem:
I have 2 Ati HD 4870, when i plug both cards i have a light blue screen after a long loading…
When i plug one card only i have resolution change, QE/CI 100% working.
I try this fix but still not working.
With this fix, the crossfire bridge supposed work?
Using 2 x 2600 XT this has killed my system dead. Damn!
Grey screen hang on boot. How do I recover from this? Arg! It’s been working great for nearly a year!
///remove one card, boot osx, and undo what u did
Netkas, you are a legend!
Using 2 x 2600XT works fantastic. Prior to this, used two NVidia cards that was semi-unstable, this is rock solid.
I have a 3870×2 sitting here as well, using the bios dump, can I use the 3870×2 and one of these 2600XTs together? Not that it really matters, the 2x2600XT works great.
///i’m going to release new aty_init soon, which will be – ATy_init + natit + bios dumping right from card
///so you will not need to insert dump manualy into natit
Rockin, I will wait for the next installation of aty_init before I mess around with getting the 3870×2 into the mix, thanks again!
So i’m using dual 4830’s but i dont know why its not working 🙁
Just wondering if I connect Crossfire bridge on my hackintosh if I can still use these cards independently in OSX?
hi, i hv ati radeon hd 4770.
i tried out mac in my pc. but i can’t install video driver in it.
now i want to install fcp in it but it need quartz extreme supported card.
any body plz help for video driver or QE.
///this card is not supported in osx
I’m lost, I could really use some help.
I have a Mac Pro 1,1, with a stock 7300GT. I added a Gigabyte HD 4850, and I’ve tried my best to follow information here. In system profiler, both cards are listed, and the 4850 shows 2 displays, and says status: no display connected for each. When I plug my 30″ monitor (I only have 1) from the 7300GT to the 4850, I just get a black screen.
My natit info.plist already has what looks like bios for the ATY,bin_image key. Do I need to put something else here, if so how do I get the bios?
I also tried adding the motmot kext, no effect. I could really use some guidance, I noticed I can’t subscribe to forum here to post.
Will this work with Snow Leopard and a couple of 4830’s (DVI, HDMI, VGA) ?
Rapidshare file is dead. I can host it for you on my account if you send me the file.