Now scared to update to 15.4.1 even if my Sonnet Breakaway Puck still works!
***Done! No changes in EFI or T2 firmware.
***Done! No changes in EFI or T2 firmware.
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eGPU (Sonnet) not longer working with a 2018 Mac mini after upgrading to Sequoia 15.4
- Thread starter Keblar
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Nothing yet Patrice. I updated to 15.4.1 and it crashes, when gets hot plugged, and does not boot into macOS.
Im putting my hopes to the upcoming macOS 15.5 update *i think its a firmware thing, my Sonnet breakaway is working and gets a blue light, graphics card is new, and the PSU is without problems.
Strange thing is it stopped working in macOS 15.4, but bootcamp in Windows 10 worked perfectly. Now either of operating systems work *the graphics card gets detected in device manager though.
I placed 2 bug reports at Apple with the 2 updates.
I also sent the crash reports to Apple when prompted at startup.
Hi Patrice. Nothing yet, just waiting for 15.5
While I wait for that to come out, I have read disabling the t2 chip in Apple Startup Security Utility may resolve eGPU malfunction by bootcamp in Windows 10. Also it allows Windows 11 installation. Any thoughts? you only have to check two boxes in a menu, and I believe it can be enable and disabled as long as you want, anytime.
Does anyone know any risks of doing this? I know its a security chip, but as long as I just surf secure websites, its safe, right?
Please, any feedback on this would help. I need my eGPU again working in macOS and bootcamp.
I didn’t know that the T2 chip could be disabled… In the startup utility, you can enable booting from external as far as I know, not sure T2 could be disabled entirely.
Hi frou,
More than one time actually. Multiple email exchange with Sonnet Tech Support since the issue happened. It was the first channel I reached as a matter a fact.
They said to check cables, all the usual stuff (tried two different cables, even a TB4 one. PSU lights up blue; fans start spinning, and the graphics card is new; checked if it was working in another PC, just to make sure).
They told me that they placed a report to Apple regarding this issue (Breakaway eGfx 350w malfunction under Sequoia 15.4) It only remains to wait for 15.5 and a firmware update that resolves this issue. It's really annoying to get cut off like this. My eGPU worked fine in multiple macOS versions, including Sequoia 15.0 up until 15.3.2
It's not like iam using an unsupported macOS.
That's my current state.
I found this links browsing the web regarding the T2 chip. It says that it can be disabled and enabled easily.
About Startup Security Utility on a Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip - Apple Support
Use Startup Security Utility to make sure that your Mac always starts up from your designated startup disk, and always from a legitimate, trusted operating system.
In the Apple support page it says that you can do this by changing the default option from FULL SECURITY, to NO SECURITY
Also checking the ALLOW BOOTING FROM EXTERNAL MEDIA.
Those two options. My concern is bricking my Mac mini by performing this action, or any other problem later on. Any thoughts?
Thanks everyone
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Agree and this is a great example of why Apple should make it practical to downgrade the firmware (it is possible but beyond the reach of most people).
I think this is article is misleading when it says you can disable the T2 chip. You can disable the T2's enforcement of certain boot security features but the T2 chip remains enabled. It has to -- it still has to carry out the other functions such as the hardware-level encryption to the internal SSD. Some of its less known functions on Macs so equipped include hardware video compression. I also assume the "Mic Drop" and "Touch ID" features can't be turned off.
About Startup Security Utility on a Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip - Apple Support
Use Startup Security Utility to make sure that your Mac always starts up from your designated startup disk, and always from a legitimate, trusted operating system.support.apple.com
In the Apple support page it says that you can do this by changing the default option from FULL SECURITY, to NO SECURITY
Also checking the ALLOW BOOTING FROM EXTERNAL MEDIA.
Yes this disables those boot security features, and some people need or prefer this configuration.
It won't brick your Mac. There are security implications to disabling these features that makes some people anxious.
Some people seem happy with this -- see at the end of this message:
Some detailed discussions of the Mac boot process which is probably overkill for your question:
Booting an M1 Mac: external disks and local boot policy
How an M1 Mac can start up from an external bootable disk, and how that can fail. All about boot security policy, and how that’s applied.
eclecticlight.co
How Macs boot securely, or can’t
How Intel Macs without a T2 chip boot, and how Secure Boot works in those with T2 or Apple silicon chips. How the latter can still enjoy Secure Boot when starting up from an external disk.
eclecticlight.co
I would be surprised that would be the case but I don't have this configuration. However, I understood from the above your issues were using an eGPU under macOS Sequoia? Are you also trying to use it with Windows 10 or thinking of switching to Windows 10?
My understanding is that Windows 11 installation on an Intel Mac requires disabling its TPM 2.0 requirements -- this is not the same as Apple's T2. However, others who have done this can weigh in the exact configuration requirements for installing Windows 11 on an Intel Mac with T2.
Hi @Engender and @bzgnyc2,
First, let me thank you both for your feedback. I greatly appreciate it.
Next. I read in some comments that disabling Apple Security Boot, may bring malware and other security issues.
Do you both think it could REALLY help with eGPU boot under macOS Sequoia 15.4.1 and bootcamp (Windows 10)? By freeing up boot resources, especially in Windows 10 (error 12).
Or should I wait for macOS 15.5 update. AI in a Google search says that the firmware would be updated and that eGPU compatibility would be expanded to newer and existing cards in 15.5
I know that's an AI response, but I can't find any article (official or unofficial) backing this up.
Another question: Is there any harm in letting your Mac and eGPU enclosure sleeping all the time when not in use. Is that recommended?
Note: my Sonnet egx breakaway box equipped with the Radeon RX 5500 XT currently does not work with 15.4.1 (it worked fine in macOS 15.3.2 and below). But in Windows 10 is kind of different, as sometimes recognizes the Sonnet (it takes a lot of tries though).
Thanks to everyone that has taken the time to send information regarding my specific issue with my eGPU setup.
The main difference from changing to Secure Boot=No Security is that you will be able to boot an OS not signed by Apple (I am guessing needed for Ashani Linux and Windows 11, both of which we should ignore for now as a distraction to your main problem). Secure Boot=Medium lets you run any OS signed by Apple (e.g. all previous versions of macOS). By itself, it won't generally make your macOS configuration materially more prone to malware.
If you are dual-booting, the theoretical vulnerability is that malware could come through the Windows side and insert itself into the boot sequence. Assuming your Windows configuration is properly configured, this seems as likely as the same happening on the Mac side due to an Apple bug. Not impossible but very very unlikely.
I think it is very unlikely but it's getting hard to predict the interactions across today's stacks of hardware and software. For all I know Apple inserted some code in the Sequoia 15.4.1 (or its associated firmware) that considers the extension of the PCIe bus through the Sonnet breakaway box as a secure vulnerability and blocks it. That's not even speculation though -- pure hypothetical of what Apple could be doing to cause what once worked not to work in this case.
However, going from Secure Boot=Full Security to Secure Boot=No Security, is something you can easily try to test and easily revert back if it doesn't make a difference.
Unless Apple or a vendor has said the macOS 15.5 update will fix it, I would assume it won't. Worth testing when it comes out but I wouldn't count on it. I would not trust an AI response unless it can point to its sources.
I am very very doubtful macOS 15.5 will expand eGPU compatibility to newer cards.
Harm? Almost certainly not. Sometimes OS/firmware doesn't work well with sleep and then the system will fail to wake from sleep or crash after waking from sleep. In which case one of the first things I try is disabling sleep to see if any crashing goes away. But that's different than harm. The most harmful issue related to sleep I could see is if the system overheats and then goes to sleep and doesn't turn on the fan but that's really a stretch.
Is it practical for you to downgrade to macOS 15.3.2? Note doing so may require Secure Boot=Medium.
Curious that it takes multiple tries -- unclear why it wouldn't either always work or never work. Anything in the Windows logs that seems significantly different on occasions when it works versus when it doesn't?
I downgraded to Mojave and Sonoma *what used to work, now is broken. i assume the firmware update is the culprit, regardless of the macOS version you are using.
Thanks for the info about sleeping an eGPU and a mac.
Currently, 7 out of 10 times the eGPU will not boot. I am writing this in Windows 10 with the eGPU working after several tries. BUT, i disabled an intel graphics thing that was automatically at startup. I will report if that was the issue taking startup resources booting up.
Testing that at the end of the day, as i do not want to try a 10 time boot to get the eGPU running again.
Thanks @bzgnyc2
Yes with the data we have so far that is the likeliest explanation short of a confirmation that it starts working again right after downgrading the firmware. Unfortunately, such firmware downgrades now requires a second Mac and Apple Configurator and a bit of futzing around. You also have to be careful that another macOS installer doesn't go ahead and automatically update your firmware for you right after that...
I am not sure what startup resources would be in short supply in this case given modern hardware and software.
If you can distinguish how the boots under Windows differ between when the eGPU works and when it doesn't, that might illuminate the issue for both OS. They're obviously completely different OS but maybe whatever conflict/failure to initialize/etc that is causing Windows to fail to see the eGPU most of the time is causing the Mac to fail to see it all of the time (wild speculation here...).
Otherwise, let us know how your further tests go.
P.S.Does the Sonnet show up under Thunderbolt even when it doesn't see the Radeon? Perhaps you can show screen snapshots from Thunderbolt, PCI, and Graphics/Displays from System Report under macOS. Also the same from Device Manager on Windows (perhaps snapshot Show by Connection when it is working and then the equivalent place in the tree when it isn't).
I second bzgnyc2's request for screen shots of your System Report section on Thunderbolt.
I had this weird issue a few weeks ago, when I first started posting in this thread, where my eGPU was showing up in System Report, but the graphics card wasn't working. It turned out that the issue was a loose TBolt cable.
I had this weird issue a few weeks ago, when I first started posting in this thread, where my eGPU was showing up in System Report, but the graphics card wasn't working. It turned out that the issue was a loose TBolt cable.
Some screenshots of my eGPU working in Windows 10.
Note: I can´t take any of macOS Sequoia. The second I turn on the switch of my Sonnet, my Mac crashes and the Sonnet turns off.
Hope this helps.
If you need more screenshots of specific menus, please let me know.
Attachments
Apparently the only curious thing I seem to notice is that the thunderbolt drivers are installed by Apple and they are from 2018. Could it be that I should hit update? Previously, I thought of this, but could not find any trusted Thunderbolt installer. Is this an issue? In device manager I could try to hit the update driver and see if something new comes up. What do you guys think?
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Since devices (Mac Mini's and its builtin Thunderbolt 3 controllers) are from 2018, it's not that unusual for the drivers to be of the same vintage. While, I am sure Intel has updated their OEM drivers for the controllers (JHL7540), it's unclear how an end-user such as yourself can get them if not from Apple. If MS has an updated generic for such, those should be fine (though have a rollback plan available).
That said, I doubt those would help your Mac side at all and given the issues you are having in general not sure they would help your Windows side.
What I would look at first is your Radeon drivers. Assuming that is a generic -- not Apple-specific card -- and I am reading that right as you having the 32-bit drivers, I would look to upgrade to the latest 64-bit Radeon drivers for Windows 10.
Did not catch that just turning on the Sonnet caused your Mac to crash. I thought it just wasn't recognizing/seeing it but not crashing the whole Mac. I take it that if you have the whole kit on and connected to your Mac when you turn it on, the Mac won't start up at all?
Then not an expert at these things, but can you try turning on the Sonnet with the Thunderbolt cable to the Mac disconnected and then waiting a few seconds before connecting it to your already booted/etc Mac?
Also, if not too much trouble, can you try connecting the the Sonnet to the Mac with the Radeon removed from the Sonnet? If the Mac turns on and works (obviously sans Radeon graphics), can you show those screenshots from System Information? If the Mac crashes/doesn't turn on with just an empty Sonnet that's a sign.
On the Windows side in Device Manager, can you do View->Devices by Connection -- once when you can see and use the Radeon card and once when it doesn't come up (which I guess is your 9x out 10x situation)? When the Radeon card is working, expand the tree all the way through to the monitor each time. When it's not coming up, show the equivalent part of the tree.
Side note: I always get a chuckle when I see Windows 10/etc Device Manager screenshots because it is basically unchanged down to the UI/UX skin since like Windows 3.x...
I checked mine *remember, my Sonnet crashes since 15.4 with cold boot and hot plug. So i can only check that same path you gave, without the Sonnet attached. Booting with the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630.
The extension folder has no AMD drivers at all. I dont know if the Sonnet box has to be recognized in order to be displayed though.
Is there a way to just copy those drivers inside that extension folder and see what happens? Does macOS even allow this? im not terminal savvy thats why i ask.
The location of those drivers are Macintosh HD>System>Library>Extensions.
EDIT: Was your eGPU plugged in last time you updated MacOS? If not, I wonder if MacOS failed to install the AMD drivers because the eGPU was not plugged in at the time. That would actually explain why it's working in Windows and not MacOS.
EDIT: Was your eGPU plugged in last time you updated MacOS? If not, I wonder if MacOS failed to install the AMD drivers because the eGPU was not plugged in at the time. That would actually explain why it's working in Windows and not MacOS.