Gigabyte Z490 Vision D (Thunderbolt 3) + i5-10400 + AMD RX 580

[tyns]

This topology was necessary for Comet Lake because it only had 16 direct CPU lanes. So not enough for a x16 graphics card plus an X4 M.2 slot.

But Intel upgraded the pipe with Rocket Lake and added 20 direct CPU lanes, 16 for graphics and 4 for M.2.

So the Z490 Vision D has a PCIe switch; with Comet Lake it uses the PCH with the top M.2 slot, and with the upgraded pipe of Rocket Lake, it can switch to using direct CPU lanes for the top M.2 slot.

However, as of F20, you have to explicitly select an option in the BIOS to enable the vision d to use the 4 direct CPU lanes from Rocket Lake, otherwise by default the mobo will default to using the PCH with that top M.2 slot.

Exactly, 10th gen only has 16 CPU Lanes so that M2A_CPU needed to be routed to the chipset lanes by design. Thank you so much for your input. I am still waiting for a response from Gigabyte's support team to be absolutely sure. The BIOS enabler for the M.2 reroute to CPU is definitely good to hear! I will check it out.

 

[tyns]

Found this as well:
https://www.gigabyte.com/de/Press/News/1870

 

[dehjomz]

Exactly, 10th gen only has 16 CPU Lanes so that M2A_CPU needed to be routed to the chipset lanes by design. Thank you so much for your input. I am still waiting for a response from Gigabyte's support team to be absolutely sure. The BIOS enabler for the M.2 reroute to CPU is definitely good to hear! I will check it out.

What more is there to be sure about? F20 supports it. Just find the Rocket Lake support setting for the top M.2 slot, turn it on, and enjoy PCIe 4.0.

 

[sardino]

Hello! So after a couple of months, I decided to install Windows to make my system dual boot. I’ve been able to install windows following @CaseySJ instructions in page 191 and everything went smooth. Windows booted straight from its NVMe. Then I changed disk boot order in BIOS to choose as first option the Mac disk. When I get to OpenCore, I can see the Windows disk there but it doesn’t start. Sometimes I get a black screen sometimes preparing automatic repair…in BIOS, if I choose the windows disk, it works. I also been able to boot into Windows by choosing the Windows drive in system preferences/startup disk while on Mac, but this only worked once. If I do it now, I just get to the black screen or the preparing automatic repair message. Do I need to change something in BIOS?

Thanks in advance.

 

[CaseySJ]

Hello! So after a couple of months, I decided to install Windows to make my system dual boot. I’ve been able to install windows following @CaseySJ instructions in page 191 and everything went smooth. Windows booted straight from its NVMe. Then I changed disk boot order in BIOS to choose as first option the Mac disk. When I get to OpenCore, I can see the Windows disk there but it doesn’t start. Sometimes I get a black screen sometimes preparing automatic repair…in BIOS, if I choose the windows disk, it works. I also been able to boot into Windows by choosing the Windows drive in system preferences/startup disk while on Mac, but this only worked once. If I do it now, I just get to the black screen or the preparing automatic repair message. Do I need to change something in BIOS?

Thanks in advance.

Please have a look at the first section of the OpenCore 0.7.8 mini-guide. There’s a link in that section for turning off AppleVTD.

By the way, which M.2 slot is the Windows disk installed in?

 

[sardino]

Please have a look at the first section of the OpenCore 0.7.8 mini-guide. There’s a link in that section for turning off AppleVTD.

By the way, which M.2 slot is the Windows disk installed in?

It is installed in the slot closest to the CPU.
I’ll have a look at your mini guide.
I am so thankful…you are always willing to help.

 

[sardino]

Thank you @CaseySJ I followed your instructions, and now everything works as supposed. I have another little problem, I have to pair my Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard and TrackPad when I switch from Mac to Windows and vice versa…any hints?
Thanks again.

 

[tyns]

What more is there to be sure about? F20 supports it. Just find the Rocket Lake support setting for the top M.2 slot, turn it on, and enjoy PCIe 4.0.

I am just cautious. Since it isn't formally written in the manual I want to make triple sure before investing in a 11gen CPU.

 

[dehjomz]

I am just cautious. Since it isn't formally written in the manual I want to make triple sure before investing in a 11gen CPU.

The manual was written before Rocket Lake was available so it was written from the point of view of already released hardware… with no comment on then unreleased hardware.

I have personally tested Rocket Lake with the Z490 Vision D. So I am speaking from experience.

But if it doesn’t work out, you can always return the 11th gen CPU to the vendor for a refund, can you not? You can always buy Z590 as well it was designed with PCIe 4.0 support in mind... Or come over to the dark side with Alder Lake.

 

[Higgie]

Thank you @CaseySJ I followed your instructions, and now everything works as supposed. I have another little problem, I have to pair my Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard and TrackPad when I switch from Mac to Windows and vice versa…any hints?
Thanks again.

Every time you switch OS, the magic devices are changing their bluetooth address. You can use regedit in Windows to lock the bluetooth addresses in, and then switching between OS won’t be a problem. I’ll try and find the link I followed to get it working!

IIRC, you pair them in windows so that they appear in the registry, then switch to mac and pair them, then write down the bluetooth addresses of all devices. Then go back to windows and edit the registry entries to correspond with the macos bluetooth addresses. You should be able to swap OS at will then, and never have to re-pair