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[GUIDE] Macbook: enabling Optimus internal LCD mode


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@dark330 I met the same problem after I install the Optimus on the 2015 13' MBP. When I hold the alt to the boot menu, there are only EFI and OSX, the windows is disappeared. And when I try to restore my EFI backup, some error occurs and the backup file is gone.

@tranj10 I have read your guide, now I can boot into OSX with the egup 100%, but I cannot boot into windows 8.1. I think the EFI modification is not working with the new 2015 13' model and want to restore the EFI. Is there any way that I can do this without the backup file and the factory reset?

@dark330: If you look in page 8 of this thread, someone has reported issues with installing Optimus on the 2015 13" MBP. I wrote an implementation guide for this model at http://forum.techinferno.com/implementation-guides-apple/10614-2015-13-macbook-pro-gtx970%4016gbps-tb2-akitio-thunder2-win8-1-osx10-10-%5Btranj10%5D.html. I do not use the Optimus boot file modifications at all. Take a look at my power up process in the guide. It gives me a very good success rate (~90% from my experience).

To get rid of Optimus boot modifications on your MacBook you can try to restore your EFI backup or reset your MacBook to factory settings after disabling FileVault from OS X.

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@dark330 I met the same problem after I install the Optimus on the 2015 13' MBP. When I hold the alt to the boot menu, there are only EFI and OSX, the windows is disappeared. And when I try to restore my EFI backup, some error occurs and the backup file is gone.

@tranj10 I have read your guide, now I can boot into OSX with the egup 100%, but I cannot boot into windows 8.1. I think the EFI modification is not working with the new 2015 13' model and want to restore the EFI. Is there any way that I can do this without the backup file and the factory reset?

After applying the Optimus mod the entry is simply called "EFI" instead of Windows or whatever...have you even tried booting that EFI entry?

If your backup file disappears while restoring then you're definitely doing something badly wrong. None of the commands listed on the first page of this thread result in a deletion of the backup file.

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@dark330 I met the same problem after I install the Optimus on the 2015 13' MBP. When I hold the alt to the boot menu, there are only EFI and OSX, the windows is disappeared. And when I try to restore my EFI backup, some error occurs and the backup file is gone.

@tranj10 I have read your guide, now I can boot into OSX with the egup 100%, but I cannot boot into windows 8.1. I think the EFI modification is not working with the new 2015 13' model and want to restore the EFI. Is there any way that I can do this without the backup file and the factory reset?

I think if the backup file is missing then the easiest fix is to back up all the data you want to keep then factory reset.

I don't use the EFI boot on my internal drive, so I can't cross check what the optimus mod actually does to the EFI folder.

- If the optimus mod actually overwrites files in the EFI folder then restoration isn't possible without the back up file.

- If the optimus mod just adds files to the EFI folder then you could check whiles files are added and just delete them.

Also I don't think the commands given in the first post on how to restore the EFI from the back up file totally works. It seems using the ditto command again will just merge the back up EFI file and the Optimus modded EFI, so the additional Optimus files aren't actually removed.

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I think if the backup file is missing then the easiest fix is to back up all the data you want to keep then factory reset.

I don't use the EFI boot on my internal drive, so I can't cross check what the optimus mod actually does to the EFI folder.

- If the optimus mod actually overwrites files in the EFI folder then restoration isn't possible without the back up file.

- If the optimus mod just adds files to the EFI folder then you could check whiles files are added and just delete them.

Also I don't think the commands given in the first post on how to restore the EFI from the back up file totally works. It seems using the ditto command again will just merge the back up EFI file and the Optimus modded EFI, so the additional Optimus files aren't actually removed.

The restoring doesn't actually delete the Optimus files, yes. I was removing it one or two times already on the internal storage.

So, @cloudlee9, If I remember correctly all you've got to do though is mounting the EFI partition like described in the first post(first 2 command lines) and delete the "Grub" folder in Finder.

However, I still think you've just not configured the grub.cfg and you land in the Grub command line if you boot the EFI entry. A bit more information about what happens when you boot the EFI entry and help might be just around the corner.

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  • 1 month later...
Just repeat Step 2&3 with the new file names and without making a new backup:

ditto -V --norsrc /Volumes/EFIBackup /Volumes/EFI

I have the EFIBackup.dmg on my desktop and I followed all the previous commands and they worked fine, but this one fails saying that it couldn't get the real source for the path /Volumes/EFIBackup.

How can I restore this?

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I have the EFIBackup.dmg on my desktop and I followed all the previous commands and they worked fine, but this one fails saying that it couldn't get the real source for the path /Volumes/EFIBackup.

How can I restore this?

Well… did you mount it? path /Volumes/EFIBackup only works if the Volume is mounted…

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

Hi all,

 

Now, I do my first eGPU with my setup :

 

2015 rMBP 13" with Intel Iris 6100 and 2,7Ghz i5.

 

My eGPU is an EVGA GTX 950 2go in an Akitio enclosure with  a corsair 430 PSU

 

My problem is, when I boot in win 8.1 (to have Optimus) everytime I hva a Black Screen or the Windows Boot circle and after 10 minutes a black screen...

 

Before doing this EFI mod I can boot into win 8.1and I saw my GTX 950 but I can only set Iris 6100 for the internal display

EDIT : I do a clean install of all and I reinstall Os X 10.10 instead of 10.11.2  (to try) I'll install Windows 8.1 via Bootcamp and try to set GTX 950 for my internal screen.
How to see if the eGPU works on internal screen  ? In PhysX ?

(Sry for my bad English... )

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On 12/14/2015 at 2:45 AM, THOMASRAJA said:

Hi all,

 

Now, I do my first eGPU with my setup :

 

2015 rMBP 13" with Intel Iris 6100 and 2,7Ghz i5.

 

My eGPU is an EVGA GTX 950 2go in an Akitio enclosure with  a corsair 430 PSU

 

My problem is, when I boot in win 8.1 (to have Optimus) everytime I hva a Black Screen or the Windows Boot circle and after 10 minutes a black screen...

 

Before doing this EFI mod I can boot into win 8.1and I saw my GTX 950 but I can only set Iris 6100 for the internal display

EDIT : I do a clean install of all and I reinstall Os X 10.10 instead of 10.11.2  (to try) I'll install Windows 8.1 via Bootcamp and try to set GTX 950 for my internal screen.
How to see if the eGPU works on internal screen  ? In PhysX ?

(Sry for my bad English... )

 

Under Windows 8 on the 2015 series macbook pros, you have to wait for the spinning balls to start BEFORE you turn on your EGPU.  This works about 95% of the time depending on my timing to turn the EGPU on.  

 

If you turn it on too soon you will black screen. 

If you turn it on too late Windows will crash due to a driver error.

 

DO NOT install the optimus EFI hack used for pre-2015 models.  It is not required and may cause more problems.

 

 

 

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Hi, finally it works, I plug the tb cable on the same time of the boot chime and it works 100% of time ! 

 

I run Unigine Valley Benchmark in full screen 1920x1080 on internal screen and I have a score of 850 it is normal ? 

 

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Are you running at stock settings with the GPU, so no overclock? With my overclocked 970 I get in Optimus mode more than 2000 points.

So your results could be right, just seem a bit low.

Maybe the Dual Core CPU of you is affecting the results as well.

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6 hours ago, THOMASRAJA said:

Hi, finally it works, I plug the tb cable on the same time of the boot chime and it works 100% of time ! 

 

I run Unigine Valley Benchmark in full screen 1920x1080 on internal screen and I have a score of 850 it is normal ? 

 

 

Check your device manager.  Even though the device shows up in the list, it may not have a driver loaded.

 

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5 hours ago, tusctodd said:

 

Check your device manager.  Even though the device shows up in the list, it may not have a driver loaded.

 

Yes the device is show as u can see on attach files.. 

9 hours ago, Dschijn said:

Are you running at stock settings with the GPU, so no overclock? With my overclocked 970 I get in Optimus mode more than 2000 points.

So your results could be right, just seem a bit low.

Maybe the Dual Core CPU of you is affecting the results as well.

I'm running on stock  settings. Today i run the test again and my score is 1046. I attach the CUDA Z and Valley benchmark result. 

Periph.PNG

CUDA Z.PNG

Unigine.PNG

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30 minutes ago, Dschijn said:

Seems right to me...

 

Here is a GTX950 running in a PC and scores 1200. So the difference is due to the Optimus loss:

 

Ok nice ! In 2016 i will buy an external screen :) 

Thanks for u'r reply ! 

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...
On ‎05‎/‎02‎/‎2016 at 2:05 PM, Dschijn said:

Is there a way to restore that EFI partition? Seems like I lost my Backup :(

@Dschijn  the only way I saw to restore EFI partition is to do clean install of the hard drive.

 

On ‎20‎/‎02‎/‎2016 at 5:25 PM, Light said:

I just tried to use internal display for my egpu but its not working under windows 10... Only if I disable the iris pro it works? And only for a select games

Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met Tapatalk

@Light Actually you can't use internal screen on Windows 10 imho but look at other post if there is an upgrade of drivers

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