GTX 960 FTW vs. SC

[jackoloki]

Last year, I purchased what I believed to be a tonymacx86 recommended video card. The Amazon link had several products gathered under one page heading, and I somehow picked the wrong card.

recommended card—EVGA GeForce GTX 960 SC (Super Clocked)
..the card I bought—EVGA GeForce GTX 960 FTW (For the Win) (04G-P4-3969-KR)

It worked fine under Yosemite, but I am now trying to get a Sierra system running and I’m encountering problems. I’m showing 7MB of VRAM (card is 4GB) with all kinds of redraw issues (as you can imagine). 0MB VRAM is listed under Graphics Troubleshooting Common Problems, but NVIDIA inject = False

According to the specs, the cards are mostly the same; the FTW is also ‘super-clocked’ (hence my confusion), with several upgrades that supposedly make it a superior card...but not the recommended card.

Anybody have this card working under Sierra 10.12.2? Anybody know of any specific reason why this card would work with Yosemite, but not Sierra.

I updated CUDA 8.0.57 and NVIDIA Driver 367.15.10.25f01, but it didn't make any difference (problem did exist before the NVIDIA updates).

Also, important point here, CUDA Installer says that Model Identifier should be Mac Pro 5,1 (2010), However, tonymacx86 Sierra Installation Guide says (on MultiBeast step) to use Quick Start Legacy Boot Mode for 5 series motherboard. So my Systeme Definition is currently iMac 14,2. Could be my problem? Can I overwrite 5,1 System Definition without wreaking havoc?

System Profiler Kernel Extension Info says 'No Kext Loaded'

Also, I should point out that NVIDIA site doesn’t say latest driver supports GTX 9xx. Under Yosemite, the driver worked, despite the same lack of STATED support.

Thanks for any help,
Rob

 

[P1LGRIM]

I’m showing 7MB of VRAM (card is 4GB)

7MB VRAM usually means that Inject Nvidia is disabled correctly, but the Nvidia Webdrivers are not installed or not activated.

See also : https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/new-method-for-enabling-nvidia-web-drivers-in-clover.202341/

 

[izo1]

FTW will work fine, these are essentially the same cards, but the BIOS differes a bit and so does the clock speed (EVGA overclocks their non reference cards).

Please make sure to use the new method in Sierra.

 

[jackoloki]

7MB VRAM usually means that Inject Nvidia is disabled correctly, but the Nvidia Webdrivers are not installed or not activated.

See also : https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/new-method-for-enabling-nvidia-web-drivers-in-clover.202341/

That did it! Thanks P1LGRIM and izo1. That was a big deal for me. I thought I'd have to sell the card.

 

[jackoloki]

the BIOS differes a bit and so does the clock speed (EVGA overclocks their non reference cards).

So do I have to adjust settings in my BIOS?

 

[izo1]

So do I have to adjust settings in my BIOS?

No, just install the WebDrivers from the link P1LGRIM posted and you're good to go.

 

[Fl0r!an]

All GTX 9xx cards are supported just fine by the WebDrivers, the Buyer's Guide just doesn't list all variants (for obvious reasons, there are hundreds of them...).