Kingston HyperX Predator on Mac Pro 5.1

[jonashoechst]

Do you have a PC GPU in there?

Yes, i had a PC graphics card in there. But my 780 GTX was delivered today and works like a charm. But nice to know this was the issue.

To install the kext, SIP needs to be disabled (it can be reenabled afterwards). Then, appropriate permissions need to be assigned to the file. The following links explain how to do this:

http://osxdaily.com/2015/10/05/disable-rootless-system-integrity-protection-mac-os-x
http://osxdaily.com/2012/01/12/how-to-manually-install-kernel-extensions-in-mac-os-x

Unfortunately, OS updates sometimes disable the kext, and the steps above need to be repeated to continue using it.

Thank you very much! The kext installation was actually pretty easy and now i'm enjoying a pretty internal HDD icon. Thanks!

Another question that came to my mind was, wether the drive is actually connected via SATA, as shown in system-profiler. These SSDs should be connected via m.2 as a physical port, right?

 

[cdf]

These SSDs should be connected via m.2 as a physical port, right?

That's right. I've updated the kext so that the connection type appears as "PCI-Express" in Disk Utility and in the Storage section of System Information. However, it still appears as "SATA" in the SATA/SATA Express section. I think that this is purely cosmetic.

 

[zedsdeadbaby]

The "trimforce" command will work. I have used it. If the drive is seen as external, it might be possible to accidentally eject it, although I haven't tried this. Other than that, I think that having the drive as being seen as internal is more of a cosmetic thing.

My sources for creating the kext were the following:

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/18703027/
https://www.idelta.info/archives/how-os-x-open-the-gate-for-trim-on-3rd-party-ssd

The kext only contains a plist (see the examples in the first link above). This plist includes the boolean "Force Data Set Management = YES", which enables trim (see the description in the second link). It also includes an entry for the SSD's controller (Marvell 88SS9293), and under this property, a string "IONameMatch = X", where X is the name (which starts with "pci") of the SSD that shows up in the PCI section of System Profiler (this was the key to getting it to work!).

If there is interest, I could post the plist.

Thanks. that's what I figured... Not worried about ejecting it and since I won't be running a second OS or bootcamp. macOS doesn't let you eject an external drive your booted from as far as I know. (I believe I even tried this to make sure when I had my OS on an external... My main concerns were if I temporarily needed to disable SIP for anything... If I do decide to make the kext I'll reply back. Thanks a bunch again! You guys are pretty incredible. I'm just a composer trying to keep my cheese grater running up to task for few more years and genuinely appreciate it!

 

[carpsafari]

Because only very few people actually report here about successfully boot Windows from the PCIe SSD. So, my mindset still stuck at "how to boot Windows from PCIe SSD", but not "will it boot faster?"
.

Maybe something you can explain;

btw I'm happy not using Windows;

Today I was buying several flashblades, the XP941 and the SM951, so I brought my MP to test them, just to make sure.
No4 Booted in Windows 10 !!!
I was quite surprised, apparently those flashblades were taken from laptops in need of a bigger flashblade.
But a Windows disk booting in Mac Pro on el Capitan??
And it looks like Windows 10 is booting faster than OSX !!

On a side note; since Sierra, my MP 5.1 3.46Ghz/48Gb/GTX Titan/2xflashblade SM951....booting, after ±8 seconds...I HAVE A BOOTSCREEN !!??

 

[h9826790]

Maybe something you can explain;

btw I'm happy not using Windows;

Today I was buying several flashblades, the XP941 and the SM951, so I brought my MP to test them, just to make sure.
No4 Booted in Windows 10 !!!
I was quite surprised, apparently those flashblades were taken from laptops in need of a bigger flashblade.
But a Windows disk booting in Mac Pro on el Capitan??
And it looks like Windows 10 is booting faster than OSX !!

On a side note; since Sierra, my MP 5.1 3.46Ghz/48Gb/GTX Titan/2xflashblade SM951....booting, after ±8 seconds...I HAVE A BOOTSCREEN !!??

Yes, windows 10 boot faster than Sierra, it's true on my Mac as well.

In Sierra, GPU driver loaded at very early stage. Therefore the GPU driver can display the whole loading screen (loading bar). Which is good when doing OS upgrade.

 

[carpsafari]

But a Windows blade, from a Windows laptop, booting without Bootcamp??

 

[pastrychef]

Maybe something you can explain;

btw I'm happy not using Windows;

Today I was buying several flashblades, the XP941 and the SM951, so I brought my MP to test them, just to make sure.
No4 Booted in Windows 10 !!!
I was quite surprised, apparently those flashblades were taken from laptops in need of a bigger flashblade.
But a Windows disk booting in Mac Pro on el Capitan??
And it looks like Windows 10 is booting faster than OSX !!

On a side note; since Sierra, my MP 5.1 3.46Ghz/48Gb/GTX Titan/2xflashblade SM951....booting, after ±8 seconds...I HAVE A BOOTSCREEN !!??

I've taken the Boot Camp drive from my Mac Pro and booted a PC with it...

If the video drivers load fast enough, you can see part of the loading progress bar in macOS. This doesn't help you if you need the boot menu (holding Option while powering up).

 

[Theoprofil]

Is kimgston hyperx predator still on production or is it discontinued? Because it seems like a seroius alternative of sm951. Last week a bought 2 pieces of sm951 and i swear myself i will never do it again . Prices are silly overpriced

 

[TzunamiOSX]

Has someone tested, how fast the HyperX inside the PCIe 2.0 x16 is? Full speed or 1.0 speed?

 

[zedsdeadbaby]

Is kimgston hyperx predator still on production or is it discontinued? Because it seems like a seroius alternative of sm951. Last week a bought 2 pieces of sm951 and i swear myself i will never do it again . Prices are silly overpriced

Looks like it. Still listed under products on Kingston's site.

Has someone tested, how fast the HyperX inside the PCIe 2.0 x16 is? Full speed or 1.0 speed?

I did when I first installed mine. Two raided hit somewhere in the neighborhood of 2650-2700 MB/sec using black magic.

 

[Theoprofil]

To install the kext, SIP needs to be disabled (it can be reenabled afterwards). Then, appropriate permissions need to be assigned to the file. The following links explain how to do this:

http://osxdaily.com/2015/10/05/disable-rootless-system-integrity-protection-mac-os-x
http://osxdaily.com/2012/01/12/how-to-manually-install-kernel-extensions-in-mac-os-x

Unfortunately, OS updates sometimes disable the kext, and the steps above need to be repeated to continue using it.

100% you are right. I can confirm that not only break the kext as it should do (because it is a third party kext ,not a genuine one), BUT with the last update 10.12.2 i am 99% sure that also breaks the disabled SIP and make the SIP again enabled. Did you realise the same? Or am i wrong?
I made a kext as well for Kingston Predator Hyperx & Samsung SM951 make the icon has grey colour instead of orange. If somebody need the kext feel free to ask it. SO its just a cosmetic kext not for enable the trim. You can enable the trim via terminal.
I will now try to patch your kext with my kext to have also trim enable support by default with the kext fot both my PCIe disks (Kingston predator and Samsung SM951)

 

[cdf]

100% you are right. I can confirm that not only break the kext as it should do (because it is a third party kext ,not a genuine one), BUT with the last update 10.12.2 i am 99% sure that also breaks the disabled SIP and make the SIP again enabled. Did you realise the same? Or am i wrong?

Perhaps. But in my case, SIP is usually enabled, so I can't say for sure. I only disable SIP when installing the kext, and reenable it afterwards.

 

[h9826790]

BUT with the last update 10.12.2 i am 99% sure that also breaks the disabled SIP and make the SIP again enabled. Did you realise the same? Or am i wrong?

I made a kext as well for Kingston Predator Hyperx & Samsung SM951 make the icon has grey colour instead of orange. If somebody need the kext feel free to ask it. SO its just a cosmetic kext not for enable the trim.

I always disable SIP, so, I can confirm that the 10.12.2 update didn't re-enable it automatically.

For others info. The drive icon can be changed by simple copy and paste method once SIP disabled. And SIP can be re-enable after change.

 

[Theoprofil]

For others info. The drive icon can be changed by simple copy and paste method once SIP disabled. And SIP can be re-enable after change.

What exactly do you mean?

 

[h9826790]

What exactly do you mean?

e.g. You want to change the orange icon to normal HDD icon. You can

1) click a HDD (or prepare a HDD icon)
2) command + i (show the info)
3) click the small icon on the top left corner
4) command + c (copy the icon)
5) click your SSD
6) command + i
7) click the top left icon
8) command + v (paste the icon)

And the SSD icon should be replaced by the HDD icon (assume SIP is disabled).

 

[Theoprofil]

`Thanks for the very nice tip! I am so stupid because i spend some time to write a driver for this cosmetic thing....

 

[h9826790]

`Thanks for the very nice tip! I am so stupid because i spend some time to write a driver for this cosmetic thing....

No no no, you just create an automatic permanent way to "fix" the icons, not stupid at all. In fact, that's a contribution to the unity that most of us unable to deliver.

 

[zephonic]

So the Predator X is AHCI, and can be slotted into the MacPro without any further modifications? I am trying to figure this out but the documentation doesn't mention it. Also, is it bootable? No need for firmware tweaks?
Thnks.

 

[Synchro3]

If a 2 TB variant of the Kingston HyperX Predator would exist I'll buy it in an instant...

 

[h9826790]

So the Predator X is AHCI, and can be slotted into the MacPro without any further modifications? I am trying to figure this out but the documentation doesn't mention it. Also, is it bootable? No need for firmware tweaks?
Thnks.

AFAIK, its plug and play, and bootable.

 

[zephonic]

Great, thanks. Looks like a shoe-in for my 4,1

 

[itdk92]

Yes, apart from OWC SSD, I don't know any other porpular current generation consumer level SSD that doesn't support TRIM.

Trim up and running om my HyperX 960GB on Amfeltec card, thanks to Disk Sensei
[doublepost=1485615041][/doublepost]

Has someone tested, how fast the HyperX inside the PCIe 2.0 x16 is? Full speed or 1.0 speed?

Full speed

Model - 960GB
write - about 1000MB/s
read - about 1250MB/s

 

[Theoprofil]

Full speed

Model - 960GB
write - about 1000MB/s
read - about 1250MB/s

The speeds you mention are measured with black magic at 5gb?

MY MEASUREMENTS:

1. 240 GB 780 write / 1320 read
2. 480 GB 1100 write / 1300 read

Both are measured with black magic at 5gb. I recorded a video. Asap i will upload it to youtube and i will provide you a link.

WINDOWS HDD + PREDATOR PCI-E= NO WAY TO BOOT (READ BELOW):
Also i have an SERIOUS problem with this disk. I cannot use windows with my mac pro (i have tried it to other two mac pros i own) when i have the disk installed. I must first eject the disk from pci-e slot and after to boot with my windows disk. The windows disk is at sled No1 HDD 7200 . Either i install or not bootcamp same thing. I have also try windows 10 and windows 8.1 with latest updates . SAME THING happens.
I also tried to update the firmware of the disk. The firmware was the last available , so there was a need for update.

The symptom is this:
Black screen after boot logo and selection of windows disk with a white dash at the left upper corner of the screen blinking.
Windows have a bug with this disk. They refuse to boot if the disk is not physically ejected.

 

[Upgrader]

So to confirm, the Hyper X Predator (like this one with adaptor: http://tinyurl.com/gqoqj8x) will plug/play in the cMP tower?

 

[itdk92]

Yup OOtB