nvidia-update - Simple way to install nVidia web drivers

[Sanatkumara]

I'm still reading through the 40 pages of this thread so apologies if the questions I have had been already discussed but as the saying < repetita juvant > goes here they are:

I'm still running on Mountain Lion and find no interest in upgrading to later OSX versions (!) as all the programs I use are installed and running fine;
I'm also still using Chameleon and unless I have to I again see no need to fix what is working: BTW I assume Clover would be a much better choice so if someone can just chime in with a link on how to upgrade from Cahmeleon without having to go Off Topic and without having to reinstall everything, well TIA!

Can I use this brilliant script to install nVidia drivers to use a GTX 1070 under Mountain Lion 10.8.5?

Has anyone done it? Shall I change the Chameleon Extra options too...?

It's still a WIP building a couple of machines I will use primarily under Windows, but I would like to have the option to switch them to OS X too, else I definitely move on to Linux...!

 

[Duffloop]

I'm still reading through the 40 pages of this thread so apologies if the questions I have had been already discussed but as the saying < repetita juvant > goes here they are:

I'm still running on Mountain Lion and find no interest in upgrading to later OSX versions (!) as all the programs I use are installed and running fine;
I'm also still using Chameleon and unless I have to I again see no need to fix what is working: BTW I assume Clover would be a much better choice so if someone can just chime in with a link on how to upgrade from Cahmeleon without having to go Off Topic and without having to reinstall everything, well TIA!

Can I use this brilliant script to install nVidia drivers to use a GTX 1070 under Mountain Lion 10.8.5?

Has anyone done it? Shall I change the Chameleon Extra options too...?

It's still a WIP building a couple of machines I will use primarily under Windows, but I would like to have the option to switch them to OS X too, else I definitely move on to Linux...!

There's no harm in trying.
Edit: oh apparently 1070 dont work with ML see below!

 

[Edhawk]

No you can't use the script to install the Nvidia Web Drivers (NWD) for macOS Sierra or High Sierra. Those are the NWD's you need for the Nvidia GTX1070 to work in macOS.

OS X Mountain Lion will not run with full acceleration when you are using a GTX 1070 graphics card, it would be limited to VESA mode, i.e. basic graphics, if it ran at all. The Pascal Series of Nvidia GPU's weren't supported in macOS until Sierra 10.12.4 was released.

You could bork your system by installing the wrong drivers, if the installation wizard would let you install them in the first place.

If you want to use a GTX 1070 you need to update to macOS Sierra 10.12.4 as a minimum.

You could use a Kepler series Nvidia card in Mountain Lion 10.8.5. These are supported natively by Apple for Mountain Lion 10.8.0 all the way up to the final release of Big Sur 11.6.2. No need for any third party kexts or patches.

Below is a list of supported Kepler cards:

700 Series:

• GTX Titan
• GTX Titan Black
• GTX Titan Z (dual GPU card, but only one core will be in use)
• GTX 780 Ti
• GTX 780
• GTX 770
• GTX 760 Ti
• GTX 760
• GT 740 (GK107 variant)
• GT 730 (GK208 variant)
• GT 720
• GT 710 (GK208 variant)

600 Series:

• GTX 690 (dual GPU card, but only one core will be in use)
• GTX 680
• GTX 670
• GTX 660 Ti
• GTX 660 (Must be running a GK104 core, not GK106)
• GTX 650 (GK107 core)
• GT 640 (GK107/GK208 core)
• GT 635
• GT 630 (GK107/GK208 core)

Quadro:

• Quadro K6000
• Quadro K5200
• Quadro K5000
• Quadro K4200
• Quadro K2000D
• Quadro K2000
• Quadro K600
• Quadro K420
• Quadro 410
• NVS 510

I run a number of Hackintosh systems using these Kepler series cards:

• GTX 780 TI
• GTX 690
• Quadro K4200
• Quadro K600

 

[Sanatkumara]

Thanks Edhawk,
I just assumed to install an EXT would eventually work but I can see from your experience this maybe asking too much.
My point is these machines (all max OC + 32 GB RAM) will be used mainly under Win 7x64 for simulators and being based on an 'old' mobo at least they have a more powerful graphic card to keep the pace and I deem that will be just one notch below the latest systems (this at least is the assumption I gather by reading the benchmarks): I will consider your cards suggestions in any case especially the Titan if it will have enough resources to keep up with the simulators' requirements.
My last option would be to use the on-board graphics for the Mac... Not ideal but a compromize!

 

[Sanatkumara]

[ don't bother: I've just read above what I asked here down below ]

 

[Edhawk]

Yes, the 2nd Generation of Kepler cards were released with OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.4 as the base/minimum OS.

Here is a link to EveryMac and a Haswell iMac using the Nvidia GT750M graphics card - https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-i5-2.9-21-inch-aluminum-late-2013-specs.html

So Mountain Lion 10.8.5 should contain all the necessary Nvidia drivers provided by Apple, for all the Kepler cards.

 

[Edhawk]

I did some benchmarking with a GTX 780 TI, a GTX 970 and a GTX 1060 some years ago. What I found was these three cards are very similar in respect of their abilities. The major difference being the amount of power each requires. With the newer cards requiring less power.

Here is a screenshot showing the relative performance between the three cards (underlined in red). Surprisingly the GTX 780 Ti is not the worst performing. These are all Windows performance ratings.



The Titan sits bang in between my GTX 970 (sitting on a shelf) and the 780 Ti used in one of my Haswell Hacks.

My GTX 690 (used in an AMD Hack) sits just below the GTX 1060 (6GB), the one I own is also sitting on a shelf!

 

[Sanatkumara]

Mmmh
I presume the GTX 1070 OC 8GB would sit just above the 1060, if not just the same...
Maybe I should really consider moving on upgrading the OSX or forget about it and switch to Ubuntu... > I truly despise the 'forced obsolescence' politic Apple adopted now slowly followed by MS as well...
I come from the lost world of Amiga and the Shapeshifter board to emulate the Mac! =8D

 

[Sanatkumara]

I should have missed it but do you hint the GTX 690 is almost as good as the GTX 1060?

[...]

My GTX 690 (used in an AMD Hack) sits just below the GTX 1060 (6GB), the one I own is also sitting on a shelf!

AMD Hack: that's intriguing! BD

 

[Edhawk]

No, unfortunately that is the relative performance of the cards when used in Windows, with both GPU's working in SLI.

In macOS only one of the dual GTX 680 GPU's is available, so that chart is misleading in respect of the GTX 690 and macOS.

The AMD system consists of an AMD FX8350/Sabertooth 990FX MB, it works ok for a 10 year old system using a MacPro6,1 SMBIOS. Runs Big Sur 11.6.2 and Monterey 12.1, but the later not so well due to the Nvidia GPU no longer being natively supported.

Lots of people use AMD Ryzen systems with macOS. Dortania provide easy to follow guides for the older FX and newer Ryzen systems.