[Solved] Is there no simple way to install directly to an NVMe SSD drive?

[anotheranother]

I have read https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...h-ionvmefamily-using-class-code-spoof.210316/ and don't understand a word of it. I also don't have Windows 10.

I'd hoped that this comment https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...ted-intel-based-pc.235474/page-7#post-1614764 was correct. It doesn't seem to be, but maybe I've missed a step.

I've managed to boot the USB drive and launch the installer, but Disk Utility only sees the USB drive.

My build contains:
Asus Strix z270g
i7-7700K
500GB NVMe SSD 960 Evo M.2
Gigabyte GEFORCE GTX 1050ti 4GB

I followed the steps in https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...ierra-on-any-supported-intel-based-pc.235474/ to configure the bios and found the tip to unchecked the "Set Nvidia to VESA" flag and am now able to boot to the installer, but that's as far as I can go. Is there an idiot proof and quick way to get this to work?

Thanks.

 

[RehabMan]

I have read https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...h-ionvmefamily-using-class-code-spoof.210316/ and don't understand a word of it. I also don't have Windows 10.

I'd hoped that this comment https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...ted-intel-based-pc.235474/page-7#post-1614764 was correct. It doesn't seem to be, but maybe I've missed a step.

I've managed to boot the USB drive and launch the installer, but Disk Utility only sees the USB drive.

My build contains:
Asus Strix z270g
i7-7700K
500GB NVMe SSD 960 Evo M.2
Gigabyte GEFORCE GTX 1050ti 4GB

I followed the steps in https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...ierra-on-any-supported-intel-based-pc.235474/ to configure the bios and found the tip to unchecked the "Set Nvidia to VESA" flag and am now able to boot to the installer, but that's as far as I can go. Is there an idiot proof and quick way to get this to work?

Thanks.

For Sierra, read here:
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...h-ionvmefamily-using-class-code-spoof.210316/

For High Sierra, NVMe is "more native."

Don't forget that SATA mode must be AHCI.

 

[anotheranother]

Thank you for the reply. I am feeling more than a little out of my depth and appreciate any help I can get here.

For High Sierra, NVMe is "more native."

I am attempting to install High Sierra with the parts listed above. Does that obsolete the guide you created, or are there some steps from it that are required still?

Don't forget that SATA mode must be AHCI

Does this mean it won't work at all in PCIe mode? In that case, it seems like I should return the drive and just get a cheaper 2.5" form factor SSD with only an SATA interface.

After reading this, I made the changes below and re-booted into the installer, but the drive still is not visible.

In the bios, which calls itself UEFI BIOS Utility:
under PCH Storage Configuration, SATA Controller(s) == "enabled" and SATA Mode Selection == "AHCI"
under Onboard Devices Configuration, change M.2_1 Configuration from "AUTO" to "SATA mode"

I also tried forcing M.2_1 Configuration to "PCIe mode", which also had no effect.

Is there something else I need to do on the machine from which I run unibeast to create the thumbdrive before I run unibeast?

 

[RehabMan]

I am attempting to install High Sierra with the parts listed above. Does that obsolete the guide you created, or are there some steps from it that are required still?

No need for the 512 byte LBA related patches as 10.13.x has better NVMe support (for devices with 512 byte block size).

Does this mean it won't work at all in PCIe mode?

No idea what you mean by PCIe mode.
NVMe is always PCIe.
But if SATA==RAID, then NVMe devices are proprietary Intel RST instead of standard NVMe and not supported in macOS at all.
SATA mode must be AHCI such that the NVMe devices appear as standard NVMe.

After reading this, I made the changes below and re-booted into the installer, but the drive still is not visible.

In the bios, which calls itself UEFI BIOS Utility:
under PCH Storage Configuration, SATA Controller(s) == "enabled" and SATA Mode Selection == "AHCI"
under Onboard Devices Configuration, change M.2_1 Configuration from "AUTO" to "SATA mode"

I also tried forcing M.2_1 Configuration to "PCIe mode", which also had no effect.

Is there something else I need to do on the machine from which I run unibeast to create the thumbdrive before I run unibeast?

No "Problem Reporting" files attached.
Read FAQ, "Problem Reporting" again. Carefully. Attach all requested files/output.
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/faq-read-first-laptop-frequent-questions.164990/

 

[anotheranother]

Figured it out. Eventually. The solution is to use diskutil from the command line. There is not an icon for Terminal in the pre installer screen, but it is available in the utilities menu. Use diskutil list to find the drive, then diskutil eraseDisk <format> <name> <device> e.g. diskutil eraseDisk APFS 'High Sierra' /dev/disk0

...now to figure out why animations seem laggy using nvidia web drivers. Or give up and use Ubuntu.

 

[bufferOverflow]

I'm on the same boat as you were. Installed High Sierra as I wanted to use NVMe SSD but OS is completely laggy. I'm thinking to go back to Sierra but it's way too much pain to use the NVMe ssd.