Black Border Around Bios & Boot Permanent Fix

[jj254]

Okay, so there are probably half a billion forum posts about this issue, but none of them describe the solution that works best, despite acknowledging that it exists:

http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/121519-nvidia-how-get-rid-black-border.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/lion-desktop-support/53911-black-border-during-booting.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/general-help/52668-black-border-bootup.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/26030-black-border-around-bios-low-resolution-chimera.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/96274-gtx-660-ti-black-border.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/97937-black-border-surrounding-bios-bootloader.html

A few of them mention patching the GPU's vBios to permanently fix the issue (Which is the black borders around the screen at the bios and bootloader). However, none of them describe how to go about doing that. Countless google searches have left me with more posts along the lines of "people have done this but I'm not going to tell you how."

Can anyone describe how to change the scaling option on a GPU directly by flashing the BIOS? Or maybe provide a link to a page that describes it for me?

Thanks in advance

NOTE: My GPU is an EVGA Geforce GTX 660 SC (GK106)

 

[slim.jim]

Okay, so there are probably half a billion forum posts about this issue, but none of them describe the solution that works best, despite acknowledging that it exists:

http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/121519-nvidia-how-get-rid-black-border.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/lion-desktop-support/53911-black-border-during-booting.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/general-help/52668-black-border-bootup.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/26030-black-border-around-bios-low-resolution-chimera.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/96274-gtx-660-ti-black-border.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/97937-black-border-surrounding-bios-bootloader.html

A few of them mention patching the GPU's vBios to permanently fix the issue (Which is the black borders around the screen at the bios and bootloader). However, none of them describe how to go about doing that. Countless google searches have left me with more posts along the lines of "people have done this but I'm not going to tell you how."

Can anyone describe how to change the scaling option on a GPU directly by flashing the BIOS? Or maybe provide a link to a page that describes it for me?

Thanks in advance

NOTE: My GPU is an EVGA Geforce GTX 660 SC (GK106)

I used Clover to inject a VESA mode for my old GTX 570. Followed this: http://www.projectosx.com/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=2562&view=findpost&p=22683. However, that site experience a hard drive failure and lost the site. That was back in February. It might give you a lead though. I'll look on my other hackintosh to see if I have the patch saved for a 1920x1080 VESA mode on NVIDIA cards. Update to come.

 

[WonkeyDonkey]

Okay, so there are probably half a billion forum posts about this issue, but none of them describe the solution that works best, despite acknowledging that it exists:

http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/121519-nvidia-how-get-rid-black-border.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/lion-desktop-support/53911-black-border-during-booting.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/general-help/52668-black-border-bootup.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/26030-black-border-around-bios-low-resolution-chimera.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/96274-gtx-660-ti-black-border.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/97937-black-border-surrounding-bios-bootloader.html

A few of them mention patching the GPU's vBios to permanently fix the issue (Which is the black borders around the screen at the bios and bootloader). However, none of them describe how to go about doing that. Countless google searches have left me with more posts along the lines of "people have done this but I'm not going to tell you how."

Can anyone describe how to change the scaling option on a GPU directly by flashing the BIOS? Or maybe provide a link to a page that describes it for me?

Thanks in advance

NOTE: My GPU is an EVGA Geforce GTX 660 SC (GK106)

The 'Level 2 Solution' of your very first link describes how to solve this with minimal fuss. Why not give that a go ? The guy has done most of the hard work required already and attached the necessary file.

 

[neilhart]

At the risk of being flip, why do anything today? With a SSD system boot drive with chimera you are from POST to the desk top in a few seconds (7 or 8 seconds on my GA-Z97N WiFi system).

I would consider return on time invested. Again just my opinion.

Good modding,
neil

 

[slim.jim]

For Clover, add this to your config.plist right after the graphics injection:

                <key>PatchVBios</key>        
                <true/>
                <key>PatchVBiosBytes</key>
                <array>
                        <dict>
                                <key>Comment</key>
                                <string>patch 0</string>
                                <key>Find</key>
                                <data>NC0nKJAroL+cj5a5jh8AAAA=</data>
                                <key>Replace</key>
                                <data>Fg7vn4/9AmM7N8/rQADBJAI=</data>
                        </dict>
                        <dict>
                                <key>Comment</key>
                                <string>patch 1</string>
                                <key>Find</key>
                                <data>KAAZACgYCAgF</data>
                                <key>Replace</key>
                                <data>gAc4BPBCEAcF</data>
                        </dict>
                        <dict>
                                <key>Comment</key>
                                <string>patch 2</string>
                                <key>Find</key>
                                <data>gg8DAQAACAQUAAAIFw==</data>
                                <key>Replace</key>
                                <data>TQEDTQEIASDAA///IA==</data>
                        </dict>
                        <dict>
                                <key>Comment</key>
                                <string>patch 3</string>
                                <key>Find</key>
                                <data>QAa6sAQ=</data>
                                <key>Replace</key>
                                <data>gAe6OAQ=</data>
                        </dict>
                </array>

 

[jj254]

The 'Level 2 Solution' of your very first link describes how to solve this with minimal fuss. Why not give that a go ? The guy has done most of the hard work required already and attached the necessary file.

I did that at first, but it broke my Linux bootloader. Also I have since switched to UEFI, which doesn't use MBR at all.

Where (I think) the level 2 option patches the option in memory much like slim.jim's solution, I was hoping for a way to directly patch my GPU's BIOS. I know people have done this with VESA modes before, which is well documented, but I haven't seen anything describing how to do it with scaling options.

My GPU already has a 1920x1080 VESA mode, otherwise I would try that.

 

[slim.jim]

I did that at first, but it broke my Linux bootloader. Also I have since switched to UEFI, which doesn't use MBR at all.

Where (I think) the level 2 option patches the option in memory much like slim.jim's solution, I was hoping for a way to directly patch my GPU's BIOS. I know people have done this with VESA modes before, which is well documented, but I haven't seen anything describing how to do it with scaling options.

My GPU already has a 1920x1080 VESA mode, otherwise I would try that.

If you GPU already has a 1920x1080 VESA mode then patching likely won't help. Have you tried a different port on the GPU? If you are using HDMI then try DVI or vice versa.

 

[jj254]

If you GPU already has a 1920x1080 VESA mode then patching likely won't help. Have you tried a different port on the GPU? If you are using HDMI then try DVI or vice versa.

I have noticed that the scaling is different on the HDMI port. That being said, I was hoping to find an option that fixes it for the DVI ports so I can refrain from using an excess amount of hardware (adapters, splitters, etc).

 

[slim.jim]

I have noticed that the scaling is different on the HDMI port. That being said, I was hoping to find an option that fixes it for the DVI ports so I can refrain from using an excess amount of hardware (adapters, splitters, etc).

With my GTX 570, using the patchvbios for Clover worked for me with DVI ports.

 

[jj254]

Just so I understand, would adding that code to my boot.plist patch the vbios while it is already loaded in the memory of my computer? Like the Level 3 solution in the first post mentioned above?