X299 Big Sur Support

[CaseySJ]

Big Sur 11.4, when I removed Radeon VII and added 6900XT into the same slot (SLOT1), the TB3 card started freezing the system. I thought it was related to something else, but did a lot of troubleshooting trying different slots for TB3 card and it definitely was the card. Also thought it was WEG related, so I left it in there with the pikera and wegoff args, but that didn't help either. So I removed the TB3 card and WEG and everything is 100% stable now.

With the new 6900XT waterblock, I had to move the TB3 card down from Slot 2 (which my mobo recommends for TB3) into Slot 3. Instead of using the TB header again, I did the 3>5 Pin mod and removed that cable and it seemed to show up fine even after disabling TB in the BIOS. However the freeze continued on all slots.

This was the flashed firmware on the TB3 card
View attachment 521166

I'm just wondering if it's worth flashing and trying again. I haven't tested this card with 0.7.0 yet, but figured OC (freeze happened on 0.6.9) wouldn't make much of a difference for the TB3 freeze issue. I don't use TB3 a lot, but I do need it once in a while, but I have to get some new gear for the RPi to flash.

It is definitely worth flashing a different firmware, such as:

• Gigabyte Z390 AORUS Xtreme (NVM 33)
• Gigabyte Z390 Designare (NVM 33)
• DSM2 version (TitanRidgeMacOSFirmware.bin)

All of these are available from the Thunderbolt Repository. NOTE: You may lose the ability to connect USB-C devices when using the DSM2 version and maybe one of the other two as well. But Thunderbolt devices should work.

 

[izo1]

It is definitely worth flashing a different firmware, such as:

• Gigabyte Z390 AORUS Xtreme (NVM 33)
• Gigabyte Z390 Designare (NVM 33)
• DSM2 version (TitanRidgeMacOSFirmware.bin)

All of these are available from the Thunderbolt Repository. NOTE: You may lose the ability to connect USB-C devices when using the DSM2 version and maybe one of the other two as well. But Thunderbolt devices should work.

Thank you, I'm going to give these a go after ordering the clips etc. Is there really a difference between any of these 3? Besides the loss of USB-C.

 

[CaseySJ]

Thank you, I'm going to give these a go after ordering the clips etc. Is there really a difference between any of these 3? Besides the loss of USB-C.

Someone recently installed the version from AORUS Xtreme and had good results. It's just a matter of trying out each one to see which works best. If the first one gets the job done, then it may not be necessary to try the others.

 

[zabalex]

no actual TB controller chip on the board

Thank you, that makes a lot of sense. But now, I'm confused even more. In order to have TB3 from this ePCI, I must have the TB3 on the inside functioning already, what if I don't? Wasn't this ePCI for those cases when there's no tb3 onboard and no connector to it? My TB3 is not getting detected at all with my motherboard, and one reason I've actually chosen this motherboard is because of onboard tb3.

What can I do a this point, any recommendation on how to enable TB3 (with or without this new ePCI)?

 

[chessa]

Big Sur 11.4, when I removed Radeon VII and added 6900XT into the same slot (SLOT1), the TB3 card started freezing the system. I thought it was related to something else, but did a lot of troubleshooting trying different slots for TB3 card and it definitely was the card. Also thought it was WEG related, so I left it in there with the pikera and wegoff args, but that didn't help either. So I removed the TB3 card and WEG and everything is 100% stable now.

With the new 6900XT waterblock, I had to move the TB3 card down from Slot 2 (which my mobo recommends for TB3) into Slot 3. Instead of using the TB header again, I did the 3>5 Pin mod and removed that cable and it seemed to show up fine even after disabling TB in the BIOS. However the freeze continued on all slots.

This was the flashed firmware on the TB3 card
View attachment 521166

I'm just wondering if it's worth flashing and trying again. I haven't tested this card with 0.7.0 yet, but figured OC (freeze happened on 0.6.9) wouldn't make much of a difference for the TB3 freeze issue. I don't use TB3 a lot, but I do need it once in a while, but I have to get some new gear for the RPi to flash.

Asus recommends plugging the video card into slot 1, like you did. Have you tried plugging the video card into slot 5 and see if you still have freezes?
From the tests i did with both Catalina and Big Sur (using Radeon 7 before and 6900 XT after) everything works perfectly even connecting the video to slot 5 instead of slot 1. In these tests, however, my Gigabyte Tiant Ridge was always connected to slot 2.

 

[izo1]

Asus recommends plugging the video card into slot 1, like you did. Have you tried plugging the video card into slot 5 and see if you still have freezes?
From the tests i did with both Catalina and Big Sur (using Radeon 7 before and 6900 XT after) everything works perfectly even connecting the video to slot 5 instead of slot 1. In these tests, however, my Gigabyte Tiant Ridge was always connected to slot 2.

Unfortunately I have a full watercooling setup and I cannot move the GPU without changing some of the tubing to make it work in any other slot besides Slot 1.

I'd rather just take out the TB3 card since I don't use it that often.

Another person recommended doing a pass through with TB3 which I haven't tested before. But everything was working fine with Radeon VII in Big Sur 11.4

I'm going to try the firmware re-flash to see if that resolves the issue. I think I was using NVM50 before? Or 20.

 

[Middleman]

Thank you, that makes a lot of sense. But now, I'm confused even more. In order to have TB3 from this ePCI, I must have the TB3 on the inside functioning already, what if I don't? Wasn't this ePCI for those cases when there's no tb3 onboard and no connector to it? My TB3 is not getting detected at all with my motherboard, and one reason I've actually chosen this motherboard is because of onboard tb3.

What can I do a this point, any recommendation on how to enable TB3 (with or without this new ePCI)?

It's not confusing at all. When I say 'they don't have a TB controller chip' that is exactly what I mean. There is no visible controller or TB connectors on the motherboard for those mainboards without TB fitted. But there are provisions made by the manufacturer, say ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, Asrock or whatever - to have the Thunderbolt control codes embedded and enabled in the BIOS should you have the TB card fitted in the system with TB-enabled CPU (on compatible boards).

On your X299 motherboard, you should be able to enable TB in the BIOS and with help of SSDTs.

Now there are modified TB BIOSes available to the community for some boards for flashing the TB chip, but I don't think you need to do that. As it goes I found there is a link here from@CaseySJ that shows the TB upgrade process for your motherboard >

[SUCCESS] Gigabyte Designare Z390 (Thunderbolt 3) + i7-9700K + AMD RX 580

Yes that is necessary. When I use both the SSDT you gave me (which I modified) and SSDT-DTPG.aml, I get "Namespace lookup failure, AE_ALREADY_EXISTS" so I'm doubling up DTPG somewhere...

www.tonymacx86.com

Click on the link above and then on the page click the line that says 'Spoiler: Gigabyte Designaire X299 EX with built-in Alpine Ridge', it will show you the exact steps you need to take.

 

[Middleman]

@zabalex,

I also forgot to mention, you don't need the PCIe TB card for your system since your motherboard already has it fitted onboard. You just need to follow @CaseySJ's guide to have it enabled via the BIOS settings and then install the correct SSDTs.

 

[ICEVISION]

Say hello to my little friend

 

[tucoboy]

By the way, isn't it INSANE that just 7 months ago I was able to get 2 non-working (but still under warranty), Radeon VII cards for $550 (working cards $750), and now the same NON-WORKING cards are going for OVER $1,500 ?!?! Working ones are selling for up to $2,300+ each ?!?! What's up with that? WOW! - and I complained that I missed out in getting these cards 4 months prior for $450 to $475. Not complaining now!