eGPU with TB3 on a Lenovo P51

[emlynb]

Hi all,

I've been pretty successful with getting my Lenovo P51 up and running with HS after following some previous success here: https://github.com/MirkoCovizzi/thinkpad-p51-hackintosh

I'm now at the point where I want to get my eGPU with RX 580 running with OS X. I've got as far as getting the system to boot up with both the internal display and the external card working, but after about 30s or so, the eGPU powers down the screen, I lose the ability to control windows / select apps on the laptop display and the fans start spinning on full tilt.

A different thread suggested potentially a power management issue on USB-C / TB - so how do I start going about doing this?

 

[Enotus]

Hi all,

I've been pretty successful with getting my Lenovo P51 up and running with HS after following some previous success here: https://github.com/MirkoCovizzi/thinkpad-p51-hackintosh

I'm now at the point where I want to get my eGPU with RX 580 running with OS X. I've got as far as getting the system to boot up with both the internal display and the external card working, but after about 30s or so, the eGPU powers down the screen, I lose the ability to control windows / select apps on the laptop display and the fans start spinning on full tilt.

A different thread suggested potentially a power management issue on USB-C / TB - so how do I start going about doing this?

Hi.

Did you solve this issue?

When i connect my eGPU via TB3 it appears in System Preference but with no driver loaded for gpu, but for audio on gpu it is.

 

[emlynb]

@Enotus I didn't solve it. I'm just making do with Intel graphics only. I have the windows side for anything else.

 

[andytq]

Hi OP,
I am also trying to get my p51 working with egpu (RX 5700XT),but the machine got stuck at apple logo during boot if I plugged in egpu pre-boot. In -v mode it shows ACPI exceptions.

i.e. I cannot even get to the point where the signal can be output onto the screen.

I am trying to get to your point right now. Would you mind to share the solution, or EFI folder?

Thanks!


EDIT: I got my eGPU working with RX 5700 XT, by disabling iGPU.

1. Change SMBIOS to iMacPro1, 1
2. Add boot flag agdpmod=pikera
3. Disable iGPU in BIOS, i.e. changing hybrid graphics to discrete graphics.
4. As always, plug in the tb3 port BEFORE booting.

Also, I am running on Catalina 10.15.2.

The drawback of this method right now is that you would have to switch back to hybrid graphics if you wanna move around But it is the closest I can get.