NVMe with ST-NGFF2013-C; Vega Internal GPU; Mac Pro 2013 (6,1)

[mmomega]

Just want to say thanks to OP for this thread and his work.

I was in the middle of doing my own research into getting my nvme drive into the MP and had already ordered the adaptor.

My MP is the base 6c D500 with the 256GB drive and needed just a little more space.
I installed my 512GB Samsung 960 EVO and life is a little better moving forward. I may end up with a 1TB drive soon but for no this gives me some much needed space for not much effort.

 

[nigelbb]

Actually, I've bought about ten MacBook Pros so far this year.

You don’t own any of them though do you?

 

[AidenShaw]

You don’t own any of them though do you?

What does that mean? I signed the purchase orders to buy them.

 

[CodeJingle]

These aren't filled out yet so don't get too excited, just placeholders for now. The links should stay the same for future updates to these documents (every time I post in the thread about updates to the documents I just keep pasting the same links).

pinout documents for these 3 connectors


reference orientation for flex cable '1' pinout


reference orientation for flex cable '2' pinout


reference orientation for flex cable '3' pinout


flex cable '1' pinout
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3p8rbiohgzzv39f/LogicBoard1.numbers?dl=0

flex cable '2' pinout
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fzg2e5nwfmpcltp/LogicBoard2.numbers?dl=0

flex cable '3' pinout
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nh2ho9mnjxx60la/LogicBoard3.numbers?dl=0

update: orientation is wrong previously, at least for connector 3. here i've updated it based on asymmetric connector orientation. but i still need to update the numbers documents.

 

[nigelbb]

What does that mean? I signed the purchase orders to buy them.

Do you use any of them?

 

[CodeJingle]

Do you use any of them?

I assumed AidenShaw uses a Mac because he has a P6 rating on the forums and has been a member since 2003. It would be more interesting to hear the backstory of his love/hate relationship with Apple versus a back-and-forth to get him to admit whether or not he is actively using a Mac 'right now' in early 2018. If AidenShaw has purchasing authority and approves orders for Mac laptops he probably thinks on some level the money is worth spending whether not he is literally using any of them, or he wouldn't approve the order.

It is probably better to keep the mystery going. If AidenShaw is not using a Mac currently it is because he is holding out for the next Mac Pro, not because he flat out doesn't like Macs. A guy would have to be crazy to contribute that much to the community and not like Apple.

 

[nigelbb]

I assumed AidenShaw uses a Mac because he has a P6 rating on the forums and has been a member since 2003. It would be more interesting to hear the backstory of his love/hate relationship with Apple versus a back-and-forth to get him to admit whether or not he is actively using a Mac 'right now' in early 2018.

I can't find the post now but as I recall he mentioned in passing a while ago that the last Mac he used was a Macintosh IIsi or LC or something else equally ancient. I enjoy his contributions but am just bemused that someone without any apparent interest in owning or using a Mac should contribute so much to this forum.

 

[adonis3k]

Updating OS is a pita on this system, random reboots, not detecting the ssd, turn off, restart commence updating zzzzzzz

 

[CodeJingle]

Updating OS is a pita on this system, random reboots, not detecting the ssd, turn off, restart commence updating zzzzzzz

Is this a stock system or with NVMe? I have stability issues anytime my power connection is not grounded properly. I damaged one of the RAM modules because of a ground fault and I got it replaced under AppleCare. I would suggest getting an outlet tester make sure your AC line has no ground fault.

outlet tester
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y68NRDV

Otherwise, if you think NVMe is at fault then put fresh heat tape on the adapter and reseat it. If you can't get your system to be consistently stable with NVMe then downgrade back to the old SSD.

heat tape
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072Z92QZ2

When I updated to 10.13.4 last night my Mac Pro 2013 rebooted about 20 times during the process. I unplugged when the power light turned off during one of the reboot sprints and replugged, as part of a diagnostic test to see if the reboots were intentional or not. It kept rebooting after re-plugging but then waiting a few more minutes everything was fine. So FYI Mac Pro 2013 may reboot fast and furious during the 10.13.4 update and somehow that is quasi-normal.

 

[adonis3k]

Is this a stock system or with NVMe? I have stability issues anytime my power connection is not grounded properly. I damaged one of the RAM modules because of a ground fault and I got it replaced under AppleCare. I would suggest getting an outlet tester make sure your AC line has no ground fault.

outlet tester
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y68NRDV

Otherwise, if you think NVMe is at fault then put fresh heat tape on the adapter and reseat it. If you can't get your system to be consistently stable with NVMe then downgrade back to the old SSD.

heat tape
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072Z92QZ2

When I updated to 10.13.4 last night my Mac Pro 2013 rebooted about 20 times during the process. I unplugged when the power light turned off during one of the reboot sprints and replugged, as part of a diagnostic test to see if the reboots were intentional or not. It kept rebooting after re-plugging but then waiting a few more minutes everything was fine. So FYI Mac Pro 2013 may reboot fast and furious during the 10.13.4 update and somehow that is quasi-normal.

Now you say about power, my mac is on an extention lead as my power isnt close to the mac so maybe it is that. But never really had power issues until I update the system or reboot (usually put it in sleep mode)

I did get the furious reboots when updating which ive never had before so wasnt sure what was going on, so turned it off completely but it still went through some cycles before getting back to the login screen, fine now its back up and running.

I think I will redo the tape again just incase and reseat it.

 

[CodeJingle]

I rebuilt the Thermaltake P5 for horizontal placement according to the instructions (the case has instructions for horizontal placement, vertical placement, and wall mount). Before adding the mounting brackets and fans there was a large surface area available for ad-hoc board placement. That area has shrunk and is now chintzy. I may have to remove the brackets and fans to get the room back. I have to basically tear down the enclosure to remove them ... annoying.


I still have the baking sheet as a backup


Just in case it ends up helpful to map any of the CPU Riser Card pins I've made placeholders (for the 324 CPU Riser Card pins that plug directly into the Logic Board).

https://www.dropbox.com/s/v94w1rz9hiu1p18/cpuRiserCardFront.numbers?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/68effefk954jmbl/cpuRiserCardBack.numbers?dl=0

Here is a quick visual note if you have trouble understanding the table values.

 

[CodeJingle]

extention lead

This is probably obvious but anyway make sure the extension is 3 prong (though the shape of each prong varies by country).


Mac Pro requires proper grounding to function this is said in the tiny white pamphlet that comes in the box with the computer. Also if using a strip it helps to have the indicator lights (like the two green lights below).

 

[adonis3k]

I have this one as the extension is behind a drawer

I use the remote to turn off my Samsung monitor as the blue LED on the front is annoying when in sleep mode

https://energenie4u.co.uk/catalogue/product/ENER010

 

[Kris Kelvin]

For those that updated to 10.13.4 using a NVMe adapter: Was your Boot ROM successfully upgraded to
MP61.0123.B00?

 

[adonis3k]

mines on
MP61.0120.B00

 

[Kris Kelvin]

mines on
MP61.0120.B00

My MacPro6,1 with an Amfeltec Angelshark also stayed on MP61.0120.B00. I tried updating both a NVMe SSD and the original AHCI one to 10.13.4, but the Boot ROM didn't change. I then removed the Angelshark, put the Apple AHCI SSD back in and run the update again (with the 10.13.4 Combo updater). That did the trick and my Boot ROM is now MP61.0123.B00. Not sure if it was the Combo update or removing the adapter that helped.

 

[adonis3k]

Any idea what the difference in rom is?

 

[CodeJingle]

Not sure if it was the Combo update or removing the adapter that helped.

I left my Mac Pro at the office so I'll test tonight. If the firmware update failed through the default update method I can test if the combo update solves the problem while still keeping the NVMe in the machine (and booting from the NVMe). It would better explain the fast and furious reboots during the update process if that was a side effect of the firmware update failing repeatedly.

 

[adonis3k]

I just tried the combo install but still same ROM

 

[CodeJingle]

Thanks for feedback. I basically gave away my original Apple drive for a few dollars so swapping drives is not an option for me currently. If I have to revert to stock hardware configuration every time I want to update my firmware that will be infuriating.

 

[adonis3k]

Thanks for feedback. I basically gave away my original Apple drive for a few dollars so swapping drives is not an option for me currently. If I have to revert to stock hardware configuration every time I want to update my firmware that will be infuriating.

Same here, dont have the OEM drive but will see how it does for now.

 

[CodeJingle]

Video update on Mac Pro documentation effort. If successful, I have a specific self-referential VR / AR project in mind, which is most of the reason why I am doing this. I haven't really talked about it yet, partly because it would be giving away some of my IP. I might deep dive into that topic later this weekend, right now taking a nap. (Near the end of the video I talk about a multi-CPU server board and accidentally say GPU instead of CPU. I was tired)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/nggvim5s5mqqpwq/20180331_082844.mp4?dl=0

 

[CodeJingle]

I have video teardown of my Mac Pro. Uploading now. The video is long so might take a while to upload.

 

[CodeJingle]

Mac Pro 2013 teardown. Three hours five minutes (185 minutes). You might scrub through it, the pace of the teardown is slow.

first upload wave 67 minutes duration:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3wtmi7dekuvt308/20180401_063055.mp4?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ztfmm277g7njvcb/20180401_070414.mp4?dl=0

second upload wave + 66 minutes duration:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jdfi3gk99rafdw2/20180401_073732.mp4?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/op3qyzf9zkhvmm6/20180401_081044.mp4?dl=0

third upload wave + 22 minutes duration (the recording stopped twice due to battery issues):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hxc5niq0fb9q10n/20180401_084356.mp4?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q6o7bbvo21jw39m/20180401_085159.mp4?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3eyptwtw23hpfws/20180401_090154.mp4?dl=0

fourth update wave bonus + 30 minute duration

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qn716qndvsxipf9/20180402_044357.mp4?dl=0

 

[crhendo]

I left my Mac Pro at the office so I'll test tonight. If the firmware update failed through the default update method I can test if the combo update solves the problem while still keeping the NVMe in the machine (and booting from the NVMe). It would better explain the fast and furious reboots during the update process if that was a side effect of the firmware update failing repeatedly.

I also recently upgraded to 10.13.4 and discovered that after the install (with my Samsung 960 Pro installed) my Boot ROM was at MP61.0120.B00. I then reinstalled my old Mac Pro SSD and ran the update again. This time The Boot ROM was MP61.0123.B00. I reinstalled the Samsung SSD with adapter and the system booted OK. I still occasionally suffer the "folder" icon appearing during a restart (yes, I have tape on my adapter) but given I very rarely do restarts I can live with this.

Let's hope that some clever people can discover the significance of the two Boot ROM levels.