2013 Mac Pro (FP D300 x2) [3rd,4C,E] + RX Vega FE @ 16Gbps-TB2>TB3 (Razer Core X) + macOS 11.1 & Win10 20H2  

Hi everyone!

 

I have used this homepage to be able to get this working so i thought i would pay back with a build post as the least i could do.

No pictures of the system, but i guess you know how the stuff looks by now anyway

 

 

System specs 

2013 MacPro 6,1

3.7GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5, 

1TB SSD, 

64GB RAM, 

2x AMD FirePro D300

 

 

eGPU Hardware 

Razer Core X

AMD VEGA FE 16GB Air

Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter

Apple Thunderbolt Cable (2 m)

*eGPU connected to one of the lower TB2 ports on the Mac Pro.

 

 

MacOS Version

OS 11.1 Big Sur

 

 

 

Windows Version

20H2

 

 

Installation steps

Mac OS

- Followed installation instructions for Purge Wrangler (disable sip etc)

- Run PurgeWrangler without eGPU connected.

- Rebooted and connected eGPU and everything worked.

 

Windows (Bootcamp)

Most important step to get it to work: Remove everything connected to USB during boot! (see below)

 

How i did it:

- Boot into windows.

- Run Apple Update tool.

- Run Windows update with option to get all other updated drivers for the system (intel drivers etc)

- Download latest Bootcampdrivers (blue version)

- Run DDU in safemode.

 

Installation of drivers (Im sure a plain install might work, this was just the way i did it this time)

- Restart and find your eGPU in “Device manager” right click and select your downloaded drivers and install.

 

- Start Windows with a monitor connected to Mac Pro (as eGPU won’t work until you disable PCI devices + unplug USB (see below), it will have error 12)

 

- Disable the following in Device manager:

Click: “Show devices by connection”

Be sure to also click on “Show Hidden Devices” otherwise all PCI devices you have to turn off won’t show.

 

Disable the following:

- PCI bus 21, device 0, function 0

- PCI Slot 4 (PCI bus 21, device 5, function 0)

- PCI Slot 5 (PCI bus 21, device 6, function 0)

- PCI bus 17, device 10, function 0

 

 

Now for the part that was my problem all along to get this to work.

I spent so much time installing/ uninstalling/ Driver versions/ HackFlags/  etc etc etc

I don’t use HackFlags or pci.sys or anything else. 

As i used a USB connected mouse (and the Mac Pro USB “hub” is on the same PCI lanes as the eGPU this blocks the eGPU and gave me error 12) 

See image above where it is: Fresco Logic USB

 

 

Startup of Windows to enable eGPU:

You can have the eGPU connected and powered on (i never turn it off)

 

- Start computer (holding alt key to get to boot menu)

- !! Unplug everything USB (from the Mac Pro) when you get to the boot menu !!

Don't leave any USB hubs connected (that is also a device).

- Select Windows boot drive and start windows (i use Bluetooth keyboard)

(It might work if you have a USB keyboard if you start Windows and quickly disconnect the keyboard if you don’t have a bluetooth one)

- When the eGPU is activated when Windows starts you can plug in your USB devices again.

This will happen without logging in to windows.

I have a monitor that is connected to both the eGPU and the Mac Pro at the same time so i can switch back and forth (if i need to)

After the install i can have my monitor connected only to the eGPU (i just can’t see anything when i have to go through the boot menu)  

I noticed that Radeon Software did not install this way, so i just ran the regular "Install" in Bootcampdrivers after everything worked, it just installed the Radeon software without a reboot.

 

 

Performance:

 

MacOS

Heaven:

Geekbench:

Cl!ing:

  

Windows

Heaven (with GPUZ info from the run):

Geekbench:

Radeon Software Version:

 

Conclusion / Problems:
 

Windows :

No issues, fantastic performance both in AutoCad, benchmarks and games!

Highly recommended!

 

Mac OS:

I get the “expected” results in benchmarks but there is something else going on that limits performance.

Using Parallels its just “slower than expected” and not at all as responsive as with a TB3 mac.

With Photo apps (that use eGPU) something “blocks” the performance and causes “micro stutters)

Using Steam and trying games the performance isn’t there.

 

I tried a TB3 mac mini i5 6 core and i got the same benchmarks but MUCH better actual performance in apps / parallels / games, its almost night and day difference.

There is something going on here that limits performance for sure even though benchmarks are good.

 

I use Parallels with the AutoCad suite so i needed a big frame buffer, and for that it works well.

So, in my opinion, if you will use eGPU for MacOS don’t go for a TB2/TB3 solution unless you have to (depending on usage case of course).

 

Have a good day!