[SCRIPT] Automating the installation of eGPU on OS X (inc display output)

[MartyF81]

Does anybody know how to check if NVIDIA has released drivers for the new build?  I don't really want to do the update until I know the new driver is out... I will just wait until it is.

[JayinNJ]

It is out. I automatically got notified by the Nvidia web driver that there was a new one. My MBP auto updated the macOS so I ran the script and rebooted and all is well.

[MartyF81]

19 hours ago, JayinNJ said:

It is out. I automatically got notified by the Nvidia web driver that there was a new one. My MBP auto updated the macOS so I ran the script and rebooted and all is well.

 

Great thanks! I updated this morning and I am using GTX970 on MacOS 10.12.1

[MartyF81]

Wonder if anybody is talking about if this will work on the new MacBooks?  Apple makes a TB2 to TB3 adapter.

[euqlaog]

I've ceased development of this script in favor of my EFI app. However, others are invited to continue its development on GitHub, for personal and non-commercial use only.

 

https://github.com/goalque/automate-eGPU/blob/master/SCRIPT-LICENSE.txt

 

If the copyright name list grows too long, you can reform its appearance by listing all the copyright holders in separate lines, for example:

 

* *** automate-eGPU.sh v1.0.0 ***
*
*  Copyright 2016 by My Name <[email protected]>
*  Copyright 2015, 2016 by Goalque <[email protected]>
*

 

I recommend encryption. It doesn’t prevent rip off, but makes it a bit more difficult. The encrypt/decrypt mechanism is pretty trivial. I am sure that there are programmers out there who know how pipelines and I/O redirections work. You should be able to generate new encrypted copyright notices easily in the Terminal.

 

Please do not release anything under the MIT (v0.9.8), it would be VOID under the Apple’s SLA:

http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/macOS1012.pdf

Edited November 6, 2016 by goalque

[razvani]

That sounds pretty good. Thank you, man!

 

I was just about to sell my egpu because it ended up being useless, sitting on the shelf, because the Mac Pro doesn't really work with it.

 

This gives me a bit of hope for the egpu working in windows. On mac it's still not accelerating properly where I need it (Premiere CC, AE, Resolve).

[Hedge]

It looks like the script doesn't yet account for the new AMDRadeonX4100.kext

 

Has anyone successfully used/modified goalque's auto-egpu script for RX 460 cards or would I be the first?

[euqlaog]

2 hours ago, Hedge said:

It looks like the script doesn't yet account for the new AMDRadeonX4100.kext

 

Has anyone successfully used/modified goalque's auto-egpu script for RX 460 cards or would I be the first?

My script doesn’t support RX series cards. RX 460 is fully supported by the macOS 10.12.1+. You only need to add a couple of key-value pairs.

 

Remember to backup (rsync is more reliable than cp with recursive and preserve flags).

 

Finally, you have to update kext caches. This is the critical part.

 

If you choose the manual route, you will probably have to keep the eGPU monitor disconnected during the startup.

 

There are plenty of incorrect guides on the web - one suggesting "sudo touch /Extensions" command, which is literally the same "typo" as in my old implementation guide, two years ago. Nothing interesting in /Extensions folder since it does not exist. I suggest people learn what the commands do. The "man" is a good starting point.

Edited November 13, 2016 by goalque

[Hedge]

Either I've missed a step or Sierra has a strong preference for 4GB RX 460s over 2GB RX 460s.

 

MacOS recognizes that the card is present but so far refuses to actually use it.

 

 

[euqlaog]

If the startup progress bar proceeds slowly, even if the eGPU monitor is unplugged, there is something wrong in the kext cache.

 

If it goes through normally, but the UI on the eGPU screen is sluggish, AMDRadeonX4100.kext is probably not loaded. I am out of this script project, but I believe there are other programmers who can help.

[Miller]

18 hours ago, goalque said:

f it goes through normally, but the UI on the eGPU screen is sluggish

 

Top of the morning sir, and thank you for the script!

 

Any idea why the UI and general performance would be slow?

 

MacBook Pro 13'' early 2015 running a 750ti Akitio box with a 120w power supply.

 

I've run the script, all went smooth, working on Sierra as well as El Capitan but getting very poor FPS when testing.

 

Didn't get it to run in Win 10 yet, as it doesn't get recognised at all  

 

Many thanks

[euqlaog]

@Miller

I start to feel like a 24-hour advisory service. Works with -a mode, the external monitor set as primary. Avoid 750Ti without a 6pin. No more questions please. Please read through the thread. I’ve finished this, other developers can continue.

[Miller]

18 hours ago, goalque said:

@Miller

I start to feel like a 24-hour advisory service. Works with -a mode, the external monitor set as primary. Avoid 750Ti without a 6pin. No more questions please. Please read through the thread. I’ve finished this, other developers can continue.

 

@goalque Apologies, and you are correct, after some investigation I did find the answers in your previous writings. Didn't even think you would get the chance to actually reply! I can imagine you've heard all this more than 100 times (literally).  

 

After some trial and error I can confirm that it will work in Win10, hot plugging needs to be timed after the chime and the first 'wheel spin' on Win.

 

And also, yet another confirmed case of a 750Ti having stability issues on this setup.

 

I guess it's back to the drawing board.

 

*no reply necessary good sir.

Edited November 16, 2016 by Miller

[Tech Inferno Fan]

reminder: automate-eGPU.sh discussion only

 

Folks, just a reminder. This thread is for automate-eGPU.sh discussion.

 

If you have a generic Apple hardware question pls post in an existing or new thread at https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/forums/forum/114-apple-egpu-discussion/

 

 

 

[MVC]

Hey, I know there has been some angst about the future of this project.

 

As one of the co-authors of the work this was based on (released a day or two prior, coincidentally) I can assure the entire eGPU community that there are no secret code thingies needed that goalie is going to deprive you of by not updating this.

 

In fact, all this added to prior publicly available knowledge was the one little trick Netkas & I brought to the world.

 

And if this script stops working, I'll tell you how to do it. So, you'll never have to worry about this old hack breaking, easy enough to write a new one, especially if you knew how it worked in the first place.

 

Hell, I'll tell you now.

 

Go here;

 

/System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleGraphicsDevicePolicy.kext/Contents

 

Open the info.plist in X-Code or a text editor

 

Under "IOKitPersonalities" open AppleGraphicsDevicePolicy then the ConfigMap

 

You will see a list of Mac Board ids

 

And here is the $64,000 secret that goalie discovered less than 48 hours after it's release in a paid app...your Mac had better be on that list, and it had better have "none" after it. (Have to replace a "Config 1" or "Config 2" with "none")

 

That simple.

 

Don't know how to tell if your Mac is on the list?

 

Run this in terminal

 

ioreg -l | grep board-id

 

This will give you board id of your Mac.

 

If it isn't on the config map, replace one of the other board ids with yours. (I always just use top one)

 

If it's on the map, but has "Config 1" or "Config 2" after it, change those to "none".

 

That simple.

 

Took a LOT of work to figure out, but you'll agree it:s SO MUCH EASIER to just copy & paste once someone else figures it out. (as eiqlaog discovered)

 

That is ALL this script has done for 18 or so months since he released it.

 

That and mod the files we were all modding anyway. (adding iopci tunnel compatible)

 

So, as was pointed out to me some time ago, you can't lay claim to Apple system file mods.

 

So anyone who wants to continue 9.8 public Github, I'll be happy to tell you how. (I just did)

 

No secret sauce, just publicly available knowledge and that crucial hack discovered by Netkas.

 

 

 

Edited November 26, 2016 by MVC

[8solo5]

 

Hey all,

Is anybody able to point me in the right direction in getting my eGPU to use CUDA to render in apps such as Lightroom and Photoshop CC?

I used the automated script installer in this thread and got my GPU recognised in OS X (10.11.6).

I didn't find any way to add my GPU to the supported cards list in my adobe apps couse I use only Photoshop and Lightroom, and all the tutorials I found are for video editing software..

I set the external to be main display, I connect the display directly to the I/O of the eGPU.
I have an Apple Led Cinema Display 27.

 Like this

Hardware details:

2015 13" Retina Macbook Pro

Intel iris pro 

eGPU - NVIDIA GTX 960 4gb on AKITIO thunderbolt 2

OS X EL Capitan 10.11.6

 

Is there a way to force Lightroom CC and Photoshop CC to use the GTX 960?

Thanks

 

Pictures

https://www.dropbox.com/s/z0i3y1cayvsxr93/1.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1en5ihuirauk21c/2.jpg?dl=0

[Gavner25]

I have an IMAC late 2013 27 inch. I have setup my Aikito Box with 16x power riser (with molex connection) with gtx 980ti & supernova 750 g2 psu. Everything turns on just fine. Lights show on the GTX & Aikitio, plus the fan turns on in PSU. However when i run the script i get the error 'Thunderbolt device is connected, but no external GPUs detected'

 

I have had a look through the threads and i cant find a solution, any ideas?

[MVC]

ditch the riser, bend the case or remove one internal boards and mount on something else

 

How are you triggering the PSU?

Edited November 28, 2016 by MVC

[Gavner25]

18 hours ago, MVC said:

ditch the riser, bend the case or remove one internal boards and mount on something else

 

How are you triggering the PSU?

Yes the paperclip triggers the PSU, it turns on fine. Do you think its the power riser?.If so I guess I could try and bend the case but its pretty solid. Wouldn't it be easier to take the board out completely?

[MVC]

Try removing board first and see if that solves.

 

You have all 14 pins on the 980Ti connected to the PSU, yes?

 

 

[Gavner25]

There are two 8 pin connections on this model. I plug them both into the psu. See attached

[portwolf]

Selling my eGPU, see here if interested:

 

www.ebay.com/itm/-/262741389024

Edited November 30, 2016 by portwolf

[Gavner25]

I tried plugging the 980 ti directlyl into the Aikitio board (i took it out). I used a molex to barrel adapter. Again, everyting turns on with lights and fans but i still get the error.

 

Thunderbolt device is connected, but no external GPUs detected.

I tried this on my IMAC 2013 and IMAC mini 2014 with the same message. Im baffled.

 

Can someone help ??

[MVC]

You are either powering wrong or your Akitio is bad.

 

 

[Dizza]

I'm having some issues getting my EGPU setup working.

 

My setup is as follows:

 

Mac mini (Late 2014)

2.6GHZ i5

8GB 1600MHz DDR3

Intel Iris 1536 mb

OSX 10.11.6 (15G31)

 

Akitio thunder2

Gigabyte GTX970

Dell DA2 220w power supply, modified to power card

 

What I have done so far

 

I have been trying to use automate-eGPU to install everything. It seems to work fine (but it does say no board id detected)

I have tried using a bunch of different drivers (have tried all of these for 10.11.6 http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/306535-nvidia-web-driver-updates-for-el-capitan-update-10242016/ ) 

 

System report lists graphics/Displays as: 

 

Intel Iris (as normal) 

Nvidia Chip Model

 

[Chipset model: Nvidia Chip Model

Type: GPU

Bus: PCIe

PCIe Land Width: x4

VRAM: 256mb

Vendor: NVIDIA (0x10de)

Device ID: 0x13c2

Revision ID: 0x00a1

Rom Revision: Preset 1.0.0]

 

I'm no expert on this process, but it seems most other people are having a much easier time with this process. 

Does anybody have any ideas as to why it isnt working?

 

From what i can tell, others running similar setups, have no issues with the computer reporting what card is connected. 

 

Im very stuck. Any help would be much appreciated. 

 

Cheers!