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SATA Express meets the '09 Mac Pro - Bootable NGFF PCIE SSD

Has anyone tried the XP941 with Windows on a Mac Pro yet? Can't see anything about it in this thread?
 
trying to install Win 7 Prof. 64 Bit right now. it fails because the installer thinks that this drive isn't bootable, then it refuses to install. this makes sense: the XP941 isn't bootable in a legacy-BIOS environment. I guess that it would work with the PLEXTOR M6e though (has it's own BIOS on board). unfortunately I don't have a spare PLEXTOR to try right now.
 
Would the installation with with the EFI Windows 7 installer? Would it be possible to install it elsewhere as EFI, sysprep and block copy it over?
 
I also tried to start the EFI based installer but the system did not boot at all. I don't know if your second suggestion would work (haven't got an EFI based PC to test this).
 
To confirm, using the EFI method you linked to, you could install Windows 8 on the XP941, it was bootable, and you can see it from the EFI boot screen?
 
One of the XP941s I bought had an existing Windows 8 install.

It was labeled "EFI boot" if I looked at it from Startup Disk

Worked a few times but then one day it quit.
 
Draeconis said:
To confirm, using the EFI method you linked to, you could install Windows 8 on the XP941, it was bootable, and you can see it from the EFI boot screen?
Click to expand...

yes, that's correct. but I installed Windows 8.1 (I don't know if this would make a difference).
 
MacVidCards said:
One of the XP941s I bought had an existing Windows 8 install.

It was labeled "EFI boot" if I looked at it from Startup Disk

Worked a few times but then one day it quit.
Click to expand...

I guess it did stop to work because it was initially installed to a completely different hardware and/or because the license was bound to another PC (often windows is activated through OEM license in the BIOS).
 
Awesome! Might have to buy one now, I'm happy, wallet is sad.

So if we can install OS X and Windows on these things, should be trivial to BootCamp them?
 
I didn't try both, OS X and Windows. will try and let you know how it goes...

EDIT

so far, no luck using Boot Camp Assistant: the Mac Pro (or OS X) recognizes the XP941 as an external drive. and Boot Camp refuses to install to an external drive. I guess it'll work if one follows the instructions in the how-to I linked in an earlier post.
 
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this is exactly why I own a Mac Pro: every operating system can be installed on its own SSD or harddrive. installing OS X and Windows 8.1 onto the XP941 only works if one follows the how-to from an earlier post step by step. every other attempt failed: installing OS X and then try to use Boot Camp Assistant didn't work. also installing Windows without creating the partitions manually in the command-line of the Windows-installer didn't work out in the end: Disk Utility of OS X always failed to format the mac partition...

oh, and one more thing: choosing the operating system with "System Preferences" -> "Startup Disk" is not working. if I chose Windows, it fails to boot after the restart. invoking the EFI bootscreen and starting Windows works though.

during these countless attempts to install both operating systems I made a somewhat disturbing discovery: it takes considerably less time to install Windows 8.1. also, Windows boots faster! from hitting enter at the EFI boot screen to the login screen: OS X +/- 11 Sec. and Win 8.1 takes +/- 6 Seconds.
 
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A new product from Sintech is on the horizon and it's evolved to much more than a part number.

We're looking at a PCIe express adapter that allows nMP/rMBP PCIe flash to work with the cMP. This chops about $150 off the cost of a 512GB stick of Flash - bringing the price to $399.

PCIe%204X%202013%20Air%20SSD.jpg



FWIW... They also have a new NGFF adapter supporting 4x PCIE and the SATA 6g variants for those who prefer the overpriced or underpowered versions:

NGFF-PCIE%204X-s.jpg
 
Genghis Khan said:
Ahhh, was this the mysterious part number you were teasing us with before? Lol
Click to expand...

Sure is. :cool: While many products never go past a part number, the image is from the initial engineering production sample run. While I'm awaiting a physical product, I'm confident to share more than just a Mac rumor. Lol. :apple:
 
DonMega said:
So where do you get this $399 Apple Flash part?
Click to expand...

ebay has great pricing from a lot of sellers. Depending on the sellers and their inventory, prices jump up and down. Deals can be found all the time on new XP941's and the Apple/Samsung PCIe drives. Taking a look today, Apple interface drives are cheaper and come in larger capacities:

Ebay Prices today:
Apple / 128GB - $145
XP941 / 128GB - $210

Apple / 256GB - $258
XP941 / 256GB - $315

Apple / 512GB - $450
XP941 / 512GB - $544

Apple / 1TB - $740
 
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handheldgames said:
ebay has great pricing from a lot of sellers. Depending on the sellers and their inventory, prices jump up and down. Deals can be found all the time on new XP941's and the Apple/Samsung PCIe drives. Taking a look today, Apple interface drives are cheaper and come in larger capacities:

Ebay Prices today:
Apple / 128GB - $145
XP941 / 128GB - $210

Apple / 256GB - $258
XP941 / 256GB - $315

Apple / 512GB - $450
XP941 / 512GB - $544

Apple / 1TB - $740
Click to expand...

Thanks for the legwork. I'll have to keep an eye out for a deal.
 
Hi all,

Could you please post some benchmark scores of your M.2 512 pcie SSD speed?

(Xbench or any other app will do)

Many thanks
 
mikeboss said:
-> http://www.barefeats.com/hard183.html
Click to expand...

@mikeboss

Thank you, however I was testing a Bplus M2P4S today (with a single SAMSUNG XP941 512GB, no add in pcie cable or second m.2), on a Mac Pro 5,1, it was connected to the pcie 16x Slot 3. I can confirmed that the speed was lower than what barefeats showed.

The cMP spec is;

MacPro 5,1 2 x 2.4 Ghz Quad Processor
48 GB of ram (@1066)
1 x Nvidia Quadro K5000 (Mac Version)
(nothing else on pcie except Bplus card)

Speed is around 870 MB/s write and 950 MB/s read (using Blackmagicdesign for 5GB benchmark)

This was a test machine so I did not had enough time to benchmark it. And also no pics but I will try again later on. However, this is not what I was expecting...I might have missed something. Are you guys using Bplus card in raid?
 
I don't think that the PCIe card has anything to do with speeds as it's only an adapter without any active components on it. I have the LYCOM DT-120 adapter card. as benchmark program I'm using QuickBench. large transfers go as high as approx. 1200MB/Sec (read) with the 512GB model. I own MacPro4,1 flashed to 5,1 and real 5,1.
 
mikeboss said:
I don't think that the PCIe card has anything to do with speeds as it's only an adapter without any active components on it. I have the LYCOM DT-120 adapter card. as benchmark program I'm using QuickBench. large transfers go as high as approx. 1200MB/Sec (read) with the 512GB model. I own MacPro4,1 flashed to 5,1 and real 5,1.
Click to expand...

Thanks...I think I will request my team to order the LYCOm DT-120 to test, and return the Bplus one (this is a test-machine at work)
 
kennyman said:
Thanks...I think I will request my team to order the LYCOm DT-120 to test, and return the Bplus one (this is a test-machine at work)
Click to expand...

Performance between the Bplus and Lycom card should be identical. What is the system hardware report saying about the adapter?

Is it showing PCIe x4 @ 5.0 gt/s ? With Atto, I am showing 1000 MB/sec reads from a crippled 128gb variant where black magic only shows 500ish.

Quickbench is a better test than black magic by far. There are results from multiple xp941 in this thread.
 
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