OS X Driver for NVMe M.2 Solid State Drives Released

[ggeorge]

Got my Samsung 950 pro. Install went well just updated clover. Then threw in NvmExpressDxe-64.efi into the 'drivers64UEFI' folder (even though the installer doesn't allow that, had to install it on a USB stick with BiosblockIO then get the driver NvmExpressDxe-64.efi and throw it in 'drivers64UEFI' folder). After that I threw the NVMeGeneric.kext into Kext folder for clover. Booted to a OS X installer USB stick used restore option with Disk utility to copy me oldssd install and booted up 950 pro just fine from the EFI boot loader on OldSSD. Then installed clover with EFI on the 950 pro, transferred over all my files from my clover folder under EFI partition from old SSD to 950 pro EFI partition. Now booting with just 950 pro with EFI.

Thanks this worked like a charm, very smooth.

 

[mchamlee]

Thanks AppleIIGuy, the 6 steps you posted worked for my system. But I am not yet getting the expected performance from the drive;
Black Magic Disk Speed results: Write 618MB/s, Read 780MB/s.

I'll have to do more research, but I'm guessing that the performance is limited by the M.2 interface on my Gigabyte Z97X-UD3H-B3 motherboard. I might need to add an Angelbird Wings PX1 M.2 Adapter or similar to get the full benefit of the drive. (http://barefeats.com/hard211.html)
Any advice from the TonyMac forums would be greatly appreciated.

AppleIIGuy's working steps:
1. installing the nvme kext to my clover 10.11 folder (I used the EFI Mounter app to mount the EFI partition).
2. Install the M.2 SSD then reboot
3. Format the M.2 Drive
4. Use CCC to clone my boot drive to the m.2 drive
5. installing Clover to the m.2 drive
6. Copying the entire contents of /EFI/CLOVER from my old ssd to the new ssd's /EFI/CLOVER

Everyone please note my build started with an UniBeast/MultiBeast installation of El Capitan on a SATA SSD drive. Thanks to TonyMac, El Capitan was running smoothly (including Messages & Sleep) prior to me cloning the SATA drive to the M.2 drive.

 

[UNOE]

Well... at the first sight I would have said you are using an x2 slot, but apparently your mobo has a an x4 slot, so that's not the case. However, seq speeds look like they're essentially halved, so something must be very wrong indeed. Even if it's a 256GB version, read speeds should have been much higher.

What I can think of right now:
- go through bios settings again, maybe you have some options there to configure the M.2 slot speed in terms of assigned lanes or some other setting
- open an issue with AsRock, maybe they know something
- I know people are using this with 10.10 as well, but, "by the book", the driver seems to only support 10.11 (http://www.macvidcards.com/nvme-faq.html). I don't know, when odd things happen, I guess you should consider every option...

Good luck, and keep us posted!

Im running with 10.10 with 256gb 950 pro and getting 2050 read and 880 write. Im wondering if some adapters are not working with PCIe 3.0 or x4. I seen some adapters online that have only PCIe x2 post. So it might be something like that to. Like this one. But most likely bios setting like you said. Another think I also saw somewhere is possible a older GPU with pcie 2.0 might be installed and nvidia driver may want all ports to be 2.0. If bios is set to auto and you have a 2.0 card installed try to set the ports to 3.0 manually in bios.

Edit : by they way I'm saying don't get that adapter cause its x2... there is plenty of others on eBay that have x4 that will work for around $8 to $12 shipped. Or Amazon $17 to $25.

 

[UNOE]

Thanks AppleIIGuy, the 6 steps you posted worked for my system. But I am not yet getting the expected performance from the drive;
Black Magic Disk Speed results: Write 618MB/s, Read 780MB/s.

I'll have to do more research, but I'm guessing that the performance is limited by the M.2 interface on my Gigabyte Z97X-UD3H-B3 motherboard. I might need to add an Angelbird Wings PX1 M.2 Adapter or similar to get the full benefit of the drive. (http://barefeats.com/hard211.html)
Any advice from the TonyMac forums would be greatly appreciated.

AppleIIGuy's working steps:
1. installing the nvme kext to my clover 10.11 folder (I used the EFI Mounter app to mount the EFI partition).
2. Install the M.2 SSD then reboot
3. Format the M.2 Drive
4. Use CCC to clone my boot drive to the m.2 drive
5. installing Clover to the m.2 drive
6. Copying the entire contents of /EFI/CLOVER from my old ssd to the new ssd's /EFI/CLOVER

Everyone please note my build started with an UniBeast/MultiBeast installation of El Capitan on a SATA SSD drive. Thanks to TonyMac, El Capitan was running smoothly (including Messages & Sleep) prior to me cloning the SATA drive to the M.2 drive.

Many m.2 ports on motherboard are x2. I think that adapter is very expensive. I bought one one eBay for $8 (one week shipping from china) and another one on amazon for $22 with 2 day shipping that both do PCIe 3.0 x4. That expensive adapter is more for cooling. I have a fully water cooled computer and obsessed with cooing. But I still wouldn't buy that adapter unless your in a fully closed case. If you have a little bit of air flow in that area it should be fine with the standard adapter.

 

[mchamlee]

I bought one one eBay for $8 (one week shipping from china) and another one on amazon for $22 with 2 day shipping that both do PCIe 3.0 x4.

Have you used any of the adapters from eBay or Amazon? And could you post a link or a brand/model?
Thanks

 

[UNOE]

Have you used any of the adapters from eBay or Amazon? And could you post a link or a brand/model?
Thanks

I'm not sure what is allowed as far as posting eBay links on this form. But yes I purchased one from Amazon and one from eBay. One of them I didn't like in my open case cause the green LED are too bright. But for most part all the adapters should be good from amazon and ebay that are marked as M key PCIe 3.0 with pictured x4 PCIe teeth. I noticed some pictured have the x2 lanes. So just check on pictures before you buy.

The one I'm currently using is Red PCB with both M key and B key and Sata on the end. This one is common and I have seen it on eBay and Amazon. I believe one seller on eBay had is as low as $8 or $9 shipped it took 7 days for me to receive it from China. The same item on Amazon is 3 times the price with slightly faster shipping. Likely no different just stock in US rather than China.

The other one I have is Green PCB and has bright green LED I don't recommend it cause its too bright, however it worked fine and benched at the same speed as the red pcb adapter.

 

[Obvious Answer Man]

I'm not sure what is allowed as far as posting eBay links on this form...

Posting a link from eBay for something you bought is allowed. But, posting an eBay link for something you're selling is not allowed.

 

[iUserosx]

This qualifies the equation : Hackintosh = Macintosh+No Limitation

 

[mchamlee]

I just placed an order for an M.2 to PCIe adapter that fits the description of your red one.
Ordered it from Amazon Prime, so hopefully I will have some results posted here within 2-3 days.

The brand name of the card is listed as Sedna; price $23.90.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XU7N0JS

 

[UNOE]

I just placed an order for an M.2 to PCIe adapter that fits the description of your red one.
Ordered it from Amazon Prime, so hopefully I will have some results posted here within 2-3 days.

The brand name of the card is listed as Sedna; price $23.90.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XU7N0JS/

Yeah thats the one. eBay has same ones for less than $10. But just few extra days to receive it.