<< Solved >> Upgrade to Sapphire VEGA 56 Nitro+ Leads to Black Screen After Apple Logo

[pastrychef]

Ah, good call. But it appears I can't change the refresh rate through the monitor's settings. On DP I get a 3440x1440 60hz signal according to the settings panel and on HDMI a 3440x1440 signal, which is both to be expected, just not as a black screen.

The only thing I can suggest is to try different cables and, if possible, a different monitor or TV. I use a Vega 56 flashed with Nitro + firmware and it works pretty much OOB.

 

[TheGiwi]

The only thing I can suggest is to try different cables and, if possible, a different monitor or TV. I use a Vega 56 flashed with Nitro + firmware and it works pretty much OOB.

Ok. Will order a VGA to HDMI adapter for my second monitor, will try again and report back on Saturday. Many thanks for your help so far @pastrychef !

 

[pastrychef]

Ok. Will order a VGA to HDMI adapter for my second monitor, will try again and report back on Saturday. Many thanks for your help so far @pastrychef !

I wouldn't bother with VGA adaptor... macOS hasn't had support for VGA in a long time. There are cases that VGA can be enabled but it requires additional work in config.plist.

 

[nean]

Had a similar black screen issue, in addition to a CPU speedstep issue, but I'm on very old HW -> X58 , i7-950(Nehalem), Sapphire Nitro+ Vega56,...
so not sure if this is applicable to your setup, but maybe simply switching to "iMacPro1,1" solves your problem,....

here is what I did, please read carefully (pls. ignore CPU speedstep stuff, its copy/paste):


I got it to work with:

• Macpro5,1 SMBIOS, means CPU speedstep of i7 950 (nehalem) working
• no black screen
• GPU hw acceleration enabled

here is what I came up with:

CLOVER Boot arguments:
shikigva=96
shiki-id=Mac-7BA5B2D9E42DDD94
agdpmod=pikera
Essential switches are:

• agdpmod=pikera -> (or vit9696 ) -> Blackscreen prevention: step 1 of 3
• shikigva=96 shiki-id=Mac-7BA5B2D9E42DDD94 -> enabling HW acceleration by mimic iMacPro1,1 BoardID

CLOVER Graphics:

• FB Name: Kamarang -> the working main displayport will be the 2nd one (not the outer one) -> (Blackscreen prevention: set 2 of 3)

CLOVER Kernel and Kext Patches: -> (Blackscreen prevention: set 3 of 3)

• Name: "com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsDevicePolicy", Find: "BA050000 00" ,Replace: "BA000000 00", Comment: "Prevent AGDP from loading"

I really hope this helps to demystify this particular issue, at least this it should be possible to use those "Workarounds" to get at least the best compromise from both SMBIOS profiles

However, it would be great if this can be realised eg. with 1 WEG switch, unless X58 support will be dropped?
There are 3 issues to be solved:

1. black screen dp port **
2. GPU HW acceleration (eg HW encode) **
3. CPU speedstep

** can be solved by using SMBIOS iMacPro1,1 but then x58 will not have CPU speedstep and end up with fixed x12 multiplier <2GHz and low CPU performance !!




thanks,
nean

 

[TheGiwi]

I wouldn't bother with VGA adaptor... macOS hasn't had support for VGA in a long time. There are cases that VGA can be enabled but it requires additional work in config.plist.

Yup, got the adapter yesterday, still no luck.

Had a similar black screen issue, in addition to a CPU speedstep issue, but I'm on very old HW -> X58 , i7-950(Nehalem), Sapphire Nitro+ Vega56,...
so not sure if this is applicable to your setup, but maybe simply switching to "iMacPro1,1" solves your problem,....

here is what I did, please read carefully (pls. ignore CPU speedstep stuff, its copy/paste):


I got it to work with:

• Macpro5,1 SMBIOS, means CPU speedstep of i7 950 (nehalem) working
• no black screen
• GPU hw acceleration enabled

here is what I came up with:

CLOVER Boot arguments:
shikigva=96
shiki-id=Mac-7BA5B2D9E42DDD94
agdpmod=pikera
Essential switches are:

• agdpmod=pikera -> (or vit9696 ) -> Blackscreen prevention: step 1 of 3
• shikigva=96 shiki-id=Mac-7BA5B2D9E42DDD94 -> enabling HW acceleration by mimic iMacPro1,1 BoardID

CLOVER Graphics:

• FB Name: Kamarang -> the working main displayport will be the 2nd one (not the outer one) -> (Blackscreen prevention: set 2 of 3)

CLOVER Kernel and Kext Patches: -> (Blackscreen prevention: set 3 of 3)

• Name: "com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsDevicePolicy", Find: "BA050000 00" ,Replace: "BA000000 00", Comment: "Prevent AGDP from loading"

I really hope this helps to demystify this particular issue, at least this it should be possible to use those "Workarounds" to get at least the best compromise from both SMBIOS profiles

However, it would be great if this can be realised eg. with 1 WEG switch, unless X58 support will be dropped?
There are 3 issues to be solved:

1. black screen dp port **
2. GPU HW acceleration (eg HW encode) **
3. CPU speedstep

** can be solved by using SMBIOS iMacPro1,1 but then x58 will not have CPU speedstep and end up with fixed x12 multiplier <2GHz and low CPU performance !!




thanks,
nean

Cheers for the tips! So, what I've tried so far is changing the SMBIOS to MacPro5,5 directly through clover, as that's the only one of the mentioned models that Clover supports configuring out of the box, but it won't boot since the MacPro5,5 doesn't support my Catalina install.

I guess I'll just have to live with the fact that it doesn't work. Was planning on getting a MacBook 16 soon anyway.

 

[pastrychef]

Yup, got the adapter yesterday, still no luck.



Cheers for the tips! So, what I've tried so far is changing the SMBIOS to MacPro5,5 directly through clover, as that's the only one of the mentioned models that Clover supports configuring out of the box, but it won't boot since the MacPro5,5 doesn't support my Catalina install.

I guess I'll just have to live with the fact that it doesn't work. Was planning on getting a MacBook 16 soon anyway.

Can you try unplugging the monitor cable and replugging it AFTER the point where you feel it's reached the login screen?

 

[TheGiwi]

Can you try unplugging the monitor cable and replugging it AFTER the point where you feel it's reached the login screen?

I had already tried that, but no luck. :/

 

[TheGiwi]

Had a similar black screen issue, in addition to a CPU speedstep issue, but I'm on very old HW -> X58 , i7-950(Nehalem), Sapphire Nitro+ Vega56,...
so not sure if this is applicable to your setup, but maybe simply switching to "iMacPro1,1" solves your problem,....

here is what I did, please read carefully (pls. ignore CPU speedstep stuff, its copy/paste):


I got it to work with:

• Macpro5,1 SMBIOS, means CPU speedstep of i7 950 (nehalem) working
• no black screen
• GPU hw acceleration enabled

here is what I came up with:

CLOVER Boot arguments:
shikigva=96
shiki-id=Mac-7BA5B2D9E42DDD94
agdpmod=pikera
Essential switches are:

• agdpmod=pikera -> (or vit9696 ) -> Blackscreen prevention: step 1 of 3
• shikigva=96 shiki-id=Mac-7BA5B2D9E42DDD94 -> enabling HW acceleration by mimic iMacPro1,1 BoardID

CLOVER Graphics:

• FB Name: Kamarang -> the working main displayport will be the 2nd one (not the outer one) -> (Blackscreen prevention: set 2 of 3)

CLOVER Kernel and Kext Patches: -> (Blackscreen prevention: set 3 of 3)

• Name: "com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsDevicePolicy", Find: "BA050000 00" ,Replace: "BA000000 00", Comment: "Prevent AGDP from loading"

I really hope this helps to demystify this particular issue, at least this it should be possible to use those "Workarounds" to get at least the best compromise from both SMBIOS profiles

However, it would be great if this can be realised eg. with 1 WEG switch, unless X58 support will be dropped?
There are 3 issues to be solved:

1. black screen dp port **
2. GPU HW acceleration (eg HW encode) **
3. CPU speedstep

** can be solved by using SMBIOS iMacPro1,1 but then x58 will not have CPU speedstep and end up with fixed x12 multiplier <2GHz and low CPU performance !!




thanks,
nean

Big surprise, I actually got it running now! Changing the SMBIOS to iMac 18,2 did the trick! It's now running on HDMI at least. DisplayPort doesn't appear to work, but I will look into that this evening. EDIT: After some googling, DisplayPort is now working too! Plus, shutdown and reboot seems to be working properly again. Previously, this wasn't the case, as per this thread.

Thanks again everyone for the help and suggestions!

 

[MrPopman]

@nean You state you used the following boot arguments:

CLOVER Boot arguments:
shikigva=96
shiki-id=Mac-7BA5B2D9E42DDD94
agdpmod=pikera
Essential switches are:

• agdpmod=pikera -> (or vit9696 ) -> Blackscreen prevention: step 1 of 3
• shikigva=96 shiki-id=Mac-7BA5B2D9E42DDD94 -> enabling HW acceleration by mimic iMacPro1,1 BoardID

CLOVER Graphics:

• FB Name: Kamarang -> the working main displayport will be the 2nd one (not the outer one) -> (Blackscreen prevention: set 2 of 3)

CLOVER Kernel and Kext Patches: -> (Blackscreen prevention: set 3 of 3)

• Name: "com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsDevicePolicy", Find: "BA050000 00" ,Replace: "BA000000 00", Comment: "Prevent AGDP from loading"

In addition to those settings, what kext files do you have loaded? I believe Shiki is now part of WhateverGreen, so checking to see what you are using. Also you state, "main displayport will be the 2nd one," which may be ok, but I need to know if the other DisplayPort sockets also work? I have a multi-monitor setup which I would like to keep that uses 2 DP sockets.

I have a Gigabyte P55M with an i7-860 CPU and am trying to get a Sapphire Pulse Vega 56 to work without success. With my prior video card (RX 580) the system works perfectly well with a MacPro5,1 SMBIOS definition which I have used since updating to High Sierra, and I want to keep that for the same reason you have, correct CPU functioning.

My symptom is I boot to a black screen with some flickering present. I am using the Display Ports with a DP to DVI adapter, and have tried them all. If I unplug then plug the monitor back in, it goes to sleep. The OS loads and can be remotely accessed. The card works fine under Windows (I have dual boot installed) so not a hardware issue.