Install Guide - Mavericks onto unsupported ECS H87H3-TI Thin Mini-ITX

The following documents the final process used to install Apple Mavericks 10.9 onto the ECS H87H3-TI motherboard on the bench as a desktop system.
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This system was not an easy hack and I discovered a number issues (read below) and I do not recommend this motherboard for any one other then experienced hackers.

If you are not up to speed on THIN Mini-ITX motherboards, go do some internet searches.


The System:

Motherboard: ECS H87H3-TI a THIN Mini-ITX form factor
CPU: i7-4770T (45 watt version)
Memory: 2 x 4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SODIMMs
Storage: 250 GB 2.5” HDD for this guide (will switch to an mSATA III system drive)
PSU: Using a Dell power brick, 19.5VDC @ 6.7A.
E-net: Using wired Gig-E 1000 bit.
KeyBD: USB
Mouse: USB
Video: Intel HD4600 to active DP/DVI adapter. And/or HDMI cable to DVI.
Audio: Power Speakers attached to rear panel green jack.
WiFi: There is a half card size MPCIe slot - not populated


Patched BIOS

The motherboard has only the original BIOS available. I found that I had to patch the BIOS before any OS X installer would run. I downloaded a copy of the BIOS from the ECS web site.

I installed Window 8.1 and ran the PmPatch utility in a Windows command window. Go here to read about this topic and download the software tools: http://www.tonymacx86.com/ssdt/92024-pmpatch-uefi-patching-utility.html

Needless to say I held my breath when I installed the patched BIOS for the first time. I went through this process several times just to confirm that the patch was really needed.

Set the optimized defaults in the BIOS.


Prep USB Installer

I found that a slightly modified USB installer made life better.

Build an 8GB USB flash driver installer using UniBeast v3.0.1 per Tony’s guide: http://www.tonymacx86.com/374-unibeast-install-os-x-mavericks-any-supported-intel-based-pc.html

Get two kext files:

https://code.google.com/p/os-x-real...habMan-Realtek-Network-2013-0819.zip&can=2&q= and download RehabMan-Realtek-Network-2013-0819.zip. Extract the kext RealtekRTL8111.kext.

http://forge.voodooprojects.org/p/voodootscsync/downloads/ and search for VoodooTSCSync to download tsc.tar. Extract to VoodooTSCSync.kext.

Also download the Mavericks version of Multibeast.app.

Round up copies of SuperDuper! (shareware cloning software) and Kext Wizard.

Also go get a copy of Easy Voodoo 2.80 here: http://www.osx86.net/files/file/516-easy-voodoohda-2-8-0-installer/

Set show all files to show all files (search for this app if you don’t already have it).

Select you USB installer and go the the /Extra/Extensions folder. Delete IONetworkingFamily.kext. Now drag the RealtekRTL8111.kext and the VoodooTSCSync.kext into the /Extra/Extensions folder.

While here, put copies in the Root of the USB and into /System/Library/Extensions.

Then drag copies of SuperDuper.app, Multibeast.app, and Kext_Wizard.app to the root of the USB installer.

The idea is to have these files in the root of the installer for convience:

MultiBeast
Kext Wizard
Superduper!
Easy Voodoo 2.8.0 Audio Installer V2 (Miikko).mpkg
RealtekRTL8111.kext
VoodooTSCSync.kext

Set show all files to Hide.


Install Mavericks 10.9 to the system:

Note that there are no USB 2.0 ports on the rear panel of the ECS motherboard.

As needed add a header cable to bring out a USB 2.0 port to accept the USB installer device.

As needed add the target hard drive to the system (and remove any other).

Power on the system, press the F7 key to bring up the “Please select boot device” screen.

Select your USB installer.

At the Chimera screen, enter “-v -x” command arguments (no quotes).

The system will run through the kext inventory and finally with to black followed to light grey screen. Wait.

The light grey became a darker grey screen. Wait.

Shortly the install screen appears.

Click the round proceed button.

At the “Install OS X”, go into the top menu Utilities and use Disk Utility to setup up your target drive.

I always set up two partitions, one for the installation and one to clone the new installation later.

Close Disk Utility and click to start the installation, selecting the first partition.

This takes a few minutes (10 to 30 minutes depending upon the media, memory and CPU).

As the install completes, and the system reboots, use the F7 key to get the system to boot from the USB installer and select the new partition, use -v -x arguments.

Go though the account setup to get to the desktop.

Click on System Preferences.

Click Security & Privacy, click the lock icon and enter p/w.

Select Allow apps downloaded from Anywhere and confirm.

Go to the Finder Preferences and set up to see Hard Drives and others as desired.

Click on the USB installer icon and drag the following to the desktop:

MultiBeast
Kext Wizard
Superduper!
Easy Voodoo 2.8.0 Audio Installer V2 (Miikko).mpkg
RealtekRTL8111.kext
VoodooTSCSync.kext

Run Superduper! and clone the fresh install to partition number two. This is your fall back or recovery route.

Go to /System/Libary/Extensions/ and delete AppleHDA.Kext.

Run MultiBeast to install DSDT Free, FakeSMC plugins and Hardware Monitor. See this screen capture.
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Run Kext Wizard and install RealtekRTL81111.kext and VoodooTSCSync.kext.

Run Easy Voodoo 2.8.0 audio installer.

Run Kext Wizard and repair permissions and Rebuilt cache.

Reboot with no arguments!!!

Ethernet and Sound are active as is auto screen resolution detection. And we have accelerated video to two desktop displays (one via the DP and one via the HDMI out port) concurrently.

Wake from sleep needs some work. I will add that detail as I find a solution.

Good modding

neil

Nice work!

Thanks Neil, good draft.

So I could manage the hackintosh on a Zotac IQ01.

Same open points, only voodoo HDA soundcard (wrong connectors showing) and no Suspend2Ram (wake from sleep not working)
Thanks again DrNWM