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Thunderbolt 3 Modified Firmware Custom SSDT Discussion

Not sure in IOReg, since it's not activated by doing by doing the traditional pin jump. I can see the GC-Alpine/Titan in IOReg since they jump easily.

I was reading this post:

"Anyway, the reason jumping pin 3 to Force Power works is because pin 3 in the GC-TITAN RIDGE has 3.34V compared to ground which is enough to do Force Power (jumping pin 1 to pin 4 would also work). This doesn't work with all add-in cards. Pin 3 on a GC-ALPINE RIDGE only has 0.6V. This is why I use pull up resistors to SATA 3.3V power for both GC-TITAN RIDGE and GC-ALPINE RIDGE (I also pull up pin 3 and pin 4)."

Any suggestions before I dig into using pull up resistors?

Just to get me on the same page:

Are you using the same SSDT for the GC-Titan/Alpine card(s) for the EX3?

If so, are you putting the EX3 in the same slot that the GC-Titan/Alpine is supposed to go in?

If so! Can you send me the SSDT you're using?
 
Just to get me on the same page:

Are you using the same SSDT for the GC-Titan/Alpine card(s) for the EX3?

If so, are you putting the EX3 in the same slot that the GC-Titan/Alpine is supposed to go in?

If so! Can you send me the SSDT you're using?
No, not using the same SSDT as the Gigabyte. I can try that though, but I didn't think that would work.
I'm putting all TB AIC's in slot 4.

Attached is the SSDT I'm using for a GB-Alpine Ridge.
 

Attachments

  • SSDT-TBOLT3.aml
    1.5 KB · Views: 85
No, not using the same SSDT as the Gigabyte. I can try that though, but I didn't think that would work.
I'm putting all TB AIC's in slot 4.

Attached is the SSDT I'm using for a GB-Alpine Ridge.
No, not using the same SSDT as the Gigabyte. I can try that though, but I didn't think that would work.
I'm putting all TB AIC's in slot 4.

Attached is the SSDT I'm using for a GB-Alpine Ridge.
Lets definitely uses the SSDT for the GC-Alpine Ridge card. Its pointed at where the card is. If it doesn't work then we can edit the SSDT thats meant for the EX3.
 
Lets definitely uses the SSDT for the GC-Alpine Ridge card. Its pointed at where the card is. If it doesn't work then we can edit the SSDT thats meant for the EX3.
I just tried it, but still nothing. I think SSDT will probably need to be customized, but also the jumper probably isn't right either.
 
I just tried it, but still nothing. I think SSDT will probably need to be customized, but also the jumper probably isn't right either.

If I were you I'd do this:

  1. Shut down Mac Pro and unplug power for around 15 seconds
  2. Remove Jumper
  3. Plug in and power on TB Device
  4. Plug in Mac Pro and boot

Report back!
 
If I were you I'd do this:

  1. Shut down Mac Pro and unplug power for around 15 seconds
  2. Remove Jumper
  3. Plug in and power on TB Device
  4. Plug in Mac Pro and boot

Report back!
Still nothing. Not sure how having no jumper is going to make it work.
I even removed the EFI, did a PRAM reset, reinstalled EFI with the GC-Alpine Ridge (even though it's an Asus EX3), blessed it, and rebooted. Nothing.
 
Still nothing. Not sure how having no jumper is going to make it work.
I even removed the EFI, did a PRAM reset, reinstalled EFI with the GC-Alpine Ridge (even though it's an Asus EX3), blessed it, and rebooted. Nothing.

Yeah, the Mac Pro thing can be a bit tricky.

I was just checking The Definitive Classic Mac Pro Update Guide and it looks like the only EX3/MacPro features that worked was video pass through.

If I had one here I'd try to help.

Last thing...

If you have Windows you can boot to Windows (with you TB device on) and try to get it working there. Leave device on and reboot into macOS. Thats sort of the old way and requires OEM firmware.
 
Yeah, the Mac Pro thing can be a bit tricky.

I was just checking The Definitive Classic Mac Pro Update Guide and it looks like the only EX3/MacPro features that worked was video pass through.

If I had one here I'd try to help.

Last thing...

If you have Windows you can boot to Windows (with you TB device on) and try to get it working there. Leave device on and reboot into macOS. Thats sort of the old way and requires OEM firmware.
That card may be toast. I just ordered another one. I also have an Asus EX 3-TR. This one is definitely working because I can see it in Device manager in Windows. With original firmware it shows up with no header cable attached booting to Windows in Mac Pro 5,1, but I when I plug a TB device into it nothing happens. So now, how do you jump a 14-1 pin TB header? I tried TB_Force_PWR to S_SLPS3#, but no dice.
1622244833575.png
1622245000583.png

1622245011801.png
 
That card may be toast. I just ordered another one. I also have an Asus EX 3-TR. This one is definitely working because I can see it in Device manager in Windows. With original firmware it shows up with no header cable attached booting to Windows in Mac Pro 5,1, but I when I plug a TB device into it nothing happens. So now, how do you jump a 14-1 pin TB header? I tried TB_Force_PWR to S_SLPS3#, but no dice.
View attachment 520071View attachment 520073
View attachment 520074
Your OEM fFirmware captures looked a bit different than mine. Wanna try these and double check your card?
 

Attachments

  • EX3 OEM Firmware.zip
    428.8 KB · Views: 82
I have an Asus ThunderboltEX 3.
With the available firmware, it says to use different versions based on whether it's a Rev B or C.
This says Rev 1.00.

I need some clarification. Since I saw a B up top, I flashed the B version. I want to test this with a Mac Pro 5,1 (not a hack, although I have several I can test with as well). I also am not sure which pins to jump on this, so I did the same 3/5 that the Gigabyte cards use, but nothing shows up in System Report.

Attached is the original firmware dump and a pic of the card.
Alpine Ridge cards don't automatically enable USB 3.x.
Once you get force power working (with pull up resistor to 3.3V source), then you need to enable USB 3.x. This can be done in EFI Shell.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/usb-3-x-pcie-cards-for-classic-mac-pro.1501482/post-27935029
Maybe an SSDT can do it to, but I haven't played with OpenCore much on my MacPro3,1 or with Thunderbolt SSDTs.
Maybe a firmware change can do it to, but I haven't done any firmware flashing.
 
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