Mac Pro 2013 build - Lunar/Lego edition

[Pineapple68]

Edit: I interrupted the Lego build. I am going ahead starting with the pi Case
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/pi-case-based-mac-pro-2013-replica-mod.215808/

----------------------

HI to all. After weeks of reading I am taking courage and I decided to create a build "trashcan-Lunar" based.

As a summary theese are all the 2013 build I've found, with respective creator:

• sascha288 https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/mac-pro-late-2013-replica.120757/ “Mac Pro (late 2013) replica” - Gen 2014
• Juan Lobo 1st https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/2013-mac-pro-my-variation.123752/ “2013 Mac Pro - My variation” - Feb 2014
• Bouly https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/2013-mac-pro-my-variation.123752/page-38 - Aug 2015
• Mr Target https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/mac-pro-replica-late-2013-low-power-design.124213/ “Mac Pro replica (late 2013)” - Feb 2014
• klausi13 https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/mac-pro-replica-late-2013-low-power-design.124213/page-3 “Mac Pro replica (late 2013)” - Feb 2014

Basically the build will be (in my intent) a compromise between the Juanlobo/nunziantimo build and the Misterlobo/klausi13 build.

I will try also a Samsung SM951 SSD 950 PRO m.2 as second HD, and I will connect a minidisplay cable inside to theMSI GeForce GTX 760 Gaming ITX instead of an HDMI extender (for a native use with imac 27" 2009).

Processor: Intel® Core™ i3-6100 3.7Ghz
RAM: 16 GB - 2133 mhz DDR4 (crucial, cheaper)
Motherboard: GA-H170N-WIFI
Archive: Crucial MX300 525GB
Archive 2: Samsung SM951 M.2 128GB (test x m.2 support, after test for booting)
GPU: MSI GeForce GTX 760 Gaming ITX
Wifi: TP-Link (or reuse of a powerbook G4 Airport extreme?)
Fans GPU: Intel standard fan
Fans case: Noctua NF-A15 PWM 150mm
Power: Silverstone ST45SF-G
Case: Lunar trashcan, is cheaper from Germany...

(Note: I am based in Italy, so all the components will be ordered from EU ebay or amazon store.)

 

[Pineapple68]

Waiting for many components, today I am trying a Lego Technic structure...
I don't know what's the resistance to heat of this material, and at which C° they will melt...

I try this to figure how to arrange the items, and also because 3D printer in italy are really expensive.
But I think I will print only the bottom from Bouly file and the top will be like the Klausi13 build



View media item 188184View media item 188186View media item 188185View media item 188187

 

[Pineapple68]

I think that a better place should be in:
HomeForums>The Workshop>Case Mods>Mac Pro Mods

 

[Pineapple68]

Here is the case for the SSD (update)

 

[Pineapple68]

Finally Yesterday I started the build:

Photo group of components

Testing the components: all working!

 

[Pineapple68]

I installed El capitain 10.11.6 following this guide .
But I can't get full resolution in imac 27" using the Minidisplay port of Msi n760.

I installed the nvidia web driver, and followed the procedure, but I have this issues
- resolution at 1000x1200px, stretched (deformed) on imac 27" instead of 2540px,
with glitches in finder and bands at startup screen
- no Wifi, no bluetooth
- no stop/sleep
- Ram 16GB crucial recognized as 8GB 3200mhz (??!)

Reading newer thread about Sierra and h170n-wifi I had the feeling that that detailed guide is somewhat outdated, or not working for me.

So today I am trying a clean sierra installation following only the Tonymax Installation guide.
Go on!

 

[Pineapple68]

I tried a clean installation of Sierra instead of an upgrade from Appstore. Bad move.

(this is my clover screen)

I created the sierra USB, with newer version of Unibeast and Multibeast,
then I started the installation of Sierra.
Then after the reboot I get an infinite loading page. When I restart and boot from my USB Sierra, I get this.

Now I am trying to back to the El Capitain, following the instruction for h170n in the above guide.
But when I boot from the USB now I get the "infinite loading"...

Basically I can't erase the SSD and try again, I am blocked probably for some Bootloader related issue
(the newer Bootloader with the sierra USB conflict with the older?)

The Bios setting follows the guide indication.

 

[neilhart]

I installed El capitain 10.11.6 following this guide .
But I can't get full resolution in imac 27" using the Minidisplay port of Msi n760.

I installed the nvidia web driver, and followed the procedure, but I have this issues
- resolution at 1000x1200px, stretched (deformed) on imac 27" instead of 2540px,
with glitches in finder and bands at startup screen
- no Wifi, no bluetooth
- no stop/sleep
- Ram 16GB crucial recognized as 8GB 3200mhz (??!)

Reading newer thread about Sierra and h170n-wifi I had the feeling that that detailed guide is somewhat outdated, or not working for me.

So today I am trying a clean sierra installation following only the Tonymax Installation guide.
Go on!

Humm... I own two MSI GTX 760-ITX gpus and have found that they are supported in all of the later versions of OS X (Mavericks, Yosemite, El Cap and Sierra). By supported I mean you set "NO" to ATI, Intel and NVIDIA" in the graphics section of the config.plist.

And you don't use anything related to NVIDIA Web drivers.

I am curious as to the native resolution of the iMac that you are using. Please provide model number and year as I would like to check the specifications.

The reason that this caught my attention is that I am very happy with my GTX 760 ITX gpus. However I am currently only using DVI to DVI 1920 x 1200 and HDMI to HDMI 3840 x 2160 and I do not have a display with display port input. And this is on Mavericks/i7-4790K and Sierra/i7-6700K systems.

Most likely you will need to change out the WiFi/BT card to an OS X compatible one.

I would not spend time on sleep as it may or may not ever work on your system.

Memory - run an app like Geekbench and see if you memory is correctly identified or not.

And you indicate that can not erase your SSD. I that case I would pull it out and use a USB to SATA adapter and reformat it from the iMac.

Hope that this is some help.

Good modding,
neil

 

[Pineapple68]

Hi Neilhart, after that I tryed a Sierra installation, because I thinked that many little issues where solved after 1 year by apple, as supprt and as troubleshooting. And It was 99% true.

The reason that this caught my attention is that I am very happy with my GTX 760 ITX gpus. However I am currently only using DVI to DVI 1920 x 1200 and HDMI to HDMI 3840 x 2160 and I do not have a display with display port input. And this is on Mavericks/i7-4790K and Sierra/i7-6700K systems.

At a certain point, I got a stable 10.12.2 installation, with full resolution in imac Late 2009 27" from the minidisplay cable.
And audio trough minidisplay OOB, but with volume control by the old imac (as known with old PS4 usage).

Then I worked on the m.2 sm951 nvme: i connected it, reboot (and I see i as windows drives), but utility disk can't "grab" it.
So I followed the generic NVME driver as read there https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/os-x-driver-for-nvme-m-2-solid-state-drives-released.181387/
and after place the genericnvme kext, I get a kernel window.

(more detail there, maybe in wrong section)

 

[Pineapple68]

And you indicate that can not erase your SSD. I that case I would pull it out and use a USB to SATA adapter and reformat it from the iMac.

I never thinked to that solution!
Thanks, I can apply this trick to the sm951, with my imac. And format it.
See this object: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KQ4LNJC/?tag=tonymacx86com-20


Actually I get a kernel panic, the Issue so is in the NVME Kext I put in EFI's SSD!
So I should format it and repeat the sierra installation from USB (but I think I put the kext ALSO in this other EFI )

Ok I am understanding the EFI.