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

[tsialex]

Will NTFS partitions on a genuine Apple NVMe SSD cause panics? The Apple NVMe SSD (SSPOLARIS) comes in 2TB, but it's quite expensive. Might be the best solution if it allows firmware updates and no panics though.

You need to check the cost/benefit of a SSPOLARIS 2TB versus the cost of a Amfeltec AngelShark Carrier.

Mac Pro (Late 2013) - Amfeltec AngelShark Carrier Board - Storage Upgrade

Test Mac Pro Specifications MacPro6,1 BootROM: MP61.0120.B00 macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 (17B1003) E5-1660v2 3.7GHz (15MB L3) Hexacore 16GB of Apple/SKHynix PC3-14900 ECC Apple/Samsung SM0256G PCIe SSD (SSUBX based) 2x AMD FirePro D300 with 2GB VRAM Testing Tools for SSD Benchmarks AJA System...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[MisterAndrew]

No, a genuine OEM SSD for that machine can use NFTS partitions. That's the solution i chose.

I know, but the original SSD is AHCI. I'm talking about the NVMe one from a newer iMac.

You need to check the cost/benefit of a SSPOLARIS 2TB versus the cost of a Amfeltec AngelShark Carrier.

Mac Pro (Late 2013) - Amfeltec AngelShark Carrier Board - Storage Upgrade

Test Mac Pro Specifications MacPro6,1 BootROM: MP61.0120.B00 macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 (17B1003) E5-1660v2 3.7GHz (15MB L3) Hexacore 16GB of Apple/SKHynix PC3-14900 ECC Apple/Samsung SM0256G PCIe SSD (SSUBX based) 2x AMD FirePro D300 with 2GB VRAM Testing Tools for SSD Benchmarks AJA System...

forums.macrumors.com

Thank you. I agree that's probably the best solution. I emailed them for a price.

 

[tsialex]

Thank you. I agree that's probably the best solution. I emailed them for a price.

In the long run, it will offer a lot better cost benefit than buying a 2TB SSPOLARIS. You can get your original AHCI drive for Windows and use the two M.2 NVMe drives for macOS/scratch. No problem with NTFS or firmware updates and you can buy cheaper M.2 drives like Sabrent to make the total cost palatable.

Btw, 4TB M.2 drives are almost ready to be sold, OWC is already marketing one.

I really want a trashcan in the near future, I'll try to buy one before the rise of price that will surely happen when Apple starts requiring AVX and MP5,1 will not work anymore for new macOS releases. AngelShark Carrier is on my radar for years.

 

[MisterAndrew]

Mine arrives this week. I sold my 5,1 after I learned about the end of support just before the 7,1 announcement. I was anticipating upgrading to that right away, but I can’t justify the expense yet. I was considering a new Mac mini instead, but the graphics just don’t cut it and the eGPU situation looks less than ideal. The 6,1 checks most of the boxes. The GPUs aren’t great, but they should be fine for the photo and video editing I do. If it can last me until 7,1 prices come down a bit I’ll be happy.

 

[tsialex]

Mine arrives this week. I sold my 5,1 after I learned about the end of support just before the 7,1 announcement. I was anticipating upgrading to that right away, but I can’t justify the expense yet. I was considering a new Mac mini instead, but the graphics just don’t cut it and the eGPU situation looks less than ideal. The 6,1 checks most of the boxes. The GPUs aren’t great, but they should be fine for the photo and video editing I do. If it can last me until 7,1 prices come down a bit I’ll be happy.

I used a 2018 mini for a while at the office, best Mac mini ever no doubt, but the cost of a decent mini config plus a TB3 chassis like Echo Express SE to overcome GPU and storage limitations it's really over what I want to spend and the 2019 Mac Pro price is just out of my league.

My intended usage will be VMs and compiling, I just need a really fast CPU with lot's of RAM that should support 10.16, with luck 10.17, so I'll be happy even with a base model upgraded to a E5-2667 V2 and at least 64GB of RAM. An used MP6,1 would work fine for work/recent macOS support for less money. I'm still gonna keep one of my MP5,1s along side, probably one with a single tray, for the rest.

 

[willscarlett]

I'm glad to see people discussing the AngelShark Carrier Board. Here's my question - I have a 2013 Mac Pro and I'd like to upgrade the internal storage, but I want to keep the original Apple factory SSD running macOS Sierra, so I can keep using FCP 7, and then install a Samsung 970 EVO Plus (already updated to latest firmware) so I can install macOS Catalina and use the latest versions of Photoshop and Lightroom. I could also install a second SSD to run Windows, thereby using all the available SSD slots. Will the AngelShark Carrier Board let me do that?

 

[tsialex]

I'm glad to see people discussing the AngelShark Carrier Board. Here's my question - I have a 2013 Mac Pro and I'd like to upgrade the internal storage, but I want to keep the original Apple factory SSD running macOS Sierra, so I can keep using FCP 7, and then install a Samsung 970 EVO Plus (already updated to latest firmware) so I can install macOS Catalina and use the latest versions of Photoshop and Lightroom. I could also install a second SSD to run Windows, thereby using all the available SSD slots. Will the AngelShark Carrier Board let me do that?

Yep, no problem.

Be aware that you will need to update to the current MP6,1 firmware before anything using a current, as in with all updates, install of Catalina or Mojave with your Apple OEM SSD.

Sierra is not supported anymore and the last Sierra SecurityUpdate have a firmware more than almost two years old.

 

[willscarlett]

Hello and thanks for your response. I have read up on using the 970 EVO Plus with the 2013 Mac Pro and how the firmware must be updated. That would be done by installing Catalina via a USB drive that is configured and formatted as a macOS install drive, correct? Or is there another method?

After connecting and configuring all drives on the AngelShark, I'm imagining I would have to do something like this - boot from a Catalina USB installer, then install Catalina to a 970 EVO Plus. Or, would I need to first install Catalina to the original Apple factory SSD, then do a second install to the 970 EVO Plus, then wipe the Apple factory SSD and put my Sierra build back on there?

 

[tsialex]

Hello and thanks for your response. I have read up on using the 970 EVO Plus with the 2013 Mac Pro and how the firmware must be updated. That would be done by installing Catalina via a USB drive that is configured and formatted as a macOS install drive, correct? Or is there another method?

After connecting and configuring all drives on the AngelShark, I'm imagining I would have to do something like this - boot from a Catalina USB installer, then install Catalina to a 970 EVO Plus. Or, would I need to first install Catalina to the original Apple factory SSD, then do a second install to the 970 EVO Plus, then wipe the Apple factory SSD and put my Sierra build back on there?

Yes, before installing AngelShark you need to install Catalina/Mojave on your Apple OEM SSD, then do all the updates and you will need to reboot sometimes, with one of the reboots, the Mac Pro firmware will be updated automatically by Software Updates.

After you have the current BootROM, as today is 135.0.0.0.0, you can shutdown and install the AngelShark.

With AngelShark installed, you can install Catalina/Mojave directly to the SSD you want, no need to clone from the Apple OEM SSD.

After everything installed, you can wipe your Apple OEM SSD and install Sierra. For installing Sierra you will need to make an USB installer with createinstallmedia. You can't install a previous version of macOS from a newer version or use Internet Recovery, you need to boot from an USB installer.

Btw, this is the AngelShark thread:

Mac Pro (Late 2013) - Amfeltec AngelShark Carrier Board - Storage Upgrade

Test Mac Pro Specifications MacPro6,1 BootROM: MP61.0120.B00 macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 (17B1003) E5-1660v2 3.7GHz (15MB L3) Hexacore 16GB of Apple/SKHynix PC3-14900 ECC Apple/Samsung SM0256G PCIe SSD (SSUBX based) 2x AMD FirePro D300 with 2GB VRAM Testing Tools for SSD Benchmarks AJA System...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[willscarlett]

Great! Thank you so much for your help!

 

[willscarlett]

Anyone trying to create a bootable Windows 10 installer using their Mac, Microsoft changed the Windows installer a bit in April 2020. In short, install.wim is now too large to copy over to a FAT-32 formatted USB drive, so you have do run some commands in Terminal to split the install.wim file into 2 files less than 4 GB each, then copy them over to your USB. Check out the link below.

How to Make a Windows 10 USB Using Your Mac - Build a Bootable ISO From Your Mac's Terminal

Most new PCs don't come with DVD drives anymore. So it can be a pain to install Windows on a new computer. Luckily, Microsoft makes a tool that you can use to install Windows from a USB storage drive (or "thumbdrive" as they are often called). But wh...

www.freecodecamp.org

 

[tsialex]

New BootROM for late-2013 Mac Pro released with 10.15.5 DP4 (19F83c).

MP6,1:

$IBIOSI$    MP61.88Z.F000.B00.2004121755
Copyright (c) 2005-2020 Apple Inc.  All rights reserved
Apple ROM Version
  Model:        MP61
  EFI Version:  136.0.0.0.0
  Built by:     root@saumon
  Date:         Sun Apr 12 17:55:07 PDT 2020
  Revision:     136 (B&I)
  ROM Version:  F000_B00
  Build Type:   Official Build, Release
  Compiler:     Apple clang version 3.0 (tags/Apple/clang-211.10.1) (based on LLVM 3.0svn)

 

[pipedr]

Really interested in this thread, and upgrading my Mac Pro 6,1 SSD, maybe with a Sabrent Rocket Q (anyone try this one?). Can someone explain the Bootrom/firmware update issue? Is this just something that you need to do prior to swapping out the original Apple SSD, or do you need to put the Apple SSD back into the computer every time there is an update to the OS? I'm currently on Catalina, and I don't run Bootcamp.

 

[matusalemmarques]

Really interested in this thread, and upgrading my Mac Pro 6,1 SSD, maybe with a Sabrent Rocket Q (anyone try this one?). Can someone explain the Bootrom/firmware update issue? Is this just something that you need to do prior to swapping out the original Apple SSD, or do you need to put the Apple SSD back into the computer every time there is an update to the OS? I'm currently on Catalina, and I don't run Bootcamp.

To put it shortly, up until recently, upgrading the Mac Pro 6,1 with a non-Apple SSD would cause the Boot ROM to not be updated when macOS is updated. To get around this, whenever there's a new Boot ROM available, you have to put back your Apple SSD before doing the system update and run the update on it, which will also update the Boot ROM. Afterwards, you can put your non-Apple SSD back in and update the system (again) normally.

Lately (in my case for the last two macOS and Boot ROM releases) some people have reported that running the system update with their non-Apple SSD will also update the Boot ROM. I have a Transcend JetDrive 850 NVME blade (which uses the same connector as the Apple SSD, not an M.2 adapter) and Boot ROM Version 136.0.0.0.0 on macOS 10.15.5, without having to put the Apple SSD back in at least since 10.15.3 (134.0.0.0.0).

Regarding the Sabrent Rocket Q, I have no information on it and can't help you there.

 

[sparkplug37]

Does anyone know if mixing APFS and NTFS on the same NVME drive still causes panics or has Apple fixed anything in the later OS/Boot ROMs?

I'm currently running a 10 core MP6,1 with 2TB Evo drive and Radeon VII in a Razor egpu chassis. I want to play some games under Windows since GeForce Now lost all the 2K games and the MacOS versions are 32bit and stopped working.

 

[cgscotto]

I just updated my Mac 6,1 with a Samsung 960 NVMe drive in a Snitech adapter to 10.15.5. I was on Firmware 135.0.0.0.0, and the update updated the firmware to 136.0.0.0.0 without removing the 960 Pro and installing the original Apple drive. That makes two or three updates now where I did not have to replace the NVMe drive with the Apple drive to get the firmware update. So nice that Apple addressed this problem, at least for some third party drives.

 

[tommy chen]

the bootROM update with a thirdparty NVMe will only work if a bootROM of 13x.0.0.0.0 was already on it before
with older bootROM, you will need to plug in the original SSD.

 

[tsialex]

Apple just released 10.15.6 DP3 build 19G60d. This one has a new EFI firmware for late-2013 Mac Pro:


MP6,1:

$IBIOSI$    MP61.88Z.F000.B00.2006101810
Copyright (c) 2005-2020 Apple Inc.  All rights reserved.
  Model:        MP61
  EFI Version:  137.0.0.0.0
  Built by:     root@saumon
  Date:         Wed Jun 10 18:10:26 PDT 2020
  Revision:     137 (B&I)
  ROM Version:  F000_B00
  Build Type:   Official Build, Release
  Compiler:     Apple clang version 3.0 (tags/Apple/clang-211.10.1) (based on LLVM 3.0svn)

 

[nosajgames]

I currently have a WD Black SN750 1TB SSD installed. I am already on Mojave 10.14.6 doing a security update tonight to the Security Update 2020-004 10.14.6

Has anyone ran into any issues yet with that update? I've updated my MacBook pro retina late 2013 with no issues

 

[stockholm80]

Has anyone used the ST-NGFF2013-C with a dual sided NVME such as the Sabrent Rocket 4tb? Does it fit / work well?

 

[stockholm80]

Never mind—I just popped the drive in and it’s working well. Using it without a heat sink and the temperatures are much lower than the Samsung 970 evo I was using before. TG Pro reports only 36 degrees at idle. Will stress test it next and see how the temps look after that.

 

[patrickbarnes]

I’m running into an issue and maybe someone has some tips.

I have two MacPro6,1’s so bought 2 ST-NGFF2013-C and 2 Sabrent Rocket 2TB drives from Amazon.

I plugged the drive into the adapter (is it supposed to stick out at an angle?), plugged it into the MP, and powered on.

Nothing happens for about a minute, after which a red light comes on inside the MP.

I thought it was the adapter, so I tried the other one with the same result.

Using the Apple SSD works fine.

I don’t want to open the other Sabrent, so I have an external enclosure coming to test the drive.

It has the latest BootROM (137.x.x.x).

The MP has dual D700’s and a 6 core CPU.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[nguyenhm16]

I’m running into an issue and maybe someone has some tips.

I have two MacPro6,1’s so bought 2 ST-NGFF2013-C and 2 Sabrent Rocket 2TB drives from Amazon.

I plugged the drive into the adapter (is it supposed to stick out at an angle?), plugged it into the MP, and powered on.

Nothing happens for about a minute, after which a red light comes on inside the MP.

I thought it was the adapter, so I tried the other one with the same result.

Using the Apple SSD works fine.

I don’t want to open the other Sabrent, so I have an external enclosure coming to test the drive.

It has the latest BootROM (137.x.x.x).

The MP has dual D700’s and a 6 core CPU.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I would suggest Samsung 970 Pros or 970 Evos. They have both worked for me.

 

[edanuff]

I plugged the drive into the adapter (is it supposed to stick out at an angle?), plugged it into the MP, and powered on.


Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

probably not seated correctly, should look something like this:

 

[grahamwright1]

Interesting jump in Firmware version from 137.0.0.0 after Big Sur:

Hardware Overview:

Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro6,1
Processor Name: 12-Core Intel Xeon E5
Processor Speed: 2.7 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 12
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 30 MB
Hyper-Threading Technology: Enabled
Memory: 32 GB
System Firmware Version: 425.0.0.0.0
SMC Version (system): 2.20f18
Panel Illumination Version: 1.4a6