[Updated] Stork's Thunderbolt Build: i5-3570K | GA-Z77X-UP5-TH | GTX 760

[Westsurf]

Now, I am wondering if it's that I am using the regular old uefiBIOS from Gigabyte that's causing some of my issues?

Changes are:


GA-Z77X-UP5TH BIOS F12j mod9
Modified with :
Intel Legacy RAID ROM 11.6.0.1702 to 13.1.0.2030
Intel UEFI SataDriver 11.6.0.1702 to 13.1.0.2030
Marvell 88SE91xx SATA RAID 1.0.0.0027 to 1.0.1.0025
Intel Boot Agent PXE 1.3.81 to 1.5.48
Intel EFI UNDI 4.9.00 to 6.0.24
Intel PCI Accelerated SVGA 2137 PC 14.34 to 2170
Sandy GOPdriver 2.0.1023 to 2.0.1024
Ivy GOPdriver 3.0.1023 to 3.0.1027
CPU MicroCode Pack (with Sandy 6A728 and Ivy 6A919)
ME Firmware 8.1.30.1350 to 8.1.51.1471
Modified splash logo 2

Tweaktown - Gigabyte Modified BIOS Thread

 

[Westsurf]

Stork I’ve noticed a performance drop in the Samsung 970 EVO M2 Nvme drive. I'm thinking it might be related to OLD XXX.efi files in drivers64UEFI.

Would you know on our MB can we:

1. Remove apfs.efi and replace with ApfsDriverLoader-64.efi & AppleImageLoader-64.efi?
2. Use AptioMemoryFix-64.efi instead of OsxAptioFix1Drv-64.efi, OsxAptioFix2Drv-64.efi & OsxAptioFix3Drv-64.efi?
3. I assume if I need to boot off W10 drives I need NTFS-64.efi instead of NTFS.efi?

Thanks

 

[Stork]

Stork I’ve noticed a performance drop in the Samsung 970 EVO M2 Nvme drive. I'm thinking it might be related to OLD XXX.efi files in drivers64UEFI.

Would you know on our MB can we:

1. Remove apfs.efi and replace with ApfsDriverLoader-64.efi & AppleImageLoader-64.efi?
2. Use AptioMemoryFix-64.efi instead of OsxAptioFix1Drv-64.efi, OsxAptioFix2Drv-64.efi & OsxAptioFix3Drv-64.efi?
3. I assume if I need to boot off W10 drives I need NTFS-64.efi instead of NTFS.efi?

Thanks

Use the latest Clover installer in the Downloads > Clover Builds. The latest version of Clover doesn't use apfs.efi anymore.

 

[Westsurf]

Ah that may be why my M2 performance is down.

Just noticed that Clover builds install AptioMemoryFix-64.efi

Thanks

[SOLVED]

Removed apfs.efi and replace with ApfsDriverLoader-64.efi & AppleImageLoader-64.efi which solved the decreased 960 EVO read/write performance. Also stopped verbose boot at startup.

Bootup time is back to HS speeds.

 

[Westsurf]

Overclocking in Mojave with EIST enabled in BIOS

Backup OS drive and EFI folder to back up drive.

EIST in BIOS set to auto

Load Clover Configurator and mount EFI, load config.plist
In Acpi enable "pluginType"
In Kernel and Kext patches enable "KernalXCPM"
Save config.plist

Reboot

This will allow overclocking and speed stepping with Overclocked values without need for SSDT.

@Solidww

[Edit] - Hmm maybe not perfect as IORegistryExplorer shows no CPUPstates entry BUT CPU does seem to throttle up and down but only from 4.5 to approx 3.9 ... with one brief moment at 1.6?

Needs more investigating as I don't remember it operating like this before the Preview fix below.

[SOLVED] see Post #1090

 

[Westsurf]

Preview not working in Mojave

I had this issue. [SOLVED] see here ...

 

[Solidww]

BIOS is modified F12j from Tweaktown to allow NVMe M2 boot drive.

Everything relating to Onboard graphics is set to AUTO, onboard memory is 64, DVMT is MAX.

Discrete is actually R9 280X which in system report is reported as AMD Radeon HD 8950 3 GB.

Config attached ... excepting serial numbers etc blank out.

Hey, Westsurf. I was able to figure it out, and now have HD4000 in headless mode with the two RX 560s working well. Very exited to get to work as this machine does still scream as a video editing machine. Even for 4K.

Stork, thank you as well. I won't be updating to 10.14.6 anytime soon as I don't feel I need it for anything at this time, and I am able to shutdown, restart, sleep, edit videos, etc...

Enjoy the week, you all.

 

[Westsurf]

@Solidww Glad to hear you had success with the graphics.

Could I ask a favour. Could you use Intel hardware monitor app and tell me what the lowest and highest speeds you see on the CPU frequency?

Mine seems to only go as low as 3.9, it should be 1.6, and a high of 4.5 GHz being my OC speed.

It’s better than just sitting at a constant 4.5 but I’d really like to get the full speed step range established.

[SOLVED] I forgot I had quite an old version of Intel Power gadget. The latest version shows speed stepping is occurring from 1.6 to 4.5 Ghz.

Cinebench Release 20 result .... Scored 1653 placed between i7-6700K and i7-7700K. Very happy with the result. CPU OC'd to 4.5 and RAM running OC at 2133.

 

[Westsurf]

When reading another thread it was suggested that the incorrect allocation of internal drives as external could lead to issues. I know that in the my build the internal PCiE mounted NVMe OS drive is reported as external.

Referred back to CaseySJ and his build. This seems to have come to a solution.

NVMe in PEG2 (PCiE x4 lowest Slot) - External Drive to Internal SSDT

Concept starts here

SOLUTION

Backup OS drive and EFI folder to back up drive.

Please try the attached file as follows:

• Copy the file into the CLOVER/ACPI/patched folder in the EFI partition (of your experimental disk to test if availed), then simply boot from that disk (F12 at BIOS Splash screen).

Version 2 of the file attached to this post.

RESULT

 

[Solidww]

When reading another thread it was suggested that the incorrect allocation of internal drives as external could lead to issues. I know that in the my build the internal PCiE mounted NVMe OS drive is reported as external.

Referred back to CaseySJ and his build. This seems to have come to a solution.

NVMe in PEG2 (PCiE x4 lowest Slot) - External Drive to Internal SSDT

Concept starts here

SOLUTION

Backup OS drive and EFI folder to back up drive.

Please try the attached file as follows:

• Copy the file into the CLOVER/ACPI/patched folder in the EFI partition of your experimental disk, then simply boot from that disk (F12 at BIOS Splash screen).

Version 2 of the file attached to this post.

RESULT
View attachment 421763

Glad, the OC issue was resolved with a simple software update.
If you benchmark with Geekbench, it should be around 16500-16700? That’s what I believe 4.5GHz will give us.

As for an NVMe drive in this computer. I use it as a Cache drive for FCPX.
I am starting to see how I’ll need some faster drives to really push the CPU during renders. So, my question to you is. Have you used more then one NVMe drive inside of your Z77 build?