I might like to plug some SSD's into USB 3 ports?

[marrand]

If I was wanting to set up fastest USB3 bus I would go with any of the Lycom USB3.1 cards - there are three different ones, all the same just different connectors - one has Type A connectors, one has Type C connectors, like Thunderbolt3, and the third has one each, Type A and C..

I bought the Lycom card from you, the one you recommended - one type A port, one type C. I installed it in slot 2 of my MacPro 5,1.
And so far it does not work, that is, it won't boot an external SSD with High Siera 13. Am I doing something wrong? Do I need driver?

Some facts:
1. This external SSD boots High Siera just fine from USB 2 port, but obviously is very sow. So, this external is a working drive.
2. When I conncect it to the Lycom (either type B or Type C), it will not show at all when I start computer with option key. All other drives show up, but not htis one.
3. And I point to internal Siera 12 drive, and tell it to boot, only then the external shows its the connecting light. When booted into this interna Sierra 12, the external shows up on the desktop AND in the list of Start-up drives. Shows it to be High Sierra 13, as it should be.
4. I selected there as the start up drive, and press restart, it does not work. The computer boots from some other internal drive. No matter how I tried, the external will NOT boot from this Lycom.
5. In the system profile, this Lycom does show up, sitting in slot 2. Slots 3 and 4 are filled with other cards. (Slot 1 for video card by default).

I did not connect extra power to this PCI card. Am I supposed to?
marrand

[ricks]

My apologies for not being able to run a test right now. I believe I shipped you the card I had here for a test card, the only one left at the time. Now we are out of more for another week at the warehouse and another few days after that for me to get one here to restest various configurations.

At this point I don't remember which operating systems I tested with. Winders and one or two different Mac OSes. I just don't recall now which ones. And unless I test it and prove otherwise, I don't typically believe manufacturer claims. I'll see what I can find as soon as I can get hands on another card. I even have the operating system, now High Sierra, on a 1TB Crucial MX300 SSD.

As an aside, was thinking about testing booting that SSD in the Sonnet Tempo SSD. See if it makes any difference in performance.

Sorry about the problems you're having brother marrand. I'll see if I can figure out why you aren't bootable. Another note is that the reason the Lycom card is supposed to be bootable is it uses built into the operating system AHCI drivers. This also means there are no drivers that we can update or install. These are the same drivers the internal USB bus uses.

Rick

[marrand]

I'll see what I can find as soon as I can get hands on another card. I even have the operating system, now High Sierra, on a 1TB Crucial MX300 SSD. As an aside, was thinking about testing booting that SSD in the Sonnet Tempo SSD. .......See if it makes any difference in performance.....Sorry about the problems you're having brother marrand.
Rick

Rick, no need for apologies. I am not in a rush for this and can wait whatever time you need.
Yes, OS on the external 1TB SSD is High Sierra. The OS on the internal boot is Sierra.
In the Sierra profile, this Lycom (labeled PXS2) shows having these reatures:
Type: USB eXtensible Host Controller
Driver Installed: Yes
MSI: Yes
Slot: 2
Vendor ID: 0x1b21
Link Speed 5.0 GT/s.

I no longer have the Sonnet card with four USB 3 ports. I took it out of slot 2, and put it into my older MacPro which I plan sell eventually.
It has the speed, but does not boot. That's why I went for the Lycom. Into slot 2 went your Lycom.

Slot 3 has your card for eSATA ports for the older Burly.
Slot 4 has a card with several USB 2 and Firewire ports (it's an old one).
Sigh....no more slots.

After all, I bought my MacPro 5,1 way back in August 2013.
marrand

[marrand]

My apologies for not being able to run a test right now. I believe I shipped you the card I had here for a test card, the only one left at the time. Now we are out of more for another week at the warehouse and another few days after that for me to get one here to restest various configurations.Rick

As I wrote before, I am not in a rush. But it has been over a month since you posted the above.
Any news on this item?

I really would like to have a bootable USB3 connection on my MacPro5,1.

[ricks]

I have had zero success booting High Sierra off this card. It should work, doesn't. I blew it recommending the use of it for a bootable connection.

[marrand]

I have had zero success booting High Sierra off this card. It should work, doesn't. I blew it recommending the use of it for a bootable connection.

Ok Rick....so it's a hopeless case for me? With my MacPro 5,1? The best I can do is use USB3 for moving stuff, but never for booting?
At least, not OS with APSF?