eGPU - Triple GTX

[philliplakis]

My eGPU Setup:


Late 2012 Mac Mini - iGPU
Sonnet SEL Thunderbolt Expansion Chassis
AMFELTEC GPU CLUSTER
2x ASUS GTX 780
1x MSI GTX 580
RM1000


Ok,
So I've spent the last 3 days getting this together...
Ive come to the conclusion that no OS X machine can handle 5 GPU's.
I tried multiple configurations of GPU's with multiple methods with drivers no drivers 10.8 / 10.9 / 10.10
Ive tested 5 GPU's on a
2008 & 2010 Mac Pro - Got 4 running really well.
Mac Mini - Max 3 due to intel 4000
Macbook Pro - Max 2 due to intel 3000 & 6770m
Macbook Air - Max 3 due to intel 3000


Although Jose got 2 Titan Z's working with his iGPU its blowing my mind to think that it is and its not....

Im not sure about anyone else but 10.10.2 i could NOT get anything going not even a single card. Kept coming up as DISPLAY in graphics section...

Also maybe I'm just the retard but also couldn't modify the driver to work on 10.10.1, But the default drivers perform great.

Sleep and Wake up are normal...
Have repeatedly shut down and turned on the system without disconnecting the connection and have had no problem at all...

Although there is some Hiccups....

1. Cant get display through my mDP on the Sonnet - UNLESS i plug a HDMI directly into the Mac... But then the resolution is locked at 1080p WEIRD????
2. If someone has the modified driver for 10.10.1 please share would like to know if it was just my retarded self that can't modify anything or the way of set it up
3. IT HAS KILLED MY AUDIO.... please see attached image. If someone can help??? Ive done a PRAM & SMC reset and still nothing, I get boot chimes.

It makes me wonder on the limit of the Mac Pro 6,1 is it limited to 2 eGPU...



My Opinion on getting this going (from my experience):

Get yourself TextWrangler & Latest CUDA drivers

Modify the 3 KEXT file

/System/Library/Extensions/NVDAStartup.kext/Contents/Info.plist

/System/Library/Extensions/IONDRVSupport.kext/Info.plist

/System/Library/Extensions/AppleHDA.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleHDAController.kext/Contents/Info.plist


Shut down your system.

Plug Thunderbolt in and turn PSU on.
Turn on your Mac.

and thats it.

 

[Machines]

I'm almost 100 % certain Mac OS X can only recognize four GPUs , unlike Classic Mac OS from the old days .

Jose's two Titan Z will count as four GPUs , as each card has two on-board GPU . So, he has maxed out his video adapter configuration with just two big cards .

“ that it is and its not?” “Does not compute , Will Robinson .”

I would be very interested in some benchmarks with your video arrays .

 

[philliplakis]

“ that it is and its not?” “Does not compute , Will Robinson .”

HAHAH

I would be very interested in some benchmarks with your video arrays .

Fire away... I use octane mostly so let me know what you want me to benchmark

 

[Machines]

Is there a well known octane benchmark written by a Creative ?

I am very interested in building the best octane rig in OS X , even though not many of my local clients are using it . Take a look at my latest project : https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1840717/ .

She has full Open CL and Cuda Core support , except for Ray Tracing . Drivers don't support it yet . This is cutting edge in the Mac community for Compute .

I dream of the day I can add a third card ... internally some how .

Three double height video cards can be crammed inside a cMP . It takes some effort

But I don't want to give up the high speed Sonnet Tempo card (which is the only way I could install three high end cards internally .

That hidden unpopulated PCIe slot (number 3) just begs to be used . I can feel it...

 

[MacVidCards]

Ok,
So I've spent the last 3 days getting this together...
Ive come to the conclusion that no OS X machine can handle 5 GPU's.

I'm almost 100 % certain Mac OS X can only recognize four GPUs , unlike Classic Mac OS from the old days .

And Yet......

BTW, I imagine we are running different benchmarks if phillip is finishing in 12 seconds

Hint: eGPU gains some serious options with the right EFI

 

[philliplakis]

And Yet......

Ok I'm jealous lol

Ok, this is what I'm gathering with the whole eGPU. The dual cards allow for the "5"

Just like Jose, I'm sure you have seen the 2x Titan Z setup.
His system has "5" GPU's technically...

But the eGPU process passes boot due to there only being 4 cards that way allowing the "5" in OS X

This is all a theory of course...

i couldn't get 5 GT120 to boot lol
I was getting kernel panics on every mac i tested.

Can you test 3 separate GPU on the 6,1? on your setup if you have a chance?

I just bought a 590 and bidding on another. Going to try my "theory" out.

BTW, I imagine we are running different benchmarks if phillip is finishing in 12 seconds

Yeah I'm running Direct Lighting and your running Path Tracing.
That why we are achieving the different times.

Hint: eGPU gains some serious options with the right EFI

As i seen on your post on TI, a MAC EFI makes the driver skip the system check.

I always though you cracked the Z just had it up your sleeve waiting for the right time... Perfect timing....

 

[MacVidCards]

as far as Nvidia driver, you got it backwards. lack of EFI does that.

 

[Synchro3]

I am very interested in building the best octane rig in OS X , even though not many of my local clients are using it . Take a look at my latest project : https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1840717/ .

She has full Open CL and Cuda Core support , except for Ray Tracing . Drivers don't support it yet . This is cutting edge in the Mac community for Compute .

I dream of the day I can add a third card ... internally some how .

Three double height video cards can be crammed inside a cMP . It takes some effort

But I don't want to give up the high speed Sonnet Tempo card (which is the only way I could install three high end cards internally .

That hidden unpopulated PCIe slot (number 3) just begs to be used . I can feel it...

Have you thought for example of that?: http://www.ebay.com/itm/LONG-PCI-E-...629?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20e1591ead

 

[Machines]

Have you thought for example of that?: http://www.ebay.com/itm/LONG-PCI-E-...629?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20e1591ead

Yes, I tried this type of extension cable not long ago . They're popular with the bit miners . It worked perfectly well with a fast SSD connected to an USB 3.0 card I tested , but I failed to get an OS to boot from it . With three GPUs installed in the internal PCIe slots, only one slot remains for a high speed secondary storage device . It needs to be bootable . Thank you anyways !

 

[philliplakis]

Yes, I tried this type of extension cable not long ago . They're popular with the bit miners . It worked perfectly well with a fast SSD connected to an USB 3.0 card I tested , but I failed to get an OS to boot from it . With three GPUs installed in the internal PCIe slots, only one slot remains for a high speed secondary storage device . It needs to be bootable . Thank you anyways !

Hey Machine, they work they just need to be powered riser's with a molex connection

the card draws 75w for the slot, so if you use an unpowered it won't draw enough power.. before i got my cluster. i use to use one when i needed the rendering power for octane...

 

[Machines]

Hey Machine, they work they just need to be powered riser's with a molex connection

the card draws 75w for the slot, so if you use an unpowered it won't draw enough power.. before i got my cluster. i use to use one when i needed the rendering power for octane...

Hello , yes , I understand the need to add booster power to certain devices . I tried the device twice . Once with a data SSD . And again with the same SSD with OS X installed . Data drive worked at high speed . OS X drive did not boot . Did you get an OS X to boot from yours ???

 

[nickmilitello]

Has anyone got multiple eGPUs to work with El Capitan 10.11.6?

 

[Flint Ironstag]

Bare feats has on cMP with Cubix external PCIe.

http://barefeats.com/gpu680v7.html

Let us know which MP you're after.