Asus X299 - Support

[mgregrs]

That's the plan ... After my last hack experience, and watching other people have issues, the idea of restoring from a USB SSD to get a machine up and running again after a bad series of upgrades / tweaks is essential.

I'll start posting once I acquire all the hardware to commence.

I feel so appreciative for a lot of you for going through a lot of the hard parts on behalf of people like me (Notably @izo1 for the RAM woes and switching boards).

Thank you to all of you for the work you do, in advance and most likely for the help throughout this process.

Hi @djbuddha
In my opinion restoring after issues, etc., as you mentioned is nothing bad, if you prepare it correctly. We have to remember that fact - without tests and failures we couldn't achieve great working systems as now.

For recovery in case of mistake I always use some cheap (for example PNY) SSD 128-256GB. Then I prepare whole installation, system with basic things and whole ACPI patches. If everything works great - I make a final install on main NVMe SSD and put little USB and backup SSD with whole system. If some day I have some troubles, and even if your system can't boot from backup USB drive you have whole great-working system on for example my 128Gb backup SSD (which normally is out of case
for 6moths before next update, what I've done for 14.4 and update on 14.6 after while...)

Of course this kind of backup can take 2-3 hours to prepare, but in my opinion, only like that I can sleep great everyday, without thinking "what if... someday I need some files quickly and my system won't boot". I didn't mention about TimeMachine, but it's a different story...

About your new config - If you have time - it's worth to wait a little and check
how new CPUs will work... maybe we will see new boards, etc. Asus WS X299 SAGE (definitely no-10G) or ASUS PD in my opinion are the best choice at this moment
In my opinion any of Trident Z memory 3200MHz or more will be a great choice
and definitely you should buy 1 or 2 NVMe M.2 drives like 1TB 970 EVO for system
and 1TB of Sabrent Rocket NVMe for your actual projects (etc.). BTW, You make a little mistake I think you can't have actually not-existing 560 version. So maybe its 860 EVO which you use now

About TB3, I remember that kgp mentioned about that in HotPlug in his guide. It worked well in my case (when I used it before, today I don't need that any more). Scarlet 2i2 (2nd gen), which I use, always works OOB with everything. So I simply love it.
Elgato HD60xyz I never used, but it's seem to be some gadget for streamers etc
I you want cheap GPU Vega 56 or Vega 64, but if you have money - Radeon VII is a best choice

At the beginning I will recommend you to use kgp's guide as GUIDE only, but using files from someone who already have the same motherboard (if you buy SAGE motherboard), and then adapt everything to your personal configuration, etc.

Link to "correct" KGP X299 Mojave Guide (not X99 or HS)
2nd one about High Sierra on X299 is OK too, for your build don't even look on X99
- just go directly to X299 with Mojave - link below. (mm2margaret did make a little mistake when he found link in search tool or Google, and sometimes when we don't pay attention we can faster find X99 thread - the same mistake I have done 20-30 times when very fast I wanted to find and check something in KGP guide, then, after 30s, I realized - it was not a good thread. )

BTW: Correct link below:

iMac Pro X299 - Live the Future now with macOS 10.14 Mojave [Successful Build/Extended Guide]

Up and successfully running macOS Mojave 10.14.4 (18E226) on iMacPro Skylake-X/X299 This afternoon @DSM2 advised me that yesterday Apple seems to have added a second special build of MacOS 10.14.4 (18E2034) on swcdn.apple.com, likely for new devices. Abstract and Introduction: This...

www.tonymacx86.com

and "2nd link" useful for later

 

[djbuddha]

Hi @djbuddha
About your new config - If you have time - it's worth to wait a little and check
how new CPUs will work... maybe we will see new boards, etc. Asus WS X299 SAGE (definitely no-10G) or ASUS PD in my opinion are the best choice at this moment

Thanks for the reply @mgregrs ... so the 10G is not an option? I could have sworn I seen many using this board in this thread.

 

[mm2margaret]

Oh for sure. But I think I'll be happy for years and years on this build with a 9980XE or a 10980XE. I've suffered through mobile/throttled Macbook Pro CPUs for so long, just want to get my render times down substantially. This machine could last me a VERY long time with the way my workflow has been positioned.

Also, this guide @kgp posted is for the X99 board, so do I need to follow his old guide he did with the Prime X299 Deluxe Board to do the WS SAGE 10G? - https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...c-pro-successful-build-extended-guide.229353/

Or will the original guide work? - https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...ojave-successful-build-extended-guide.255117/

Sorry, in my earlier post as a response to another use, I meant to link to the X299 kgp thread, but managed to link to the older X99 thread. My bad.....

 

[djbuddha]

Sorry, in my earlier post as a response to another use, I meant to link to the X299 kgp thread, but managed to link to the older X99 thread. My bad.....

Thank you for the resources!

So I can safely buy the X299 Sage/10G? lol

 

[mgregrs]

Thanks for the reply @mgregrs ... so the 10G is not an option? I could have sworn I seen many using this board in this thread.

Thank you for the resources!

So I can safely buy the X299 Sage/10G? lol

Hey, of course you can buy it's a very good MB and yes a lot of people here and in general X299 community use that SAGE or SAGE 10G.
That only one thing, why I said, I recommend more "SAGE" from "Sage10G" version, because 10G version have only 5+1typeC USB on rear I/O and normal version 9+1x USB C (if I remember well)
Of course I don't count front optional USB connectors etc... but I'm my opinion most people will like more USB than 2x10G LAN.
- If some day you will need 10G LAN you can simply buy cheap 10G Asus XG-C100C card which works great OOB, or even better ... - what I just checked it now (I'm sad that I didn't saw it before ) ASUS XG-C100F for SFP+


So finally, this is my personal opinion, you have to choose what will be better for you, both MB are great

 

[djbuddha]

That only one thing, why I said, I recommend more "SAGE" from "Sage10G" version, because 10G version have only 5+1typeC USB on rear I/O and normal version 9+1x USB C (if I remember well)
Of course I don't count front optional USB connectors etc... but I'm my opinion most people will like more USB than 2x10G LAN.
- If some day you will need 10G LAN you can simply buy cheap 10G Asus XG-C100C card which works great OOB, or even better ... - what I just checked it now (I'm sad that I didn't saw it before ) ASUS XG-C100F for SFP+


So finally, this is my personal opinion, you have to choose what will be better for you, both MB are great

I think I’ll stick with the 10G. I’ll make use of 10GBE for sure if I can get those ports working.

I just hope Thunderbolt 3 can work. I built this awesome desk based around the Caldigit TB3+ dock and hope I can get it all functioning with the new machine. Right now it’s running via the 2017 MBP.

 

[djbuddha]

Hi @djbuddha
Definitely you should buy 1 or 2 NVMe M.2 drives like 1TB 970 EVO for system
and 1TB of Sabrent Rocket NVMe for your actual projects (etc.). BTW, You make a little mistake I think you can't have actually not-existing 560 version. So maybe its 860 EVO which you use now

You’re right, it was an 860, was typing super fast lol.

The project files typically get moved to a NAS later- so I’m not storing anything on the drive itself. Working on the projects themselves even on my old 2012 MBP were fine, it’s the export times I’m worried about (when maxing all cores exporting to Prores 4444) I see my disk speed hover close to 50MB/second max. So accounting for more cores- if it scaled 1:1, it may hit just over 200-220 MB/s. But being generous let’s say 300 MB/s. The EVOs should be good to start with but I’ll upgrade down the line.

Also, @izo1 - did the Sage 10G completely solve your audio issue with your Radeon VII? I don’t think this is even going to matter to me as I’m running the Scarlett interface, but it’d be nice to know that in a pinch I still have access to on-board audio. (When I eventually upgrade my GPU of course). While I have everyone’s attention, is the RX 580 actually working on the final Mojave build?

 

[mgregrs]

I think I’ll stick with the 10G. I’ll make use of 10GBE for sure if I can get those ports working.

I just hope Thunderbolt 3 can work. I built this awesome desk based around the Caldigit TB3+ dock and hope I can get it all functioning with the new machine. Right now it’s running via the 2017 MBP.View attachment 433718

The main reason why I wanted that 10G card it was for creating 10G with SFP+ and not RJ45, but all other cards
was too expensive, so that's why I bought 1st version, of course it more simple with RJ45 and cheaper but not the same quality... eh sometimes I'm freaking when we want something as good as possible in best price , but every one have some moments like that

Your config look like mine before especially with my Edifier speakers, but after 1st screen change on 34" then every few months I had less free space, so I had to rebuild my desk 4-5 times to 3m and still I regret it's no more than that

You’re right, it was an 860, was typing super fast lol.

The project files typically get moved to a NAS later- so I’m not storing anything on the drive itself. Working on the projects themselves even on my old 2012 MBP were fine, it’s the export times I’m worried about (when maxing all cores exporting to Prores 4444) I see my disk speed hover close to 50MB/second max. So accounting for more cores- if it scaled 1:1, it may hit just over 200-220 MB/s. But being generous let’s say 300 MB/s. The EVOs should be good to start with but I’ll upgrade down the line.

Also, @izo1 - did the Sage 10G completely solve your audio issue? I don’t think this is even going to matter to me as I’m running the Scarlett interface, but it’d be nice to know that in a pinch I still have access to on-board audio.

At some moment I was so desperate with low HDD speed, so I said "never again" and I changed everything to SSD
Some less important data or little projects on Crucial on MX500 1Tb SSD drives and more important thing on 960 and 970 EVO NVME, so for people who work with bigger projects I definitely recommend invest some money on SSDs because it change our life to - really comfortable
(Of course for some additional backup once per month I use 2x2Tb HDD, but for everyday use I didn't had more energy.)

BTW: NVME are great but we don't have more than 2 nvme slots on MB in most cases so, that's why I bought
ASUS Hyper X16 M.2 extension card for 4x NVME drivers - and I created thread with few infos about that, it works great, so if some day you don't have enough place on your motherboard, don't worry it's a cheap solution for that

PS: I don't know nothing about audio on SAGE/10G boards, but I can say, since LGA2066 launch and my new config,
I used internal audio "max 2-3 times", with Scarlett life is so easy

 

[djbuddha]

The main reason why I wanted that 10G card it was for creating 10G with SFP+ and not RJ45, but all other cards
was too expensive, so that's why I bought 1st version, of course it more simple with RJ45 and cheaper but not the same quality... eh sometimes I'm freaking when we want something as good as possible in best price , but every one have some moments like that

Your config look like mine before especially with my Edifier speakers, but after 1st screen change on 34" then every few months I had less free space, so I had to rebuild my desk 4-5 times to 3m and still I regret it's no more than that

Nice! Those monitors are VESA mounted on a dual arm. I’m debating building wings for that desk for the Yamaha HS8s. That autonomous motorized desk has been amazing for when I need to stretch and get stuff done.

At some moment I was so desperate with low HDD speed, so I said "never again" and I changed everything to SSD
Some less important data or little projects on Crucial on MX500 1Tb SSD drives and more important thing on 960 and 970 EVO NVME, so for people who work with bigger projects I definitely recommend invest some money on SSDs because it change our life to - really comfortable
(Of course for some additional backup once per month I use 2x2Tb HDD, but for everyday use I didn't had more energy.)

BTW: NVME are great but we don't have more than 2 nvme slots on MB in most cases so, that's why I bought
ASUS Hyper X16 M.2 extension card for 4x NVME drivers - and I created thread with few infos about that, it works great, so if some day you don't have enough place on your motherboard, don't worry it's a cheap solution for that

PS: I don't know nothing about audio on SAGE/10G boards, but I can say, since LGA2066 launch and my new config,
I used internal audio "max 2-3 times", with Scarlett life is so easy

In my current setup I’m not using any mechanical drives. Just the PCIE in the MacBook Pro and some external EVOs in enclosures. I get your point about SSDs- that’s why I’m sticking with those in the new machine. But NVME at this point would be more a luxury than requirement. I’ll upgrade my EVO SSDs to NVME at some point, but my goal is to get the system up and running first.

Also, I’m the same about the internal audio. I also never use it, but just want to know that the option exists if for some ungodly reason I need to use it lol.

 

[djbuddha]

I also haven’t needed Windows at all since 2011- so haven’t installed it. I’ve heard that having a Windows 10 dual boot is a nightmare because their constant updates tend to brick the Clover boot loader. Looking into hardware power switches I can mount to a drive bay in the front of my case as well. Am I on the right track with that thinking?