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SATA Express meets the '09 Mac Pro - Bootable NGFF PCIE SSD
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Upgrading my boot drive (currently two Velocity Solo X2's with 500GB SSD's in RAID 0), and I want to make sure I get this right.
Looking at the 1st post under the April update, I can use Dual Lycom DT-120 M.2 Adapters with Samsung 256GB XP941s. (2300MB/s/s). BUT, can I use Dual Lycom DT-120 M.2 Adapters with Samsung 256GB SM951s and if so, what would my read/write speeds be in a 2009 (5,1) cMP? Will I get close to 3GB/s read speeds or is there a bottleneck I'm going to hit?
Is the only advantage of the SSUAX/SSUBX instead of Samsung is the ability to have TRIM? Can two Sintech adapters be used? Does anyone have a single adapter that holds two (or more) cards?
Just trying to make heads or tails of it all.
Thanks!
ps. For a 256GB SM951, is THIS ONE the correct model (AHCI)? Will just ONE give 2300MB/s reads?
Looking at the 1st post under the April update, I can use Dual Lycom DT-120 M.2 Adapters with Samsung 256GB XP941s. (2300MB/s/s). BUT, can I use Dual Lycom DT-120 M.2 Adapters with Samsung 256GB SM951s and if so, what would my read/write speeds be in a 2009 (5,1) cMP? Will I get close to 3GB/s read speeds or is there a bottleneck I'm going to hit?
Is the only advantage of the SSUAX/SSUBX instead of Samsung is the ability to have TRIM? Can two Sintech adapters be used? Does anyone have a single adapter that holds two (or more) cards?
Just trying to make heads or tails of it all.
Thanks!
ps. For a 256GB SM951, is THIS ONE the correct model (AHCI)? Will just ONE give 2300MB/s reads?
Last edited:
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Remember the 2009 no matter if flashed still has slots 3&4 on a shared joint PCI-bridge and limited in its bandwidth. To get highest performance you start hitting the ceiling and without PCIe 3.0 support (cpu & motherboard) aren't going to get there.
Using slot #2 as one of the slots.
So if it was me, then I would just focus on getting the capacity you need and not worry about RAID0 and get 512GB or above in a single device.
Keeping it simple too.
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Thanks for the info. I've been reading over the last 3 or 4 pages of posts, where I'm now seeing there doesn't seem to be a perfect solution for using two cheaper blades in RAID0 and 1500MB/s is about all I'll see regardless of one or two blades (maybe a little higher with RAID0, but not worth the extra cost and use of a slot).
Couple of things I'm not sure of, though, is while the SM951 is a newer XP941, what are the advantages of using an XP941? Also, can I use an Apple SSUAX or SSUBX in a Lycom or only in that Apple adapter?
Some questions for the geeks:
Now i have a XP941 256 GB and want to upgrade to a SM951 256 GB.
1. The SM951 has the same problems with slot 2 like the SSUBX, right?
2. Can I use the Samsung SSD SM951-NVMe with 10.10.3?
3. If NVMe is supported in the cMP under 10.10.3, what does the computer do, when starting from a system without NVMe support (10.9 for example)? Is it also AHCI compatible?
Now i have a XP941 256 GB and want to upgrade to a SM951 256 GB.
1. The SM951 has the same problems with slot 2 like the SSUBX, right?
2. Can I use the Samsung SSD SM951-NVMe with 10.10.3?
3. If NVMe is supported in the cMP under 10.10.3, what does the computer do, when starting from a system without NVMe support (10.9 for example)? Is it also AHCI compatible?
Really tempting, the SM951.
Already got an Accelsior E2 though and I would miss having the eSATA ports.
Think it'd make much of a difference in real-world apps (e.g. Photoshop scratch disk) and Finder responsiveness?
Already got an Accelsior E2 though and I would miss having the eSATA ports.
Think it'd make much of a difference in real-world apps (e.g. Photoshop scratch disk) and Finder responsiveness?
at least the intel 750 isn't recognized at all. I guess it's because this particular SSD needs UEFI (which isn't the same as EFI).
Do the Mac Pro 2009, 2010 and 2012 models all have the same PCI-e slots/configuration or do the later models, maybe, have better slot architecture?
2009 PCIe slots 3&4 are the "same" - except different in how they use and share bandwidth, no?
I'm not clear on this...I've gathered the maximum speed from one slot is about 1500MB/s, correct? So if, with RAID 0, you have slot 2 and 3 populated, shouldn't you be getting 750+1500=2250MB/s? Why is slot 3 the same as slot 2 + slot 3?
FWIW, I'm now part of the M.2 club, having just installed a 512GB SM951 in slot 3. Getting about 1500 read and 1500 write, as it should be. Suh-weet!
I've just made two changes that have decreased my COLD boot times from the normal 60+ seconds to just about 15 seconds. First, I swapped out my non-EFI GTX 960 for a standard Apple AMD 5770, and second, I removed my Velocity Solo X2 and replaced it with a new, single SM951 on a Lycom adapter.
Not sure which was the cure, but I was shocked just now when, before I knew it, the Apple logo, then the Yosemite progress bar and then my desktop popped up in just mere seconds...
Can you check what the date code is on your SM951?
I'm still trying to figure out why mine is running at half speed.
If you could post a pic that would be even better.
In short, I got one with build date of 4/15, everyone else has earlier with no trouble, trying to figure out what the issue is, if I need to return.
Hard to say why. What slot did you put the SM951/Lycom in? I removed the Solo X2 and tried but that alone didn't help. I can reinstall my 5870 and pull the SoloX2 and try again, but my confidence isn't high on this one. The bad part is that if it turns out to be a conflict with the 7970 I'll have to live it. I need the extra horsepower it brings.
Mine is 2015.03.
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SM951 is living in Slot 3. After I cloned my boot drive to the SM951, I renamed it and then in SYS PREF's, I went into Startup Drive and made sure the newly renamed volume was set as the startup and clicked RESTART.
I've cold-booted a couple times and so far, it's less than 15 seconds each time.
Let me know if it reverts. Mine is already in Slot 3, but I'll make the other changes in the next few days. Do you have any other PCIe devices installe?