System specs
MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015)
Processor 2.5 GHz Intel Core i7
Memory 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
iGPU: Intel Iris Pro 1536 MB
dGPU: AMD Radeon R9 M370X 2 GB
OSX: Mojave 10.14.16
Bootcamp: Windows 10 Professional v1903
eGPU hardware
Razer Core X + Sapphire Nitro+ RX Vega 64 8G HBM2
Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter
Thunderbolt 2 Cable (2m)
External Monitor: Samsung CF791
Hardware pictures
Installation steps
Mac
Install purge-wrangler
Done
Windows
(eGPU disconnected)
Fresh install Windows through Bootcamp Assistant. (I have tried with many versions and didn’t see any differences, but currently using 1903)
Download AMD drivers from bootcampdrivers.com
Enter safe mode
Run DDU to uninstall drivers in safe mode.
Restart
Install bootcampdrivers drivers.
Connect eGPU and wait for automatic install.
You should find now under devices the Vega 64 with error 12.
Restart.
You will still see error 12.
Here comes the tedious part:
go to view as connections
Find Intel(R) 4th Gen Core processor PCI Express x8 Controller - 0D05, which is the RX Vega 64 root, and disable it.
Now, enable it.
If nothing happens, then error 12 is still there. Then proceed to try again disabling and enabling.
After a few tries, the screen will blink and error 12 will be gone. (If the eGPU is connected to an external monitor, the monitor will turn on)
eGPU will be fully functional.
Note:
I can tell this is hard to follow as the times to disable/enable is random, but @user99999 also followed this with success, under another thread.
Sometimes it has taken me one time (which really makes think how lucky i am), but sometimes it can get up to 20 times. At least with this method you don't have to mess with other changes to the system.
*I dont need to disable anything else apart from the PCI Express x8 Controller
*I didnt do the dsdt override
*No large memory allocation
Benchmarks.
Mac
I can now watch 4k videos without stuttering.
Before, when playing any game, laptop got really hot and loudy. Now with eGPU, it runs very smooth, cold and quiet.
For Final Cut Pro, i can see a lot of improvement for real time editing and rendering. Before, I could not edit 4k footage without having to wait several minutes for each change.
Windows
Just for gaming using a Samsung 500gb external ssd.
I need to switch every game i play to High Performance, which means using the Vega 64.
I get full 60fps for almost any game in 1080p
Some games have the ultrawide option, the fps on these games is variable but no less than 40fps.
My current list of games right now.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (ultrawide)
The Witcher 3 (ultrawide)
Sekiro Shadows die Twice
Hitman 2 (ultrawide)
Ni No Kuni 2 (ultrawide)
Fighterz
Note: while playing heavy games CPU runs hot and loud, but not to the point of overheating.
Thanks for all the info i got from this community and hope this helps.
Mid 2015 15-inch Macbook Pro, Razer Core X, Sapphire Vega 64 Nitro+
Thanks a bunch! This guide is great, I only got it working with the 1903 build. To make things simpler, I made a .bat file that will trigger a successful eGPU connection and fix Error 12.
https://github.com/ppkantorski/eGPU-toggler
Wanted to share it with you because of the help this guide has provided me. Hope that it helps!
I also had to go through a few extra steps to get HDR working properly with my Radeon VII. Once I got it working, colors looked amazing through DP1.4 on both macOS and Windows 10 Pro. I might make a build page as well but for now everyone else should just follow this guide.
Pending: Add my system information and expected eGPU configuration to my signature to give context to my posts
@b0rd2death Hi, i tried your .bat file following the instructions, creating a .lnk file but when i run as admin the window just open and closes and nothing happens. :/
Mid 2015 15-inch Macbook Pro, Razer Core X, Sapphire Vega 64 Nitro+
@piperx10 is the eGPU connected and on? try also checking if the driver IDs are correct
- Track down the PCIE controller connecting your eGPU in Device Manager. To test out which one is connecting your eGPU, try toggling off and on the PCIE controllers one by one in Device Manager to see which one makes your eGPU disappear.
- Right-click that particular PCIE controller, go to "Properties", "Details", "Hardware Ids". Copy and replace the driver name in eGPU-toggler.bat with everything up until the 2nd "&" symbol. It should look similar to "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0D05".
- On the actual eGPU (not the PCIE controller), copy the Hardware Ids that looks similar to "PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_66AF&SUBSYS_081E1002" and replace it in eGPU-toggler.bat. This will allow eGPU-toggler to detect changes to the status of Error 12.
Pending: Add my system information and expected eGPU configuration to my signature to give context to my posts
@b0rd2death, it actually worked!!! i had to change the eGPU hardware Id. THANKS A LOT man, this makes it so easy.
Mid 2015 15-inch Macbook Pro, Razer Core X, Sapphire Vega 64 Nitro+
To get it working immediately without loops, please check my master thread.
Hi, Great work in compiling this bat file. Genius idea! and creating the startup task means you dont even have to think about it!
Mid 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina (2.2GHz Intel quad Core i7)
Intel Iris Pro Graphics (integrated). Thunderbolt 2
OS High Sierra - Bootcamp Win10 1903 (18362.295)
Razer Core X - Vega 64
T2-T3 Adapter - 2m T2 cable
@goalque, It's all too technical for me I'm afraid. I havent a clue what it all means in your Master thread.
Major props for your knowledge about all this stuff though. I just wanna be able to play games in bootcamp on the built in LCD is all I know 😕
Ive actually got x2 15 inch Macbook Pro's which are almost identical but one is late 2014 and the other is mid 2015.
The 2014 one is working fine, no error 12, pretty much plug and play with that one. But the 2015 one is proving to be a pain in the proverbial. I'd have thought the 2015 one would have been easier as it only has the iris pro iGPU.
The 2014 one has the iris pro 5200 plus the amd dGPU but it has been a breeze in accepting the egpu.
Mid 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina (2.2GHz Intel quad Core i7)
Intel Iris Pro Graphics (integrated). Thunderbolt 2
OS High Sierra - Bootcamp Win10 1903 (18362.295)
Razer Core X - Vega 64
T2-T3 Adapter - 2m T2 cable
Have you tried enabling Windows Insider and updating to the Fast Ring? This solved all of the errors for me and made my eGPU plug and play.
yeah, tried it. Still got the error 12. I've settled for sticking with 18362.195 and using the disable/enable PCIe port workaround.
THIS little piece of genius makes it less of a pain. Not that you need any workarounds now.
Your lucky the insider build worked for you.
Mid 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina (2.2GHz Intel quad Core i7)
Intel Iris Pro Graphics (integrated). Thunderbolt 2
OS High Sierra - Bootcamp Win10 1903 (18362.295)
Razer Core X - Vega 64
T2-T3 Adapter - 2m T2 cable