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PacoPro

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 19, 2019
1
0
I updated my MacPro5,1 to Bottom 144.0.0.0.0 and my idea is to use a NVME raid card, to install OSX, Windows and Linux in NVME (developer mode touching god mode).
Currently I have Windows 10 in SATA 2 (internal bays), but I was unsuccessful trying to install it on an internal NVME drive (PNY XLR8).
Has anyone did already?
Or, if there is an internal PCI SATA3 for SSD compatible with Windows Bootcap, also it will work for me. Or a SSD PCI Blade. Or anything faster than SATA2 with SSD...
 

bookemdano

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2011
1,512
843
I think the problem with installing Windows 10 on any PCIe-based storage is that the Mac Pro always presents that storage as external and Windows tries to block any installations to external drives.

I'm sure there are workarounds (just google "install win10 external" or some such keywords) but I can't be 100% positive they will work on the cMP. Maybe someone else who has tried the various methods can chime in.
 

zackkmac

macrumors 6502a
Jul 7, 2008
880
129
Denver
I didn't know NVMe presented an issue with this. I installed an HP EX920 1TB + KryoM.2 adapter, removed my internal HD trays to avoid any confusion, and installed Windows 10 without issues using a USB installer. I think I just had to reformat the drive a couple of times using the tool built into the installer but that was it. No workaround needed.
 

bookemdano

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2011
1,512
843
I didn't know NVMe presented an issue with this. I installed an HP EX920 1TB + KryoM.2 adapter, removed my internal HD trays to avoid any confusion, and installed Windows 10 without issues using a USB installer. I think I just had to reformat the drive a couple of times using the tool built into the installer but that was it. No workaround needed.

I think I remember a previous report about the situation being different between installing in CSM/BIOS mode vs. UEFI. Since you used a USB installer, you probably installed in UEFI mode. Maybe that accounts for the difference.
 

cdf

macrumors 68020
Jul 27, 2012
2,253
2,572
I didn't know NVMe presented an issue with this.

I suspect that you did a UEFI installation, which is now discouraged for the cMP because of bootROM corruption. You can verify what kind of installation you have by running msinfo32 in Windows and looking under BIOS Mode.
 

zackkmac

macrumors 6502a
Jul 7, 2008
880
129
Denver
I think I remember a previous report about the situation being different between installing in CSM/BIOS mode vs. UEFI. Since you used a USB installer, you probably installed in UEFI mode. Maybe that accounts for the difference.

I suspect that you did a UEFI installation, which is now discouraged for the cMP because of bootROM corruption. You can verify what kind of installation you have by running msinfo32 in Windows and looking under BIOS Mode.

Just looked at msinfo32 and you are both correct, I do have a UEFI installation. This was done before the corruption issues but I should probably correct it.
 

Macinsquatch

macrumors member
Mar 28, 2015
79
26
I have windows 10 running on an NVME card. I did pull that drive from a windows machine though. I can't use the Startup Disk utility to select the windows drive, I have to reboot and hold the option key and select manually.
 

crjackson2134

macrumors 601
Mar 6, 2013
4,834
1,954
Charlotte, NC
Has anyone tried to clone a CSM install from an SATA to a NVME? If not, I can try this in a few days when I get a chance. It worked fine when I cloned to a PCIe AHCI SSD.
 
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Objectivist-C

macrumors 6502
Jul 1, 2006
442
25
Has anyone tried to clone a CSM install from an SATA to a NVME? If not, I can try this in a few days when I get a chance. It worked fine when I cloned to a PCIe AHCI SSD.
That’s what I was planning on trying when my KryoM.2 Evo arrives.
 
Last edited:

eksu

macrumors 6502
Aug 3, 2017
329
151
I used dd to copy my 1tb sata ssd I've been booting into bootcamp (csm) on onto a 1tb NVMe ssd.

Although everything is copied over identically, the NVMe drive does not show up in 'Startup Disk' as an option to boot into windows.

This could be solved by turning SIP off and using bless or a GUI for bless, or by installing in EFI mode (waiting on a fix from Microsoft for bootrom corruption), and perhaps by using boot screens?

Running MacOS 10.15.0 beta (19A501i).
 

Aiwi

macrumors member
Oct 21, 2010
82
72
It was totally possible, and rather straightforward installing Windows on the same NVMe as my MacOS.
  • I installed High Sierra on my Samsung EVO 970 NVMe in my Mac Pro 5,1.
  • I then modified the Boot Camp Assistant to allow me to install Windows 10, and allow to install from USB.
  • The NVMe drive was formatted with a 256GB partition for Windows.
  • The computer later rebooted and proceeded with the Windows installation just fine.
  • After installation I installed the Boot Camp support software 5.1xx
  • After this i downloaded Brigadier and used this to download and install the Boot Camp support software for iMacPro1,1 (6.1xx)
  • After this I upgraded High Sierra to Mojave

The Windows installation is thusly in installed in UEFI mode.
 
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eksu

macrumors 6502
Aug 3, 2017
329
151
You were able to USB boot from a Windows Installer and install it? I thought this wasn't possible but I guess it just isn't for the bios emulation mode.
 

Aiwi

macrumors member
Oct 21, 2010
82
72
You were able to USB boot from a Windows Installer and install it? I thought this wasn't possible but I guess it just isn't for the bios emulation mode.

Yes, correct. If you want to install it in BIOS mode it has to be done from a DVD. UEFI install works fine from USB.
 
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eksu

macrumors 6502
Aug 3, 2017
329
151
Just installed Windows 10 UEFI mode today onto a NVMe drive so I can debug some issues. I'm interested to see if it will show up as an option in my Startup Disk selector, or if I will need to switch from MacOS -> Windows with bless.

I also wonder if I can use bless to boot Windows on an NVMe drive in CSM or not.
 

bookemdano

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2011
1,512
843
Just installed Windows 10 UEFI mode today onto a NVMe drive so I can debug some issues. I'm interested to see if it will show up as an option in my Startup Disk selector, or if I will need to switch from MacOS -> Windows with bless.

I also wonder if I can use bless to boot Windows on an NVMe drive in CSM or not.

I think bless works fine (not positive though as I haven't tried it myself). The only method I know will not work is using System Preferences > Startup Disk to select the Windows partition.
 
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