MP All Models PCIe SSDs - NVMe & AHCI

[h9826790]

I am not entirely sure the logic now, I haven't pay attention to it.

But it seems about 5min after the monitor sleep, the cMP will go to sleep.

Therefore, there is an option for you to choose "prevent the Mac to sleep when the display is off".

AFAIK, if you want to set a customised sleep time. You can do that in terminal. Just the GUI is removed.

 

[The_Interloper]

I'm at my wit's end, maybe someone can help.

Bought a used 6,1 Mac Pro trashcan with intention of upgrading the SSD. Came installed with Sierra (manufactured in 2017) and upgraded to Monterey (on 12.6.9). Using a Sintech adapter and WD SN570, the Mac refuses to recognise the drive. It sees it just fine in an external USB caddy (formatted it, cloned drive to it etc) but when I take the original SSD out and put the NVMe in, nothing.

Am I doing something wrong? Should I have installed High Sierra first for the NVMe BootROM drivers (I just assumed they would come with Monterey)?

I know it's not the adapter as I have two (long and short - neither work) so wondering if it's the SN570 (although people are having great success with this drive in the MacBook Air/Pro NVMe upgrade thread).

 

[tsialex]

I'm at my wit's end, maybe someone can help.

Bought a used 6,1 Mac Pro trashcan with intention of upgrading the SSD. Came installed with Sierra (manufactured in 2017) and upgraded to Monterey (on 12.6.9). Using a Sintech adapter and WD SN570, the Mac refuses to recognise the drive. It sees it just fine in an external USB caddy (formatted it, cloned drive to it etc) but when I take the original SSD out and put the NVMe in, nothing.

Am I doing something wrong? Should I have installed High Sierra first for the NVMe BootROM drivers (I just assumed they would come with Monterey)?

I know it's not the adapter as I have two (long and short - neither work) so wondering if it's the SN570 (although people are having great success with this drive in the MacBook Air/Pro NVMe upgrade thread).

Two things:

First, did you already have 474.0.0.0.0 BootROM/EFI firmware version? NVMe blades are only supported with later firmwares, if you have something like 126.0.0.0.0 you can't boot from it, since the support was initially only for AppleOEM blades and not third party generic ones.

Second, SN570 is one of the WD blades that are known to not work correctly with Mac Pros with several reports over the years when installed directly to a PCIe slot (yes, the late-2013 GPU blade connector is a PCIe slot), while the later SN770 model seems to work fine (at least for workflows that are not heavily disk bound).

Said that, if when you boot from an external disk and the SN570 is not detected, then is probably the adapter. SN570 problems are usually kernel panics and frequently locks, not failure of being detected.

 

[The_Interloper]

Two things:

First, did you already have 474.0.0.0.0 BootROM/EFI firmware version? NVMe blades are only supported with later firmwares, if you have something like 126.0.0.0.0 you can't boot from it, since the support was initially only for AppleOEM blades and not third party generic ones.

Second, SN570 is one of the WD blades that are known to not work correctly with Mac Pros with several reports over the years when installed directly to a PCIe slot (yes, the late-2013 GPU blade connector is a PCIe slot), while the later SN770 model seems to work fine (at least for workflows that are not heavily disk bound).

Said that, if when you boot from an external disk and the SN570 is not detected, then is probably the adapter. SN570 problems are usually kernel panics and frequently locks, not failure of being detected.

Under System Info I'm seeing:
System Firmware Version: 474.0.0.0.0
(No mention of BootROM/EFI)

This is the adapter I'm using. I also have this one (which I used many years ago without issue in a different 6,1) but the drive isn't being seen with that either.

 

[tsialex]

Under System Info I'm seeing:
System Firmware Version: 474.0.0.0.0
(No mention of BootROM/EFI)

System Firmware is the Monterey name for BootROM/EFI firmware, so you have the current one and you don't have a firmware issue.

This is the adapter I'm using. I also have this one (which I used many years ago without issue in a different 6,1) but the drive isn't being seen with that either.

I own a different one from these two, it's a green one not made by Sintech.

Anyway, I'd try a different blade, like a Samsung 970 EVO+, since SN570 is known to have issues with Mac Pros with reports of problems both with MacPro5,1 and MacPro6,1.

 

[The_Interloper]

System Firmware is the Monterey name for BootROM/EFI firmware, so you have the current one and you don't have a firmware issue.



I own a different one from these two, it's a green one not made by Sintech.

Anyway, I'd try a different blade, like a Samsung 970 EVO+, since SN570 is known to have issues with Mac Pros with reports of problems both with MacPro5,1 and MacPro6,1.

OK, many thanks. Going to give a 970 EVO+ a try.

 

[Sandleford]

Having a freezing problem just running 3 things, chrome/mail/messages. Runs good and
snappy for the first while then everything starts getting stuck. Thats anything on the system
is slowed to a crawl.

May have narrowed it down to the pcie nvme. So far has not occurred booting on HDD or SSD in this round
of comparison.

Has this behavior been seen without good recommended hardware and in testing in macpro
2009-12?

So many variables.

Seemed for a while to be only os 11/12 also 10.13 is not supported by chrome

recently got messages of chrome extensions having malware so could very well have
been a contributing factor.

Have gone through a number of things trying to solve the issue. One person on forum was
thinking the backplane was going out...

Is it correct that the bottom pcie is x16 next is x1 and the last 2 are x4? As of now usb3 is in the
top and the 2 mvme cards are below... Seems best would be usb3 in the 2nd from bottom being x1

 

[tsialex]

Is it correct that the bottom pcie is x16 next is x1 and the last 2 are x4? As of now usb3 is in the
top and the 2 mvme cards are below... Seems best would be usb3 in the 2nd from bottom being x1

PCIe slots are x16, x16, x4, x4. Both x4 slots share 4 lanes from the south bridge via a PCIe switch.

 

[Sandleford]

Maybe would come down to chrome with malware extension or cheap not exactly supported hardware?
Booted again into the 970 pro, configured with 2 nvme on top and usb on 2nd to bottom and just removed chrome
extension with malware message... could be as simple as that did not see it before... never got the issue booting
on the SSD in optical bay but did remove bad extension on it

Thats pretty comical. The problem does not seem to be coming back since deleting that malware chrome extension.
Because of all I looked into but a chrome extension.

Interestingly, having the same bad chrome extension did not effect the skylake hack or windows...bad though on the
4,1 mac pro!

 

[Jill Valentine]

I have ordered this one:

OWC Accelsior 1M2 M.2 SSD to PCIe 4.0 Adapter​

Can anyone recommend a ssd-stick for it that works fine and not too expensive? Atm i’m looking at Samsung 970 EVO+, but not sure if it is 100% compatible, if anyone have any recommendations for sticks that is good and compatible and not too expensive I would be grateful

 

[kinless]

I have ordered this one:

OWC Accelsior 1M2 M.2 SSD to PCIe 4.0 Adapter​

Can anyone recommend a ssd-stick for it that works fine and not too expensive? Atm i’m looking at Samsung 970 EVO+, but not sure if it is 100% compatible, if anyone have any recommendations for sticks that is good and compatible and not too expensive I would be grateful

Purchased this a few weeks back. Paired it with a SK Hynix 2TB P31 Gold ($120 on Amazon, $64 for 1TB). Been working great so far.

 

[The_Interloper]

Just want to say a big thank you to @tsialex for helping out. I switched the WD SN570 blade out for a Samsung 970 EVO Plus as recommended and it worked first time. So even though people in the MacBook Air/Pro thread are having great success with the SN570, seems it's a no-go for the Mac Pro 6,1 and can't even be detected.

I now have an intermittent issue where the login screen freezes waking from sleep. Mouse pointer is there, but no mouse or keyboard input, needing a hard reboot. Tried switching off Power Nap to see if that does anything.

 

[MrScratchHook]

Just want to say a big thank you to @tsialex for helping out. I switched the WD SN570 blade out for a Samsung 970 EVO Plus as recommended and it worked first time. So even though people in the MacBook Air/Pro thread are having great success with the SN570, seems it's a no-go for the Mac Pro 6,1 and can't even be detected.

I now have an intermittent issue where the login screen freezes waking from sleep. Mouse pointer is there, but no mouse or keyboard input, needing a hard reboot. Tried switching off Power Nap to see if that does anything.

yeah sleep is a known mac pro issue. turn all that off and power down at the end of the day instead.

 

[Jill Valentine]

Today my OWC ACCELSIOR 1M2, ”PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD Storage Solution”.
I have installed the card in a x4-slot and it is recognized in Monterey. So far so good. On the package it says ”Speed up to 3200MB/s”
Will a Samsung 970 EVO Plus reach that speed, and is it fully compatible with the Mac Pro 5.1 (mid 2010) 8-Core?
I need a disk fast, and earlier suggestions of brands i cannot find in Sweden. Which M2-sticks gives best speed and Value for money. Atm i can spend in US$ Maximum 90-100. I need at least 500GB. So what options do I have?

 

[tsialex]

Today my OWC ACCELSIOR 1M2, ”PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD Storage Solution”.
I have installed the card in a x4-slot and it is recognized in Monterey. So far so good. On the package it says ”Speed up to 3200MB/s”

That is extremely misleading and only possible with a MacPro7,1. Dumb adapters are limited to ~1450Mbps with a PCIe v2.0 Mac Pro.

Will a Samsung 970 EVO Plus reach that speed, and is it fully compatible with the Mac Pro 5.1 (mid 2010) 8-Core?

No, like I've stated above, it's limited to ~1450Mbps when installed to a PCIe v2.0 Mac Pro and with a dumb adapter like the OWC 1M2.

The only way to overcome the PCIe v2.0 limitation is to use more PCIe lanes via an adapter that have a PCIe v3.0/v4.0 switch, like a HighPoint SSD7101A-1 (can get up to 6200Mbps with a PCIe v2.0 Mac Pro when installed two a x16 slot) or even the OWC 4M2 (x8 only, so, its limited to ~2900Mbps with a PCIe v2.0 Mac Pro).

I need a disk fast, and earlier suggestions of brands i cannot find in Sweden. Which M2-sticks gives best speed and Value for money. Atm i can spend in US$ Maximum 90-100. I need at least 500GB. So what options do I have?

First post have everything that you ever need.

 

[Jill Valentine]

That is extremely misleading and only possible with a MacPro7,1. Dumb adapters are limited to ~1450Mbps with a PCIe v2.0 Mac Pro.



No, like I've stated above, it's limited to ~1450Mbps when installed to a PCIe v2.0 Mac Pro and with a dumb adapter like the OWC 1M2.

The only way to overcome the PCIe v2.0 limitation is to use more PCIe lanes via an adapter that have a PCIe v3.0/v4.0 switch, like a HighPoint SSD7101A-1 (can get up to 6200Mbps with a PCIe v2.0 Mac Pro when installed two a x16 slot) or even the OWC 4M2 (x8 only, so, its limited to ~2900Mbps with a PCIe v2.0 Mac Pro).



First post have everything that you ever need.

Alright, I chose the cheapest solution, couldn’t afford the other cards mentioned. If i get 1200Mb/s i am satisfied, i have right now a another Accelsior card attached to PCIe with a Samsung regular SSD 870EVO on With full speed around 600. If i get the double with a 970 on the dumb card thats Ok. But i do will buy only a 500GB stick

 

[Bggale]

If anyone was wondering, my SSD7103 with driver v1.1.30 is working fine under Mac OS 14.0 (Sonoma). Unfortunately, HighPoint no longer supports this card, per their web site.

 

[The_Interloper]

yeah sleep is a known mac pro issue. turn all that off and power down at the end of the day instead.

Hmm. After switching off Power Nap, my 6,1 appears to now go to sleep and wake up fine. Except...

When I come in to my office to use (wake) it, I can faintly hear the fan and feel a fair amount of heat rising from the top. It will then wake normally (even unlocking via my Apple Watch). But the fan and heat indicate it's absolutely doing something and wasn't asleep at all!

Upon wake, temps are in the 68c range, dropping to 47c as I'm typing this. SSD has also gone from 58c to 47c, all indicating it's hotter when asleep than when in use. What's going on?

 

[Sandleford]

Hmm. After switching off Power Nap, my 6,1 appears to now go to sleep and wake up fine. Except...

When I come in to my office to use (wake) it, I can faintly hear the fan and feel a fair amount of heat rising from the top. It will then wake normally (even unlocking via my Apple Watch). But the fan and heat indicate it's absolutely doing something and wasn't asleep at all!

Upon wake, temps are in the 68c range, dropping to 47c as I'm typing this. SSD has also gone from 58c to 47c, all indicating it's hotter when asleep than when in use. What's going on?

That's good you know the temp. Id shut it down anyway till I found a solution for that case. Never used a 6,1. Never seen that weirdness unless on a hack without proper power management.

Did it happen only recently with the changes in storage?

 

[The_Interloper]

That's good you know the temp. Id shut it down anyway till I found a solution for that case. Never used a 6,1. Never seen that weirdness unless on a hack without proper power management.

Did it happen only recently with the changes in storage?

Using iStat menus so can see temps right on wake. Bought the 6,1 used; came with 16Gb RAM and 256Gb storage - upgraded to 32Gb and 2Tb 970 EVO+ so hard to tell. Freeze on wake was happening before the upgrade; disabled Power Nap and it's now sleeping/waking but with this weird temp issue.

 

[tsialex]

Using iStat menus so can see temps right on wake. Bought the 6,1 used; came with 16Gb RAM and 256Gb storage - upgraded to 32Gb and 2Tb 970 EVO+ so hard to tell. Freeze on wake was happening before the upgrade; disabled Power Nap and it's now sleeping/waking but with this weird temp issue.

Install back the AppleOEM 12+16 blade and see if the sleep problems persist, if so, it's probably the RTC battery that is spent.

The RTC battery provide power all the time for a series of time related counters - if the RTC BR2032 battery doesn't have enough power, the counters start to misbehave, then became stuck. The first thing that stops working is sleep, then you get KPs all over.

Check the Apple Technician Manual, you have to replace whenever is below 2.8V, from my experience, with 2,9V you'll start to have issues.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/help-me-understand-these-kernel-panics.2380620/post-31962909

 

[Jill Valentine]

Can confirm that

Crucial P3 500GB M.2 PCIe Gen 3 NVMe SSD​

works for the Mac Pro 5.1 (mid 2020)
Write: 1350,34
Read: 1408,10
Using with OWC Accelsior 1 M2i in x4 PCie-slot.

 

[The_Interloper]

Check the Apple Technician Manual, you have to replace whenever is below 2.8V, from my experience, with 2,9V you'll start to have issues.

Multimeter reads the test point as 3.25v. Will try the original SSD again and fiddle with Energy Saver settings.

 

[Sandleford]

Multimeter reads the test point as 3.25v. Will try the original SSD again and fiddle with Energy Saver settings.

Definitely a lot more hits than I thought there would be when searching mac pro 2013 overheating sleep

I did not even think it could be possible!

You install fresh OS I gather and no funky app?

 

[Sandleford]

I just bought cheap stuff and its all working fine on the 2009.