MP 1,1-5,1 Performance issues with Graphics Card

[hbanko]

Hi Guys,

I am on single CPU MacPro 5,1 with Radeo RX570 GPU. Current OS is Catalina and I am using OpenCore 0.7.8.

While I do not see any graphics performance issues in most applications, there are some that are just unusable. Examples are:

* Adobe Acrobat reader (scrolling takes years, using Preview instead)
* VirtualBox (no GFX settings provides a usable performance, any OS is unusable)
* AKIA MPC Beats (UI probably runs 3 FPS)

These issues started after upgrading to Catalina and switching to OpenCore. I have attached a screenshot from GLview. Seems to look as it should? Any pointers would be appreciated.

 

[mode11]

Your W3565 is a Bloomfield CPU; the OpenCore guide states a later Gulftown is needed: #1. That may just be to do with updating macOS though, which you seem to have found a way around (as you're on 10.15.7).

Note that Catalina dropped 32-bit software support, if relevant to the software you mentioned.

 

[tsialex]

Nehalem Xeons don't have support for Apple Hypervisor, huge page tables or NI instructions, anything that needs it will be extremely slow and some apps won't even run, like Docker.

I'd install a X5680, it's a drop in and cheap upgrade, do a clean install and then try again.

Also notice that modern virtualization software require hardware resources that are not present even with an upgraded Westmere Xeon - VMware Fusion stopped working with Big Sur, for example.

 

[hbanko]

I just ordered a X5680. It looks like a useful upgrade anyway taking me from 4 to 6 cores at a budget price.

 

[tsialex]

I just ordered a X5680. It looks like a useful upgrade anyway taking me from 4 to 6 cores at a budget price.

Even if you can't make everything you need to work flawlessly, you can compromise some, like having a dedicated Mojave or Catalina install just to run VMWare Fusion 11.5, like a lot of people here do since VMware Fusion started to require the XSAVE instruction for BigSur and Monterey virtualization based on Apple Hypervisor.

 

[sfalatko]

Even if you can't make everything you need to work flawlessly, you can compromise some, like having a dedicated Mojave or Catalina install just to run VMWare Fusion 11.5, like a lot of people here do since VMware Fusion started to require the XSAVE instruction for BigSur and Monterey virtualization based on Apple Hypervisor.

Catalina can run Fusion 12.1 (not the latest - 12.2 requires Big Sur and uses Apple Hypervisor and won't run on our MacPros). What is nice is Fusion Player is free. I keep a Catalina install running basically to use Fusion.

I successfully run VirtualBox on Monterey. It does not work as well as Fusion does on Catalina but works.

My cMP5,1 has an upgraded Westmere CPU

 

[hbanko]

I got the X5680 today and swapped it out with the old CPU. The performance difference is not that huge measured with Geekbench from 1762 with the older and only 4 core XEON to 2800 with the new one.

But most importantly it does not make any difference for Virtualbox. I am not using Fusion. Why would I when Virtualbox is free and it's been great for the past 10 years.

I do nor believe that the Catalina upgrade or me moving from a MacPro 3,1 to 5,1 is the cause of the issue. That started to happen on the 3,1 on Mojave - after I had a broken SSD and had to re-install.

The GFX card (RX570) is still the same and Virtualbox (I am running XP inside for some old vinyl cutter software) used to fly. My guess was it had something to do how the GFX card is integrated into the system (driver?). For Mojave I used some USB thumbdrive that was generated through a script (cant recall the name). But it was wiped between the 1st Mojave installation where all was fine and then the 2nd.

The problem followed me with a fresh Catalina install and the switch to Opencore and a MacPro 5,1.

 

[hbanko]

ok, so after after researching this from a more generic VirtualBox performance issue I found what's causing it. It seems that the VirtualBox GFX drivers are having issues with high resolution (High DPI). A lot of Macbook Pro users with Retina displays are experiencing the same issue.

The solution is to run VirtualBox on "Low Resolution" mode as mentioned here:

VirtualBox runs slow on MacBook Pro 2018 (screen refreshes slow) - Page 6 - virtualbox.org

The problems started after my 2nd Mojave install, because I also bought a new screen with 4K resolution

But glad I went through this exercise. Not complaining about having 2 more cores for a small budget!

 

[mode11]

The performance difference is not that huge measured with Geekbench from 1762 with the older and only 4 core XEON to 2800 with the new one.

That's an almost 60% improvement; not bad for just a (cheap) CPU swap.

 

[sfalatko]

I got the X5680 today and swapped it out with the old CPU. The performance difference is not that huge measured with Geekbench from 1762 with the older and only 4 core XEON to 2800 with the new one.

But most importantly it does not make any difference for Virtualbox. I am not using Fusion. Why would I when Virtualbox is free and it's been great for the past 10 years.

I do nor believe that the Catalina upgrade or me moving from a MacPro 3,1 to 5,1 is the cause of the issue. That started to happen on the 3,1 on Mojave - after I had a broken SSD and had to re-install.

The GFX card (RX570) is still the same and Virtualbox (I am running XP inside for some old vinyl cutter software) used to fly. My guess was it had something to do how the GFX card is integrated into the system (driver?). For Mojave I used some USB thumbdrive that was generated through a script (cant recall the name). But it was wiped between the 1st Mojave installation where all was fine and then the 2nd.

The problem followed me with a fresh Catalina install and the switch to Opencore and a MacPro 5,1.

You can run VMWare Fusion Player (12.1 works on Catalina) for free and I find its performance much better than VirtualBox (which I have to use on Monterey). It might be worth a try for you.