I'm planning on getting an eGPU for my 2020 Mac mini running Catalina 10.15.6. I've read a number of posts on this forum saying that having FileVault on with an eGPU can cause problems during the boot sequence. I have two questions related to that. Does anyone using an eGPU with FileVault on have their computer start up normally? That is, no blank screen, don't have to plug and unplug things or similar? And, if I turn off FileVault, can someone tell me what happens? Do my files just de-encrypt in the background and life goes on? Something else? I have several backups but would rather not mess too badly with a computer that's given me as few problems as this one has. Thanks.
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eGPU & FileVault
- Thread starter Daverich4
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My FileVault experience (Macbook Air, Mojave) is that the eGPU only starts working after login. With the Air that isn't too much of a problem: login on the internal display, then get to work/gaming on the external. With a Mac Mini that may require at least one display connected directly to the Mini.
When FileVault is turned off everything is supposed to simply decrypt in the background. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204837
When FileVault is turned off everything is supposed to simply decrypt in the background. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204837
The general issue happens both with and without FileVault. I've used distinct Mini 2018 units that differed in that way, and with different eGPUs, and seen it to varying degrees and frequencies on all of them.
There is simply flakey code in the Mini 2018 Boot ROM since the Catalina (and very late Mojave) days, that needs a real fix from Apple and not voodoo from users.
After all these months, it's actually quite an annoying subject to read about on these forums, because we have people post half-baked claims about fully working hardware combinations, that are easily falsified by existing posts in the big long threads.
There is simply flakey code in the Mini 2018 Boot ROM since the Catalina (and very late Mojave) days, that needs a real fix from Apple and not voodoo from users.
After all these months, it's actually quite an annoying subject to read about on these forums, because we have people post half-baked claims about fully working hardware combinations, that are easily falsified by existing posts in the big long threads.
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My impression from your post is that you’ve not been able to find a combination that “just works” either with or without FileVault? If that’s the case I’d probably pass on getting an eGPU until it gets sorted out.
That's right. When there is a new macOS release that comes with an updated Boot ROM and you see EVERYONE posting "Finally... my issue is gone", then that's the time you can be confident about eGPU and the Mini 2018. Until then it's just voodoo and nondeterminism.