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2015 rMBP 13", can't boot past spinning wheel windows 10


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Hey everyone!

 

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone contributing on these forums, it's awesome that so many people are working together to figure out eGPU setups!

 

Here's my hardware setup :

- 2015 retina MBP (i7 Intel Iris 6100)

- Akitio Thunder 2

- 500W EVGA ATX PSU

- Nvidia EVGA GTX 960

 

Notes :

- Using the barrel plug mod with the ATX PSU to power the eGPU setup on its own.

- The GPU fits into the Akitio without any mods, no riser needed.

- I can boot and use the eGPU in OSX El Capitan no problem, I can confirm the hardware works properly. I used the automated script, worked like a charm.

 

My problem :

I simply cannot get it to work on Windows 10. I have tried every boot sequence I read about on these forums.

If I install a fresh copy of windows or uninstall the nvidia drivers with the uninstall tool, I can manage a boot. I see the "Basic display driver" in the device manager and can install the Nvidia driver no problem. Once the driver is installed and I restart I can never get past the spinning wheel with the eGPU powered and connected at boot. Sometimes I get" BAD_POOL_CALLER" or some IRQ Thing BSODs instead. Other times Windows tried to repair itself.

 

If I try to plug it in during the spinning wheel I either get the no driver installed error or Error 12 (I only managed to get error 12 once, don't remember how I did it)

 

I've seen talk about DSDT overrides or using DIY eGPU Setup 1.20 or 1.30 but I'm not sure it will actually fix my problem or what will fix my problem?

 

Can anyone enlighten me on what I am not doing or doing wrong?

 

Thanks!

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So I managed to boot into windows 10, past the spinning wheel, 3 times (with the nvidia eGPU working) of the 30 times i've tried since the writing of this post! Mind you I have done the DSDT override to not have the error 12. I managed 4 boots but the first one I got the error 12 and decided to do the DSDT override.

 

All three were succeeded with different boot processes :

- One time I hot plugged while Windows was booted to desktop, was reading these forums and just had a go at it, the computer crashed (black screen) as I plugged it in, then rebooted and finally managed a boot into Windows 10! Worked fine, started up a few games and played around 15 minutes, all seemed stable!

- The second time, eGPU was unpowered and plugged in, powered around after the 5 beeds of the wheel were visible, got a BSOD BAD_POOL_CALLER and rebooted past the spinning wheel with the eGPU working! Tried a few games, seemed stable again!

- The third time, booted into OSX, wanted to make sure it was still working fine in OSX, it was! Then rebooted from login screen and Windows is my default boot OS so it rebooted with the eGPU working no problems, tested again with a few games and it seemed stable.

 

I have been working painstakingly all weekend and today to try to get a fourth boot or a stable boot process but I can't... Maybe this is a initialization issue? I saw on the documentation for DIY eGPU Setup 1.30 that it mentions it can initialize the card before loading windows? I paid and downloaded v1.30 but I have a GPT (UEFI) partition and I can't figure out if I can convert to MBR or how to reinstall with MBR on a MacBookPro? I tried to make the USB stick but the boot selection menu (holding option after pressing power) doesn't let me use the USB drive... I also don't understand how to diagnose what is happening.

 

I'd like to avoid installing Windows 8.1, especially if I can't get a confirmation that it allows for easy boot ups with the eGPU connected?!

 

I have a gut feeling that it's an initialization issue? I have little knowledge in hardware and drivers though so I can't say for sure... I just can't figure out how to use DIY eGPU Setup 1.30 to do this initializing step.

 

Thanks to anyone who can help me with this, i'm nearing the end of my rope with this project...

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Well, I had similar issues on Win10 (MBP 13" 2015, Akitio & GTX960) - last weekend I wen't back to Windows 8.1 (fresh install).

 

Since I am using Win8 with no issues so far. I've Mbp configured to boot straight into Win8. First I tried turning on GPU the moment the back light turns on on internal screen, later just powered egpu and booted mbp  - no spinning wheel issue at all. 

 

The overall setup appears stable as well - no blue screens while playing battle field 4 for 2 or 3 hours on ultra settings at retina display.

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Ok great! Thanks @Jojo2805, I'll format and try Windows 8.1.

 

A few questions though :

  • Have you done the install through bootcamp? As in a normal UEFI partition?
  • Did you have to do the DSDT override?
  • Just to make sure we are talking about the same MBP, this is the retina with force touch, and Intel Iris 6100 iGPU?

Thanks!

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Simply through bootcamp - downloaded image, started bootcamp under osx and went through the whole installation.

 

After on Win8.1 I downloaded Nvidia drivers, while system was up and running pluged in the egpu and run driver installation. Reboot and it was working since - easy plug and play :)

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So I formated the whole thing again.

 

Re-did the procedure in Windows 8.1.

 

I'm having the same problems! First plug in after formating, Windows booted, I saw the Basic Display Adapter in device manager. I install the latest Nvidia Driver for my card. Rebooted, low and behold I thought my problems were solved! Install Heroes of the Storm, solid 60+FPS working top shape!

 

First reboot after that though. Hanged, the keyboard lighting stayed on, never rebooted. Forced shutdown and tryed again... Nothing! The wheels spinning.

 

So I try again all the boot processes documented on these forums, plugging in at different steps, powering on at different steps, even hotplugging.

 

Like before on Windows 10 though, I got lucky :

  • one time was after a hotplug, got a BSOD "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL", rebooted, got the chime, passed the spinning wheels and BAAM! It worked
  • another time, it just simply booted after a restart for OSX (was making sure it was still working there)

I feel like I need to make DIY eGPU Setup 1.30 work so it can initialize the card first then boot into windows but I don't understand how to do it for my macbook, I bought the software but I don't understand how to make the USB bootable for macbooks?! The instructions talks about putting files in /config.bin but I can't find the files and I have no idea how to proceed even if I had the files...

 

Eh... I'm close to abandoning this whole idea and just selling my setup, really depressing

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