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

[k4ss4]

Hello @kgp, i have a question for you. I used the same board, i7 7820x and GTX 1080 Ti. But I have a problem here with safari and Quicktime. The system freezes. Did you experienced that? Or do you have suggestions? I just avoided bios manipulation to unlock 0xE2. Can it be related to this? I would appreciate so much your help and thank you for this wonderful guide

 

[kgp]

Hello @kgp, i have a question for you. I used the same board, i7 7820x and GTX 1080 Ti. But I have a problem here with safari and Quicktime. The system freezes. Did you experienced that? Or do you have suggestions? I just avoided bios manipulation to unlock 0xE2. Can it be related to this? I would appreciate so much your help and thank you for this wonderful guide

High, @k4ss4! I might no the of much help in your issues. I never faced freezes in Safari or Quicktime or freezes of any kind on my system. I don't think that your freezes could be related with the BIOS MSR lock.

Good luck in bug fixing!

KGP

 

[AnaktuvGod]

What did you switch to? You had the Asus X299 Deluxe before, right?

Were you looking for another alternative @WilleC ? Check this WS X299 SAGE out...

https://www.asus.com/us/Commercial-Servers-Workstations/WS-X299-SAGE/overview/

Thinking about this one myself. Has some PCIE lane switch thing going on I'm interested in seeing how well it takes advantage of an i9. This is a server class/WORKSTATION motherboard though takes your standard i7 i9s processors. Just an FYI as I just logged back in to see what new development had came along since the last time I dipped in the thread

 

[mgregrs]

So I have a few little (very important for me) questions for our pro-users @kgp @DSM2 and others who will find 30 sec for help in this case.

I have to copy SSDT-X299-iMacPro.aml
and then edit :
-> With simple text editor or you recommend something else?

Then adapt the respective DefinitionBlock entries in concordance with IOREG entries - it's quite clear if I will find correct entries .
( IOREG entries only from IOServices list I hope..)
and when I will finish edit/adopt it correctly, then I can activate some/equivalent patch in ACPI tab in clover config.. yes?
I understood well or not exactly...?

Thank you for any detail/answer, it's very important to me to finally understand a basic process of this replacement/impelentations, basic first steps, then I would like to do it alone with all devices...,
and after some tests etc - I hope.. later... I will be able to help others, who can be on the same situation like me now...

 

[kgp]

So I have a few little (very important for me) questions for our pro-users @kgp @DSM2 and others who will find 30 sec for help in this case.

I have to copy SSDT-X299-iMacPro.aml
and then edit :
-> With simple text editor or you recommend something else?

Then adapt the respective DefinitionBlock entries in concordance with IOREG entries - it's quite clear if I will find correct entries .
( IOREG entries only from IOServices list I hope..)
and when I will finish edit/adopt it correctly, then I can activate some/equivalent patch in ACPI tab in clover config.. yes?
I understood well or not exactly...?

Thank you for any detail/answer, it's very important to me to finally understand a basic process of this replacement/impelentations, basic first steps, then I would like to do it alone with all devices...,
and after some tests etc - I hope.. later... I will be able to help others, who can be on the same situation like me now...

@mgregrs, my friend! It is clearly written in the guide that you have to edit any aml-file with MaciASL, which is also attached to my guide.

You do not only have to change or adopt the Definition Block but also the PCI device implementations themselves! It is a compound that works together. In the definition block you define variables and within each PCI device implementation below you implement those variables defined in the definition block! Variables to be implemented in the definition block and PCI device implementation can be previously renamed by means of an ACPI DSDT Replacement patches, if the latter is really desired in some applicable cases. Unwanted or not applicable PCI device implementations yet implemented have to be modified or removed from the SSDT, which affects the definition block as well as to the PCI device implementation itself.

It is not one thing that has to be done after the other! Everything has to be done in parallel and with consistency! Definition block, PCI device implementation and ACPI DSDT Replacement patches are a logical compound to be consistently and correctly defined and cannot be separated from each other..

Is this clear enough, my friend? Just start learning by doing and you will better understand the logics behind the entire story..

Cheers,

KGP

 

[mgregrs]

@mgregrs, my friend! It is clearly written in the guide that you have to edit any aml-file with MaciASL, which is also attached to my guide.

You do not only have to change or adopt the Definition Block but also the PCI device implementations themselves! It is a compound that works together. In the definition block you define variables and within each PCI device implementation below you implement those variables defined in the definition block! Variables to be implemented in the definition block and PCI device implementation can be previously renamed by means of an ACPI DSDT Replacement patches, if the latter is really desired in some applicable cases. Unwanted or not applicable PCI device implementations yet implemented have to be modified or removed from the SSDT, which affects the definition block as well as to the PCI device implementation itself.

It is not one thing that has to be done after the other! Everything has to be done in parallel and with consistency! Definition block, PCI device implementation and ACPI DSDT Replacement patches are a logical compound to be consistently and correctly defined and cannot be separated from each other..

Is this clear enough, my friend? Just start learning by doing and you will better understand the logics behind the entire story..

Cheers,

KGP

MaciASL, where I lost my head this year...
every few days I feel like in "standby/sleep mode",
especially last 2 weeks... /sorry..

So....
This is what I needed for good beginning
Few basic words (for me -very valuable words) - like a road signs, which way should I take...
like I said before... in this subject - every detail/sign etc is very important to me, for better understeanding whole process...
and now like you said, I will start learning by doing...

Thank you KGP, have a great evening/night!

 

[WilleC]

@WilleC : Yes, I had an ASUS X299 Deluxe, which is a really good Motherboard and it works perfectly with MacOS but at the end of the day I wanted to try something different. I bought an Gigabyte X299 Designare EX which I personaly prefer more then the ASUS Motherboard but again it’s my personal taste of how things should work and I don’t regret it.

Thanks for your reply, that Gigabyte X299 Designare EX mobo sure looks sweet!

 

[TECH_ATTACK]

The Designare EX is just crap. I had this board for 2 days. The only good thing, Thunderbolt (with 5K support, ASUS Solution only provide 4K) is onboard and VRM Section is good and cold. Thats the "good".

But:
- Bad Boardlayout (many resources are shared)
- loud fan of VRM section (DSM2 said his board is quiet, but he use only 7900X, 7960X or even 7980XE are much bigger)
- just less features for the price (Ive paid 520€ in Germany.)

So, in my opinion the X299 Deluxe is the much better solution.

 

[paulotex]

Hello @kgp, i have a question for you. I used the same board, i7 7820x and GTX 1080 Ti. But I have a problem here with safari and Quicktime. The system freezes.

You could try fixing the voltage on the BIOS. I have the same CPU (but a different board) and I was able to get a stable system by fixing the core voltage on the UEFI, instead of leaving it on auto. I am using 1.12V and the system is stable. You could start a bit higher (say 1.15V), and use prime95 to test stability.

 

[TECH_ATTACK]

First of all... the board has much less features (less USB 3.1 Gen2, less USB overall). No U.2, Sound Section is not as good as the one from the X299 Deluxe (Gigabyte Aorus Gaming 7 Pro has the same) and not so good WiFi too.

Like I said, maybe the fan is quiet in your Setup, but you have "only" the 7900X, this CPU needs much less power than the big HCC models like 7960x and 7980xe. So you can't say anything about the fan noise in a big CPU setup. You can't compare OC on 7900X with OC on 7960X/7980XE. Totally different. Don't get me wrong, the board is good, but not worth the price. For me the price does not matter, but only if I get advantages compared to other boards. But thats not the fact, in that case.

300 - 350€ would be fair for the Designare EX, but not more than 500€.