SATA Express meets the '09 Mac Pro - Bootable NGFF PCIE SSD

[Foamsoup]

Dual boot issues

Hello everyone,

I'm having troubles with the Sintec Adapter+Apple blade setup.

Installed the Adapter with a SandDisk 128 GB (pulled) Apple blade in PCI slot 3 of my Mac Pro 5.1 this morning. Booted into Recovery HD 10.9 of my boot-drive in HD Bay 1 and restored the OS X boot-drive to the Apple blade.

Until this point everything seemed to work fine. Performance was as expected an the blade booted after relativ long boot screen.

But... since I switched to the PCIE ssd my Bootcamp Windows 7 installation on a separate drive in HD Bay 4 won't boot.

Secondly, when I remove my old boot drive the PCIE ssd won't boot up either.

What I've tried so far:
Update the boot drive to 10.10 on the blade.
Reinstall Windows 7.

For know I've removed the Sintec Adapter and everything works fine again.

Could someone confirm the described dual boot (dual drive) setup working at all?

Any suggestion concerning the OS X boot issues?

Thanks!

-Edit-
Strange things that happened during troubleshooting:
- after installing the pulled PCIE SSD disk utility prompted to repair the fusion drive (by deleting every other drive from bay 1 to 4 in the process!)
- launching disk utility in 10.10 on the PCIE SSD via spotlight would bring up 10.9 disk utility from the old boot drive
-after unplugging the power cord the system booted into internet recovery mode.

 

[hfg]

Hello everyone,

I'm having troubles with the Sintec Adapter+Apple blade setup.

Installed the Adapter with a SandDisk 128 GB (pulled) Apple blade in PCI slot 3 of my Mac Pro 5.1 this morning. Booted into Recovery HD 10.9 of my boot-drive in HD Bay 1 and restored the OS X boot-drive to the Apple blade.

Until this point everything seemed to work fine. Performance was as expected an the blade booted after relativ long boot screen.

But... since I switched to the PCIE ssd my Bootcamp Windows 7 installation on a separate drive in HD Bay 4 won't boot.

Secondly, when I remove my old boot drive the PCIE ssd won't boot up either.

What I've tried so far:
Update the boot drive to 10.10 on the blade.
Reinstall Windows 7.

For know I've removed the Sintec Adapter and everything works fine again.

Could someone confirm the described dual boot (dual drive) setup working at all?

Any suggestion concerning the OS X boot issues?

Thanks!

-Edit-
Strange things that happened during troubleshooting:
- after installing the pulled PCIE SSD disk utility prompted to repair the fusion drive (by deleting every other drive from bay 1 to 4 in the process!)
- launching disk utility in 10.10 on the PCIE SSD via spotlight would bring up 10.9 disk utility from the old boot drive
-after unplugging the power cord the system booted into internet recovery mode.

Just for confirmation, I am currently running a Sintec Adapter card with a Apple 1TB SSD on it in slot 3. I have Windows 8 on a Velocity DUO x2 PCIe card (Sandisk 512GB 840 Pro) in slot 2. Both operating systems are working. I have 4 hard disks in the backplane trays which are used for a boot-clone, archive docs and media files, and Time Machine ... nothing to do with either OS run environment. This is on a 5,1 Mac Pro.

 

[ShawnF]

Sonnet Tempo PCIe SSD

Just saw this on Sonnet's website. Not that impressive - oh when will they relase dual-slot PCI-E SSD adapters!? I don't want to waste my PCI-E slot!

Sonnet Tempo PCIe SSD

 

[Macsonic]

Just saw this on Sonnet's website. Not that impressive - oh when will they relase dual-slot PCI-E SSD adapters!? I don't want to waste my PCI-E slot!

Sonnet Tempo PCIe SSD

Image

Thanks for this info ShawnF. Good to know there are more options for the cMac Pro and third party manufacturers are offering new ways of upgrading at a possible lower cost.

 

[Synchro3]

Just saw this on Sonnet's website. Not that impressive - oh when will they relase dual-slot PCI-E SSD adapters!? I don't want to waste my PCI-E slot!

Sonnet Tempo PCIe SSD

Image

In the tech spec is written 'OS X Yosemite compatible'. Means that native TRIM support?

 

[mikeboss]

In the tech spec is written 'OS X Yosemite compatible'. Means that native TRIM support?

I highly doubt that. I think they would have mentioned it specifically if TRIM was supported out of the box...

 

[Pressure]

I believe it's just an Samsung XP941 with a PCIe adaptor.

 

[Pending]

Thanks for this info ShawnF. Good to know there are more options for the cMac Pro and third party manufacturers are offering new ways of upgrading at a possible lower cost.

Not exactly competitively priced though at $799.

 

[Synchro3]

Yes. For this price or less you can get an original Apple 1 TB PCIE SSD + Sintech Adapter. With native TRIM support.

I guess all third party SSD suppliers, does not matter whether PCI or SATA suppliers, will have a problem in the future with Apple TRIM restrictions since Yosemite. Including high priced premium products like the LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2 and the OWC and Sonnet products. Smells like court case...

 

[hfg]

Yes. For this price or less you can get an original Apple 1 TB PCIE SSD + Sintech Adapter. With native TRIM support.

I guess all third party SSD suppliers, does not matter whether PCI or SATA suppliers, will have a problem in the future with Apple TRIM restrictions since Yosemite...

Hopefully, these 3rd party SSD suppliers will apply some pressure on Apple to fix this trim issue since it affects their business. Users should also give Apple feedback on the blocking of trim for non-Apple SSD upgrade parts.

 

[flowrider]

Yes. For this price or less you can get an original Apple 1 TB PCIE SSD + Sintech Adapter. With native TRIM support.

I guess all third party SSD suppliers, does not matter whether PCI or SATA suppliers, will have a problem in the future with Apple TRIM restrictions since Yosemite. Including high priced premium products like the LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2 and the OWC and Sonnet products. Smells like court case...

Actually No! ALMOST all third pasty SSD suppliers face the TRIM issue. There is one that identifies their SSDs as Apple Devices and they feature native TRIM support. I know of no one on this forum that has one however:

http://www.angelbird.com/en/prod/ssd-wrk-for-mac-pro-937/

Long discussion on TRIM here:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1807889/

Lou

----------

Hopefully, these 3rd party SSD suppliers will apply some pressure on Apple to fix this trim issue since it affects their business. Users should also give Apple feedback on the blocking of trim for non-Apple SSD upgrade parts.

There is a petition on this forum that does what you are asking:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1816557/

 

[Synchro3]

Yes, because they are cheating simulating an Apple firmware. This can not be the solution.

Apart from that Angelbird SSD's have SandForce controllers. I don't trust SandForce controllers, had heavy issues with an OZC SSD a while ago. And they don't have 1 TB SSD's.

 

[flowrider]

^^^^I never said it was the right fix, I said that, as of right now, there is a supplier that doesn't face Apple's ridiculous decision to exclude third party manufacturers of SSDs from natively supporting TRIM.

Apple has done nothing, AFAIK, to prevent Anglebird from doing this. However, they could throw up more roadblocks in the future or they could relent and remove the kext signing issue.

And, as of now, we do have another option, Cindori's TRIM Enabler. When used with precautions, it is a workable solution.

Lou

 

[handheldgames]

Just saw this on Sonnet's website. Not that impressive - oh when will they relase dual-slot PCI-E SSD adapters!? I don't want to waste my PCI-E slot!

Sonnet Tempo PCIe SSD

Image

Thanks for sharing! (great posts everyone) Can't wait to see Sonnet drop their prices to be competitive in the market. FWIW.. It's a purple Lycom PCIe SSD adapter, less the LED lighting post with SN added to the part number. Worth $799... Not!!

Smart Purchase: Sintech Adapter $10 + 1TB Apple SSD = $600ish delivered.
Almost Smart Purchase: Lycom Adapter $23 + Samsung XP941 $499 = $550ish delivered.
Sheep Purchase: Sonnet Tempo PCIe SSD = $799. Baaaahhhhhhh!

Is removing a sticker from a XP941, adding a $.05 heat sync and a purple PCB worth $200+?

If they spent .25 more, they could have added a LED light to the back of the card to let users know the card is plugged in.. hahaha. That's that the small hole in the PCIe bracket was designed for.

Regarding TRIM support & the xp941
Whilst I had trim support installed on my cMP, upgrading to the latest Yosemite Developer beta has disabled it and any signs of trim enabler from my system. My 1st install from Cindori's Trim Enabler resulted in a non-functional OS, requiring a boot into the rescue partition AND entering some commands into terminal to allow the system to boot. I'm glad it's not an issue with the Apple PCIe ssd and more of an annoyance to keep my system running smoothly.

 

[Synchro3]

Sheep Purchase: Sonnet Tempo PCIe SSD = $799. Baaaahhhhhhh!

Is removing a sticker from a XP941, adding a $.05 heat sync and a purple PCB worth $200+?

If they spent .25 more, they could have added a LED light to the back of the card to let users know the card is plugged in.. hahaha. That's that the small hole in the PCIe bracket was designed for.

Sonnet (and also OWC) do not have an unique selling proposition anymore, since people can buy the adapter cards and PCIe SSD's separately. **** happens. Ok, OWC is much cheaper.

 

[Macsonic]

Not exactly competitively priced though at $799.

Yep it's pricey and we still have yet to find out how it performs and maybe Sonnet might bring down their pricing.

 

[666sheep]

Yep it's pricey and we still have yet to find out how it performs and maybe Sonnet might bring down their pricing.

Performance of the Sonnet is already known (see handheld's post above). Unless purple PCB, lack of jumper and Samsung sticker gives a noticeable boost over DT120 + XP941...

 

[kennyman]

Apple 1TB SSD - where to buy?

I had to upgrade to Yosemite. Now I am not comfortable with trim disabled (using Samsung pro 512). I am thinking of purchasing Apple 1Tb SSD, but I cannot find anything on ebay. Anyone one knows where I can purchase one?

 

[Sharky II]

If i wanna get the cheap PCIe adaptor, are there 128/256GB blade SSD options for the more budget conscious?

Sorry if this is obvious, but the thread is rather long and complicated!

 

[Synchro3]

I had to upgrade to Yosemite. Now I am not comfortable with trim disabled (using Samsung pro 512). I am thinking of purchasing Apple 1Tb SSD, but I cannot find anything on ebay. Anyone one knows where I can purchase one?

Search for 'Apple Samsung 1 TB SSD'. I found four different ones.

 

[waimtrp]

just saw this one , look interesting, any one will try?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NGFF-M-2-...apter-Card-For-Mac-Pro-1-1-5-1-/251742508608?

 

[ShawnF]

just saw this one , look interesting, any one will try?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NGFF-M-2-...apter-Card-For-Mac-Pro-1-1-5-1-/251742508608?

I think this adapter will run only SATA M.2 and not the ones like the Samsung XP941 SSD or the Apple Mac Pro blade models. I have seen a few of such adapters elsewhere like on Addonics:

Dual Hyper HDD - M2 hybrid Controller

 

[Harry322]

Man, I really want to pick up one of those 1.4 GB/s SSD Blades. That's the MZ-KPV1T00/0A2 correct?

Anyone have any idea when or if we will see another wave of these on eBay?

I got $1K burning a hole in my pocket!

 

[ShawnF]

So which Samsung blade to buy?

This article on Barefeats has left me somewhat confused:

http://barefeats.com/hard166.html

It's shown here as the Samsung 830 model which is used in the retina rMBP model 2012.

So which Samsung blade should I buy? Any advice on the exact model/part number? Really wanna get an Apple one so I don't have to meddle with TRIM when I migrate to Yosemite but I'm putting my purchase plans on eBay on hold first....

ShawnF

 

[TruckdriverSean]

This article on Barefeats has left me somewhat confused:

http://barefeats.com/hard166.html

It's shown here as the Samsung 830 model which is used in the retina rMBP model 2012.

So which Samsung blade should I buy? Any advice on the exact model/part number? Really wanna get an Apple one so I don't have to meddle with TRIM when I migrate to Yosemite but I'm putting my purchase plans on eBay on hold first....

ShawnF

Ok I see the confusion.

That article is talking about SATA connected flash storage.

The modules look very similar to PCIe-connected modules discussed in the latter part of this thread. Mid 2012 and Early 2013 rMBP's used SATA, while "Late 2013" used faster PCIe.

There is also att least one seller on eBay who is mislabeled some SATA-SSD's as being compatible with PCIe storage apple devices.

Here is one DO NOT BUY!
eBay item number 131341964785
DO NOT BUY THIS!

Note in the description he labels it as compatible with the late 2013 Mac Pro among others that IT IS NOT compatible with.

--------------------------------------

I even sent a question to this seller:

ME: Is this from the 2012/early 2013 Retina Macbook Pro?

If so (and it appears to be) it is SATA, and will NOT fit the late 2013 macbook pro nor the late 2013 Mac Pro, which use PCIe based flash storage.

Might want to double check me on that, and if I'm wrong or the picture is incorrect, let me know.

His response:
this SSD late 2012,early 2013,PCIe based flash storage

--------------------------------------

The easy way to tell them apart by sight is the connector.

SATA has a notch at about the 80/20 point, and flipped over to its backside looks the same.

PCIe has the notch almost in the middle (maybe 60/40) and flipped over the connector appears banded with several dark strips along its length.