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

[lokicat]

Gigabyte should also be able to lock the cores. I had that enabled on my previous X99 Gigabyte system. You are correct in that the BIOS setting is there but it doesn't work because I can't even get it to work in Windows. I'm sure Gigabyte will correct it in another BIOS release. The voltage settings, mesh multiplier, and XMP settings are still not 100% working either. At least that's the case with the Gaming 7.

 

[sparkyboy767]

This explains a lot in regard to the full compatibility of the new Intel Skylake X Core i9 chips with High Sierra.

https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/intel-core-x-series-imacs-coming-sept-2017.228988/

Unfortunately it doesn't explain anything. The article that they link to is headlined "Intel ‘Core X-Series’ w/ up to 18-core processors coming Sept. ahead of iMac Pro". Read it carefully - it's saying the Intel processors are coming ahead of the iMac Pro release. The guy linking to it then incorrectly asserts "9to5Mac reported that Core X-Series Intel-based iMacs will be coming this September before the release of the iMac Pros". Unfortunately there is no evidence of that. Not to say it can't happen - just that there isn't any evidence of it yet.

The best place to find conclusive evidence of upcoming hardware is here: https://pikeralpha.wordpress.com/

Pike goes through released code and firmware and, as far as I'm aware, has only found evidence of Xeon's (Purley) for the upcoming iMac Pro.

 

[trs96]

Unfortunately it doesn't explain anything. The article that they link to is headlined "Intel ‘Core X-Series’ w/ up to 18-core processors coming Sept. ahead of iMac Pro". Read it carefully - it's saying the Intel processors are coming ahead of the iMac Pro release. The guy linking to it then incorrectly asserts "9to5Mac reported that Core X-Series Intel-based iMacs will be coming this September before the release of the iMac Pros". Unfortunately there is no evidence of that. Not to say it can't happen - just that there isn't any evidence of it yet.

The best place to find conclusive evidence of upcoming hardware is here: https://pikeralpha.wordpress.com/

The article written by @JordanKahn was written in a misleading way. He must have been trying to create clickbait by making it sound like he had some unique news about new Skylake-X iMacs coming in Sept. when he really didn't. It's easy to see how Beelze could have mis interpreted the headline. It should have simply read: Intel Core X Series processors coming in Sept. and left out the "ahead of iMac Pro" part.

 

[ekwipt]

@kgp are you sure the Gigabyte boards, don't have sync all cores in the bios, it was definitely a feature on the same looking bios for my X99P-SLI. Just checking as i'minterest in the Gigabyte boards

 

[kgp]

@kgp are you sure the Gigabyte boards, don't have sync all cores in the bios, it was definitely a feature on the same looking bios for my X99P-SLI. Just checking as i'minterest in the Gigabyte boards

Up to my opinion, this is a ASUS only sppprted BIOS feature! If you however better know which Gigabyte BIOS setting would equal to "Sync All Cores", please let me know asap!

Cheers,

KGP

 

[lokicat]

@kgp are you sure the Gigabyte boards, don't have sync all cores in the bios, it was definitely a feature on the same looking bios for my X99P-SLI. Just checking as i'minterest in the Gigabyte boards

The option is there in the F7I BIOS for Gaming 7, but it does not work as I tried in Windows. Other things related to CPU overclocking that don't work on this BIOS version (all confirmed in Windows 10):

• Mesh multiplier - once you overclock this, it sticks to the new frequency 100% and does not throttle down during idle like it does at default. This creates unnecessary power usage.
• Manual CPU VCore adjustment - once you set the VCore to a specific voltage, like the Mesh issue, it sticks to that voltage 100% of the time and does not throttle down during idle.
• XMP - when you set a profile, the BIOS will make it appear as though the timing is right, but SPD utilities and benchmarks show otherwise. You have to manual set the XMP values in order to get "true" XMP performance.
• All CPU cores should be sync'd when you enable "Multicore Enhanced Performance" and disable "Energy Saving Mode" and disable Turbo Boost. But it does not work. As noted, this worked perfectly with x99 Gigabyte BIOS.
• Turbo Boost 3.0 - when you manual set one and two core modes to clock higher than full core mode, it should work on single threaded benchmarks. It does not work and one core mode defaults to base clock. However, on this one, I have yet to hear anyone confirm Turbo Boost 3.0 works on Mac.

It seems ASUS BIOS is more stable at this point. However, I'm sure Gigabyte is working on these issues as F7 is still in beta.

 

[ekwipt]

pretty sure you just manually set the cores to the boost frequency you want

on my 6800K I set this to 3.8Ghz as this is the Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 Frequency, which isn't available on hacks or Macs as it is a Windows feature.

and you have to set the same number in ./ssdtPRGen.sh -turbo 3800

 

[lokicat]

View attachment 273755 pretty sure you just manually set the cores to the boost frequency you want

on my 6800K I set this to 3.8Ghz as this is the Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 Frequency, which isn't available on hacks or Macs as it is a Windows feature.

and you have to set the same number in ./ssdtPRGen.sh -turbo 3800

That's part of it, but I've run single thread benchmark in Windows and only one core goes to max clock. All others idle. They should all be running the same speed if you set to enhanced multicore performance and disable energy savings. Additionally, the single core does not clock to the Turbo Boost 3.0 frequency but only the max clock I set as base frequency. This all should work per Gigabyte's own instructions, but it doesn't. Once I get Windows working, I will try again on High Sierra.

 

[kgp]

That's part of it, but I've run single thread benchmark in Windows and only one core goes to max clock. All others idle. They should all be running the same speed if you set to enhanced multicore performance and disable energy savings. Additionally, the single core does not clock to the Turbo Boost 3.0 frequency but only the max clock I set as base frequency. This all should work per Gigabyte's own instructions, but it doesn't. Once I get Windows working, I will try again on High Sierra.

You simply have to sync all cores... What can I say more... Thats not like setting the turbo frequency of all cores equal...
Asus chose the best term for this function... without syncing the cores, just one core will always rule and the other will do what ever they want...

It is implemented for years... but know it becomes dramatically important

Either Gigabyte implements this functionality or you are lost

That's at least my opinion... i am happy that I sold again my Aorus X299 Gaming 9 and returned to the Asus Prime X299 Deluxe..

 

[ekwipt]

I will check my setup, maybe over the weekend. Problem with mw i did all my research settng up my hack X99 when Sierra was first released, so i forget how i set it all up properly. Your write up is very good @kgp wish i did it for 1. the community (mostly and 2. So i rememeber how i actually ghot this hack to work at all!