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Gr1f

macrumors regular
Oct 1, 2009
160
29
OK cool, i found a reasonably priced Sabrent on amazon that I will try instead of the WD Blue 550 that seems to not work. I'll report back findings.... thanks for update!

Sabrent Rocket NVMe M.2 2280 arrived and works with Glotrends m.2 PCIe NVMe card thankfully.

Now the next hurdle... how do I install Mojave on it...
I have a Radeon RX580 card, the only card I have as someone walked off with the original.
I launched the Mojave installer then hit restart when prompted....
got to Blank screen...
I'm assuming its due to vid card not allowing me to see boot screens?
Stuck in this now as a hard reboot just brings me back to black screen, reset PRAM no joy either so had to pull the PCI NVMe card and a drive or two and it booted, probably after pulling the HD that the installer on it...

Any ideas? Thanks all.
 

tsialex

Contributor
Jun 13, 2016
13,455
13,601
Sabrent Rocket NVMe M.2 2280 arrived and works with Glotrends m.2 PCIe NVMe card thankfully.

Now the next hurdle... how do I install Mojave on it...
I have a Radeon RX580 card, the only card I have as someone walked off with the original.
I launched the Mojave installer then hit restart when prompted....
got to Blank screen...
I'm assuming its due to vid card not allowing me to see boot screens?
Stuck in this now as a hard reboot just brings me back to black screen, reset PRAM no joy either so had to pull the PCI NVMe card and a drive or two and it booted, probably after pulling the HD that the installer on it...

Any ideas? Thanks all.
Read the first post of the thread and see what is your problem on the notes:

 

Gr1f

macrumors regular
Oct 1, 2009
160
29
Read the first post of the thread and see what is your problem on the notes:


@tsialex thanks for the response!

So reading that I found this:
- How to do a clean install with a RX 4xx/5xx/VEGA GPU without pre-boot configuration support?

The easiest way is to do from macOS, opening the installer and then selecting the drive you want to install to.

If you want to do a USB clean install, first create a createinstallmedia USB key, erase the drive that you want to install Mojave, remove all other bootable disks, connect the createinstallmedia USB installer and then power-off/on. When the Mac Pro don't find any bootable SATA/PCIe disk, it will boot from the createinstallmedia USB installer. After three minutes or so, after the installer loads the GPU drivers, the screen will work.


Do that as per here: https://support.apple.com/en-ie/HT201372
So I guess I'll give that a shot?

Appreciate your help!
 

Gr1f

macrumors regular
Oct 1, 2009
160
29
@tsialex thanks for the response!

So reading that I found this:
- How to do a clean install with a RX 4xx/5xx/VEGA GPU without pre-boot configuration support?

The easiest way is to do from macOS, opening the installer and then selecting the drive you want to install to.

If you want to do a USB clean install, first create a createinstallmedia USB key, erase the drive that you want to install Mojave, remove all other bootable disks, connect the createinstallmedia USB installer and then power-off/on. When the Mac Pro don't find any bootable SATA/PCIe disk, it will boot from the createinstallmedia USB installer. After three minutes or so, after the installer loads the GPU drivers, the screen will work.


Do that as per here: https://support.apple.com/en-ie/HT201372
So I guess I'll give that a shot?

Appreciate your help!

Hmm.... it wouldn't boot from the Mojave USB installer with all other HDs out except NVMe drive. So I Pulled the PCIe NVMe card and tried then.... it eventually booted off the USB drive.

Put NVMe card/drive back in and nothing happens
 

Gr1f

macrumors regular
Oct 1, 2009
160
29
Hmm.... it wouldn't boot from the Mojave USB installer with all other HDs out except NVMe drive. So I Pulled the PCIe NVMe card and tried then.... it eventually booted off the USB drive.

Put NVMe card/drive back in and nothing happens

Update, after 30min or so I got to a screen stating OS could not be installed.... something anyway!
 

SheetLorde

macrumors newbie
Apr 17, 2020
21
11
Tested Crucial P1 500G on MacPro 3,1, works great, no issue for sleep or cold start.
Probably the best deal consider the price of Samsung/Intel SSDs
 

Gr1f

macrumors regular
Oct 1, 2009
160
29
Update, after 30min or so I got to a screen stating OS could not be installed.... something anyway!

I'm getting an error when the installer does eventually show up. "The installer resources were not found. Quit the installer to restart your computer and try again"
 

Gr1f

macrumors regular
Oct 1, 2009
160
29
I'm getting an error when the installer does eventually show up. "The installer resources were not found. Quit the installer to restart your computer and try again"


UPDATE
OK so I think there was something up with the Mojave USB Install disk. Made a new one, this time on a 16GB drive rather than the 128GB one. Finally it's installing on the NVMe! Patience is a virtue.....
 

binaryduke

macrumors member
Jul 4, 2015
49
58
I took an AliExpress gamble on this ASM2824 4 slot card - Maiwo KCSSD7

After a long wait it's just arrived and I've started testing.

On my 4,1 (FW 144.0.0.0 - Mojave) it is not recognised in either of the X16 slots 1 or 2. This isn't a power issue - I run a WX4100 (only draws 50W) and I've tested with slots 1 & 2 empty apart from this card. It's fine in the X4 slots but that's defeating the point of the card with my Samsung 970s....

Any ideas/suggestions or do I consign it to a PC?
 

MisterAndrew

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Sep 15, 2015
2,895
2,390
Portland, Ore.
I added a recommended adaptor section for the Mac Pro 6,1. I listed the Sintech ST-NGFF2013-C. Is that the one everyone is using? If not you can change it, and of course add more.
 

MisterAndrew

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Sep 15, 2015
2,895
2,390
Portland, Ore.
In case it interests anyone, a seller who has genuine Apple SSPOLARIS SSDs on eBay told me they have tested them in a 6,1 and says that Boot Camp can be used on them without kernel panics. So that's an NVMe SSD option for 6,1 Boot Campers.

Update: OWC claims their Aura Pro X2 NVMe SSD is Boot Camp compatible installed in the Mac Pro 6,1. In an email they sent me they stated, "As for the kernel panic question, it shouldn't, but kernel panics can happen for many reasons."

However, they have a page that shows it is not Boot Camp compatible with several other Macs.

 
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JaredWardBur

macrumors newbie
Apr 29, 2020
4
0
Hey guys! First time post but I've been following this thread for awhile. I just purchased and installed the Syba I/O Crest SI-PEX40129 in my mid 2010 Mac Pro. Before with the regular adapter I was getting around 1,400 read and write but now I'm only getting an increase of 1,800 write and around 2,500 read for some reason. I've tried both 16x slots as well. Any ideas?? This was an expensive purchase and I'd really like to get this resolved.

Also, speeds seem to be very inconsistent. For examples it can go from 1,800 write and go as low as 800-900. This happened with the old adapter too.
 

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tsialex

Contributor
Jun 13, 2016
13,455
13,601
Hey guys! First time post but I've been following this thread for awhile. I just purchased and installed the Syba I/O Crest SI-PEX40129 in my mid 2010 Mac Pro. Before with the regular adapter I was getting around 1,400 read and write but now I'm only getting an increase of 1,800 read and around 2,500 write for some reason. I've tried both 16x slots as well. Any ideas?? This was an expensive purchase and I'd really like to get this resolved.

Also, speeds seem to be very inconsistent. For examples it can go from 1,800 read and go as low as 800-900. This happened with the old adapter too.
First, when asking help please post all pertinent facts, you didn't post about your blade at all.

Probably a tired PCIe SSD. Very common with Samsung AHCI models like XP941/SM951-AHCI, SM951-NVMe and EVO models.

Install DriveDX and check.
 

JaredWardBur

macrumors newbie
Apr 29, 2020
4
0
First, when asking help please post all pertinent facts, you didn't post about your blade at all.

Probably a tired PCIe SSD. Very common with Samsung AHCI models like XP941/SM951-AHCI, SM951-NVMe and EVO models.

Install DriveDX and check.
My bad. It's a Samsung 960 EVO 500gb. It's only about 2 years old but I'll definitely try DriveDX.
 

tsialex

Contributor
Jun 13, 2016
13,455
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My bad. It's a Samsung 960 EVO 500gb. It's only about 2 years old but I'll definitely try DriveDX.

PCIe SSDs made from TLC/QLC NAND show very high throughput while the data is on the SLC cache, when the cache is full the write speed drops vertiginously to the real throughput of the TLC/QLC NAND memory.

Only blades that have SLC and/or MLC NAND, like 970 PRO, don't suffer from cache problems, since the throughput of the real NAND is high enough.
 

JaredWardBur

macrumors newbie
Apr 29, 2020
4
0
Here's what my drive looks like in DriveDx. I didn't see any errors or signs of a bad drive.
 

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SteveZee

macrumors member
Nov 24, 2011
56
2
PCIe SSDs have multiple temperature sensors, most apps like iStat Menus and TGPro don't read all the sensors.

Install DriveDX, 14-day trial, and pay attention to spikes of temperature. It's not the median temperature that is the problem, but the sudden spikes.


Are temperature spikes seen as "Lifetime Temperature min/max"?
Does "lifetime" mean since Drive Dx has been monitoring the drive?
What if you want to reset "lifetime"?
 

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tsialex

Contributor
Jun 13, 2016
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Are temperature spikes seen as "Lifetime Temperature min/max"?
Does "lifetime" mean since Drive Dx has been monitoring the drive?
What if you want to reset "lifetime"?
Lifetime as in the SSD lifetime, maximum temperature ever achieved. An user can’t reset it, it’s written inside the SMART log in the part of the SSD NAND that stores non user accessible data.
 
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SteveZee

macrumors member
Nov 24, 2011
56
2
so THAT is the line that will tell us? So if you have a max spike to 90° C,
you would never know if you were getting a lot of other spikes less than 90?
Thank you !
 

tsialex

Contributor
Jun 13, 2016
13,455
13,601
so THAT is the line that will tell us? So if you have a max spike to 90° C,
you would never know if you were getting a lot of other spikes less than 90?
Thank you !
If you have a spike of 90ºC, you cooked your SSD and you already lost your warranty.

For continuous monitoring you will need smartmontools.
 
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bluskiff99

macrumors newbie
Sep 29, 2016
22
7
Been reading these posts for a while now I ordered a standard pcie adapter for Mac Pro 5.1 2012 6 core 3.33. By the looks of things I'm reading there doesn't seem to be any real big boost in boot times. I am constantly switching daws protools native Ableton and cubase . I spend a lot of time just watching them load. I haven't bought the blade yet but was looking at the 970 evo plus nvme 1T. I have everything updated to Mojave boot rom 144.0.0.0.0.. Am I wrong in thinking Im not going to see much improvement so should I just buy and other sata ssd and call it a day?
 
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tsialex

Contributor
Jun 13, 2016
13,455
13,601
Been reading these posts for a while now I ordered a standard pcie adapter for Mac Pro 5.1 2012 6 core 3.33. By the looks of things I'm reading there doesn't seem to be any real big boost in boot times. I am constantly switching daws protools native Ableton and cubase . I spend a lot of time just watching them load. I was going to put the pcie card in slot 3 slot 2 has my protools native card and my understanding is it doesn't like the other slots. I haven't bought the blade yet but was looking at the 970 evo plus nvme 1T. I have everything updated to Mojave boot rom 144.0.0.0.0.. Am I wrong in thinking Im not going to see much improvement so should I just buy and other sata ssd and call it a day?
Mac Pro 5,1 boot times are a lot worse with more RAM or/plus PCIe drives since Mac Pro firmware will have to scan/test everything, every time you power it on. So, forget about POST (Power On Self Test) time.

With the native SATA ports you are limited to ~250MB/s throughput, while with cheap M.2 PCIe adaptors you are limited to around ~1450MB/s and with lot less latency and up to ~5900MB/s with cards like HighPoint SSD7101A-1.
 

kohlson

macrumors 68020
Apr 23, 2010
2,425
737
By the looks of things I'm reading there doesn't seem to be any real big boost in boot times.
Boot times are a combination of how much hardware you have (such as RAM) and how much gets loaded by the OS. When you press ON, there is a Power On Self Test (POST) that check the viability of things like RAM. More equals longer. Then, there is a check for boot devices, first across disks then to PCIe bus. There is more.

My memory of booting (pressing the button and getting a login screen) from HDD is it took about 2 minutes, maybe more. This was when I had 8GB. When I booted from an SSD connected to SATA, it was about 35-40 seconds. Now I boot from PCIe with 32GB. Takes a minute, maybe a little longer. The 20-30 seconds are worth it to me for over the next several hours of usage.

If you want the fastest booting machine, remove as much memory as you can - maybe even down to 4GB. Boot from SATA SSD. Best to remove all other drives from system. Keep the required GPU in a PCIe slot. Minimize the things that load at startup. You'll probably save 40 seconds every time you boot.
 
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