Mac mini 2018 10GbE overheating in BootCamp

[Tesla1856]

I'm here because I'm trying to decide if I need the 10gb-NIC in my new MacMini-2018 or not. Yes, I hope to native Boot-Camp Windows-10 Pro 64bit on it.

Look at this:

Boot Camp eGPU Setup Guide - Windows Gaming with Macs

The definitive Boot Camp eGPU setup guide for Thunderbolt 3 Mac users. Solve error 12 and turn your Mac into a gaming computer in Windows 10.

egpu.io

it says:

the x16 PCI Express Controller is reserved for the optional 10Gb Ethernet card (uses 8 PCIe lanes),

Nice guide overall, but can that be right? 8-PCIe-lanes reserved for the 10gb-NIC (if even installed) ?

 

[omvs]

I'm here because I'm trying to decide if I need the 10gb-NIC in my new MacMini-2018 or not. Yes, I hope to native Boot-Camp Windows-10 Pro 64bit on it.

Look at this:

Boot Camp eGPU Setup Guide - Windows Gaming with Macs

The definitive Boot Camp eGPU setup guide for Thunderbolt 3 Mac users. Solve error 12 and turn your Mac into a gaming computer in Windows 10.

egpu.io

it says:

the x16 PCI Express Controller is reserved for the optional 10Gb Ethernet card (uses 8 PCIe lanes),

Nice guide overall, but can that be right? 8-PCIe-lanes reserved for the 10gb-NIC (if even installed) ?

I think it might be.

However, if you're thinking about egpu/bootcamp, there's some big issues with the current windows 10 & AMD egpus. Basically you have to use an old version of Windows 10 right now, and make sure it doesn't update.

NVIDIA egpus should be fine, though I use a Vega56 so I can use it in OSX as well. For now I'm actually using a seperate box for windows gaming, which sucks, which is why I can't verify the above lane question.

Thread discussing this:

eGPU error 12 fail after update to Windows 10 1903 or newer ...

Hi all, I have a Mac mini 2018 i7 with a thunderbolt eGPU amd vega 64. After my windows update, the egpu is showed in Device Manager with the yello...

egpu.io

 

[Tesla1856]

1. I think it might be.

2. However, if you're thinking about egpu/bootcamp, there's some big issues with the current windows 10 & AMD egpus. Basically you have to use an old version of Windows 10 right now, and make sure it doesn't update.

3. NVIDIA egpus should be fine, though I use a Vega56 so I can use it in OSX as well.

4. For now I'm actually using a seperate box for windows gaming, which sucks, which is why I can't verify the above lane question.

Thread discussing this:

eGPU error 12 fail after update to Windows 10 1903 or newer ...

Hi all, I have a Mac mini 2018 i7 with a thunderbolt eGPU amd vega 64. After my windows update, the egpu is showed in Device Manager with the yello...

egpu.io

1. Hmm. Seems excessive for a system with a mainstream Intel processor and chipset.

2. Really? I thought Apple liked AMD GPUs ... it is Nvidia they don't support any more.

3 & 4. I think I am ready to move my main machine from a Windows desktop to a Mac (MacMini-2018) .

I was thinking I could move my nice Nvidia GTX-1070 to an eGPU-Box ... for use in native Boot-Camp . I'm thinking mostly for QuickBooks-2018 and Fallout-4/Far-Cry-3/misc Steam.

Start using macOS full-time. Start using the native Mac versions of software when possible. I have Office-2016 for Mac ready to use.

 

[omvs]

...

2. Really? I thought Apple liked AMD GPUs ... it is Nvidia they don't support any more.

3 & 4. I think I am ready to move my main machine from a Windows desktop to a Mac (MacMini-2018) .

I was thinking I could move my nice Nvidia GTX-1070 to an eGPU-Box ... for use in native Boot-Camp . I'm thinking mostly for QuickBooks-2018 and Fallout-4/Far-Cry-3/misc Steam.

...

Yeah right now you basically want amd egpu for OS X, nvidia for Windows. From what I read in the other thread it’s a windows/amd problem, not anything necessarily unique to apple. id expect at dome point it will get fixed, but going on longer than I thought. Most people just run the old,build of windows but I wanted to play outer worlds and it requires more recent build of windows...

if you don’t mind using iGPU in OS X then nvidia egpu just for Windows will work fine.i just prefer to drive monitor straight off the egpu for better performance so it’s really annoying to have to switch ports or cables or whatever.

hoping for the day when windows works again and I can use the mini for everything!

 

[Tesla1856]

Thanks @omvs that is some good info.

What eGPU-Box do you like ?

It would be nice if the BootCamp info and tips were more consolidated here on the forum. Especially, for those of us trying to do BootCamp to native Windows-10, and then running something vital or demanding.

 

[killawat]

I use an ac Infiniti fan w/ turbo on top of my Mac mini. It isn’t silent but by any means but it still works.
I’m very familiar with the aquaria Aquantia chipsets as is any who has followed 10gbe over the last year, and I’ve used them in the Mac mini, external thunderbolt solutions and pics based solutions, the chipset runs extremely hot almost to the point where I’d argue that the Mac mini just isn’t a good place for them. Note I haven’t had any shutdown issues but I don’t use bootcamp too often.
Fortunately aquantia is moving for with their 10 gig dominance and released SFP+ packages as well as Low power chipsets which are an obvious choice for small form factors.

 

[McTaste]

put it on a SPEED Designs cooling stand and see how it goes. setting your cpu max to 90% in windows power settings will drop the temps too.

 

[Squuiid]

This issue seems to be a Mac mini low fan problem when running Windows rather than an Aquantia driver problem. I've tried the newer Aquantia Windows drivers and it has made no difference.
Still nothing from Apple regarding my bug report.

 

[McTaste]

This issue seems to be a Mac mini low fan problem when running Windows rather than an Aquantia driver problem. I've tried the newer Aquantia Windows drivers and it has made no difference.
Still nothing from Apple regarding my bug report. Pathetic.

You definitely need to have your fan curve set to Auto in macos before booting into Windows. Custom curves do not transfer over, as Windows apps cannot access fan settings.

 

[Squuiid]

You definitely need to have your fan curve set to Auto in macos before booting into Windows. Custom curves do not transfer over, as Windows apps cannot access fan settings.

This is innacurate. If you're referring to Macsfancontrol then the custom profiles work just fine when you boot from macOS into BootCamp. This is the only to way to keep the Mac mini both silent and have a working NIC in Windows.
You also missed the point of my post. What I was making clear is that this is neither a hardware nor driver issue, it's a firmware/SMC problem when in Windows where the fans don't kick in properly to address the heat of the NIC.

 

[McTaste]

I think you are incorrect about custom profiles working in Windows. Seems more like they stick to a fixed rpm, so any kind of custom dynamic fan curve leads to overheating.

Regardless, you throw your mini on a cooling base from Speed Designs and I bet the nic doesn’t overheat.

 

[Squuiid]

New BootCamp drivers 6.1.10 out today do NOT fix this. Very disappointing.

Folks, if you have this issue pleeeease log it with Apple. That is the only way we're going to be able to fix this:
https://feedbackassistant.apple.com

 

[Yourt]

Submitted a bug report to Apple and they don’t seem to care about this. Is it just me or are others seeing this issue in Windows?

OK, so why buy an Apple device anyway? Because WIndows based **** doesn't cut it or gets too expensive? I like bootcamp (euh.... well, I use Parallels), but taht's to enjoy a game or PSnow. I have a QNAP NAS running, and if I'd get a Mac Mini, it would not be running on Windows, that's for sure. I understand why Apple doesn't care about you overheating in Bootcamp using M$ software. Come on, get serious!

 

[Squuiid]

OK, so why buy an Apple device anyway? Because WIndows based **** doesn't cut it or gets too expensive? I like bootcamp (euh.... well, I use Parallels), but taht's to enjoy a game or PSnow. I have a QNAP NAS running, and if I'd get a Mac Mini, it would not be running on Windows, that's for sure. I understand why Apple doesn't care about you overheating in Bootcamp using M$ software. Come on, get serious!

I use Windows exclusively for gaming, as do most others using BootCamp.

Apple officially support BootCamp and so should legitimately support it. Overheating NICs is not really acceptable IMO and should be an easy fix since simply increasing the fan speed makes it go away as does running in macOS.

 

[mdgm]

Any update on this? Considering getting the Mac Mini 2018 but concerned that the 10GbE would not work reliably in BootCamp?

Are the fans noisier using a 10GbE NIC versus the default GbE NIC?

 

[Squuiid]

Any update on this? Considering getting the Mac Mini 2018 but concerned that the 10GbE would not work reliably in BootCamp?

Are the fans noisier using a 10GbE NIC versus the default GbE NIC?

I would not hesitate to buy the 10GbE NIC. No discernible difference in fans and the overheating issue in BootCamp is easily fixed by the brilliant, and free, utility, MacsFanControl.

If you set the fans high enough not only does it prevent the 10GbE NIC overheating issue entirely it also stops the throttling of the CPU allowing it to hit 4+GHz more frequently and, crucially, sustain it for a longer period. Great for gaming which, let's face it, is the primary reason people use BootCamp on a mini.

 

[Boyd01]

I got a 2018 Mini i7/64gb/2tb/10gbE about a month ago. No problems of any kind after some heavy use in Windows running under Parallels.

I have absolutely no interest in games. I replaced my old Windows PC with Parallels on the Mini, running GlobalMapper, a professional GIS application that I use to make maps for boydsmaps.com. The Mini sometimes gets warm to the touch and the fan runs on high, but this has not caused any problems.

I actually didn't want the 10gbE option, but wanted a refurb and after over a month came to the conclusion that I just wouldn't find an i7/64gb/2tb Mini without it.

 

[Squuiid]

I got a 2018 Mini i7/64gb/2tb/10gbE about a month ago. No problems of any kind after some heavy use in Windows running under Parallels.

I have absolutely no interest in games. I replaced my old Windows PC with Parallels on the Mini, running GlobalMapper, a professional GIS application that I use to make maps for boydsmaps.com. The Mini sometimes gets warm to the touch and the fan runs on high, but this has not caused any problems.

I actually didn't want the 10gbE option, but wanted a refurb and after over a month came to the conclusion that I just wouldn't find an i7/64gb/2tb Mini without it.

Parallels isn’t BootCamp. It runs in a virtual environment thus using the SMC settings in macOS, adjusting the fan as needed for the 10GbE NIC.
Thanks anyway for your anecdote. 😊

 

[mdgm]

I would prefer to only speed up fans when needed. Running them on high all the time can’t be good for fan life.

 

[Squuiid]

I would prefer to only speed up fans when needed. Running them on high all the time can’t be good for fan life.

That’s what the utility does, speeds up when needed.
Or you can also set to high if you wish.

 

[Alex W.]

change the thermal paste on the units and report back, use some liquid metal or AS5

 

[CptnJustc]

Whew, ancient thread. Unfortunately, there's not much else on the web about this...

So, I only noticed this maybe once in BootCamp when I had the NIC plugged into a 1 GbE switch, but after plugging it into a 10 GbE slot (w/SFP adapter at the switch end, if it matters), it happens reliably within hours. My Mini is in an area with plenty of air flow, and I've even stuck it on top of some Legos. Is this only happening to folks with fully decked out Minis (i7/64GB/2TB)?

The news I haven't seen mentioned earlier in this thread is that Macs Fan Control now supports Macs with T2 chips natively in Windows. Unfortunately, at a steady 3200 RPM it didn't entirely solve the problem... the NIC pooped out again after about 18 hours. Now I've got it ramping up with the CPU PECI from 30-80, will see how that goes. Worst comes to worst, I haven't seen it happen yet with a fan blowing across the top, but that's kludgier still. The Speed Designs fan looks interesting, but $150... Sad that it doesn't all just work.

Anyhow, technical question: What's the best target for Macs Fan Control? I have it set to CPU PECI, but it's so variable, don't like the fans spinning up and down all the time. Would the platform controller hub be better matched to the NIC?

 

[Alex W.]

You could try to replace the thermal paste and even toss it on a laptop cooling pad imo.

 

[Squuiid]

Anyhow, technical question: What's the best target for Macs Fan Control? I have it set to CPU PECI, but it's so variable, don't like the fans spinning up and down all the time. Would the platform controller hub be better matched to the NIC?

Full blast. Only solution. Noisy, but gets the job done.
I only game in Bootcamp so it doesn't bother me particularly.

 

[Squuiid]

You could try to replace the thermal paste and even toss it on a laptop cooling pad imo.

Huh? Can you highlight where the Aquantia 10GbE chip is and where to place the thermal paste?