How to build your own iMac Pro [Successful Build/Extended Guide]

[kgp]

1) While you specifically asked about CPU, I did notice that Klaus overclocked his RAM - and didn't set the DRAM voltage appropriately. @kgp I would recommend about 1.35V for the DDR4 modules you are using if clocking to 3200.
2) With much experience on the topic I strongly advise against RAID using IRST or any other similar firmware RAID solution. Single disks with a good automated backup regimen is much more reliable. Don't just trust me - Google it.

Thanks for your this time really constructive comments

 

[dwhitla]

Constructive criticism? And just below another insult where you accuse me of having JUST COPIED the work of about a dozen other people? This is not constructive criticism, this is a strong accuse I definitely reject and moreover a statement which is not true, as I also present my own solutions and approaches to make Skylake-X/X299 work and to reach a stable and fully functional system! Skylake-X/X299 is a totally new system.. I think it is fair and totally mandatory to source the internet and to consider, exchange and combine ideas and opinions with others before writing a guide! Wherever adequate and necessary I also mentioned the origin or reason for each individually and finally considered approach. If you do not like the way I gather and combine or exchange the necessary information for build and guide development, I can't help you. The latter seems to be your personal problem about which I I don't mind at all! If you don't like my guide in the original post, just stay away from my thread! An as I said, your are always free to write your own guide, which certainly will be much better due to your coding experience before the internet dark ages.

All the best,

KGP

I'm just going to put this down to language barrier. For the record, I didn't even mention your claiming credit for other peoples' hard work until after you started slinging insults.

Edit: Thought better of fuelling the flames, and removed a comment which may have dragged this out.

 

[dwhitla]

Thanks for your this time really constructive comments

Alternatively you could use XMP which you have disabled in BIOS in your screen shot.
But with BIOS version 0503 I would not do that - it doesn't work - the BIOS for this board is terrible and contains many bugs. Better to search the Official ASUS X299 Mobo Support Thread over at overclockers.net and understand the issues so you can manually set timings and voltages if you are thinking of overclocking the ASUS Prime X299 Deluxe. I won't personally until a much better BIOS is released. Don't waste your time with 0702 - it introduced more issues than it fixed.

@kgp - the packaging for the TridentZ modules has a label affixed with the tested timings that resulted in stable performance at 3200Hz. You should use them as your primary timings. Sadly GSkill do not publish secondary timings - you have to figure those out on your own. Specifically the CAS latency and precharge times at 3200 will typically need to be higher than at 2133. I think your RAM uses 16 18 18 38 2T at 3200 IIRC.

 

[kgp]

dwhitla Sorry... I was thinking -it doesn't exist no more... places with so poor internet
I mean in generally, because if I take DSL i have 8-10Mbps here, few streets away 100/10
and LTE/4G 40/30Mbps, and... about web browser and a lot of tabs
daily I have 50-70 tabs opened on the same tame, and I don't feel it... but maybe you have right and others feel that much better...
PS: about pictures, I was thinking more about clover screenshots

KGP: Please try to relax, I think nobody wanted to say something 'not good' about your person or something like that... sometimes we just say something wrong by using not good words,
and simply we are not understood well... (that was my feeling)
But on the same time - it's your topic and you are a Boss

PEOPLE please stop taking about anything else than MainSubject!

So 2 little questions for You KGP :
1) Did you tried OC your CPU?
I was curious if everything works OK with little OC, what will be later
very important for me.

2) I wanted to create RAID1 with 2x2Tb HDD for backups
In windows - no way
in OS X - no problem (it will be in exFat but it can be invisible for windows)
BIOS - OK (it will be visible for windows but in OS X i'm not sure..)
Do you think it will work without problems on ASUS X299 Deluxe and 10.13?


Have a nice day!!!

I did not overclock my CPU yet... The aim of my current i7-7800X is to successfully setup a fully functional and stable Skalyke-X/X299 System. The overclocking I leave for the i9-7980XE, which I will implement in my goal system setup.

You can always create a soft raid under OSX which should be recognized by any OSX version, In fact I did the same. It approach is mainboard indpendent.

 

[dwhitla]

I did not overclock my CPU yet... The aim of my current i7-7800X is to successfully setup a fully functional and stable Skalyke-X/X299 System. The overclocking I leave for the i9-7980XE, which I will implement in my goal system setup.

You can always create a soft raid under OSX which should be recognized by any OSX version, In fact I did the same. It approach is mainboard indpendent.

At 14nm the 7980 is going to run HOT. I can get away with a cheap AIO on the 7900X even at 4.5GHz, but the base core clock on the 7980 is obviously going to be much lower to manage TDP. If you plan to overclock this, order your EK water block now maybe.

FWIW Apple RAID is rubbish - read the source - it is garbage not fit for use. It is a fork of BSD's software RAID implementation that hasn't been maintained by Apple in years and continues to result in data loss annually for many poor users. If you must use software RAID I suggest SoftRAID as a better alternative. If you must use RAID because you need the performance rather than as a protection against data loss then consider a hardware controller from LSI or Arica or an external TB3 Promise Pegasus 3. Unless you have a pile of spinning disks to use up I'd still go with SSD single disks though. If you do buy a hardware controller (don't), be sure to buy two. I've personally had controllers fail and been unable to buy a replacement controller to read the disks.

 

[kgp]

Alternatively you could use XMP which you have disabled in BIOS in your screen shot.
But with BIOS version 0503 I would not do that - it doesn't work - the BIOS for this board is terrible and contains many bugs. Better to search the Official ASUS X299 Mobo Support Thread over at overclockers.net and understand the issues so you can manually set timings and voltages if you are thinking of overclocking the ASUS Prime X299 Deluxe. I won't personally until a much better BIOS is released. Don't waste your time with 0702 - it introduced more issues than it fixed.

@kgp - the packaging for the TridentZ modules has a label affixed with the tested timings that resulted in stable performance at 3200Hz. You should use them as your primary timings. Sadly GSkill do not publish secondary timings - you have to figure those out on your own. Specifically the CAS latency and precharge times at 3200 will typically need to be higher than at 2133. I think your RAM uses 16 18 18 38 2T at 3200 IIRC.

Well, I use BIOS version 0702 and I indeed also use XMP without facing major issues. However, I will consider your advice and implement the RAM timings you are suggesting.

Many thanks!

 

[kgp]

At 14nm the 7980 is going to run HOT. I can get away with a cheap AIO on the 7900X even at 4.5GHz, but the base core clock on the 7980 is obviously going to be much lower to manage TDP. If you plan to overclock this, order your EK water block now maybe.

I already have the Corsair H115i. I hope it will be sufficient also for the I9-7980XE... What do you think? As you say.. with the monsters of the Skylake-X family, effective CPU Water Blocks are absolutely mandatory!

 

[mgregrs]

Thanks for answers...
Yes, maybe that RAID - it was not so good idea
I will test it when I will have your motherboard at home

About RAM, I don't know if it's worth to OC or manually set timings etc...
You think it can be more stable than XMP ..?

About BIOS: Intel was too fast with X299
nobody had enough of time to prepare perfect motherboards

KGP think about too big monster for me 7980XE
but dwhitla have the same CPU like me..
so.... did you tried something...?

 

[mgregrs]

I have H115i with 2x Noctua 14 -IndustrialPPC 2000rpm
It's OK for stock 7900X or little OC
but HIGH OC or 7980XE noo way...
you need 1x560 or 420 radiator.... for silence and staying cool
what I want to create next moth so it will be crazy time

 

[dwhitla]

Well, I use BIOS version 0702 and I indeed also use XMP without facing major issues. However, I will consider your advice and implement the RAM timings you are suggesting.

Many thanks!

If you have enabled XMP don't touch the timings - thats what it does for you. Basically either use it or go manual. I just noticed in your guide that you advised setting 3.2GHz on the DRAM in BIOS but didn't adjust anything else to support that - specifically your screenshot showed that XMP was disabled. Note that to use XMP on the Prime X299 you must first hardware enable it with the switch next to the LCD display next to PCI slot 6.