Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD7-TH - Install Outline, Test: File Copy Results

I am installing OSX 10.9.1 on the new Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD7-TH motherboard.

I have tried a couple different install paths, but the following one, outlined by genzai, seems to be the least troublesome. I expanded on genzai's steps to produce a full install with DSDT outlined below.

These Threads were helpful:
TonyMacx86's install outline
genzai's install outline
toleda's HDMI Audio reference
loginfailed's MaciASL Guide
MaciASL Sources

Hardware Setup:
BIOS:F2 GA-Z87X-UD7-TH firmware
CPU:i7-4770
SATAVIDEOUSBMEMORY: 4X8GB CORSAIR VENGEANCE DDR3 1600MHZ
POWER: CORSAIR HX850
Installation Outline:

BIOS setup:Windows Installation:
Skip this step if you are only installing OSX. If you decide to install windows to activate Thunderbolt hardware, you will need to do something like the following. As noted in other threads: in order for Thunderbolt to work, you will need to load the drivers in windows and plug in a Thunderbolt drive.

• set boot order to 1) DVDROM, 2) Windows Boot, 3) OS X Boot)
• install windows and drivers
• plug in Thunderbolt drive
• verify thunderbolt connected drive
• restart and set boot drive back to 1) CDROM, 2) OSX Boot, 3) Windows

Prepare your UniBeast USB Thumb drive:
Follow TonyMacx86's instructions for creating Thumb drive, and come back
Add a few utilities to Thumb drive

• MaciASL (v1.3 (246))
• MultiBeast-Mavericks Edition (v6.1.0)
• Chameleon

Install with Unibeast (v3.0.1 used to create USB from Mavericks 10.9.1):

• press F12 to boot to BIOS Boot menu and select your USB drive
• At BIOS Boot menu, Select unibeast thumb drive (you may need to reboot if you didn’t have your USB thumb drive inserted before discovery)
• At tonymac boot menu, choose your USB drive
• Choose Language and continue
• Start Disk Utility and create a partition on the OSX boot drive. Quit Disk Utility
• Install OS X -> Continue
• -> Agree
• Select Disk -> Install
• Wait 23 Minutes or so
• System will reboot, so be ready to interrupt boot with F12...

First Boot:

• When system reboots after install, press F12 to boot to BIOS Boot menu and select your USB drive (your OSX drive does not have the boot code yet.)
• At tonymacx86's boot menu, select your newly installed partition and press SPACE BAR.
  • At the “boot:” prompt, type the following
  • DSDT=NULL
  • And press return
  • Welcome -> select country -> Continue
• "Select Keyboard" -> Continue
• "Transfer Information…" -> Don’t Transfer -> Continue
• "Sign in … Apple ID" -> Don’t sign in -> Continue -> Skip
• "Terms and Conditions" -> Agree -> Agree
• "Create Account"
  • Admin
  • admin
  • <pw> <pw>
  • <hint>
  • (decide if you want pw unlock)
  • (decide if you want local time zone)
  • Don’t send Diagnostics to Apple
  • -> Continue
• "Register Your Mac" -> Don’t Register -> Continue -> Skip

MaciASL:

• Start up MaciASL, go to MaciASL->Preferences
  • iASL
    • Compiler Options -> ACPI 5.0
  • Sources: add the following repositories:
    • PJALM
      • PJalm Gigabyte, http://pjalm.info/repos/gigabyte
      • Pjalm Graphics, http://pjalm.info/repos/graphics
    • Toleda
      • Toleda8, https://raw.github.com/toleda/audio_hdmi_8series/master
• Close, Exit, and Restart MaciASL
• Add Patches:
  • Click Patch icon at Top
  • Add Motherboard Patch:
    • Select PJALM Gigabyte->Z87X-UD7-TH
    • <wait for load and analysis>
    • Click Apply
    • <wait for both sections to clear>
  • Add Toleda HD4600 DSDT (v3, ID1) Patch
    • Select Toleda HDMI->Desktop-HD5K/AMD/Nvidia-A1
    • <wait for load an analysis>
    • Click Apply
    • <wait for both sections to clear>
    • Click Close
  • Add PJALM Generic Graphics Patch:
    • Select PJALM Graphics->Generic Discrete Graphics (AMD/nVidia)
    • <wait for load an analysis>
    • Click Apply
    • <wait for both sections to clear>
    • Click Close
  • Click Compile icon at top
    • A compiler summary appears, I got:
      • 0 Errors
      • 0 Warnings
      • 11 Remarks
      • 146 Optimizations
• We will save both source and compiled:
  • File->Save As…
    • Location: Desktop
    • Name: DSDT
    • File Format: Disassembled ASL File
    • Don’t hide extension
  • File->Save As…
    • Location: Desktop
    • Name: DSDT
    • File Format: ACPI Machine Language Binary
    • Don’t Hide extension

multibeast, Mavericks Edition:

• Quick Start:
  • UserDSDT
    • Open ~/Desktop/DSDT.aml
• Drivers
  • Audio: Realtek ALCxxx->With DSDT->ALC898
  • Disk
    • 3rd Party SATA
    • TRIM Enabler
      • 10.9.x TRIM Patch
  • Misc
    • FakeSMC v5.3.820
    • FakeSMC v5.3.820 Plugins
    • FakeSMC v5.3.820 HWMonitor Application
  • Network
    • Intel hnak’s AppleIntelE1000e v2.4.14
• Bootloaders
  • Chimera v2.2.1
• Customize
  • Boot Options
    • Basic Boot Options
    • Use KernelCache
  • System Definitions
    • iMac->iMac 14,2
  • Themes
    • Tonymacx86 Black
• Build
  • Review Current Configuration:
    • <multibeast-current-configuration.png>
• Save to desktop: pixelstand.mb
• Install
  • Click Install on the lower right
    • Agree
    • Type admin password->Install Helper
    • Multibeast will copy your DSDT.aml to /Extra, setup boot, and setup boot parameters.
    • Observe Install Succeeded

Chameleon Wizard 4.3.2

• SMBios
  • Edit
  • Premade SMBioses->Select
    • iMac(14,2)
  • Week of Manufacture: Keep hitting Random until you get a week > 40
  • Unique Number: Random
  • Click Save
  • Type Admin password
• Modules
  • Select FileNVRAM.dylib
  • <Keylayout.dylib already selected>
  • Verify target partition
  • Click Apply

Disk Utility:

• Select your boot partition
• First Aid->Repair Disk Permissions

Finish Up:

• Quit all apps
• Eject and remove USB Drive
• Reboot
• Hit down arrow a couple times at tonymacx86’s boot screen and..
• select "boot ignore caches" (only first boot needed—you can use the caches for subsequent boots unless you change hardware settings.)

Done!

Thanks for this man. I was just installing my system on this board and have been looking for a good outline on how to do it. Seems it's still pretty new to the community. I'll post my results later and let you know how mine comes out.

UPDATE: MY FREEZES AND LOCKUPS WERE DUE TO A HARDWARE ISSUE. The lockups were attributed to the i7-4770 processor I had. I replaced it with an i7-4770K processor, and haven't had a lockup issue since. VERY RELIEVED about this.
I've been running random usability tests on the system since I've replaced the processor, and have had no issues with file copies. I have not tested HDMI audio yet, but I have noticed that the analog audio pops when sounds start.

The file copy test I've been able to successfully repeat is to copy 2TB worth of data to a 4TB drive. This had failed with my previous processor during the first copy. With my working hardware, and the above install, I've been able to copy the same data over 5 times in the last couple days. The system has not been shut down yet and is still purring... er <making waves?> (What is the mavericks equivalent of a cat's purr?)

Anyway. The method outlined in post 1 of this thread works with this motherboard in getting a functional system. I have not tested HDMI audo. Additionally, based on the results of others, I have not bothered testing the bluetooth and wifi daughterboard. I have not tested Thunderbolt yet.

At this point, disk activity is stable, and that was my #1 task. The other stuff is gravy!

-px

Best wishes with your new computer-- once wifi and bluetooth work, this will be a nirvana of tonymacx86 boards... I'll use this one for a while, but I always prefer 2 physical CPUs: better UI responsiveness.

-px

Just got everything up and running using your exact instructions. Works very well. I've been able to do everything I've wanted with it so far. This is my first ever computer build. It's been an awesome process. Still learning a lot about it. Now to figure out this overclocking thing. Glad you figured out your issues. Hopefully more compatibility on the board will be cessed out. Cheers.

Are the Thunderbolt v2 and USB 3.0 working OOTB or needed drivers for both?

USB 3.0 is working fine out the box. I have not tested Thunderbolt yet as I don't have dual boot. Apparently you need to install the drivers on a windows partition to unlock the Thunderbolt chips.

Can't you use Clover instead of Chimera/Chameleon or would there be problems?

Eyevanovich said:

USB 3.0 is working fine out the box. I have not tested Thunderbolt yet as I don't have dual boot. Apparently you need to install the drivers on a windows partition to unlock the Thunderbolt chips.

Click to expand...

You serious. What if one wanted to only install Linux how would they be able to unlock it then?

pixelstand said:

• • System Definitions
    • iMac->iMac 14,2

Click to expand...

is it necessary to use the iMac selection? what about the mac pro selections? is there a difference?