Need Help Switching from Nvidia to AMD

[EddyMac]

I currently have a Skylake system with a Nvidia GTX 970 and have just purchased an AMD Sapphire Radeon Pulse 8GB and I want to switch them out.

I'm using the 17,1 SMBIOS, so have had to use the AGDPFix script every time after updating the OS.

Recently I also had to change something regarding NVRAM but have forgotten exactly what that entailed.

What will I need to do regarding kexts, config.plist, and other changes in order to switch from my Nvidia card to this new AMD card? All help appreciated.

 

[Pavo]

What will I need to do regarding kexts, config.plist, and other changes in order to switch from my Nvidia card to this new AMD card? All help appreciated.

Remove nvidia_drv=1 and NvidiaWebDrv from config, add Lilu+Whatevergreen to kexts in EFI>Clover>kexts>Other folder and that’s all you need.

 

[EddyMac]

I'm assuming I would need to uninstall the Nvidia web drivers too, or no?

 

[Pavo]

I'm assuming I would need to uninstall the Nvidia web drivers too, or no?

You can if you want, it’s not going to do anything for AMD GPUs.

 

[EddyMac]

OK thanks.

I don't think I need the Lilu and Whatevergreen kexts because according to @Stork this particular AMD card that I bought is supported natively by macOS 10.3.3. So it looks like all I need to do is modify the config.plist.

 

[Pavo]

OK thanks.

I don't think I need the Lilu and Whatevergreen kexts because according to @Stork this particular AMD card that I bought is supported natively by macOS 10.3.3. So it looks like all I need to do is modify the config.plist.

It is highly recommended to still use Lilu+Whatevergreen to get proper connector mapping for multi-monitor setups, if you are never gonna have multi-monitor, then by all means you don't need it, just enable RadeonDeInit in Clover config.

 

[ashman70]

FYI I have switched from using Lilu and Whatevergreen to RadeonDeInit and really don't see any difference on my three monitor setup, one of which is a 27' 4K. On waking the monitors from sleep the behaviour is a little less cleaner then it was with Lilu and Whatevergreen but that's about it. I switched because of random freezing which I think now was caused by a different setting in my config.plist that I turned off at the same time I switched to RadeonDeInit.

 

[narbatucker]

I have no problems with 4 monitors on a Sapphire Nitro+ RX 580, using RadeonDeInit. No Lilu/WG kext.

 

[mitch_de]

Even you can run AMDs without WEG (using Clovers RadeonDeInit or even nothing for some rare AMDs) i would start with LILU+WEG.
You can remove any NVIDIA related fix kexts from Clover / kexts. The NVIDIA GPU Drivers or CUDA drivers can stay. They didnt get active running an AMD and so have no negative effect.

 

[EddyMac]

OK well I just installed the card and everything looks good so far.

First I removed the Nvidia stuff from config.plist and added RadeonDeInit.
Then I shut down, replaced the Nvidia card with the Sapphire, and hooked up my monitors (both 24 inch Dells, one connected via HDMI and the other with DVI).
Then I simply booted up and everything just works.
The card is recognized properly in "About this Mac."
And my BruceX score went from over 2 minutes to 16 seconds.

So I'm happy I have a card that works out of the box, and that I won't have to mess with Nvidia drivers and the fixups each time I update to the latest macOS update.

Thanks everyone who contributed to this thread!