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MP All Models PCIe SSDs - NVMe & AHCI

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The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
mm9 said:
It could be a chepaer version or second hand to boot OC MacOS and Windows 11.
Click to expand...

paid around 90 euros for 2nd hand, still expensive, you can check if you get lucky ifit worth to you and how much in local currency. but function well, very pleased. but it 2-slot card only, so you wont race much past 3000 with it (unless RAID possible which havent tried).
 
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tsialex said:
Nope, PCIe switched cards start around $150 price point. See the first post.
Click to expand...
Thanks, that is what I suspected.
I hoped for some cheaper options or clones but its probably to complicated or not popular enough to be cheaper.

I've read the first post and googled many examples given but in Europe most of them is not available or over 400$. Availability and prices are better in US and on amazon but shipping, customs and taxes make it still way over 200$ to get anything.
 
mrkapqa said:
paid around 90 euros for 2nd hand, still expensive, you can check if you get lucky ifit worth to you and how much in local currency. but function well, very pleased. but it 2-slot card only, so you wont race much past 3000 with it (unless RAID possible which havent tried).
Click to expand...
which one did you get and which were the most popular ones back in the day ??
Is accelsior 4m2 the cheapest option to boot OC MacOS and Windows or should I look for something else?
 
thnk it is lycm dt-130 it has had some "mixed" reviews but nothing to complain here function good.
in addition have received used "sonnet tempo pro" for around half the price, which can be considered also almost bargain; but this one is for two sata-based SSD, and it function aswell, but gives error with bootpicker on mp4,1/5,1, so that is bit of nuisance with the card, but with OpenCore that can be solved, since it got own bootpicker-selection.
Mojave is installed on the Tempo Pro with Sata SSD (not-raided) and function so well, that you almost don't feel the need for PciE, when compared to newer systems like Monterey, which can be are quite bit more troublesome on the MacPro4,1/5,1, and that even though have used just low-end 960GB Kingston Sata SSD.

EDIT: windows 11 have installed on another SSD entirely, have not tried if possible to use Windows AND Macos on a single PCIe based solution; it might be possible, but havent tried. there are ways to install Windows and MacOS on a single PCIe ssd, which again, havent tried, but should be perfectly, also because the MP6,1 normally just allows for one internal SSD.

The Sonnet Tempo Pro has it own firmware for Mac or Windows, and maybe also some other cards do have.

The accelsior card looking good, but i doubt i will be much faster than dt-130 or the other ones with pcie-switch mentioned on page1 on the MP5,1. but you can get more NVME installed, if need, thats good.
 
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mm9 said:
Hello,

Just got budget Mac Pro 2009 4,1 upgraded to 5,1 with boot screen added on ATI 580 GPU.
Have a few small Evo 970 lying around to use in some PCI Card.

Dont want to spend 150-300$ on a PCI card for this old machine.
Is there any budget PCI CARD option to get +3000MB/s speeds on 1 or 2 NVME Evos??
It could be a chepaer version or second hand to boot OC MacOS and Windows 11.
Click to expand...
From what I know of Open Core (Martin Lo), you don't want to boot OC from NVME but instead should boot from SSD in the Serial-ATA slots. Especially if you have a dual core MacPro 5,1. Tsialex is correct that lots of proven NVME m.2 PCI cards to pick from for performance.
 
yukdave said:
From what I know of Open Core (Martin Lo), you don't want to boot OC from NVME but instead should boot from SSD in the Serial-ATA slots.
Click to expand...
Whre does this come from?

I boot both of my 5,1s of NVMe drives. One running Monterey, the other one Sequoia. Both with OpenCore of course. One with a PCIe 3.0 switched card, the other one with one of these simple pass-through-adaptors. In both cases OC sits in the EFI-partition of the main drive.

And i think most of the 5,1 users do similar these days.
 
yukdave said:
From what I know of Open Core (Martin Lo), you don't want to boot OC from NVME but instead should boot from SSD in the Serial-ATA slots. Especially if you have a dual core MacPro 5,1. Tsialex is correct that lots of proven NVME m.2 PCI cards to pick from for performance.
Click to expand...
No, what he said is, for faster loading you should install OC on a SATA drive in bay 1, preferably a SATA SSD. Then from OC boot screen you can boot the OS from PCIe SSD. It's not a prerequisite but is recommended.
 
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flyproductions said:
Whre does this come from?

I boot both of my 5,1s of NVMe drives. One running Monterey, the other one Sequoia. Both with OpenCore of course. One with a PCIe 3.0 switched card, the other one with one of these simple pass-through-adaptors. In both cases OC sits in the EFI-partition of the main drive.

And i think most of the 5,1 users do similar these days.
Click to expand...
"Quite a few users reported that can't boot OpenCore from NVMe, analysis shows that depends on hard drives config. It's hard to explain which exact scenario may hit this bug. So, please avoid to install this package on NVMe. You can install this package on ANY SATA drive with virtually no performance lost, not necessary your boot drive."

forums.macrumors.com

Activate AMD hardware acceleration

I created a new "easy to install package" as per many requested (based on the official OpenCore). [The attached package updated to 1.0.0] For those who only need HWAccel, post #594 has everything you need. This new package mainly offer HWAccel + boot screen. Also, this package should work in...
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com

From h9826790
 
grumat said:
Hi everybody. For those who are looking for alternatives, I've successfully installed two different SSDs on my MP Late 2013. Kioxia Exceria Plus G3 and Samsung PM991a.

Edit: (Detailed Information)

Samsung PM991a (Used the last month without issues, before upgrading to Kioxia for more space and random performance)
  • Model number: SAMSUNG MZVLQ1T0HBLB-00BH1 1 TB
  • Firmware Version: HPS1NFAV (the firmware is HP OEM)
  • Link Width: x4 / 5.0 GT/s
  • TRIM Support: Yes
Kioxia Exceria Plus G3
  • Model Number: KIOXIA-EXCERIA PLUS G3 SSD 2 TB
  • Firmware Version: ELFA01.2
  • Link Width: x4 / 5.0 GT/s
  • TRIM Support: Yes
MacPro Late 2013
  • Model Identifier: MacPro6,1
  • Processor Name: 12-Core Intel Xeon E5
  • Processor Speed: 2,7 GHz
  • Memory: 16 GB
  • System Firmware Version: 481.0.0.0.0
  • OS Loader Version: 540.120.3~37
  • SMC Version (system): 2.20f18
  • Panel Illumination Version: 1.4a6
Click to expand...
Hi,
Which NVMe adapter did you use? Sintech v2-v3 or Chengyang? I tried to install Kioxia Exceria Plus G3 to MBP mid 2015 over Chengyang adapter but MBP could'nt see the SSD. It can see another M2 NVMe SSD not (2TB).
 
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grumat said:
Hi everybody. For those who are looking for alternatives, I've successfully installed two different SSDs on my MP Late 2013. Kioxia Exceria Plus G3 and Samsung PM991a.

Edit: (Detailed Information)

Samsung PM991a (Used the last month without issues, before upgrading to Kioxia for more space and random performance)
  • Model number: SAMSUNG MZVLQ1T0HBLB-00BH1 1 TB
  • Firmware Version: HPS1NFAV (the firmware is HP OEM)
  • Link Width: x4 / 5.0 GT/s
  • TRIM Support: Yes
Kioxia Exceria Plus G3
  • Model Number: KIOXIA-EXCERIA PLUS G3 SSD 2 TB
  • Firmware Version: ELFA01.2
  • Link Width: x4 / 5.0 GT/s
  • TRIM Support: Yes
MacPro Late 2013
  • Model Identifier: MacPro6,1
  • Processor Name: 12-Core Intel Xeon E5
  • Processor Speed: 2,7 GHz
  • Memory: 16 GB
  • System Firmware Version: 481.0.0.0.0
  • OS Loader Version: 540.120.3~37
  • SMC Version (system): 2.20f18
  • Panel Illumination Version: 1.4a6
Click to expand...
Hi,
I can boot from kioxia exceria plus g3 2TB SSD over external USB box, but can't boot with adapter internally.
 
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mm9 said:
Is there any budget PCI CARD option to get +3000MB/s speeds on 1 or 2 NVME Evos??
It could be a chepaer version or second hand to boot OC MacOS and Windows 11.
Click to expand...
macOS can not boot of RAIDs. So no booting of more than one drive. RAID 0 as a bootdrive wouldn't make any sense anyway, as it has abyssal small package random read/write performance.

So, if you are on a budget, you likely be stuck to 1.500 r/w.
 
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I have a brand new PX1 card. I got 970 EVO Plus that I never put in it but used as a boot drive for a few months. This card really does prevent throttling.
 
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mrkapqa said:
Yes, but did not try on a Mac.
On several Ryzen PC have/had installed it,
mostly with the help of a PS/2 Keyboard, but there are ways around it (need some more accostumization with Windows).
Click to expand...
No, but if I had a spare blade and Win7 image I'd try it.
Would be a PITA to get the correct Bootcamp support though.
 
Windows 7 and NVMe works, but usually needs UEFI. This will botch the bootrom over time, don't start it from the native Apple bootpicker and choose OC instead.
 
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have installed Windows 7 on a MiniPC with BristolRdige/Ryzen in Legacy/BIOS mode on a Samsung NVME, so this functions;
next to it sits Windows 10 and Devuan in UEFI, so only nuisance is that GRUB won§t detect Windows 7, but this wont apply to most Mac§s.

You could always try to install Windows 7 in BIOS mode on a AHCI SSD(like those apple-type 2013-2017), those maybe Mac running Windows will more easily recognize.
 
Hi folks !
For my cMP 5,1(2010), I have bought a Lycom DT-130 on Amazon.fr and will post my speed tests in few days, describing my components and my configuration.
 
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It's been three years that my cMP 5,1 (2010) bi-3,46 GHz is running macOS on an OWC Accelsior 1M2 (PCIe 4.0) with a NVMe Samsung 980 Pro, on Slot 4 (x4/RAID) !!! 🙈

Here is the speedtest :
OWC Accelsior 1M2 - NVMeSamsung980PRO(Slot n°4 = x4 : RAID).png


I've read it would be faster on Slot n°2 (x16), indeed :
OWC Accelsior 1M2 - NVMeSamsung980PRO(Slot n°2 = x16).png


After reading these forums I bought few days ago a Lycom DT-130 and mounted on it the NVMe Samsung 980 Pro and a NVMe Samsung 980, with the DT-130 installed on Slot n°2 (x16).
The Lycom DT-130 is PCIe 3.0 x8 with a bifurcation chip, that transforms the PCIe 2.0 of the cMP 5,1 motherboard into a PCI 3.0. Here are the results 😎🤩 :

TEST#1 = NVMe Samsung 980 Pro
Lycom DT-130 - NVMeSamsung980PRO(tested)+NVMeSamsung980(Slot n°2 = x16).png


TEST#2 = NVMe Samsung 980
Lycom DT-130 - NVMeSamsung980PRO+NVMeSamsung980(tested)(Slot n°2 = x16).png


Don't know why there is such a difference between those two NVMe but my macOS system is on the 980 Pro.
 
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mattspace said:
So looking back at the table in the first post - the only drives that seem well recommended for 7,1 and onwards, the KIOXIA workstation models (XG6), aren't available retail (and are now replaced by the XG8).

So what's the best option for 2 & 4TB (including bootable)? The 990 Evos seem... problematic(?), and we can't live for ever scavenging discontinued drives.
Click to expand...
Hi there, have you tried XG8 model, I'm thinking of buying one for Mac Pro 5,1?
 
Respect to all the contributors in this thread, really impressive! (Though must admit I feel a bit overwhelmed by all the options and over 150 pages of content, you created over so many years. 😄)

I am looking for a solution to add more storage to my 7,1 Mac Pro right now. Thinking about getting the OWC Accelsior 4M2 and add some M.2 SSDs myself…

Just wondering what are some current M.2 SSDs known to work well with this Mac and PCIe card? Ideally would like to go for some 4TB or even 8TB modules. Any well proven recommendations that ain't too pricy? (A lot of the SSDs listed in the first post here seem a bit outdated/not so easily available from Amazon etc anymore.)

Thanks in advance!
 
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