<< Solved >> Upgrading GPU in a build currently running Nvidia capped on High Sierra 10.13.6

[barrywhite]

Hey,

So I have a build that has served me well for a long time currently capped at High Sierra 10.13.6 as below:

MoBo - Gigabyte GA-Z170X-UD5
GPU - Nvidia GTX 750ti
Intel Core I7 6700k

I am running in an Opencore setup with the SMBIOS for 27-Inch late 2015 iMac currently.

I want to upgrade the GPU so I can run something newer ideally Ventura OSX 13 or whatever was thinking of the Sapphire RX 580 Pulse 8GB AMD.

I think this would be considered compatible. I'm hoping maybe naively that I could just load drivers for the Sapphire install in the build, boot and upgrade OS? Anyone got any pointers? (I will of course do a lovely carbon copy prior to attempting of the main system drive).

 

[trs96]

The RX6600 by Sapphire is a better choice for Ventura. If you can spend a little more go with that. Otherwise the RX 580 will get the job done.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JHRQY4Y/?tag=tonymacx86com-20

 

[barrywhite]

The RX6600 by Sapphire is a better choice for Ventura. If you can spend a little more go with that. Otherwise the RX 580 will get the job done.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JHRQY4Y/?tag=tonymacx86com-20

Thanks trs96 yeah I probably could stretch for that to be fair. Do you have any recommendations beyond a backup of the system drive, a simple installing of the sapphire drivers and a switch out of the GPU (potentially switching a couple of bios settings)?

I will either try update normally via opencore method or re-build depending on my luck.

 

[trs96]

installing of the sapphire drivers and a switch out of the GPU

No Sapphire drivers needed. The RX 6600 drivers are already built in to macOS Ventura. Yes, a newer SMBIOS with the latest OpenCore is required. The 2015 iMac has no support within Ventura. Possibly iMac 18,2 or 19,2 will work. If we do get another supported Intel version of macOS in June, go with 19,2 as the 2017 iMacs will likely be dropped then.

 

[barrywhite]

I can do that thanks so much for the guidance and clear advice <3

 

[Chemari]

You can delete the nVidia driver before changing the video card.
The 6600 is suported in Monterey

 

[Edhawk]

You will need to add the agdpmod=pikera boot argument to your config.plist for the RX6600 to work. As well as uninstalling the Nvidia Web Drivers and removing the boot argument enabling the Nvidia drivers.

Not sure if you need to set SecureBootMode to ‘Default’ as it will currently be set to ‘Disabled’.

No need to make any bios changes, as you are making a like for like swap from one dGPU to another.

 

[barrywhite]

Thanks everyone - will update once I've tried

 

[barrywhite]

Came back to say this worked beautifully thanks

 

[Superbogey]

To expand on this topic - and with the RX7000 series growing, is it safe to say that the RDNA3 architecture is going to ba a "no-go" in Hacks without anything to spoof - let alone any driver support in Ventura (has anyone gotten into Sonoma beta yet to see what kind of support it has)?