MP 1,1-5,1 Mac Pro dual NVME on a budget?

[bomcool]

Hi. I brought a Mac Pro 2010 5,1 and I’m looking to dual boot windows 10 and Mac OS on my main SSD. But due to the new format required on MacOS Mojave I can’t, I did try

so I’m looking to find a cheap dual NVME PCI-e card that works with my Mac Pro, MacOS and Windows 10

I currently have a SATA SSD in drive bay 1 and the rest are Hard drives. I’d prefer to have as much space for hard drives and keep SSD storage on PCI, I don’t require fast speed. And looked at PCI-e SATA M.2, I brought a card on ebay and was hoping it will work. (I haven’t got it yet) But by the looks of it won’t work

any help, my next option is to get a dual SATA 2.5” drive in the PCI, but would this work over PCI? Or need a sata cable to be plugged in?

Im trying do it on a budget so cheap as possible really

 

[Pressure]

Just buy two NVMe to PCIe (NGFF to PCIe) adapters and NVMe SSDs.

It will take up two PCIe slots but it is the cheapest solution.

 

[Macschrauber]

Windows wont boot from nvme without a lot of fiddling.

Get a sata ssd and plug it in the odd bay under the dvd drive.

Theres where my win10 sata ssd lives.

 

[bomcool]

both very good ideas that I didn’t think of! I will buy a single NVME drive for MacOS if that work flawlessly? And a 5.25” to 2.5” drive for the windows install SSD that was for my MacOS
[automerge]1582399627[/automerge]

Just buy two NVMe to PCIe (NGFF to PCIe) adapters and NVMe SSDs.

It will take up two PCIe slots but it is the cheapest solution.

Would this work? This was what I brought

m2.PCIe SSD adapter m.2 NVME to PCIe x4 m2 m key adapter m.2 PCI express 3.0 x4 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for m2.PCIe SSD adapter m.2 NVME to PCIe x4 m2 m key adapter m.2 PCI express 3.0 x4 at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

rover.ebay.com

 

[Macschrauber]

The dual adapter should work also, plug the sata port of the adapter to odd drive 2 socket on the backplane. Easier cable routing

 

[MIKX]

both very good ideas that I didn’t think of! I will buy a single NVME drive for MacOS if that work flawlessly? And a 5.25” to 2.5” drive for the windows install SSD that was for my MacOS
[automerge]1582399627[/automerge]


Would this work? This was what I brought

m2.PCIe SSD adapter m.2 NVME to PCIe x4 m2 m key adapter m.2 PCI express 3.0 x4 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for m2.PCIe SSD adapter m.2 NVME to PCIe x4 m2 m key adapter m.2 PCI express 3.0 x4 at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

rover.ebay.com

That adapter has a "B" & a "M" blade socket.s

"B" is only for SATA connection to your Mac Pro SATA socket.

=========================================

"M" socket is for example a Samsung 970 EVO / EVO Plus or Pro

You can only use ONE of the above Samsung blades on this adapter.

Look at the two sockets they're different.
Samsung blades such as the 960 EVO - 970 EVO - 970 Pro - 970 EVO Plus are "M" type NVMe.

 

[bomcool]

That adapter has a "B" & a "M" blade socket.s

"B" is only for SATA connection to your Mac Pro SATA socket.

=========================================

"M" socket is for example a Samsung 970 EVO / EVO Plus or Pro

You can only use ONE of the above Samsung blades on this adapter.

Look at the two sockets they're different.
Samsung blades such as the 960 EVO - 970 EVO - 970 Pro - 970 EVO Plus are "M" type NVMe.
View attachment 895678

You know I didn’t even know they where different. I thought It was two of the same connector. Hopefully if this is the case and it works then I’ll be able buy a 970 evo or pro and dual boot windows and MacOS with it, just have figure out what I want one the faster storage

 

[MIKX]

That difference is called " The Form Factor " = what kind of blade is it .. .

The "M" slot will work with any of the recent Samsung blades . .960 EVO / 970 EVO / 970 Pro / 970 EVO Plus.

The 970 Pro while expensive is the best.

You could put a "B" type blade on the other adapter slot but you'll have to attach a SATA Data cable to the SATA socket on the adapter card and then connect the other end to a Mac Pro DATA socket.
Best speed you will get will be much slower ( 500mb/s or lower ) than from a 970 Pro on the "M" socket.

======================================================

These are the different types of NVMe "Form Factors". The pins are different.

The Samsung blades have ONE notch which is "M" type.
The blades for the "B" socket are SATA SSD and have TWO notches.

 

[bomcool]

The " M" slot will work with any of the recent Samsung blades . .960 EVO / 970 EVO / 970 Pro

So would the 960 work with the Mac Pro and MacOS? Just want make sure before buying as I was looking at a 970 evo.

also thanks everyone for all your help and information, it’s been appreciated

 

[Macschrauber]

I thought it was clear:

In one slot you put a nvme blade in, this for MacOs

In the other slot you put a sata ssd blade in and connect a sata cable from the adapter to the 2nd odd sata port on the backplane. This is an internal drive for the mac pro as it is connected to the southbridge.

 

[bomcool]

I thought it was clear:

In one slot you put a nvme blade in, this for MacOs

In the other slot you put a sata ssd blade in and connect a sata cable from the adapter to the 2nd odd sata port on the backplane. This is an internal drive for the mac pro as it is connected to the southbridge.

sorry yes. I got this fine, I’m just confused about what NVME drives work in MacOS and wanted check that a Samsung 960 worked as I don’t think every NVME drive works (from my limited knowledge)

 

[Macschrauber]

You can check here, begin with post 1, it is a wiki:

PCIe SSDs - NVMe & AHCI

This is a general info thread for blade SSDs that can be used in the Mac Pro. This is a WikiPost so anyone with the proper credentials may edit it. NVMe SSDs can be used as a boot drive in the MP5,1 and MP6,1 with the latest firmware installed (beginning with version 140.0.0.0.0 for MP5,1 and...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[MIKX]

So would the 960 work with the Mac Pro and MacOS? Just want make sure before buying as I was looking at a 970 evo.

also thanks everyone for all your help and information, it’s been appreciated

Yes . .. in the "M" socket.

Read. my post#8 again. the second line.

 

[tsialex]

These are the different types of NVMe "Form Factors". The pins are different.

The Samsung blades have ONE notch which is "M" type.
The blades for the "B" socket are SATA SSD and have TWO notches.

View attachment 895697

Wrong info.

M.2 is a format specification. M.2 format can be used for several different things, from SSDs to 4G cards or USB3 controllers. Let's restrict to SSDs here.

M.2 format with M key are for PCIe SSDs. PCIe blades can use NVMe or AHCI protocol, so you have M.2 M key blades that can be NVMe or AHCI.

M.2 format with B key are SATA SSDs in the M.2 form factor. They are identical hardware wise to the usual SATA SSDs, just with another form factor.

SATA and NVMe are not compatible at all and there is no NVMe M.2 form factors. While devices that follow the NVMe specification can have different form factors, like U.2, HHHL and others, as a M.2 form factor blades, NVMe will always be a M.2 with M key using the NVMe protocol.

 

[MIKX]

The OP is a new member and also new to using M.2 blades and wasn't aware of the differences between "M" Type" & "B Type" M.2 PCIe adapters.

This is what I was pointing out in Posts #6 & #7.

How about this .. . ?

Is this " wrong info " ?

 

[tsialex]

The OP is a new member and also new to using M.2 blades and wasn't aware of the differences between "M" Type" & "B Type" M.2 PCIe adapters.

This is what I was pointing out in Posts #6 & #7.

How about this .. . ?

View attachment 895743

Is this " wrong info " ?

Your previous post is still wrong, don't disseminate incorrect info.

 

[MIKX]

Your previous post is still wrong, don't disseminate incorrect info.

In post#8 I wrote " These are the different types of NVMe "Form Factors". The pins are different. "


It should have been " These are the different types of NVMe BLADES & "Form Factors". The pins are different.


Note : Is my " previous " post ( #Post 15 ) wrong too ?

 

[tsialex]

In post#8 I wrote " These are the different types of NVMe "Form Factors". The pins are different. "


It should have been " These are the different types of NVMe BLADES & "Form Factors". The pins are different.


Note : Is my " previous " post ( #Post 15 ) wrong too ?

The first post is totally wrong. M.2 SATA and mSATA blades are not NVMe. A better wording phrase would be:

These are five examples of different types of blades, the first four follow the M.2 specification format and the last one is a mSATA blade. Blade number one is a 2280 PCIe SSD that uses the NVMe protocol (M-key edge connector, 22mm width and 80mm long), numbers 2 to 4 are examples of different sizes of M.2 SATA blades (B-key edge connector, 22mm width with 42, 60 and 80 mm long).​

The second post is not correct either, since there are lots M.2 format with B-key edge connector devices that have just one notch.

 

[MIKX]

You win

 

[bomcool]

Guys please. I do understand M.2, NVME and SATA and the differences between them. I’m now just looking for a cheap NVME drive as I wasn’t aware that the card I brought was NVME M.2 and SATA M.2, at first I thought it was dual SATA and wanted know if this worked to use it with one for MacOS and one for Windows 10, but since I can now have 1 Sata M.2 for Windows and get much better speeds than a HDD I’m fine and I can get a faster NVME drive for MacOS (like as you said trying install windows on a NVME drive would be a pain) all’s I need now is clear advice on buying a NVMEZ drive, am I best to have a Samsung 970 or can I save money and buy a Samsung 960? I don’t need performance, just SSD in the cheap but save hard drive bays for other things

 

[tsialex]

Guys please. I do understand M.2, NVME and SATA and the differences between them. I’m now just looking for a cheap NVME drive as I wasn’t aware that the card I brought was NVME M.2 and SATA M.2, at first I thought it was dual SATA and wanted know if this worked to use it with one for MacOS and one for Windows 10, but since I can now have 1 Sata M.2 for Windows and get much better speeds than a HDD I’m fine and I can get a faster NVME drive for MacOS (like as you said trying install windows on a NVME drive would be a pain) all’s I need now is clear advice on buying a NVMEZ drive, am I best to have a Samsung 970 or can I save money and buy a Samsung 960? I don’t need performance, just SSD in the cheap but save hard drive bays for other things

All tried and confirmed working PCIe blades are on the first post of the thread https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/pcie-ssds-nvme-ahci.2146725/

 

[1Carlos]

macpro3,1 - Catalina 10.15.7 (DosDude1 patch)
Installed a Lycom DT-130 PCI-e card (ASM2824 chipset) in slot 2.
In the card I installed the following SSDs:

1. lower port - NVMe Samsung EVO plus 500 GB - working and bootable (R/W 2550/2350 MB/s).
2. upper port - AHCI Samsung SM951 250 GB - working and bootable (R/W 1350/1150 MB/s).

Applied the "matatata.lnkspd.pkg" script because macpro3,1 to enable PCTe 2.0 negotiation (I don't know why MP 3.1 negotiate PCIe 1.0 when supposed to negotiate 2.0).
Then at the Terminal I gave the script file execution permission: ( sudo chmod + x /usr/local/sbin/lnkspd.sh )
Restarted in safe mode and restart normal boot again.
I didn't forget to force TRIM (sudo trimforce enable)
I am satisfied.
Catalina 10.15.7 (DosDude1 patch)
Booting from a internal rotation HDD El Capitan 10.11.6 & Snow Leopard 10.6.8 no issues.
Enjoy
---------

(say thanks to Matteo Ceruti - matatata)​

 

[Emen Mali]

what NVME PCI card can I use in PCI Slot 4 so I can boot macOS? I have a 2tb NVME ready to use. (16x has a graphics card, the other 16x slot has a Sonnet 4x4 that I use as a RAID.)