How to build your own iMac Pro [Successful Build/Extended Guide]

[mgregrs]

change 2 options in clover and sync all cores with Asus enhanced in auto and no reboot for the moment , wow , bench and no reboot , temp 60-61ºc in load max ( is ok the temp ?)

Asus enhanced.... can be disabled.
Don't change everything on the same time!!!
1 max 2 options -reboot,
next option... reboot .. etc

PS: Did you installed your OS X with "SyncAll Cores" or not?
if you installed OS X with bad BIOS config ... you know..
...it's not cool because it should be FIRST ; correct bios config and then CleanInstall what I mentioned before!
so that's why you loose your time with boot problem etc...

If you didn't installed your all Apps etc etc - don't wait, make a new Correct BIOS profile
and reinstall OS X "with SyncAllCores" Enabled

BTW:
I changed my MB for 2 days of tests - holllyyy s//%t
what a performance difference on Gigabyte without SyncAllCores
but at this moment it's beta 10.13 from old testSSD so we will see tomorrow

 

[lucatze]

what a performance difference on Gigabyte without SyncAllCores

I changed to Aorus 9 couple of days ago. My Geekbench is the same, but in DaVinci i have much higher render speeds in comparison to Asus. I didn't even improve BIOS Settings at all. Almost stock settings. Asus: 54 fps Gigabyte: 70-80 fps converting ProRes to H264.

I don't use ssdtprgen anymore. Its pretty much a fresh clover installation. OsxAptioFixDrv performs more stable at boot than OsxAptioFix2Drv.

 

[mgregrs]

...
BTW:
I changed my MB for 2 days of tests - holllyyy s//%t
what a performance difference on Gigabyte without SyncAllCores
but at this moment it's beta 10.13 from old testSSD so we will see tomorrow

Sooo... after first few tests and clean 10.13.1 install:
-I finally achieved "normal" benchmark results:

Cinebench 2500 points


and Geekbench 5700 single / 39000 multi.. score

which is quite fun, because it was impossible to get a good score without OC
so here with Gigabyte X299 Aorus Ultra Gaming
with CPU OC 4,6-4,7 Ghz I have the same results what I have on my Asus X299 Prime Deluxe
without stress, without pro-magic OC, only with simple and beautiful Asus "Sync All Cores" option

With this motherboard my CPUwithout OC lost 180-300 points of single-core performance
and 2500-4500 points in Geekbench Multi-core test.
(and 200-280 less points in Cinebench)

Audio works fine, LAN I219 OK, Sleep/Wake I will test later...

@prunzi while I have Gigabyte MB you can share your EFI folder and show your bios options
maybe I will help you with your weird low -CPU performance...

@ALL if you have some questions or you want test something with Gigabyte motherboard
it's the best moment now, because I will back to my ASUS Prime max after 2 days

 

[lucatze]

Audio works fine

What was your approach to enable sound? I didn't test the EFI settings from the Prime and used VoodooHDA.

 

[mgregrs]

I changed to Aorus 9 couple of days ago. My Geekbench is the same, but in DaVinci i have much higher render speeds in comparison to Asus. I didn't even improve BIOS Settings at all. Almost stock settings. Asus: 54 fps Gigabyte: 70-80 fps converting ProRes to H264.

I don't use ssdtprgen anymore. Its pretty much a fresh clover installation. OsxAptioFixDrv performs more stable at boot than OsxAptioFix2Drv.

I didn't tried any PRO apps... but it's good to know... I don't use DaVinci but I will try with my everyday usage programs like FCPX, Logic, Premiere...

BTW: If you are satisfied with your MB change (for work of pleasure) it's most important

 

[mgregrs]

What was your approach to enable sound? I didn't test the EFI settings from the Prime and used VoodooHDA.

I didn't have clean CFG at the beginning, but now I almost finished to 95% of modifications
so I used Voodoo with Inject "1"
//edit: Sorry I forgot to mention about realtekALC
I didn't have more time to test different options, I will try some other things later....

BTW:
Sleep OK, after 15sec /wake ...not so fast
but... on the same time I think Gigabyte don't like my Vega 64 and especially my Samsung CF791 monitor,
a lot of times when I boot my PC I have signal but without image, and the same thins was after wake this times...
PS: signal without image even in bios, so a lot of times I can't even see Gigabyte logo :/
With the same GPU, CPU, SSD etc I could boot correctly 30/100 times, with Asus 95/100 - it's weird bug


///edit//--- working Audio - Done

Now it works really great! My DisplayPort audio, integrated MB audio and my external Scarlett



--> So, you need AppleALC.kext attached below and lilu.kext
then (fastest way) copy from my config to your Clover cfg, all ACPI patches:



(It's easy to say ... aaah you are newbie etc etc but nobody of PROs wanted explain
how to add all ACPI patches like these, so... for others newbie like me
I can only say - use "Text mode" in your Clover configurator
(in my opinion it's the fastest and easiest way)

--> Then verify if you have/or change your Audio layout to "7"



--> and of course... don't forget to copy lilu + appleALC to your kext folder on your SSD

 

[prunzi]

Sooo... after first few tests and clean 10.13.1 install:
-I finally achieved "normal" benchmark results:

Cinebench 2500 points
View attachment 292900

and Geekbench 5700 single / 39000 multi.. score
View attachment 292901
which is quite fun, because it was impossible to get a good score without OC
so here with Gigabyte X299 Aorus Ultra Gaming
with CPU OC 4,6-4,7 Ghz I have the same results what I have on my Asus X299 Prime Deluxe
without stress, without pro-magic OC, only with simple and beautiful Asus "Sync All Cores" option

With this motherboard my CPUwithout OC lost 180-300 points of single-core performance
and 2500-4500 points in Geekbench Multi-core test.
(and 200-280 less points in Cinebench)

Audio works fine, LAN I219 OK, Sleep/Wake I will test later...

@prunzi while I have Gigabyte MB you can share your EFI folder and show your bios options
maybe I will help you with your weird low -CPU performance...

@ALL if you have some questions or you want test something with Gigabyte motherboard
it's the best moment now, because I will back to my ASUS Prime max after 2 days

Well Ihad a look at the https://overclocking.guide/gigabyte-x299-skylake-x-overclocking-guide/ ... and apparently it seems that Gygabyte is quite conservative in the AUTO settings...
Just following the advices and putting MANUAL settings and some numbers (44GHz at max frequency basically)...and voillat, here the new numbers ;-)).
It seems to me that GIGABYTE Requires you to set the things manually and that the "Sync All Cores" is enabled by disabling the "Energy efficient Turbo"... and that's all...but of course that's only my personal supposition.

 

[justdatruth]

Well Ihad a look at the https://overclocking.guide/gigabyte-x299-skylake-x-overclocking-guide/ ... and apparently it seems that Gygabyte is quite conservative in the AUTO settings...
Just following the advices and putting MANUAL settings and some numbers (44GHz at max frequency basically)...and voillat, here the new numbers ;-)).
It seems to me that GIGABYTE Requires you to set the things manually and that the "Sync All Cores" is enabled by disabling the "Energy efficient Turbo"... and that's all...but of course that's only my personal supposition.

Its similar on my board, you have to specify a frequency multiplier, it defaults to 33 here.

At the risk of invoking the ire of some, the 'Sync All Cores' option really is a form of overclock. Granted you're not clocking any of your cores past the turbo max, but you are clocking all your cores to the turbo max.

Those are the turbo boost 2.0 frequencies for loaded skylake-x cores, clearly at turbo max 3.0 speeds, the non-maxed cores would be operating at even lower frequencies. Running all cores at turbo max is not a stock configuration, and will obviously result in signficantly increased power draw and cpu temperatures under load.

 

[mgregrs]

Its similar on my board, you have to specify a frequency multiplier, it defaults to 33 here.

At the risk of invoking the ire of some, the 'Sync All Cores' option really is a form of overclock. Granted you're not clocking any of your cores past the turbo max, but you are clocking all your cores to the turbo max.

View attachment 292976

Those are the turbo boost 2.0 frequencies for loaded skylake-x cores, clearly at turbo max 3.0 speeds, the non-maxed cores would be operating at even lower frequencies. Running all cores at turbo max is not a stock configuration, and will obviously result in signficantly increased power draw and cpu temperatures under load.

'Sync All Cores' option really is a form of overclock.

It is a little like saying - every processor with turbo boost ...is overclocked
it's like fast walking = slow running...
like grand-mother with moustache = almost grand-father

In my opinion we should't call it form or just overclocking, but enhanced boost or
better: synchronised boost for all cores with maximum frequencies
designed for - it's not more, higher than provided with intel specifications
we can say: auto-default boost was only for (for example) 6 cores not 10
and we want only synchronise all cores to default 4,5 Ghz (3.0 boost freq..)
so we don't uses higher frequencies that CPU was designed by default, we turn on only synchronisation for all cores.

That's why, if you wan't overclock you can go higher, use different voltages, especialy different CPU multiplier, BLCK frequency, turn off a lot of energy saver options and. many others....

and again - that's why I'm like a donkey which will always repeat - don't call it OC, when (for me) logically it's not real OC

BTW: I tried to OC my CPU few hours today, but without magic results (this is max for today):


I have to change my cooling system and delid my CPU!

BTW: if anyone want to sell ROCKIT 99 tool or can find it - to buy it in Europe;
please let me know!!!

 

[mgregrs]

I don't know what it is about your cinebench GPU score but mine is 155 with that card.

Oh, and I have a Rocket 99 for sale with spare cryonaught, but it's too far away in New Zealand
Worth doing though. I've got 4.9 on my 7900 and max temps are quite low.

New Zealand It's amazing how many cool things about NZ I heard last 10 years
but Yes - it's a little too far from France

That's why I want to do it... because even if I don't have enough money to finish a new WaterCooling system,
even with some H115i I will have 15 degrees less or even more