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    Thunderbolt e-gpu setup with Sonnet Echo Express Pro review (Tomshardware)

    Discussion in 'e-GPU (External Graphics) Discussion' started by Gordon1hd1, Sep 18, 2012.

  1. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    Best of luck!
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 9, 2012
    #51
  2. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    And remember that if you do disable it, DON'T uninstall, just disable. uninstalling might cause some issues down the road :p
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 9, 2012
    #52
  3. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Thanks for the tips. I will boot Windows 8 with no TH05 attached, disable the Intel graphics and reboot. Will the built in screen work when only the dGPU is active or do i need to plug a DP monitor to the thunderbolt port?
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 9, 2012
    #53
  4. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    Your external monitor must be plugged into your graphics card. Your TH05 will stay connected to your thunderbolt port. And I'm not quite sure, but I think in bootcamp for MacBooks with discrete graphics the igpu is not even listed and only the dgpu is there. You might have to disable the dgpu and test it out.
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 9, 2012
    #54
  5. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    I can't have the thunderbolt and an external screen connected at the same time. The Macbook only has the one thunderbolt/DP combination socket.

    Yes you are correct about Win7 not being listed under bootcamp Macbook.
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 9, 2012
    #55
  6. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    Hmm that might be your problem...

    Optimus drivers are needed for an egpu to work on the internal screen. But then again, it should be able to detect it. I think you might have to get another cable to hook up your external screen to your graphics card. The thunderbolt cable connects to the tho5, while the monitor is plugged in via graphics card. Is your external screen the thunderbolt display?
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 9, 2012
    #56
  7. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    OK so I've made a little progress with my TH05 on bootcamp win 7 install. It can detect it now, however im getting a Code 12 error. This is also causing ATI Catalyst to screw up. Any idea's?
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 9, 2012
    #57
  8. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Teknotronix, Oct 9, 2012
    #58
  9. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    This did not work for me.

    So far the only way to get it to boot into Windows 7 is to turn on the TH05 with graphics card inserted and thunderbolt attached (TH05 SW1 in position 3), turn on the Macbook, login to windows, scan for hardware changes.

    I am using a Radeon 7770. The HDMI audio driver installs and runs fine. The graphics part gets recognized and the driver assigned, except the Code 12 issue still persists :(
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #59
  10. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    See if this works.

    1. (optional) Set your computer to always boot in Win 7. Go to System Preferences in mac os x and as Boot Drive select Windows 7.

    2. Shut down the Computer ( reboot is not sufficient )

    3. Make sure your entire setup is plugged in and on except your computer which should be turned off. (Vidock is turned on and the expresscard is plugged into the sonnet echo adapter, adapter is plugged into your macbook thunderbolt bolt. Also if you have an external monitor, it is plugged into your Vidock).

    4. Turn on the computer. Your screen will turn grey and you will hear the Mac Chime. While the screen in white, unplug the expresscard from your sonnet echo adapter.

    5. Your screen will now turn black. When the Windows icon appears and is loading, plug back in the expresscard to your sonnet echo adapter.

    6. Wait for Windows to load. Your card should now be working without any errors.
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #60
  11. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    Teknotronix, I'd try that too.
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #61
  12. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Thanks I will give it a try.
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #62
  13. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Unfortunately that didn't work with the TH05 :(
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #63
  14. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    Did you substitute the express card with the thunderbolt port?
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #64
  15. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Yes. It's the only thing I can unplug with the TH05.
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #65
  16. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    Hmm, might try disabling some more resources in device manager.
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #66
  17. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #67
  18. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    DSDT override might work. Or the diy egpu setup software. I would try the DsDt override firs though as it is free and has been successful. Not sure if it can work with bootcamp though as Apple uses EFI and not BIOS...
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #68
  19. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Damn. I would hate to spend another penny on this for it turn out to be a dead end. Not a lot of choice I guess. This is turning into an expensive endeavor.
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #69
  20. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    Don't give up! Btw, how much RAM do you have in your macbook? If you can, put in 3gb or less.
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #70
  21. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Thanks for the encouragement. 16GB
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #71
  22. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    We might be getting somewhere :) In many cases, if you have more than 4gb of ram then error 12 will appear. I have very high hopes that putting in less than that as a test will get it to work. 16gb might just be too high, as my macbook works with 8gb of ram.
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #72
  23. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    I use this machine for software development and can't use less than that for the projects I work on. I might have to look for other solutions.
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #73
  24. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    Go to device manager and check your TOLUD. In the DIY egpu experiences, it discusses how to find it. If yours is 3.5 or higher, there might be problems.
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #74
  25. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #75
  26. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Great I will take a look. Thanks!
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #76
  27. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Damn. My machine is not 36 Bit compliant. Looks like I've hit a brick wall.
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #77
  28. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    Damn.. Have you checked the TOLUD though? I'm not completely sure, but I think each letter is .5gb (A= .5gb, B = 1gb, C = 1.5gb etc.)
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #78
  29. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    My first 8 digit hex PCI Bus entry is 0x8FA00000
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #79
  30. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    It appears I'm out of luck there.
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #80
  31. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    Uggh damn this sucks. Not sure what to do...
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #81
  32. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    I think we have found a limitation perhaps with my current setup. I will summarize my setup details below for those following along at home.

    - Macbook Pro 17" Late 2011
    - OSX/Bootcamp/Windows 7
    - 16 GB Ram
    - TH05
    - Radeon 7770
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #82
  33. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    Do you happen to have a friend or family member with a 2011 or 2012 13inch or 11inch macbook air or macbook pro? I would lend you mine but I might fail my classes otherwise :p
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #83
  34. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Not that comes to mind. I will ask around. Too bad if this turns out not to be possible on this model Macbook cos the 17" size + 4x Dell 2711's I have to run on it would have been epic.
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #84
  35. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    BTW thank you EpicBlob for all your help so far. Greatly appreciated.
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #85
  36. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    No problem it's been a pleasure. It really does suck about the tolud issue. Sounds like an awesome setup you are going for. If it was an issue with the tho5, you could just sell it and buy the pe4l and use the express card slot on your macbook. But since it's not... Hmm. Does seem like you've hit a wall.
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #86
  37. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    WAIT! For checking your tolud, did you go to device manager, then under 'view', go to resources by type then to the memory category? That number you posted should be your second entry, not your first pci-e entry.

    My first PCI bus entry is 00000000A000 (probably forgot a 0 in there). And if you disable your dgpu (which you'd have to do anyway to get it working) that should free up more than enough space for your tho5.
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #87
  38. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #88
  39. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Here is a screen shot of that screen in Device Manager. This is taken after disabling the dGPU,shutting down and then restarting.

    [​IMG]
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #89
  40. EpicBlob

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    Aha! As I expected! Your computer doesn't have the tolud issue. There seems to be an issue with boot camped windows 7 when the tolud is actually really low, but it still shows up with error 12. That means it is a boot sequence you must do. For me, this took away too long to figure out. But lets try and get this fixed soon.

    My first method was like this (I'll try to remember to the best of my ability):

    Boot into windows 7 with your TH05 plugged in. It should be showing error 12.

    Now, in the control pane (or something like that) there should be a place where you can edit your computers power options. For the option 'when you close the lid' set it to hibernate. Also, make sure your power cord is unplugged, but near you.

    Now close your computer lid. The little light indicator will be white, then turn off after a few seconds. Your graphics card fan will also slow down.

    Open your computer lid. It should be turned off. This is when you need to be on task; plug in your power cord to your macbook. This will cause a restart. RIGHT when the mac chime happens and the screen turns white, unplug your THO5.

    Wait a few seconds and before windows 7 boots, it will pop up with the 'windows unexpectedly shut down' screen. This is when you plug back in your THO5. Cross your fingers and hope that when it loads, the card won't have error 12!
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #90
  41. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Once I disable the dGPU and reboot with TH05 to get the code 12, hibernate disappears from the power options for closing the lid. Any ideas?
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #91
  42. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Here is the error I get when I try to force the ability to hibernate in the CMD:

    [​IMG]

    On further investigation is seems that this VGA driver can't hibernate as there is no assigned memory for the hibernation process.
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #92
  43. EpicBlob

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    Ok, thats odd. Maybe try doing it without disabling the dgpu?
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #93
  44. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Tried that but I don't get the windows expectantly shut down screen. It just resumes as normal.
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #94
  45. EpicBlob

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    Did you plug it back it when the loading screen appears? And did all the other steps happen corectly? Oh and is your boot os set to windows? It makes this much easier
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #95
  46. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Yes I followed it to the letter.
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #96
  47. EpicBlob

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    Hmm. Had you tried the previous method (think i sent it yesterday) with the dgpu disabled? This one didnt involve hibernating
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #97
  48. Teknotronix

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    Yes I did.
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 10, 2012
    #98
  49. EpicBlob

    EpicBlob Notebook Evangelist

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    There is a waythough as your tolud isnt high enough for it to not work. But i think for now, its gonna be guess and checking :(
     
    EpicBlob, Oct 10, 2012
    #99
  50. Teknotronix

    Teknotronix Notebook Guru

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    Would the DIY eGPU Setup application help me in any way? Or would it not work considering the info I have provided?
     
    Teknotronix, Oct 11, 2012
    #100
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