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Using Mac Pro for Windows 10 VR

S

stix666

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 13, 2005
229
27
I have a 5,1 Mac Pro High Sierra 10.13.4. I use 2 SSDs in RAID0 as the OS using an Apricot card connected to the PCIE. I was thinking of using this machine to try out Hive VR (I don't have a Windows box).

I believe I can't use Boot Camp on Raid0 configurations. Is there any way to get Windows 10 onto this, ideally co-existing with OSX but if not as an exclusive install on that PCIE array? I have a ATI5770 and Radeon RX580 (8Gb) on graphics duty, and figure this should be good enough to play around with VR apps.
 
stix666 said:
I have a 5,1 Mac Pro High Sierra 10.13.4. I use 2 SSDs in RAID0 as the OS using an Apricot card connected to the PCIE. I was thinking of using this machine to try out Hive VR (I don't have a Windows box).

I believe I can't use Boot Camp on Raid0 configurations. Is there any way to get Windows 10 onto this, ideally co-existing with OSX but if not as an exclusive install on that PCIE array? I have a ATI5770 and Radeon RX580 (8Gb) on graphics duty, and figure this should be good enough to play around with VR apps.
Click to expand...
Windows is fine with hardware RAID-0/1/10/5/50/6/60 on virtually all mainstream SATA/SAS controllers that have BIOS support. Software RAID is done by OS drivers on a JBOD controller - the drive doesn't exist until the OS drivers load.

It's rather hard to boot from a volume that doesn't exist until after you have booted. ;)
 
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stix666 said:
I have a 5,1 Mac Pro High Sierra 10.13.4. I use 2 SSDs in RAID0 as the OS using an Apricot card connected to the PCIE. I was thinking of using this machine to try out Hive VR (I don't have a Windows box).

I believe I can't use Boot Camp on Raid0 configurations. Is there any way to get Windows 10 onto this, ideally co-existing with OSX but if not as an exclusive install on that PCIE array? I have a ATI5770 and Radeon RX580 (8Gb) on graphics duty, and figure this should be good enough to play around with VR apps.
Click to expand...

Based on the system requirements, I think you’ll be fine. As AidenShaw says, you won’t be able to install Windows on your macOS software RAID0; you’ll need another drive for this, or you’ll need to restore your macOS partition to one disk and try to use the other.

I never had any luck installing Windows to my Apricot PCIe SATA-III card, though others reportedly had success.

I’m not sure how the software will behave when it sees the 580 and the 5770 though; if you can live with just the 580, that might makes things simpler.
 
Cheers

I don't seem to be able to install windows 10 using a USB drive and bootcamp, so will use a DVD. I wasn't sure if the SATA II option for hard drive would be fast enough for VR, but there's no harm in trying. Failing that, I could always get a eGPU box for the MacBook pro and use the 580 there.
 
stix666 said:
I have a 5,1 Mac Pro High Sierra 10.13.4. I use 2 SSDs in RAID0 as the OS using an Apricot card connected to the PCIE. I was thinking of using this machine to try out Hive VR (I don't have a Windows box).

I believe I can't use Boot Camp on Raid0 configurations. Is there any way to get Windows 10 onto this, ideally co-existing with OSX but if not as an exclusive install on that PCIE array? I have a ATI5770 and Radeon RX580 (8Gb) on graphics duty, and figure this should be good enough to play around with VR apps.
Click to expand...

Why would you want to boot from RAID 0? I can understand some uses for RAID0 on a data drive, but you really must boot from RAID at least use RAID1 and get the resillience benefit, or are you seriously saying the performance of a single SSD isn't enough as you boot drive? Not trying to be rude, I just think you may need to rethink your design a little. :)
 
At the time, 2 500Gb SSDs in a RAID0 with back ups (CCC, disk station) seemed a no-brainer. Faster, larger disk and pretty safely backed up. I think with a Windows installation that I may get rid of the RAID and use the two SSDs for seperate windows 10 and mac OSX boot volumes, now that I'm going down this VR rabbit hole.

Looks like I still need a DVD to install windows 10. Are there any workarounds to use a USB stick? My MacBook pro seems to allow for this no problem.
 
stix666 said:
Looks like I still need a DVD to install windows 10. Are there any workarounds to use a USB stick? My MacBook pro seems to allow for this no problem.
Click to expand...

Think you can use this:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO

"You can use this page to download a disc image (ISO file) that can be used to install or reinstall Windows 10. The image can also be used to create installation media using a USB flash drive or DVD."
 
stix666 said:
At the time, 2 500Gb SSDs in a RAID0 with back ups (CCC, disk station) seemed a no-brainer. Faster, larger disk and pretty safely backed up. I think with a Windows installation that I may get rid of the RAID and use the two SSDs for seperate windows 10 and mac OSX boot volumes, now that I'm going down this VR rabbit hole.

Looks like I still need a DVD to install windows 10. Are there any workarounds to use a USB stick? My MacBook pro seems to allow for this no problem.
Click to expand...

You better use a disc. It make the process so much easier on the cMP. Quite a few guys (including me) never successfully boot from a USB installation drive.
 
Thanks. I tried downloading that ISO and even edited bootcamp plist but to no avail. On rebooting, it didn't recognise the USB drive. Will create a disc
 
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