macOS High Sierra drivers for Nvidia PCI-E video cards now available for Mac Pro, eGPU

2

Comments

  • Reply 21 of 46
    Can we get clarification on the original post about Nvidia in eGPU working again? Myself and the entire eGPU community are not seeing the same success!
  • Reply 22 of 46
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator
    phil_w said:
    Can we get clarification on the original post about Nvidia in eGPU working again? Myself and the entire eGPU community are not seeing the same success!
    Sure. On a 2017 i7 15-inch MacBook Pro, on the beta track of High Sierra version 10.13.0 (not the new 10.13.1), a Gigabyte Nvidia 980ti was functional in a Mantiz MZ-02 enclosure with the new firmware with a three-foot active TB3 cable. No speed testing was performed, nor was it attempted with any other hardware combination including the other enclosures I have at my disposal -- but it beat a blank desktop. It did NOT function under the non beta-track release of 10.13.0.

    However, overnight I migrated to 10.13.1, and it no longer functions -- driver or Apple, who knows. So, if forces align properly at some point before my shift tonight, I'll be downgrading to 10.13.0 and trying it all again.
    edited September 2017
  • Reply 23 of 46
    riverko said:
    Updated the CUDA driver and the panel in system preferences still says it needs updated driver...
    This. Never change NVIDIA. Drop a brand new CUDA driver on 9/27, a week after the release of High Sierra, and it’s not compatible with High Sierra. WTF? Oh well, the one app I have that actually uses it doesn’t see any performance improvement I can discern when using it (Digital Photo Professional). 
  • Reply 24 of 46
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    In related if tangential news, the Unity Engine isn't working with AMD and High Sierra properly.  Very glitchy graphics.  I do not know if this is AMD or Unity's problem to fix.  It's staggering given this issue was seen in the first developer beta of 10.13 that at this late stage the problem has gone unfixed.  I've read some reports blaming APFS itself which I guess it could be if a needed driver file is not getting accessed due to use of some depreciated symbolic link or something.  
    edited September 2017
  • Reply 25 of 46
    phil_w said:
    Can we get clarification on the original post about Nvidia in eGPU working again? Myself and the entire eGPU community are not seeing the same success!
    Sure. On a 2017 i7 15-inch MacBook Pro, on the beta track of High Sierra version 10.13.0 (not the new 10.13.1), a Gigabyte Nvidia 980ti was functional in a Mantiz MZ-02 enclosure with the new firmware with a three-foot active TB3 cable. No speed testing was performed, nor was it attempted with any other hardware combination including the other enclosures I have at my disposal -- but it beat a blank desktop. It did NOT function under the non beta-track release of 10.13.0.

    However, overnight I migrated to 10.13.1, and it no longer functions -- driver or Apple, who knows. So, if forces align properly at some point before my shift tonight, I'll be downgrading to 10.13.0 and trying it all again.
    I'm not sure how beta track of High Sierra 10.13.0 (17A362a) is able to run Nvidia Web driver. The build numbers are different. Unless it detects macOS build 17A365, the Nvidia web driver installer will refuse to proceed.
  • Reply 26 of 46
    So remind me please Mike (I lose track of what does and doesn't work), with a 2016 MacBook Pro (USB-C/TB-3), can an e-GPU be used to accelerate the built-in display, or will it only work with an external monitor?
    It'll work in High Sierra with a minor hack, but it's rough on bandwidth, to the tune of about a 50% hit on max speed of the card if it was connected to an external display. There's just not enough speed in TB3 to feed both the card at full speed, and loop it back at full resolution.

    I don't recommend it.
    OK, curious then, is it possible to use 2 thunderbolt 3 cords to send the display back on a separate port, or is this not supported?
  • Reply 27 of 46
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    phil_w said:
    Can we get clarification on the original post about Nvidia in eGPU working again? Myself and the entire eGPU community are not seeing the same success!
    Sure. On a 2017 i7 15-inch MacBook Pro, on the beta track of High Sierra version 10.13.0 (not the new 10.13.1), a Gigabyte Nvidia 980ti was functional in a Mantiz MZ-02 enclosure with the new firmware with a three-foot active TB3 cable. No speed testing was performed, nor was it attempted with any other hardware combination including the other enclosures I have at my disposal -- but it beat a blank desktop. It did NOT function under the non beta-track release of 10.13.0.

    However, overnight I migrated to 10.13.1, and it no longer functions -- driver or Apple, who knows. So, if forces align properly at some point before my shift tonight, I'll be downgrading to 10.13.0 and trying it all again.
    I'm just now migrating to 10.13.1 and wonder if Unity issue may be fixed or get worse!  lol
  • Reply 28 of 46
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator
    theitsage said:
    phil_w said:
    Can we get clarification on the original post about Nvidia in eGPU working again? Myself and the entire eGPU community are not seeing the same success!
    Sure. On a 2017 i7 15-inch MacBook Pro, on the beta track of High Sierra version 10.13.0 (not the new 10.13.1), a Gigabyte Nvidia 980ti was functional in a Mantiz MZ-02 enclosure with the new firmware with a three-foot active TB3 cable. No speed testing was performed, nor was it attempted with any other hardware combination including the other enclosures I have at my disposal -- but it beat a blank desktop. It did NOT function under the non beta-track release of 10.13.0.

    However, overnight I migrated to 10.13.1, and it no longer functions -- driver or Apple, who knows. So, if forces align properly at some point before my shift tonight, I'll be downgrading to 10.13.0 and trying it all again.
    I'm not sure how beta track of High Sierra 10.13.0 (17A362a) is able to run Nvidia Web driver. The build numbers are different. Unless it detects macOS build 17A365, the Nvidia web driver installer will refuse to proceed.
    Prior to yesterday's 10.13.1 there was a 17A365 download for developers on the distribute page with retention of eGPU support. Only my 5,1 is on the "retail" HS.
    edited September 2017
  • Reply 29 of 46
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator

    So remind me please Mike (I lose track of what does and doesn't work), with a 2016 MacBook Pro (USB-C/TB-3), can an e-GPU be used to accelerate the built-in display, or will it only work with an external monitor?
    It'll work in High Sierra with a minor hack, but it's rough on bandwidth, to the tune of about a 50% hit on max speed of the card if it was connected to an external display. There's just not enough speed in TB3 to feed both the card at full speed, and loop it back at full resolution.

    I don't recommend it.
    OK, curious then, is it possible to use 2 thunderbolt 3 cords to send the display back on a separate port, or is this not supported?
    It is not.
    edited September 2017
  • Reply 30 of 46
    Nvidia says to not run High Sierra on a 4,1 and use a Nvidia card unless you want to delve into KEXT modification. Use the 4,1 to 5,1 firmware upgrade tool, install High Sierra, then install the driver.
    Aha. So. Uh... I’ll see if I can run the firmware tool from High Sierra already, then wipe my boot drive, then clean install High Sierra, then restore from my Time machine backup. Thanks a ton, Mike (and nVidia, too)! You’d think that Apple would want to extend the life of their Mac Pro users as much as possible as we wait for their new model...
  • Reply 31 of 46
    I have a 2012 Mac Pro 5,1 with an AMD Sapphire 7950 3GB card. If High Sierra and Nvidia can render support for a better performing video card, can anyone recommend a better, updated card? I'd be interested in a card that supports 4K at 60Hz, so I can update these dual Apple 23's to something larger and with more resolution. Currently using the machine for post-production occasionally with 4K video material. I googled some cards this morning but experience and recommendations go a lot further with me. The 980 ti card is a little out of what I would want to spend on this old machine. The iMac Pro coming out is also something to consider when it comes to investing more $ into upgrading the rig.
  • Reply 32 of 46
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator
    I have a 2012 Mac Pro 5,1 with an AMD Sapphire 7950 3GB card. If High Sierra and Nvidia can render support for a better performing video card, can anyone recommend a better, updated card? I'd be interested in a card that supports 4K at 60Hz, so I can update these dual Apple 23's to something larger and with more resolution. Currently using the machine for post-production occasionally with 4K video material. I googled some cards this morning but experience and recommendations go a lot further with me. The 980 ti card is a little out of what I would want to spend on this old machine. The iMac Pro coming out is also something to consider when it comes to investing more $ into upgrading the rig.
    Honestly, I'd hang on until the iMac Pro in your situation and revisit when we know more about it. I tinker, and I like doing it which is why I have it. But, there comes a point of diminishing returns, and you're probably there.
    edited September 2017 jalapenino
  • Reply 33 of 46
    For the love of… I have to clean install 10.10 or earlier now. I didn’t turn off SIP before applying the firmware upgrade, so now it will always refuse to apply it until an OS without SIP is in play. I think I’ll just deal with not being able to sleep OS X for a while. After all, I can’t sleep Windows, either.

    Some SEO references for anyone who had to dig through a dozen websites like me:

    MacPro4,1
    MacPro5,1
    Black screen on sleep; hard restart
    GTX 980 970 960, pci10de,fbb
    Mac Pro firmware update utility

    And now what I figure is the proper series of steps so that people don’t get stuck like me:

    Disable SIP on your Mac Pro
    Download the Mac Pro firmware update utility
    Download Mac Pro EFI update 1.5
    Mount the Mac Pro EFI update 1.5
    Run the Mac Pro firmware tool
    Do what it says
    You should see a change in System Information from this to this.
    Enable SIP on your Mac Pro

    And supposedly things will work, but again, I’m not there yet myself.

    I don’t even know what. Others have done that list of steps and it seems to work for them, so maybe it is valid and I just fell into the crack.
    edited September 2017
  • Reply 34 of 46
    MacPro said:
    In related if tangential news, the Unity Engine isn't working with AMD and High Sierra properly.  Very glitchy graphics.  I do not know if this is AMD or Unity's problem to fix.  It's staggering given this issue was seen in the first developer beta of 10.13 that at this late stage the problem has gone unfixed.  I've read some reports blaming APFS itself which I guess it could be if a needed driver file is not getting accessed due to use of some depreciated symbolic link or something.  
    Glad I stumbled across your comment. I've had trouble with Cities: Skylines (which uses the Unity Engine) since the HS beta 2 and it's been varying degrees of glitches and freezes. I am not on an APFS drive.
  • Reply 35 of 46
    I have a 2012 Mac Pro 5,1 with an AMD Sapphire 7950 3GB card. If High Sierra and Nvidia can render support for a better performing video card, can anyone recommend a better, updated card? I'd be interested in a card that supports 4K at 60Hz, so I can update these dual Apple 23's to something larger and with more resolution. Currently using the machine for post-production occasionally with 4K video material. I googled some cards this morning but experience and recommendations go a lot further with me. The 980 ti card is a little out of what I would want to spend on this old machine. The iMac Pro coming out is also something to consider when it comes to investing more $ into upgrading the rig.
    Honestly, I'd hang on until the iMac Pro in your situation and revisit when we know more about it. I tinker, and I like doing it which is why I have it. But, there comes a point of diminishing returns, and you're probably there.
    Thanks for the reply. I felt it worth asking, even if this is where my thoughts were as well. 
  • Reply 36 of 46
    For the love of… I have to clean install 10.10 or earlier now. I didn’t turn off SIP before applying the firmware upgrade, so now it will always refuse to apply it until an OS without SIP is in play. I think I’ll just deal with not being able to sleep OS X for a while. After all, I can’t sleep Windows, either.

    Some SEO references for anyone who had to dig through a dozen websites like me:

    MacPro4,1
    MacPro5,1
    Black screen on sleep; hard restart
    GTX 980 970 960, pci10de,fbb
    Mac Pro firmware update utility

    And now what I figure is the proper series of steps so that people don’t get stuck like me:

    Disable SIP on your Mac Pro
    Download the Mac Pro firmware update utility
    Download Mac Pro EFI update 1.5
    Mount the Mac Pro EFI update 1.5
    Run the Mac Pro firmware tool
    Do what it says
    You should see a change in System Information from this to this.
    Enable SIP on your Mac Pro

    And supposedly things will work, but again, I’m not there yet myself.
    Crap, sorry Tallest. Would have told you to disable SIP... sorry to hear.
    tallest skil
  • Reply 37 of 46
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    jabohn said:
    MacPro said:
    In related if tangential news, the Unity Engine isn't working with AMD and High Sierra properly.  Very glitchy graphics.  I do not know if this is AMD or Unity's problem to fix.  It's staggering given this issue was seen in the first developer beta of 10.13 that at this late stage the problem has gone unfixed.  I've read some reports blaming APFS itself which I guess it could be if a needed driver file is not getting accessed due to use of some depreciated symbolic link or something.  
    Glad I stumbled across your comment. I've had trouble with Cities: Skylines (which uses the Unity Engine) since the HS beta 2 and it's been varying degrees of glitches and freezes. I am not on an APFS drive.
    I am surprised AI hasn't reported on this.  10.13.1 didn't help.  The moderator on one Paradox blog admitted it was an issue most likely at Unity's feet.  How on earth this wasn't picked and fixed up in developer betas is unfathomable.
  • Reply 38 of 46
    Disk Utility in High Sierra no longer accepts Mac OS install DMGs to turn into USB installers, so I had to use my 2007 iMac in the basement RUNNING LION that I use as an iTunes Server to even make a Yosemite install drive. While all this stuff was downloading and copying, I make a point of manually backing up the files and folders that I know from experience Time Machine just completely ignores and lets you lose whenever it makes a backup (everything in your User/Library folder and all “On My Mac” folders in Mail).

    Update: With a Yosemite install USB made, my Mac Pro kernel panics if I try to boot from it, so that’s that. I guess I can’t get my GPU working. I’ll see if I can go back to Sierra, but I was apparently too fucking stupid to get the release version associated with my account in the Mac App Store, so I’ll have to pirate it (hooray, trusting unsigned files!) because Apple refuses to let anyone get old versions of the OS unless they were downloaded during the year they were available. If Sierra doesn’t work, I’ll chalk the problem up not to “something has been updated to make the machine ‘too new’ to run the older OS’,” but rather “I’m a complete fucking idiot who should probably just kill himself.” Thanks again, everyone, for your help and support.

    Since we’re past the 4 hour limit, could a moderator please update the last line of post #33 in this thread to read… I don’t even know what. Others have done that list of steps and it seems to work for them, so maybe it is valid and I just fell into the crack.
  • Reply 39 of 46
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator
    Disk Utility in High Sierra no longer accepts Mac OS install DMGs to turn into USB installers, so I had to use my 2007 iMac in the basement RUNNING LION that I use as an iTunes Server to even make a Yosemite install drive. While all this stuff was downloading and copying, I make a point of manually backing up the files and folders that I know from experience Time Machine just completely ignores and lets you lose whenever it makes a backup (everything in your User/Library folder and all “On My Mac” folders in Mail).

    Update: With a Yosemite install USB made, my Mac Pro kernel panics if I try to boot from it, so that’s that. I guess I can’t get my GPU working. I’ll see if I can go back to Sierra, but I was apparently too fucking stupid to get the release version associated with my account in the Mac App Store, so I’ll have to pirate it (hooray, trusting unsigned files!) because Apple refuses to let anyone get old versions of the OS unless they were downloaded during the year they were available. If Sierra doesn’t work, I’ll chalk the problem up not to “something has been updated to make the machine ‘too new’ to run the older OS’,” but rather “I’m a complete fucking idiot who should probably just kill himself.” Thanks again, everyone, for your help and support.

    Since we’re past the 4 hour limit, could a moderator please update the last line of post #33 in this thread to read… I don’t even know what. Others have done that list of steps and it seems to work for them, so maybe it is valid and I just fell into the crack.
    Now that I've read this- there may be a step you missed. The firmware update needs a flashed, or official, video card to work.
    tallest skil
  • Reply 40 of 46
    Now that I've read this- there may be a step you missed. The firmware update needs a flashed, or official, video card to work.
    Official meaning “something that came straight from Apple”? I had my off the shelf PC card installed when I did the firmware update (but would’ve failed anyway due to SIP), but my display was connected to my OEM GT 120. Should I have taken the PC card out of the tower entirely?
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