MP 1,1-5,1 Syba I/O Crest SI-PEX40129 usage?

[TECK]

I have a cMP 2010 5,1 and I ordered a SI-PEX40129 card to solve the 1500MB/s limitation. I already have a Samsung SM951 MZ-HPV5120 SSD mounted on a PCIE 3.0 card running Catalina.

The SI-PEX40129 card supports dual SSDs. I would like to have installed a different OS on each, so I can perform the OpenCore upgrades easy.

Do you think it will be possible to boot from a specific SSD mounted on the PCIE card? Also, can I mix the type of SSD used, based on the compatibility guide we have on forums? I was thinking to use a Samsung 970 Pro, next to SM951.

Way back when I purchased the SM591 (and paid a lot of money), the only solution to have an external bootable drive was the AHCI type. From what I see, with the latest 144.0.0.0 firmware, we can use other SSDs, which are way more affordable.

Thanks for your help.

 

[atonaldenim]

Do you think it will be possible to boot from a specific SSD mounted on the PCIE card? Also, can I mix the type of SSD used, based on the compatibility guide we have on forums?

Yes, with 2 SSDs installed, you can choose which one to boot from. The system will see them as two separate drives just as if they were each installed in a separate PCIe slot. To select the boot drive just hold down Option key after power on, before you see the Apple logo. (Assuming you have a Mac-specific video card with boot screen support.) Or, use System Preferences > Startup Disk to choose the desired boot drive and reboot.

Yes, you should be able to mix NVMe and AHCI blades in one SI-PEX40129 card, as far as I know.

If you find the cooling fan noise annoying on that card, you can use a 2-pin fan speed reducing cable with an inline resistor to quiet the fan down.

Enjoy!

 

[TECK]

If you find the cooling fan noise annoying on that card, you can use a 2-pin fan speed reducing cable with an inline resistor to quiet the fan down.

Can you please provide more details on the cable? Do you have a link or part model number?

 

[atonaldenim]

Can you please provide more details on the cable? Do you have a link or part model number?

Sure, more info in this post.

Also as you mentioned you’ll need the latest firmware that comes with Mojave to boot from an NVMe drive. You don’t have to install Mojave if you don’t want, but you use the Mojave installer to update the firmware.

Edit: I see you’re running Catalina, in that case you probably have updated the firmware so you’re all set.

 

[TECK]

Thanks, you can find that cable on Amazon also:

5pcs 2pin to 2pin M/F Noise Speed RPM Reduction GPU VGA PC Cooling Fan Resistor Power Cable

* 100% brand new . * 2-pin Male to 2pin Female connector. (2.0mm) * The cable with resistance can reducte fan speed ,and the noise will be lower. * It suitable for GPU fan. * Reduce up to 30%~35% speed. (27Ω resistor) * Length: approx 100mm * Weight: 1.8g/pcs Package Includes: 5pcs 2 pin Speed/No...

www.amazon.com

 

[Flocarino]

I love the Syba...I installed an 970 Pro 1TB and just ordered an 970 EVO 1TB.....one for Mojave and one for Catalina. The only thing is that I asked Syba customer service if I can use AHCI and NVME with the card and they replied back that the card works only with NVME, not a problem for me but just to clear things out. Hope it answers your question.

 

[TECK]

I purchased a 970 EVO Plus, because the read/write speeds are identical to the Pro

 

[AlexMaximus]

I love the Syba...I installed an 970 Pro 1TB and just ordered an 970 EVO 1TB.....one for Mojave and one for Catalina. The only thing is that I asked Syba customer service if I can use AHCI and NVME with the card and they replied back that the card works only with NVME, not a problem for me but just to clear things out. Hope it answers your question.

I run the I/O Crest dual PCIe card in my 5.1 with two AHCI blades. I am very happy with the card, the cooling is excellent and it is very fast.

@TECK
If you want the max speed out of your I/O Crest, you will have to put the card in PCIe slot #1 and move your GPU card to slot 2&3, - loosing one slot in the process...

 

[MIKX]

TECK

Sorry I'm not a grammar Nazi but I teach English for a living in Japan ..

" LOSE" = misplace or be deprived of something. eg Don't LOSE your wallet.

"LOOSE" = something that either wobbles or is not secure. eg : I have a LOOSE tooth.

It seems that whenever I see " LOOSING" it's almost always from the U.S.A. ?

No offence intended.

PS : congratulations on the 970 EVO Plus purchase.
I would very strongly suggest checking the firmware with Samsung magician before using it in your
Mac Pro. There were many reports of problems with the EVO Plus blades with the older firmware.

PPS : I will be buying a 500gb EVO Plus in January. Cheaper than the 970 Pro and apparently doesn't slow
down when the cache is full.

 

[TECK]

@TECK
If you want the max speed out of your I/O Crest, you will have to put the card in PCIe slot #1 and move your GPU card to slot 2&3, - loosing one slot in the process...

I was planning to do just that, the Pulse RX580 takes a lot of space, blocking slot 2 access. ?

I would very strongly suggest checking the firmware with Samsung magician before using it in your Mac Pro.

I’m aware of the firmware requirements. ? I cannot find Samsung Magician for Mac, new version 6.0 is for Windows only. I have an old PC, in case I’m stuck. I’m receiving the card and memory stick on January 3rd.

 

[Flocarino]

My Syba is in slot # 2, just above the RX580 with enough clearance to avoid the RX580 fan blades to touch the Syba.

 

[AlexMaximus]

I was planning to do just that, the Pulse RX580 takes a lot of space, blocking slot 2 access. 😀



I’m aware of the firmware requirements. 🙂 I cannot find Samsung Magician for Mac, new version 6.0 is for Windows only. I have an old PC, in case I’m stuck. I’m receiving the card and memory stick on January 3rd.

Before - After ...

It feels better and faster, even by loosing one slot..

 

[TECK]

I don't care about losing a slot, I only need 3 slots total. First for Syba, second for RX580 and third for a Sonnet Allegro USB3C-2PM-E which will act as USB 3.2 or USB-C 10Gb connection. Anything related to storage will be connected through network, to a Dell C2100 FS12-TY runing FreeNAS with a RAIDZ2 20TB available capacity.

My Syba is in slot # 2, just above the RX580 with enough clearance to avoid the RX580 fan blades to touch the Syba.

I had no idea it will fit. My current Aquacomputer kryoM.2 mount will not fit next to the RX580, blades are touching slightly.

 

[mikas]

There are reports of differences in either the cards itself or the cMP available space in slot number 1. It could be there is a markable difference, so that somebodys cards fit ok, and somebody others does not fit.

I had the same setup, and fans there touching the syba card. Fans did rotate, but they made a loud sound. So I first solved it by some thick red tape.
#1,264

Later on, though, I wanted more cool air to travel in between the cards, and swapped the slots, and that way I lost one x4 PCIe slot. (There is also a RX460 in the upmost 4th slot).

So can do it depending if your machine and card combo do have those extra millimeters needed in there. I wouldn't want to bend the cards any more than needed. It could obviously break the slot or maybe even the card itself.

 

[TECK]

@AlexMaximus what kind of performance gains you saw in slot 1? If there is enough space, I might keep the Syba in slot 2 and buy a Sonnet Presto Solo 10Gb PCI card, sitting next to the Sonnet Allegro one.

 

[AlexMaximus]

@AlexMaximus what kind of performance gains you saw in slot 1? If there is enough space, I might keep the Syba in slot 2 and buy a Sonnet Presto Solo 10Gb PCI card, sitting next to the Sonnet Allegro one.

The speed improvement goal with those AHCI SSD blades was to bring it up from around 1150MB/sec up to around 1890MB/sec (which was the 2015/16 speed average in newer Macs). But I have two different blades with different speeds. However, this was not the main concern. It was more about to give the Vega 7 better cooling headroom. But with a theoretical NVME 970 Pro Blade upgrade, this would become more significant. Unfortunately, there are more speed bottlenecks in place in my case. On the one hand the AHCI blade limit and then the PCIe slot speed limit. But as a non-Pro enthusiast, this is as far as I will go with my 5.1. My upgrades will plateau for the next three years. Of course, I could go for a dual tray CPU upgrade at last. But, to be frank, I just don't do enough render jobs on it to justify it. It's more Photoshop and iMovie as a hobby 4K Drone pilot as well as that occasional odd new mac game once a year such as Shadow of the TombRaider.
But it has been a very pleasant upgrade journey for me nevertheless. Having a faster GPU then the golden iMac Pro standard was totally worth it for me. Its called LEAN in my professional world.

 

[zedex]

@TECK

You can mix. Both AHCI and NVME are M-Key. SYBA customer service is confusing B-KEY SATA SSD with M-KEY PCIe SSD (two variants AHCI and NVMe). Tested and Verified Working by me (see photo).

Get the 970 PRO if possible. Your SM951 will go up to 1800/2100 R/W once you pull it out of SLOT 4 and put it in SYBA - but 970 PRO will go to 2400/3100 *sustained*. I have tested this by transferring an iTunes movie library - it just works and never drops away.

NEVER sacrifice a slot.

AMAZING NEWS - 2.5 Width GPUs will never again interfere with SLOT 2

A picture paints a 1000 words.. First - turn your double-width bracket in to a single-slot (cost AUD 25) This image shows that almost ALL 2.5 width cards can be cleanly installed in SLOT 4 (total clearance above a standard double-slot like the RX480 pictured is 15mm) ..with that said -...

forums.macrumors.com

..and never waste lanes on a graphics card.

Mac Pro 2019 - PCIe Expansion Opportunities?

Invert your thinking. Graphics cards get 92% of their bandwidth requirements from PCIe 3.0 x4. When you "think different", you quickly realise that you really want the 64 available lanes (minus 4 lanes for a GPU) allocated to storage cards. I've got a couple of Highpoint PCIe 2.0 (x16) cards...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[AlexMaximus]

Sure, more info in this post.

Also as you mentioned you’ll need the latest firmware that comes with Mojave to boot from an NVMe drive. You don’t have to install Mojave if you don’t want, but you use the Mojave installer to update the firmware.

Edit: I see you’re running Catalina, in that case you probably have updated the firmware so you’re all set.

@atonaldenim:

Super big thank you for providing the info on the low noise cable upgrade. I just ordered it!
Very much appreciated, you have a happy new year!

 

[MacManu77]

Thanks, you can find that cable on Amazon also:

5pcs 2pin to 2pin M/F Noise Speed RPM Reduction GPU VGA PC Cooling Fan Resistor Power Cable

* 100% brand new . * 2-pin Male to 2pin Female connector. (2.0mm) * The cable with resistance can reducte fan speed ,and the noise will be lower. * It suitable for GPU fan. * Reduce up to 30%~35% speed. (27Ω resistor) * Length: approx 100mm * Weight: 1.8g/pcs Package Includes: 5pcs 2 pin Speed/No...

www.amazon.com

I'd be interested in taking that cable too, but it doesn't ship to Italy and I can't find it on another site.
Can anyone help me if I have to find it please?
Thanks.

 

[tommy chen]

I'd be interested in taking that cable too, but it doesn't ship to Italy and I can't find it on another site.
Can anyone help me if I have to find it please?
Thanks.

hi

i will have it in stock in may be 2 weeks and i can send it to you from austria

 

[MacManu77]

hi

i will have it in stock in may be 2 weeks and i can send it to you from austria

Perfect thanks.
Then we feel for the details.

 

[TECK]

I installed the Syba card in slot 2 but had to add a round foam sticker to the video card, to have clearance for the RX580. Is the white foam between the GPU fans, into screenshot. Thank you IKEA for these foam stickers ?

You can see the Sonnet Allegro above the Syba. I prefer that card, instead of a regular USB3 card. I can use a USB-C to USB3 connector, if I want to attach an USB3 drive. The Allegro works perfectly in Catalina, very happy with the purchase of these two upgrades.

The EVO Plus results are definitely not spectacular on the Write side, I should've purchased the Pro. Can anyone post the AmorphousDiskMark results with their Pro? Here are mines, I hope the Writes are as bad for Pro also.

 

[Flocarino]

Personally I didn’t need any kind of spacers between the Sapphire card and the Syba ( it is close but it doesn’t touch the fan blades), as seen in my pic.

 

[TECK]

In my case, the fans were definitely touching, making a loud raspy noise. The spacer was just the perfect height to clear the fans contact.

 

[tommy chen]

In my case, the fans were definitely touching, making a loud raspy noise. The spacer was just the perfect height to clear the fans contact.

your cMP is a real 4,1 ?