KVR Audio

Grape_Brotherhood · Post by **Grape_Brotherhood** » Mon Oct 29, 2018 3:41 pm

Hi all,

I would like to upgrade my boot drive on the old Mac Pro (5,1 silver tower 2012).
Running High Sierra 10.13.6.

QUESTION:
Is it possible to boot from a NVMe SSD Drive (like the Samsung Evo 970) ?

If it's possible:

- Any real advantages to run Cubase on NVMe SSD, compared to a Samsung SSD 860 SATA III ?
- To use a NVMe in the Mac Pro 5,1, which PCIe card can I buy?
- Besides the PCIe card, do I need anything else (hardware, software/drivers?) to make it all work?
- Is it complicated to make it all work? Potentially unstable?

If it's not possible:

- Is it possible to boot from a normal SSD like the samsung 860 ?

Consideration: I will run all VSTs libraries from a slave computer, so I need the NVMe to increase only speed of Cubase and OS, not of libraries.

I guess the whole OS would be snappier on a NVMe, but given that my main purpose is to enhance Cubase, would it matter? Or would the difference between NVMe and a normal SSD be hard to notice?

Thanks you all in advance for your help!

Proteinshake · Post by **Proteinshake** » Mon Oct 29, 2018 3:46 pm

From BootROM 140.0.0.0.0 and up you will have native NVMe support - meaning yes, you can boot from it then. Means you'll have go through the firmware update that is part of the Mojave installation.

However you can keep using High Sierra afterwards if you prefer that.

Grape_Brotherhood · Post by **Grape_Brotherhood** » Mon Oct 29, 2018 4:12 pm

Thanks! If I understood well, I can download some kind of firmware update without having to install Mojave, and then simply install the hardware (new disk and PCIe) and boot from there, will work?

Is it ok to clone my current boot drive to the new disk?

Sorry for the questions if they sound noob, I am a noob with hardware

Proteinshake wrote: ↑Mon Oct 29, 2018 3:46 pm From BootROM 140.0.0.0.0 and up you will have native NVMe support - meaning yes, you can boot from it then. Means you'll have go through the firmware update that is part of the Mojave installation.

However you can keep using High Sierra afterwards if you prefer that.

Proteinshake · Post by **Proteinshake** » Mon Oct 29, 2018 5:03 pm

Just use an external drive for the Mojave installation, that will leave your current installation alone (but of course better have a backup, just to be sure). Like I said .. you only have to let it upgrade your firmware, then you're all set and basically any PCIe NVMe SSD should work.

Only other solution is to dump your current Firmware, modify it (because the EFI doesn't contain a driver below 140.0.0.0.0) by inserting a module extracted from another machine (like a MacBook or a Mac Pro 2013) .. then reflash the machine. But honestly and between me and you - if you ain't the hardware guy then you're no hacker either and this option will likely turn your Cheese Grater into a Paperweight. Just been posting this for information purposes.

Grape_Brotherhood · Post by **Grape_Brotherhood** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 5:08 pm

Thanks man, I think I'm gonna go with a simple SSD, that should be cheaper and faster enough to see improvements.
I have some additional question if you don't mind?

I have this Mac Pro:

Mac Pro 5,1 (Mid 2012) (Silver Tower)
3,33 GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon
OS: High Sierra 10.13.6 (17G65)

My Goal:

- Clone the boot drive to a SSD Samsung Evo 860 drive (I have a 2,5'' to 3,5'' adapter to mount the ssd in the mac pro).
- I want to retain all system preferences, all applications and programs, all programs preferences, browser cookies, etc etc....basically, I want to be able to just boot from the new drive to increase speed, but keep working as if nothing happened or changed.

Questions:

- Is it possible to do this? And will it work with the Samsung EVO 860 ?
- Which is the easiest/best way to clone the boot drive?
- Any specific software to use, or can all be done inside the OS ?

Thanks a lot in advance for the help!

Proteinshake wrote: ↑Mon Oct 29, 2018 5:03 pm Just use an external drive for the Mojave installation, that will leave your current installation alone (but of course better have a backup, just to be sure). Like I said .. you only have to let it upgrade your firmware, then you're all set and basically any PCIe NVMe SSD should work.

Only other solution is to dump your current Firmware, modify it (because the EFI doesn't contain a driver below 140.0.0.0.0) by inserting a module extracted from another machine (like a MacBook or a Mac Pro 2013) .. then reflash the machine. But honestly and between me and you - if you ain't the hardware guy then you're no hacker either and this option will likely turn your Cheese Grater into a Paperweight. Just been posting this for information purposes.

Proteinshake · Post by **Proteinshake** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 5:28 pm

Have a look at https://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper ... ption.html or https://bombich.com/ .. that will do it for you. Makes sense actually purchasing one or the other at some point, depending on which you like better. Sure, any SATA 2 compatible SSD will work! Just never at theoretical SATA 3 speeds.

They'll create a 1:1 clone of your current installation, given there actually is enough space on the SSD! If you would like to create a Fusion Drive of your current HDD and the new SSD - that's also something worth checking out and there are guides of how to do this. Either way .. good luck!

Grape_Brotherhood · Post by **Grape_Brotherhood** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 5:50 pm

Thanks a lot man! I'm gonna use Carbon Copy as I heard it's very good.

Do you think I need a usb to sata cable to copy my current boot disk to the new ssd, and then mount the ssd inside the mac, or can i just mount in the ssd as any normal drive, and copy from boot disk to ssd to clone?

Sorry, noob questio, but I get confused by online tutorials that i found so far.

Thanks a lot!

Proteinshake wrote: ↑Tue Oct 30, 2018 5:28 pm Have a look at https://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper ... ption.html or https://bombich.com/ .. that will do it for you. Makes sense actually purchasing one or the other at some point, depending on which you like better. Sure, any SATA 2 compatible SSD will work! Just never at theoretical SATA 3 speeds.

They'll create a 1:1 clone of your current installation, given there actually is enough space on the SSD! If you would like to create a Fusion Drive of your current HDD and the new SSD - that's also something worth checking out and there are guides of how to do this. Either way .. good luck!

Proteinshake · Post by **Proteinshake** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 6:24 pm

Just pop it into your Mac and do the cloning, unless you've got an USB 3.0 adapter it will be quite a bit faster that way. I don't have the patience for USB 2.0 speeds anymore!

Grape_Brotherhood wrote: ↑Tue Oct 30, 2018 5:50 pm Thanks a lot man! I'm gonna use Carbon Copy as I heard it's very good.

Do you think I need a usb to sata cable to copy my current boot disk to the new ssd, and then mount the ssd inside the mac, or can i just mount in the ssd as any normal drive, and copy from boot disk to ssd to clone?

Sorry, noob questio, but I get confused by online tutorials that i found so far.

Thanks a lot!

Proteinshake · Post by **Proteinshake** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 6:25 pm

Sorry, DP.

Grape_Brotherhood · Post by **Grape_Brotherhood** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:26 pm

Thanks a lot! I have not so much patience as well so that will do

Proteinshake wrote: ↑Tue Oct 30, 2018 6:24 pm Just pop it into your Mac and do the cloning, unless you've got an USB 3.0 adapter it will be quite a bit faster that way. I don't have the patience for USB 2.0 speeds anymore!

Grape_Brotherhood wrote: ↑Tue Oct 30, 2018 5:50 pm Thanks a lot man! I'm gonna use Carbon Copy as I heard it's very good.

Do you think I need a usb to sata cable to copy my current boot disk to the new ssd, and then mount the ssd inside the mac, or can i just mount in the ssd as any normal drive, and copy from boot disk to ssd to clone?

Sorry, noob questio, but I get confused by online tutorials that i found so far.

Thanks a lot!

Booting Mac Pro 5,1 (2012) from NVMe SSD Drive