Crazy idea. 32GB RAM modules in a cMP. Anyone tried this?

[kazkus]

I mean bug report as in a proper one here https://feedbackassistant.apple.com/

Oh, I see.
However, I have already given it up to use 32GB modules on macOS, because Apple should never (officially) support:
1) 32GB memory module;
2) macOS Catalina or later; and
3) NVIDIA GPU such as Titan X on Mojave or later macOS;
on MacPro5,1.
I plan to use Linux on MacPro5,1 with 192GB memory and Titan X (for Machine Learning).

 

[kazkus]

It was turned out that I cannot use 32GB module on macOS, and I don't (want to) use Windows on my daily work, so I decided to use 32GB modules on Linux.
Last night, I installed Ubuntu Server 18.04.2 LTS to 1TB NVMe SSD in one of my MacPro5,1 with X5680 dual CPU tray and 192GB (6x32GB) memory which runs 1066MHz.
I tried stress test, and it was pretty stable.
For video card, currently it has GT120, but I plan to replace it by Titan X (or GTX 1080Ti) later.

[doublepost=1561161419][/doublepost]My testing MacPro5,1 was not stable on the day before yesterday https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...nyone-tried-this.2046693/page-5#post-27478461
Today, I found that X5660 single CPU tray was broken.
My testing MacPro5,1 does not boot with X5660 CPU tray with any memory module(s) at all today, but it booted with another W3520 CPU tray.

 

[LightBulbFun]

you dont happen to have acsses to any LRDIMMs do you? im still very interested to know if those boot in a MacPro5,1

I know the westmere CPUs work with LRDIMMs in general

6x64GB LRDIMMs anyone?

(im also curious with a X5570 or something how the 32GB RDIMMs work, on both 5,1 firmware and 4,1 Firmware, and also what they would do in an Xserve3,1, can you put 384GB of RAM into an Xserve? LOL)

 

[gogowrc]

Hello, everyone.

Today, I installed 4 x 32 GB RAM on a 6 core MacPro 5.1 and succeeded in booting up macOS.
All the steps are on my blog. (I'm Japanese so the page is in Japanese. Please translate it.)

In a nutshell, I put the boot loader in two stages and start it by telling a fake memory configuration from Clover to macOS.

I don't have a 12 core MacPro 5.1.
I would like you to try if you can do the same with the 12 core model.

You may be able to start MacOS with 256 GB of RAM which is as good as iMac Pro.

 

[h9826790]

Hello, everyone.

Today, I installed 4 x 32 GB RAM on a 6 core MacPro 5.1 and succeeded in booting up macOS.
All the steps are on my blog. (I'm Japanese so the page is in Japanese. Please translate it.)

In a nutshell, I put the boot loader in two stages and start it by telling a fake memory configuration from Clover to macOS.

I don't have a 12 core MacPro 5.1.
I would like you to try if you can do the same with the 12 core model.

You may be able to start MacOS with 256 GB of RAM which is as good as iMac Pro.

Thanks for the sharing.

Just want to make sure you know the risk that Clover may corrupt the cMP's firmware. And at least, all PCIe info will be messed up.

This is what it looks like when using Clover on my 5,1. I am OK with that for some tests. But not quite comfortable to keep the cMP like this for everyday use.

 

[gogowrc]

Thanks for the sharing.

Just want to make sure you know the risk that Clover may corrupt the cMP's firmware. And at least, all PCIe info will be messed up.

This is what it looks like when using Clover on my 5,1. I am OK with that for some tests. But not quite comfortable to keep the cMP like this for everyday use.
View attachment 848066

My MacPro also does not display PCI information correctly.
sleep mode does not work properly. (The screen does not appear.)
I hope my discovery will be a good idea for you.

 

[h9826790]

My MacPro also does not display PCI information correctly.
I hope my discovery will be a good idea for you.

Clover can do a lot of things. e.g. Force the SMBIOS to recognise as other Mac, such as iMac Pro to get native Catalina support, or native hwaccel support.

But the risk level of messing up PCIe info or BootROM is unknown. May be you should work with Tsialex to monitor the BootROM's healthy level.

The wrong PCIe info shouldn't damage anything, but in worst case, just a crash.

However, corrupted BootROM can brick a cMP. We better monitor it.

If end up evidence shows Clover actually quite safe, no adverse effect in real world. Then we will have another very powerful tool to use on cMP.

 

[edgerider]

Hello, everyone.

Today, I installed 4 x 32 GB RAM on a 6 core MacPro 5.1 and succeeded in booting up macOS.
All the steps are on my blog. (I'm Japanese so the page is in Japanese. Please translate it.)

In a nutshell, I put the boot loader in two stages and start it by telling a fake memory configuration from Clover to macOS.

I don't have a 12 core MacPro 5.1.
I would like you to try if you can do the same with the 12 core model.

You may be able to start MacOS with 256 GB of RAM which is as good as iMac Pro.

domo arigato!!!

 

[startergo]

Clover can do a lot of things. e.g. Force the SMBIOS to recognise as other Mac, such as iMac Pro to get native Catalina support, or native hwaccel support.

But the risk level of messing up PCIe info or BootROM is unknown. May be you should work with Tsialex to monitor the BootROM's healthy level.

The wrong PCIe info shouldn't damage anything, but in worst case, just a crash.

However, corrupted BootROM can brick a cMP. We better monitor it.

If end up evidence shows Clover actually quite safe, no adverse effect in real world. Then we will have another very powerful tool to use on cMP.

I was asking one of the developers of the opencore Vitalii whether it can be used on a real Mac. He said as long as the fields are disabled it should not do any damage. Of course that needs to be confirmed with testing.

 

[VaZ]

Anyone ever try installing 32GB ECC RDIMM 1866MHz in MP4,1 or 5,1 ?

 

[edgerider]

ok guys,
got 192 gb up and running at 1066 on a xserve ...
on elcapitan, so xserve do behave a little different than a cmp in this regard

 

[LightBulbFun]

its been known that the Xserve can run with 192GB for a while now, but its still very cool to see tho

its one of the ways we ruled out just a generic OS X not liking more than 128GB of RAM thing when trying to figure out the cMP issues,

it would be very interesting to try 32GB RAM sticks in an Xserve3,1 tho

 

[edgerider]

its been known that the Xserve can run with 192GB for a while now, but its still very cool to see tho

its one of the ways we ruled out just a generic OS X not liking more than 128GB of RAM thing when trying to figure out the cMP issues,

it would be very interesting to try 32GB RAM sticks in an Xserve3,1 tho

working on it!
those are 1866 samsung ram and they apparently dont go down to 800 mzh when fully poulated...
will try to mount w5590 to see if it still can keep with power demand

 

[LightBulbFun]

ohh fun times ahead!

out of curiosity what RAM sticks are you using with your 192GB Xserve configuration? also are you on B06 firmware or the B09 firmware (I do wonder if with the right CPUs like W5590s if 1333Mhz RAM runs at 1333Mhz on the B09 firmware like it does with the MP4,1 B08 Firmware IIRC)

(I wonder if 10.5.8 Leopard still boots with 192GB )

 

[VaZ]

View attachment 849461 View attachment 849460 ok guys,
got 192 gb up and running at 1066 on a xserve ...
on elcapitan, so xserve do behave a little different than a cmp in this regard

Nice can you try some newer osx versions and see if it reads all 192GB?

 

[edgerider]

Nice can you try some newer osx versions and see if it reads all 192GB?

el capitan is the latest version i can instal on a xserve without patching.
This is my main data backup server with 96tb of backup so i dont want to make it unreliable.

until someone build a firmaware updater to bring the cMP 5.1 v.1.44 fw function to it I will just go up to 8x 3,33mhz
and thats it.

this machine is just a file server and a media encoder. it has a cyclone pcie expender on one slot and a nvidia tesla
s2070 4gpu 1 u chassis (upgraded with rx580) on the other so it is pretty much all it has to give.

until we can put 2 x5690 it doesn’t need mojave.
[doublepost=1563855455][/doublepost]

ohh fun times ahead!

out of curiosity what RAM sticks are you using with your 192GB Xserve configuration? also are you on B06 firmware or the B09 firmware (I do wonder if with the right CPUs like W5590s if 1333Mhz RAM runs at 1333Mhz on the B09 firmware like it does with the MP4,1 B08 Firmware IIRC)

(I wonder if 10.5.8 Leopard still boots with 192GB )

using those in conjuction with some micron ones but same HP sku

 

[Ardo]

Hello, everyone.

Today, I installed 4 x 32 GB RAM on a 6 core MacPro 5.1 and succeeded in booting up macOS.
All the steps are on my blog. (I'm Japanese so the page is in Japanese. Please translate it.)

In a nutshell, I put the boot loader in two stages and start it by telling a fake memory configuration from Clover to macOS.

I don't have a 12 core MacPro 5.1.
I would like you to try if you can do the same with the 12 core model.

You may be able to start MacOS with 256 GB of RAM which is as good as iMac Pro.

Damned, four weeks ago I sent my 8 x 32 GB's back, interesting thread, thx

 

[yukdave]

Might be a stupid question but I am looking for some more ram and want to get a recommendation for where to get some 16GB Ram Modules at a good price?

Can I use these from Newegg at $32 US?

https://www.newegg.com/samsung-16gb-240-pin-ddr3-sdram/p/N82E16820147259

SAMSUNG 16GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM ECC Registered DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Server Memory Model M393B2G70BH0-YH9


OWC Sells this for $60 US
1333MHz DDR3 PC3-10600 ECC Memory - REGISTERED

 

[flowrider]

^^^^I've used DMS since the 80s. They are Mac Specialists and their RAM has a Lifetime Guarantee. I have never had a stick fail on me in all that time:

https://www.datamemorysystems.com/dm61-765/

Lou

 

[goodfidelity]

Did anyone try more on this subject?

Will mojave or catalina support 256gb on this machine?

I would like to max out a 5.1 machine, but since i dont live in US i cannot return modules if they dont fit.

There is a module on the website of the certified DIMM provider:

32gb DIMM

Did anyone try those?

Please keep this thread updated if anyone keeps trying to makes this work.

//GF

 

[h9826790]

Will mojave or catalina support 256gb on this machine?

From memory, tested, doesn't work natively.

May work via Clover, but not sure.
[automerge]1582542744[/automerge]
But we know Linux can work. So, it's possible to boot Linux, and use QEMU to run macOS with 256GB RAM on cMP. By using PCIe pass through, there should be almost no performance penalty.

 

[LightBulbFun]

im still waiting for someone to try a 64GB LR-DIMM or 8, for the LOLs

 

[flyproductions]

im still waiting for someone to try a 64GB LR-DIMM or 8, for the LOLs

Most expensive LOLs!

?

 

[Le_Cactus]

But we know Linux can work. So, it's possible to boot Linux, and use QEMU to run macOS with 256GB RAM on cMP. By using PCIe pass through, there should be almost no performance penalty.

Nice idea. I'll try it.

 

[VaZ]

im still waiting for someone to try HCDIMM in the MP5,1

LRDIMMS are old garbage tech when populating slots with reduced speeds down to 800MHz even..while HCDIMM stays at 1333MHz populating all 8 slots in theory.

Its what ddr4 eventually adopted √√

Anyone got a hold of any for testing ?