Asus Rampage IV Extreme X79 - Guide: Extract & Edit your own DSDT

Asus Rampage IV Extreme - DSDT Guide: Extract & Edit your own DSDT

Also, onboard audio now works in 10.8.5 with toleda's new patched AppleHDA and HDAEnabler from Multibeast 5.5.2 but you must use kernel flag npci=0x2000 instead of npci=0x3000. You may now use the ALC898 "Without DSDT" option from Multibeast 5.5.2+ instead of DSDT injection of HDEF. DSDT injection from this guide still works and is my preferred method. EDIT: Some people are having issues with the patched 10.8.5 AppleHDA.kext from MultiBeast 5.5.2. The "Interim 898 Lion AppleHDA kext" (Interim IvyBridge) still works in 10.8.5 but you must use npci=0x2000 instead of npci=0x3000 and add HDEF to your DSDT as shown by this guide.


I will leave the guide mostly in it's original state for those who prefer earlier BIOS. The updated lists of patches should be self explanatory but feel free to post your questions.
BIOS 4206 use Shilohhs_R4E_DSDT_Patches_3.0.rtf
BIOS 3602 and earlier use Shilohhs_R4E_DSDT_Patches_2.6.rtf

The DSDT edits in this guide are specifically for the Asus Rampage IV Extreme - Socket 2011 - X79 Motherboard, but some may work on similar systems.

This guide will walk you through extracting and editing a DSDT from your specific RIVE build.

Before We Start


A DSDT is ACPI data from your system's BIOS. It can change depending on you BIOS version, BIOS settings and PCI hardware installed so:

1) Make sure you are updated to the BIOS you want to extract the DSDT from and set up your BIOS completely and correctly for your system.

2) Make sure you have all your PCI devices functioning correctly and installed in the locations you want them.

3) Remove DSDT.aml from /Extra, if present, and re-boot. Make sure that your system is booted from the bootloader on your actual boot drive (without using the USB installer to boot).

Getting Started

Download and open "DSDTSE V2 Beta" and my list of DSDT patches.

On the main pane, click "Extract DSDT".



Your DSDT will be extracted from your active BIOS in a "Decompiled" window.




If for some reason DSDTSE will not extract it, open terminal and paste:


Then hit enter. Open dsdt.aml with DSDTSE when it appears on your desktop.


Click compile. You will be presented with a "Compile error" window.



Click "OK". An "Error" window will open showing you all the current errors, warnings, and remarks.



Note there are lots of errors. Close the window. Click "Fixcompile". The DSDT should compile successfully and another "Code" window will open. In the "Code" window, note that the DSDT's errors have all been fixed except for one warning.



Close the "Code" window.


Continued in the following posts.

Open my list of DSDT Patches and lets start patching.

1) Add Method DTGP:
Copy "Method DTGP" from the list.

Click on the right side of the " { " that follows the "DefinitionBlock". Hit the Right Arrow key. The cursor should be at the very start of the next line.



Hit enter to make a blank line.



Use the Up-Arrow key to move the cursor up to that blank line.



Paste in "Method DTGP" there.



You can change "Name (TMAC, "R4E 3404")" to read whatever you'd like it to. Example:
Name (TMAC, "BIG BOB'S BIG DSDT"). I've only added this so I can see what version I've opened for future editing. Click "Fixcompile".


2) Cleaning up unnecessary stuff:
Note: This one is not necessary and adds no functionality.
Scroll down to Name (OSVR, Ones).

Comment out the OS's.

Also see example in my list of DSDT patches. Click "Fixcompile".


3) Fix the SIOS Warning:
Copy "SIOS Warning" fix.

Type "sios" in the search window and click search.

Scroll to the bottom of the method and add a space right before the last " } " .

Paste the fix in that blank line.

Click "Fixcompile".
Note that the last warning is no longer present in the "Code" widow that opens.

4) NOT NEEDED FOR 10.8.5 WITH BIOS 4206. Get the LPC controller to load and use native OS X kexts:

Copy the Device (SBRG) fix from the list.

Search for "sbrg". Move the "Decompiled" window over to the left side of your screen so that the left side of the window is cut off right at the edge of the D in "Device (SBRG)".

Scroll down until you find the " } " that lines up the the same spot as the D from "Device (SBRG)". This is where SBRG's sub device chain ends.

Move the window back over so you can see all of the left side again. Select from right side of the " } " that you found, all the to the left edge.

Paste over it with the Device (SBRG) fix from the list.

Click "Fixcompile".

5) Remove dedicated IRQs from devices to later give them to the High Precision Event Timer:

Type "IRQNoFlags ()" without the " " into the search box.

Click "Next". The first match will be in "Device (PIC)". Select from the right edge of "{2}" below it, all the way up to the far left edge of "IRQNoFlags ()".

Hit Delete.

Click next again. It should now find "{0}" in "Device (TMR)". Select from the right edge of "{0}" below it, all the way up to the far left edge of "IRQNoFlags ()". NOTE: I messed up on the image below. It should look like the examples for {2}, {8}, {1} and {12}.

Delete it.

Click next. You should now find "{8}" in "Device (RTC0).

Delete it.

Click next. You should find "{13}" in "Device (COPR)". Leave this one alone.

Click "Next". Continue the same process and delete all the "{1}"s from "Device (PS2K)".

Delete all the "{12}"s from "Device (PS2M)".

Note: If you are using a PS2 mouse or keyboard, you may need to find different IRQ values to use instead of {1} and {12}.


6) Give Device (HPET) the 2 dedicated IRQ values to use from a Mac Pro 5,1.

Search "hpet" and paste in fix
The following photos for the IRQ edits are outdated. See updated list of patches v2.6 or v3.0 for new values.

-as in my example on the list. Click "Fixcompile".

Patching - Part III​

7) Add sub-device "Device (BUS0)" to "Device (SMB)" to load native SMBus kexts:

Search "Device (SMB)"

and paste in fix over the last " } " before the next device.

Also see my example on the list. Click "Fixcompile".


8) Add Device (HDEF) to the end of Device (PCI0) to enable onboard audio with the "Interim IvyBridge" kext from Toleda:

Search "Device (PCI0)". Find the end of the device chain the same way we did in the "Device (SBRG)" fix.

It's a LONG ways down. For me, the PCI0 device chain starts at line 1670 and ends at line 6286. Paste the fix over the last " } " in the device chain.

Click "Fixcompile".


9) THIS STEP DOESN'T SEEM TO BE NEEDED ANYMORE IN 10.8.5 WITH BIOS 4206. Add AAPL,clock-id 2 to PEX1-4 to allow sleep (SleepEnabler.kext is necessary) while USB 3.0 storage is plugged in:

Search "Device (PEX" and hit next until you find "Device (PEX1)".

Paste patch in between "Name" and "OperationRegion".

Repeat for "Device (PEX2)", "Device (PEX3)", and "Device (PEX4)". Click "Fixcompile".

Note: Any drives plugged into USB 3 ports will be force ejected upon wake. They will then automatically remount. This may be solved in the future with more USB 3.0 support from Apple.

Click on the "Compile" tab to get into the compile section.

Check the "Autofix errors" box and the "Fixes report" box. Click the "Compile" button.

Click the "Gimme my DSDT" button. A finder window will open containing your edited DSDT. It will be named "DSDT.aml".

Drag "DSDT.aml" into your "/Extra" folder. Delete or overwrite the old DSDT.aml if one is present and reboot.

Verification
Not necessary for you to do but it's nice to see that your edits have worked and are being used by the system.​

On the "Main Pane", in the second box, under "Registry Info", click "Get".

This will open IORegistryExplorer and show you all the devices loaded and information about them.

1) In the search box of the newly opened IOReg window, enter "hpet". With HPET selected on the left twirl open the disclosure triangle for "IOInteruptSpecifiers".

In the "Values" column, the first pair of numbers (they are displayed as Hexadecimals and you will need to convert them to decimal using something like HexDecBin.app)

-are the IRQs that HPET is using. You should have, 0c (12), 08, 02, and 01.

2) Find "SBRG" and note that AppleLPC shows up as a sub-device and that it has the native OS X driver loaded.

3) Find "SMB". Note that the device we added, "BUS0", shows up in the device tree and it is using the native OS X driver.

4) At "PEX1", "PEX2", "PEX3", and "PEX4", you should see the"AAPL,clock-id" we added.

5) Note that "HDEF" should now be present and loaded.

Wow, great work shilohh! Thanks for documenting this in such detail. This will be very useful for me and all the other X79 owners; especially those with RIVE.

Nice writeup!

I'm researching this board as a potential upgrade path and it looks like you guys have made progress!

I have a couple questions though that I can't seem to get a definitive answer out of my searches.

Your posts state that if usb storage is present, sleepenabler.kext is required.

What if there are no usb devices? Does sleep work?

I've seen some modded bioses around for asus boards... Have you researched this?

discreetlogic said:

Nice writeup!
I have a couple questions though that I can't seem to get a definitive answer out of my searches.
Your posts state that if usb storage is present, sleepenabler.kext is required.
What if there are no usb devices? Does sleep work?
I've seen some modded bioses around for asus boards... Have you researched this?

Click to expand...

Thank you for the kind words

Haven't found or tested modded BIOS for this board.
EDIT: I just looked into modding the BIOS for this board and it will not achieve anything until Apple integrates X79 into a real Mac.

SleepEnabler.kext is only required for sleep. Most users of this board have disabled sleep all together and just shut down. Boot time with a SSD is around 30 sec from power button to desktop.

CPU power management does not work for any X79 board at this time. This means no speed step (turbo boost) or sleep. However, sleep does work if you use SleepEnabler.kext but it has some bugs. With the edits outlined in this guide, it works with USB drives plugged in, but it will force eject any storage plugged into USB3 ports upon wake. This could lead to data corruption on those devices so you would want to eject them before sleep and disable auto sleep. USB2 ports function fine.

This build is best suited to people want a powerhouse workstation and are not concerned with low power draw at idle, but are looking for a pure performance hot rod. GeekBench score = 21,096. I built mine as a workstation for CS6 and Davinci Resolve. I currently have a GTX 570 HD 2.5GB as my main card and a GTX 580 Classified 3GB as a dedicated render card for Resolve. It screams in any app that utilizes CUDA and the CPU (3930K @ 4.2GHZ) screams in any that don't.

Thanks for clearing that up shilohh

f you experiment with a custom bios that gives a more "native" feel like a gigabyte UEFI dsdt-less build please share the info!!!

BTW: Sick geekbench scores